In January 1864, the West Virginia Legislature approved a flag for the Fourth Regiment West Virginia Volunteer Infantry to acknowledge the regiment's battles at Charleston, Vicksburg, Jackson, and Missionary Ridge, all four of which were listed on the flag. This was the first among many battle flags to represent West Virginia after statehood which were utilized by soldiers of West Virginia regiments throughout the war. State battle flags were presented to each of West Virginia's Union regiments during the course of the war. These early state flags were squares of silk cloth measuring , and were dark blue and trimmed with golden fringe. The obverse side of these flags were painted with the state's newly minted seal within an oval, along with the name of the respective West Virginia regiment and the names and dates of the battles in which they had participated. On the reverse side, the United States national emblem was painted and consisted of a bald eagle with its wings outstretched, clutching a bundle of 13 arrows in its right talon and an olive branch in its left, and a tricolor shield placed across its breast. In its beak, the eagle clutched a scroll with the national Latin motto "E pluribus unum" (English: "Out of Many, One"). Following the conclusion of the American Civil War, the state of West Virginia had no official flag, and the matter was not taken up until the early 20th century.