Civil War Battle Flag Recovered


January 6, 2012

A historic flag used in the Civil War is back on display at a New Orleans museum more than a decade after it was stolen.


Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: A historic flag used in the Civil War is back on display at a New Orleans museum more than a decade after it was stolen.

Adam Pierce: The history behind it and learning about it is amazing. The flag was actually carried during numerous major battles, and it was actually captured at Gettysburg.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern of the FBI, and this is Gotcha, the Bureau’s closed case of the week. Information about the whereabouts of the $250,000 14th Louisiana Infantry Regiment Confederate Battle Flag was provided to the FBI’s Art Crime Team in Miami. Just several hours later, special agents tracked down a Virginia man who unknowingly bought the flag from a former museum volunteer who had stolen it. Special Agent Adam Pierce…

Pierce: Then we went in, looked at the flag, matched it up with some photos we had, and then we collected the item.

Halpern: The FBI’s National Art Crime Team has recovered more than 2,600 items valued at more than $142 million since its beginning in 2005. For more information, visit www.fbi.gov.

Audio Download