| Tango01 | 24 Apr 2016 4:04 p.m. PST |
"Banastre Tarleton's British Legion is one of the most famous units in the American Revolution. In this portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Tarleton wears the uniform of the British Legion. Two cannons and three flags (one buff and two red) appear in the portrait. Most likely they are trophies won in war…."
More here
link Amicalement
Armand |
robert piepenbrink  | 24 Apr 2016 7:51 p.m. PST |
You know, I'd have to say it's possible. Mind you, I wouldn't put it past Tarleton to have invented a flag post-Revolution. But I wouldn't make mock of anyone who gave such a standard to his British Legion cavalry. But the buff standard on the ground is also worthy of note. I'd believe it as a Continental standard, but I don't remember a surviving one exactly like that. Perhaps taken from Buford's Virginians? Or from the cavalry around Charleston? And I've seen that painting for years. I ought to have paid more attention. |
| Malbrook | 24 Apr 2016 8:27 p.m. PST |
Well… they were taken on to the American Establishment in March 1781 and transferred on to the British Establishment in Dec '82. They would at least have had a known design of regimental colors in theory once no longer just a provincial regiment. However, I think the design proposed by the author of that article is pure fantasy. |
| rmaker | 25 Apr 2016 10:13 a.m. PST |
They were light forces, and, as such, probably didn't have colors. If they did, they would not have carried tem in the field. |
| Supercilius Maximus | 25 Apr 2016 12:18 p.m. PST |
I think the flags are meant to represent those captured at Waxhaws (which were recently auctioned), and consequently are intended to be "Continental" in style. |
| Old Contemptibles | 25 Apr 2016 1:12 p.m. PST |
For some reason I thought they used a solid black cavalry type flag. Don't know about the infantry. |
| Winston Smith | 26 Apr 2016 7:20 a.m. PST |
A cavalry guidon in the style of British Dragoons would not be out of line. But not solid black. The background color of the flag should be in facing colours of course. |
| historygamer | 26 Apr 2016 10:28 a.m. PST |
Not necessarily. Look at the colours for the 16th Light Dragoons. |
| Old Contemptibles | 26 Apr 2016 1:50 p.m. PST |
I thought the BL's facing color was black. |
| Winston Smith | 26 Apr 2016 5:28 p.m. PST |
If the British Legion is going to have any flags or standards, it would go with standard British practices. None of that Yankee cartoon flag nonsense! 
Especially with Ban being a British officer, and Loyalists wishing to stress their Britishness. So.
If the Dragoons carried a flag, it would be a dragoon pattern guidon, with background being in the black facing color.
I kind of doubt that the infantry contingent would have any flags, because they are basically an ad hoc conglomeration. But if you insist on giving them a cool flag, give them a flag following the 1768 warrant for a black facing unit. |
| Old Contemptibles | 26 Apr 2016 9:49 p.m. PST |
Exactly what I have. A black British dragoon pattern flag. I used another British dragoon flag as the pattern and painted it black. The background matches the BL's facing color which is black. Am I missing something here? |
| spontoon | 29 Apr 2016 1:46 p.m. PST |
Yeah, that flag in the article is too far out! |
| Winston Smith | 29 Apr 2016 3:16 p.m. PST |
I disagree with his premide for the reconstruction of that flag. Too many bells and whistles.
He argues that it's not like American or French flags. Yes to French, but not Anerican. Americans had the bells and whistles and allegories and slogans and wreaths.
It's way too complicated for a British flag. Loyalists wanted to stress their Britishness and would have chosen Warrant patterns. And to be honest, I don't see in the waving flag what he sees.
If I were to say what I saw, I would say the bird is an allegorical pelican, the type that feeds it's young blood from a self inflicted wound on its breast. See the pelican on the Louisiana flag or arms.
The rest of his "details" are so vague and washed out they could be anything.
And a cavalry unit would carry a guidon. Not an infantry flag. No. I don't buy his reconstruction. It's a trophy. |
| Rawdon | 02 May 2016 7:00 p.m. PST |
As far as I know there is absolutely no documentary evidence regarding the British Legion's flags. However, they wanted nothing more nor less than to be "British". Tarleton himself was an Englishman born and bred, who would have returned to England even had they prevailed. Logic therefore suggests that, as others have suggested, the mounted Legion would have standards similar in design to those of the 16th Light Dragoons (also black facings) and the foot Legion would have had standards similar in design to those of the 82nd Foot. It is at least documented that Loyalist foot units, even those that were not taken onto the British Army Establishment, had a King's Colour and a regimental colour, and that these followed standard British Army practice. Of course, logic isn't always the best guide for the American revolutionary war … |
paints brigs for the British fleet.
