"Union color position." Topic

Looking at photos online it seem random were the colors are placed.
In the British units the kings colors go on the right and regimental on the left.

I assumed the national colors of union regiments went on the right and regimental colors on the left. But looking at random pictures online. It looks random were they go?

All of the period photographs of Union color guards that I've seen show the national color on the right and the regimental on the left in relation to the direction the men are facing. Some reenactors do this and some don't. You can't trust period illustrations either, because the artists tend to show the national color where it can be prominently seen by the viewer.

That is correct, national colors (Stars and Stripes) on the right and regimental colors on the left, in the direction the unit is facing. And it is still that way in the current US Army.

Example: My "On to Richmond" based King's Regular Brigade of the Army of the Cumberland.

Jim

Thanks.
So my assumption was correct, but the internet ruined my confidence.

You have to be careful when looking at period photos. Many of them are actually reversed as if looking at them in a mirror due to the cameras used with the wet plate photography process.

Look for backward lettering in the image, for example, the US on belt and cartridge box plates. If the image is clear enough, look at how their coats close. Like men's coats today, the buttons are on the right hand side and button holes the left, as you wear it. If that is backward, the image is reversed.

From the manual, the mnemonic was 'Marching right, viewing
left' for the National Color.

General rule for all armies that carry/carried a flag representing the Nation and one representing the Regiment.

National Flag takes the historical place of Honor on the Right of the Line, as you face the enemy.

May be only a few feet in that direction but it still counts!

It's interesting. I looked at several of the manuals of the period, Scott's, Hardee's, Casey's, etc. which were written for the regular army. They seem to assume a regular regiment would carry 1 flag. They mention the position of the color sergeant (they mention only one) within the color-guard but do not mention the position of the colors if more than one flag is carried.

I did find in Scott's Abstract of Infantry Tactics, which was written for the militia, the following.

Posts of Colors and Color-guard.
51. The state and regimental colors shall be borne by two sergeants, the former on the right.

That would mean the State flag is on the right, the regimental (subordinate flag) carried on the left.

Since the a state flag would be subordinate to a national flag, the national colors would be carried on the right.

Fair question and one I have never thought much about.

I suspect its origins are in the Regular Army. A much smaller outfit, with no State affiliations.

Also I suspect Scott has something to do with it as the Founding Father of drill from which everyone else stole wholesale. As his original practice was solidly based on French Drill with its Napoleonic period origins, is it too much of a coincidence that the French carried only one color?

On the matter of a militia variation which is in itself interesting , I wonder if its a matter of more identification being needed.There being more than one State but only one Federal Army!

Still begs the quest of who instigated the switch to a two flag norm!

There seems to be some confusion when it comes to "National Colors" and "State Colors". Union regiments that carried a stars and stripes with the State arms in the center of the union (PA regts for example) were actually carrying a State color.