Union cavalry General George Custer leads a delegation to present captured battle-flags to the War Department

Officers from General Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah made a formal and public presentation of Confederate colors and cannon captured in western Virginia at the War Department in Washington, D.C..  Victories in the previous weeks were a boost to northern morale in the run-up to the general election.  Twenty-five year-old General George Custer led the delegation. His promotion to major-general was announced the same day.  (By John Osborne)