 Battle Cry Bill  | 19 Jun 2008 3:53 a.m. PST |
I'm putting standards on my AWI troops and after consulting Richardson I'm a bit confused. How were the Gostelowe standards used? For Continental Line units? And there were 3 flags per unit (regiment/battalion) and the ones shown were the main color? Thanks. Bill |
| GiloUK | 19 Jun 2008 4:55 a.m. PST |
I think the jury is still out on whether the Gostelowe standards were ever actually carried in battle. That said, no one can prove 100% that they were not used…. I have a regiment somewhere that has the green Gostelowe flag – it makes a nice change for the Betsy Ross (which may not have been carried in real life either…) Giles |
| edinburghowl | 19 Jun 2008 5:54 a.m. PST |
Tarleton captured one Gostelowe standard at Waxhaws – so we know at least one was issued to the Virginia line. |
| GiloUK | 19 Jun 2008 6:53 a.m. PST |
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 John the OFM | 19 Jun 2008 7:02 a.m. PST |
Richardson gives a pretty good argument for linking the standards to states, I think.
He bases it on comparisons with state currency and seals.
I just use one per unit. I have never run across anything stating three. |
| Supercilius Maximus | 19 Jun 2008 8:10 a.m. PST |
I think some units had "grand division" colours (red, yellow, green and blue – or possibly red, white, blue and buff) for each pair of companies, a system suggested by Charles Lee at the start of the war. Possibly similar in style to the "camp colours" of British regiments; several were mistaken for regimental flags (eg one of the New England Continental regiments at Fort Anne in 1777). |
| 95thRegt | 19 Jun 2008 11:22 a.m. PST |
I just ordered a few from The Flag Guy.He does great work! I'm assuming the colors were used,since they were "returned" for inventory,or whatnot.Just like a lot of AWI stuff,we may never get all the flag info we want. Just please top using that darn Betsy Ross flag,or assorted other Stars and Stripes! From what I've read over the years,the National Color wasn't carried in battle till the Mexican War in the 1840's. Sorry for he rant,it just a pet peeve of mine! Bob |
| Battle Cry Bill | 19 Jun 2008 5:55 p.m. PST |
Supercilius Maximus I think you are right that the other 2 are grand division colors – at least from the diagrams in Richardson that makes sense. Thanks everyone else for confirming that this is a complicated subject. 95th, I will try not to use any stars AND stripes, only stars OR stripes. Plenty of other styles to choose from. I plan to plunge forward with the thought that paper flags may be the easiest thing to change on my units if I feel the need if I learn more later. |
| 11th ACR | 21 Jun 2008 6:10 a.m. PST |
Dose anyone have a web address that shows all the standards that Tarleton captured? I thought I did but I looked through all of my saved favorites and its not there. Robert Henry |
| 11th ACR | 07 Jul 2008 7:14 a.m. PST |
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| Thomas Mante | 07 Jul 2008 7:47 a.m. PST |
"I think the jury is still out on whether the Gostelowe standards were ever actually carried in battle. That said, no one can prove 100% that they were not used…." Giles, As Edinburghowl points out the fact that Tarleton took at least one of Gostelow pattern (no. 7 IIRC) from Abe Buford at Waxhaws is proof that at least some were carried in battle! It is interesting to note that the two division colours described in the return do not conform to the two captured alongside this. According to the Gostelow return the accompanying division colours should have been red and blue! |
