Small fragment of dark blue cloth attributed to a flag of the 89th Illinois Volunteer Infantry ("Railroad Regiment"), measuring approximately 3 1/2″ x 2″, mounted on a period file card. The card has an inventory number, "1396," and a detailed description of the item handwritten in ink: "A Piece of the Battalion Flag under which many companys of the 89th Ill, or Railway Reg. were recruited and organized at Chicago, Aug 18th 1862 by Col. John Christopher, and fought under this flag during the remainder of the Civil War." The cloth is in good condition, with tattered edges and some separating threads along the borders, while the card is in fine condition with light overall toning and some fading to ink.
The 89th Illinois Volunteer Infantry was formed by the various railroad companies of Chicago, and mustered into federal service on August 27, 1862. The regiment had an eventful history and was engaged at Stone’s River, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Kennesaw Mountain, and Nashville among others. The regiment was in Nashville when the war ended and were mustered out there on June 10, 1865. Out of a total of 1,403 officers and men, the regiment had lost 820 killed in action, died of wounds or disease, or discharged for disability.
