"Best information on American AWI unit flags?" Topic

I have some books, but who presently has the most up to date info on flags for colonial units?

Also, did anyone resolve the issue about having those extra small company flags – guidons, really – in the battalions? I have heard it both ways that they used them and did not.

All info appreciated, including "most likelies".
:)

Richardson, Standards and Colors of the American Revolution.
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The only thing for Patriot forces it's lacking is the Tarleton trophies.
It's not quite encyclopedic for British or German flags.

"Guidons" refer specifically to Dragoon flags.

Wargamers clutch at whatever straws/flags they can, so if you have smaller flags, use them. If we have information on 10% of Patriot flags in specific units, we're lucky.

Edward W. Richardson's
Standards and Colors of the American Revolution is my go to book on the subject.

From a posting on my blog concerning the standard and colors.

There is a question were any of these Standard and Colours ever issued. There is no definitive documentation either way. But there is possibly other hints of confirmation. Thomas Hughs of the British 53rd Regiment of Foot while a prisoner in Lancaster Pennsylvania made this observation. "Jan: 19 (1780) A Regiment of 400 men with 6 pieces of brass cannon marched in a great parade into town – The cannon are some of those taken from Burgoyne. The troops were well clothed and are part of the southern reinforcement. They have three Standards, one in the center of the Regiment, and one in the middle of each wing. The colours were blue, red and white, with the 13 stripes in the corner of each. " The captured Waxhaw colours are also very similar to the Standard and Colours #7. The exception is one of the Grand Divison colours which is yellow and not red. But with that exception very similar. So it is possible that colours of these patterns were issued and carried in the field. The description by Thomas Hughes also Suggests that these were carried by battalions in the approved manner. And this makes a interesting possibly way to organize and display your late war Continental regiments and Colours.

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Thanks Will!

I am considering mounting my units by division, and perhaps giving each a wing color [so three flags as described]. I like having the wing colors be plainer.

So would a fancy flag and with a device and field, and two colored standards – perhaps a bit smaller – be a fair guess as to how they might have looked?

Von Steuben's drill book seems to use movement by divisions a lot, and I can see where it would help if they had some sort of guidon to guide the divisions in their formation changes and such.

Also, does anyone make these flags for wargamers??

I hope once you do this you post your miniature regiments for us to see. I think it would looks the nuts!

I think that GMB makes division colors.

Also here are some examples from 1776 for Health's Brigade

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Flags of War are worth a look. Good products and service:

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Great blog WillBeGoode. It must be refreshing to actually post it yourself. Enjoy that feeling throughout the day!!!

Thanks for link, Jeffers!

In a box of figs I got from someone else, it has line drawings of flags that you could fill in – like a coloring book. I like that idea as being somewhat retro and toy soldier like. Anyone have any links to anywhere that does that? Obviously, I don't need help with stripes, but some of the scrolls and shapes can get a bit tricky.

I think something like that would be super useful.

The OFM is correct; our ignorance is an order of magnitude greater than our knowledge. I use the Gastelow flags without hesitation.

I'v mentioned this before, but Virginia's militia law required every company -- and that would have been hundreds -- to have a standard, with no further requirement as to shape, size, color, device, or anything else. I assume each company's captain asked his wife and her sewing circle to come up with something. My militiamen are from Augusta County and are commanded by one of my ancestors, Robert McBride. His flag, produced by the Flag Dude to my specs, shows the Blue Ridge and has "McBride's Company -- Augusta" written on it.

Use your imagination and have fun with it!

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The Moravian nuns made the guidon for … Pulaski's Legion?

Please avoid the "Betsy Ross flag". It gives purists heartburn.

I know that about the BR flag, but I use it anyway: I like it, some of my kids expect it, and anyone who objects can go fly his own flags.

I have three units with Betsy Ross flags. I did them years ago. They've fought well for me, and I don't want a mutiny if I try dare to replace them.

I went with Betsy because there is not a shred of originality in my character. But they look good… 😎

"it is better to look good than to feel good."

Fernando Lamas

You'll never mistake a unit with a Betsy Ross flag for Burgundians.

Richardson is a great book. It is also long out of print. I am fortunate that the library a few blocks from my office has it. There are also decent posts on this and other sites if you are looking for a flag of a particular unit.

My American forces don't carry the Betsy Ross flag. I do have an ensign carrying the generally discredited Cowpens flag, which many people will mistake for the BR flag. He will continue to do so until someone can prove that the Continental line at Cowpens was carrying a different flag.

I have no problem with Continental units going into battle without flags. It was probably the norm rather than the exception for regulars on both sides. However flags look cool so many of my regulars carry them. I have with one exception resisted the urge to give my militia flags.

Most of my infantry flags are either Flag of War or GMB. I have some Maverick Models flags for my horse when I get the flag bearers painted.

No record that I know of about Va militia carrying colors into battle -- and their permanent companies were typically not mustered as such but sent part of their strength in rotation -- in part so as not to denude a neighborhood of all of its men, since the companies were geographically based. But captains were certainly among those so dispatched to duty with an army, and I expect a fair many of them took along their flag. Their wife would have been insulted had they not. "Don't you LIKE what we did for you? The ladies worked HARD on that!"

Just imagine how pissed Betsy would have been had General Washington not used her flag!

Martha would have taken her side too.

Abigail gave John a hard time in a few famous letters, though not about flags.

True, but he wasn't a General.

Probably our least military Founder.

American flags, like their Light Infantry, make my head hurt trying to figure out what was what. :-)

Pain is gain.

Like many things in the American Rev War you read your sources, look at conflicting points of view and make your best guess.

Or, pick the best looking one and use that. 😊

You are both correct. :-)

yes, I wouldn't say looks trumps accuracy, but it is sure the tie breaker.

That's why they have swimsuit competitions in "scholarship pageants".

Please no Betsy rossers

Nah, Clays, there are too many good reasons to use some. I have three, out of 20+ units.

Doc mcb, 3 out of 20+. Perfectly acceptable, I'll just take a tums for my very mild heartburn 🤭😁

Thumbs up, Clays.

Do Tums come in a party pack? 😆

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Both great looking units, and beautiful flags!

(The kids who play with my toys don't care about bastion lace either.)