"Continental flags" Topic

Hi
I need a bit more help (please) with my foray into AWI gaming.
After reading a lot of posts here I've decided to base both my British and Continental armies more on the figures and uniforms I like rather that a particular order of battle, That said I need a bit of help with the continental flags,
They only carried one flag per unit right? (I known sometimes they weren't always carried into battle but in my armies they will be)
What about regular units who's flags are not on the GMB site and such? Should I just go for a generic liberty flag and the like or is that just a step to far?

cheers

All of my Cont. flags came from this site:
warflag.com

You're certainly going to hear from more informed folks than me; however when I did my Continentals this summer I used warflag, GMB and a great deal of internet research. I only used a generic Liberty for my militia and as a (rare) second flag for one of my SC regiments. Also search Headman Colors and Gostelove Stanards. If you can find a copy of Richardsn's Standards and Colors of the American Revolution that will be a great help. H

Second the endorsement of Richardson. If you can't find it there, than it's probably legendary. But it's worth remembering that only a tiny fraction of the colors known to have once existed were ever recorded or handed down: repeating the known ones is, in a way, unhistorical. Give yourself some liberty here.

Me? General rule is that northern militia have one of the Pine Tree flags, and southern militia a Rattlesnake. The Continentals have, as was generally called for, a "national emblem" of some sort in the canton and a field which corresponds to the facing color. I think it's a little closer to what Washington wanted than it is to what Washington got, but I don't suffer from a silk and uniform shortage.

I do not trust warflag.com mainly because of the "Piss on the British" flag. It suggests too much whimsy and "anything goes".
Does anyone REALLY think that sober New England yeoman militia would carry such a flag?

I suggest that you Google Gostelowe Standards, Tarleton Flags.

I also suggest that the OP post to the American Revolution board.

In Warflag's defense, they do state that some of the flags depicted here are speculative. They were probably trying to create a conversation piece with the POTB flag.

You can be "speculative" without being ridiculous.

Or crude.

If you want to get an idea of flags carried by the Continentals but cannot access Richardson, there are several threads on flags carried by Continentals on this board, and one on the Fife & Drum forum.

The lack of knowledge about Continental flags makes it difficult to know how many flags were carried by each regiment. The answer seems to be between none and three flags, possibly five, for infantry regiments, for cavalry the number ranges from none to one per troop. We know of one flag carried by Pulaski's Legion, none for Armand's and Lee's probably carried a troop flag from his days with the 1st Light Dragoons.

As far as the POTB and other dubious flags, the Betsy Ross comes to mind, it is easy enough to simply not use them if you don't like them.

It is your game and your figures. It is between you and your regular opponent(s) what the standards of aesthetics and historical accuracy are.

Richardson is probably the best over all source of historical information, but there is a lot that is simply not known.

thanks for all the info guys
I think I'm going use GMB for the British
and I might have a going at making some of the continental flags

I have found that Giles' and DAF's blogs are good sources for flag and uniform ideas.

gilesallison.blogspot.com

altefritz.blogspot.com

You can be "speculative" without being ridiculous.

That does it-- my next 10mm militia unit is gonna have a flag reading "I.P.Freely".

Use GMB flags. there are none better on the market today.
Warflags are old and dated and not particularly correct or even good…

Bob

Second GMB flags. They are the best but I don't see any Gostelowe Standards on their website. If they do make them please send a link.

When I began in this period, I had a few American regiments with two flags. But since then it is one flag or none for all my American units, militia, state or Continental regiments. Richardson's book is good to have. There just are not that many primary sources for American flags in the AWI. Oh to go back in time!

I use Flag of War, GMB and Adolfo Ramos. I find that a mixture of the three is the best way to go.

A graphic artist of some repute, made two flags for me, as a favor and they are really outstanding

I've even made some of my own which turned out quite well.
Microsoft Paint makes it easy to do some homemade jobs.

I have scanned flags and modified them to my taste using Photo Shop Elements.

Flag Dude makes incredible Gostelowe flags. IF you can get a hold of him..

Bob C.

I have a few of those. If I had known he was going into the Witness Protection Program I would have bought one of each.

"If I had known he was going into the Witness Protection Program I would have bought one of each."

So true.