This historical Civil War portrait shows Union color bearer Alex Rogers of the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment standing outdoors and facing the camera, his dark uniform buttoned up and his posture steady. He holds a long flagstaff across his body, presenting the regiment’s battle flag with a solemn, matter-of-fact pride.
The flag itself dominates the scene, its fabric visibly shredded and hanging in torn strips, with frayed edges and ragged gaps that speak to heavy fighting. The worn banner becomes a powerful visual record of battlefield damage, turning a simple pose into a striking testament to what the colors endured.
Taken after the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, this image captures the symbolism of the color bearer and the importance of regimental flags in Union Army service. Ideal for readers searching for Gettysburg photos, Civil War portraits, and Union infantry history, it preserves a vivid moment where survival, duty, and sacrifice are stitched into a battered piece of cloth.