mysteron | 16 Nov 2015 5:22 a.m. PST |
A few questions for a newbies on standard bearers Should a typical Union Regiment for say Guns at Gettysburgh( 20 Figs) or Black Powder ( 20 figs plus) have 2 standard bearers ie one regiment ( blue one) and one stars and stripes ? Does a typical confederate regiment of 1863 just have the one ? How should the cavalry be treated in respect of standard bearers ? Also should the brigade commander also have one to accompany him for say as the extra figure on the brigade commanders stand? Cheers guys |
Extra Crispy | 16 Nov 2015 7:53 a.m. PST |
I always give my Union units two flags. Rebels only ever carry one. Cavalry have guidons and not flags, but I sometimes give them a flag anyway because I'm more interested in pageantry than strict accuracy. Brigade commanders would not really have a flag with them but if you like it, go ahead. |
Ed Mohrmann | 16 Nov 2015 8:17 a.m. PST |
Correct. Union regiments generally went into action with the Regimental COLORs and the National COLORS. Confederate units generally carried one COLOR – it might be the Battleflag or it might be a State-specific COLOR. As Mark says, cavalry would carry a guidon, generally a swallow-tail banner. This would be the Union cavalry. As far as Confederate cavalry, not sure. In many cases, given the nature of the Confederate cavalry, not sure guidons/banners would have been carried, but not sure they were not carried, either. If your command structure rises to the Division/Corps level, there were Division/Corps level banners issued to different formations in the Union army, so putting one on a Div/Corps command base would be accurate. In the era of the ACW, FLAGS were signaling devices… |
John the Greater | 16 Nov 2015 9:40 a.m. PST |
I generally have national and regimental colors for Union regiments. For Confederates I usually have just the battle flag, though sometimes I will throw in a national or state flag just for color. I always have flags for the corps command stand. Since I play Fire & Fury there is never a flag for the division commander. Sometimes I will do a flag or guidon for Confederate cavalry, but that is, again, for color. My Union cavalry always has guidons. I have a couple of artillery stands with flags as well. But that's just me. |
Dan Beattie | 16 Nov 2015 9:52 a.m. PST |
In the Army of Northern Virginia in 1863, no cavalry carried guidons. |
mysteron | 17 Nov 2015 2:40 a.m. PST |
Thanks guys that's very helpful . |
donlowry | 17 Nov 2015 9:42 a.m. PST |
Each cavalry regiment had a flag, just like infantry regiments. (On the Union side, the blue regimental flag only, no Stars & Stripes). Guidons were for troops (companies) not regiments. Consider, however, if each of your figures represents 20 real men, two flag-bearer figures represent 40 men! One would do. In the Army of the Potomac, from Chancellorsville on each brigade had a triangular flag bearing the corps emblem in the appropriate color for its division, and with colored corners to distinguish one brigade from another. Evidently many brigade commanders had a mounted orderly carry the brigade flag with them wherever they went -- However, the Iron Brigade formed an ad hoc color guard of 100 men drawn from all 5 of its regiments to carry and protect its brigade flag. Other Union armies didn't adopt this practice until '64, if at all. The Confederates never did. |
ScottWashburn | 17 Nov 2015 12:30 p.m. PST |
As noted, the flags were not just for decoration, they had an important function in maintaining the alignment of the regiment. There would be the colors in the center and then a man (usually a sergeant) on each flank with a guidon marking the ends of the regiment. When the regiment advanced, the front rank of the color guard (3 men) and the two guidon bearers (known as General Guides) would advance 6 paces in front of the line and stay in that advanced position as the line moved forward. |
EJNashIII | 17 Nov 2015 9:40 p.m. PST |
PA regiments were an exception to the Union 2 flag rule. They only carried 1 national flag that had the state info in the blue field with the stars.
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1968billsfan | 19 Nov 2015 4:44 a.m. PST |
…and the drummers were in a group behind the unit, not next to the flag. |
mysteron | 19 Nov 2015 5:39 a.m. PST |
Again guys thanks your knowledge is invaluable to a newbie like me. I do like the idea of the brigade orderly accompanying the Brigade commander with a Brigade flag. It strikes me that the uniforms of the ACW on the whole were rather drab compared to say those of Naps so the flags would be a good way of adding a little colour and class to the gaming board . |