38-Star American Parade Flag, Flown at a Reception for President Grant, 1880

This is a beautifully colored 38-star American parade flag, flown at a public reception for Ulysses S. Grant in October of 1880. This printed flag features a rare, triple medallion star pattern, with three rings of stars, a central star, and two outliers at the top right and bottom right of the canton. The flag is printed on glazed cotton and has a period inscription, reading “Gen. Grant Reception Hartford Oct 16th 1880” in black ink on the last white stripe.  This parade flag boasts an interesting history, as it was flown during a public reception for former President Ulysses S. Grant. During a trip from Boston to New York in October 1880, Grant stopped in Hartford, Connecticut for a public reception. He was met by a large crowd of admirers lining the streets along the route from the train station to Bushnell Park, where the public reception was held. Among the dignitaries welcoming General Grant was Mark Twain, who spoke highly of Grant’s leadership abilities, describing him as a gre