Stars and Bars Removed from Confederate Capitol

John O. Foster was a Methodist minister attached to the 24th Army Corps and is said to have preached the first sermon following the fall of Richmond, April 4, 1865. Foster landed at City Point on April 2, 1865 at 2PM and upon his arrival helped tend to the wounded from both sides that had arrived by train nearby. Foster also had the opportunity to watch the bombardment of Petersburg. That evening he watched Richmond burn, and was later given a pass to enter the city.

On April 3rd and 4th, Foster, undoubtedly the first Union chaplain in the City, was given a section of the enormous Confederate flag which flew over the Confederate State House. On April 5th, his diary states he visited the Confederate Treasury. He noted: "Promises to pay (Bonds) in ton lots- told help yourselves- Did so...".

Foster obtained as many varieties of bonds and Confederate money as he could and glued the sections of the Confederate flag he obtained onto them. A label was later affixed to one section stating: "Confederate money valuable as curios, pieces of flag floating over Capitol at Richmond on day of capitulation". Foster then preached under guard at the Presbyterian Church to an audience composed of mostly liberated slaves.

This flag remnant is from the flag taken from the Confederate Capitol with the edge turned to show a portion of a Confederate bond or banknote Foster removed from the Treasury and glued thereon. The photo shows the missing flag on the Capitol as well as the new "Stars and Stripes" floating in the breeze nearby.

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