GDG- Re:Howard Madaus

[Biggsk at aol.com]

Dave Gaddy writes:

>>>>When I posted on the Civil War Flags forum, I hope it  was obvious that I 
was thinking of you, concerning the tradition of taking up  the flag borne by 
a fallen bearer. It would be a delight seeing you tackle the  project of 
publishing Howie's materials. (Flags of the Confederacy web site  refers to his 
major opus draft--on the CSA flags-- as comprising three  volumes.) Apart from 
the flag information per se, "The Battle Flags of the  Confederate Army of 
Tennessee" (1976) demonstrated the value of this field of  study for order of 
battle implications and indications of unit morale or pride  (thinking of 
willingness to accept a new flag or cling to their old one,  despite orders to the 
contrary.) You have a good "feel" for those aspects, as  you've demonstrated on 
this forum.>>>>



Thanks very much for the very kind words.
 
It is my understanding that plans are afoot for a place to take Howie's  vast 
archives (I know where it is but cannot state at this time) and that I am  
under serious consideration to head a team of flag researchers to complete his  
trilogy as well as the CS Navy flags book.  It will be at least a year  before 
I can get into this collection as I start in August writing the flags  book 
for the Tennessee State Museum and that contract is for a full year.
 
Howie was part of the Flags of the Confederacy website as you well know and  
part of an online group of flags historians called the Fellow Flag Fanatics  
(Freaks Following Flags - whatever) from which this website came.  I am a  
charter member of both.  The collective research of this group is well over  100 
years and it consists of the top flag researchers for the Civil War in the  
nation.
 
Howie's groundbreaking AOT flags book is the path for the rest of us to  
follow and even though much new information has come to light since its  
publication, it still holds up on most levels.  I hope my TN and upcoming  GA flags 
books are 1/10th as good.
 
The FFF's are grieving as you can imagine, but we are determined to keep  
going and carrying the flags even though our great mentor is no longer with  us.  
I know from someone who say him right before he passed away, that he  was 
very concerned about his work not being completed.  I am told that he  was 
promised that this definitely would not be the case and that it will be  completed.  
If I have anything to do with it, this most certainly will  happen!
 
Greg Biggs



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