Over the fireplace mantel at the Iron County Historical Society Museum and the Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center in Arcadia, Missouri, hangs the preserved remnants of the United States garrison size flag that was flying over the powder magazine at the end of the second day of the Battle of Pilot Knob on 27 September 1864. When the decision was made to try and evacuate the Union forces from Fort Davidson in the wee hours of the morning of 28 September, a small contingent of men were left behind to blow up the fort’s powder magazine.
The next morning, Mrs. Herman Davis of Ironton went in search of her husband who was one of the local civilians that had helped to defend the fort from the Confederate forces determined to take it. Mr. Davis, along with the Union troops had made a successful escape from the fort and were miles away when it was discovered that they had made their escape.
Although she didn’t find her husband, Mrs. Davis did find the remains of the flag that had been flying over the fort’s powder magazine. In the years after the war, those remnants were proudly paraded by members of the local GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) on several occasions.
Years later, the family moved to California taking the flag remnants with them. The remnants were returned in time for the 100th anniversary celebration of the battle in 1964 and were eventually preserved and donated to the Iron County Historical Society.
