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Jason MeliusLIS640Dr. Bird and Dr. ShiflettFall 2013Flag Cataloging White PaperThe Collection This paper will define a collection of 18th century military flags. For the purpose of this collection, a flag is defined as a piece of fabric featuring a distinctive design which is used as a symbol for a nation or a military unit. All of the flags in the collection saw service in colonial America during the second half of the 18th century (1750 – 1799). While this collection is limited to flags of European armies, the parameters used for their cataloging could easily be applied to a much larger collection, encompassing any time period as well as national origin. Due to the nature of the natural fibers utilized in the construction of flags, a certain amount of deterioration is expected to be seen in preserved examples. Pieces believed to be flags, but are too small or fragmented to be positively identified as flags are excluded from the collection.Finding a SchemeThere are a number of flag collections to be found online throughout the world. In the United States, the majority of these flag collections are dedicated to the many flags used by the armies of the American Civil War. The regiments of the armies of the Civil War employed flags in ways which mimicked those of the armies of the 18th century. Regiments of the Union Army typically utilized a national flag and a regimental flag. The national flag was the American Flag with unit-specific iconography painted on it. The regimental flag was the same size as the national flag, but was typically sold colored with unit-specific icons painted on the body. The Confederate states employed similar methodology.The flags served to identify units to both friend and foe alike. The weapons of the 18th and 19th centuries produced massive amounts of smoke which obscured the soldier’s views. Commanders, positioned in ideal vantage points, could still see the flags. This allowed for superior command and control. The armies of the American Civil War were using an old European model for unit designation which originated hundreds of years prior, during the Middle Ages. Due to the similarities in flag use and construction, it is felt that the method employed by Civil War flag collections in cataloging and description would be the ideal pattern to use for an 18th century flag collection. There is a lack of a distinctive collection of 18th century and earlier flags which would serve as a basis for descriptive cataloging. Flags from earlier periods often reside in private collections, or in ones and twos in larger museums. Therefore, the flags do not receive a unique treatment. One large flag collection was initially consulted in the development of the 18th century flag collection cataloging scheme. The Alabama Civil War Period Flag Collection provides only a name and catalog number for each flag, along with a paragraph about the flag’s known history. Something much more substantial was needed (Alabama Department of Archives and History, n.d.).Fight for the Colors: Ohio Battle Flag Collection contains examples of flags dating from the Mexican War through World War II (Ohio Historical Society, 2000). This collection utilizes a much more thorough (or visible) cataloging scheme than the Alabama collection. Fight for the Colors includes the flag name, alternate name, catalog number, flag type, flag text, as well as unit name and history. The above elements are necessary for a much more complete cataloging description, yet still more is needed. The Capitol Museum Collection utilizes and even more thorough cataloging scheme: Name, design, material, associated military conflict, current locations, height, length, conservation date, additional information, donator, and object ID (Georgia Archives, 2008). This is by far the most complete treatment yet found for cataloging flags. Catalog SchemeFor the purpose of our 18th century flag collection, the methodologies of the Ohio Historical Society and the Georgia Archives have been combined and refined to fit our needs. The following is a breakdown of each element which will be employed for our collection of late 18th century military flags. In the rare instance when a flag has two different designs on each side, the elements will be repeated with “Front” and “Back” in italic immediately after. If an element is not known, the title will be removed rather than left blank. Name: The name of the flag as it was known historically. This name is typically the name of the military unit the flag was associated with combined with its historical role. The word “color” was often used in place of “flag” until well after the 18th century. The national flag of the British 17th Light Dragoons would be named “17th Light Dragroons King’s Color.”Type: There were many types of flags used in the 18th century. A national flag would be the flag representing the nation the military unit served. An ensign was a type of national flag used by naval vessels and sometimes forts. A regimental flag designates the specific regiment. Grand division flags were similar to regimental flags, but represented a smaller unit within a regiment. Company flags were frequently used by German troops; each company carrying its own flag. A guidon was a smaller flag typically used by cavalry to denote a company or platoon. Camp colors are flags which were used to designate a given regiment’s tent rows within a large encampment. Conflict: The military conflict the flag is associated with. During the period under consideration, there were two large conflicts; The French and Indian War (Seven Years War in Europe) and the American Revolutionary War. There are a number of smaller conflicts associated with the two larger conflicts. For the purpose of this collection, flags will be assigned to the larger conflict it is most closely associated with. This is due to the fact that there are no flags in this collection which existed as a result of any of the smaller conflicts. Material: The type of material the flag was made from. This will include the textile used for the body, fringe, as well as any paint or embroidered emblem contained within the flag. The specific type of paint will not be listed as that is subject to chemical analysis. Ground: The ground is the dominant background color. If the flag is striped, the ground will give the colors of the stripes and their orientation. Many flags of the period utilized the Union Flag or Union Jack of Great Britain. While Union Flag is the official name, the common name Union Jack will be used for cataloging purposes. It should be noted that the Union Jack of the 18th century consisted only of the St Andrew’s and St George’s crosses. St Patrick’s cross was not added until 1801.Hoist: The vertical dimension of the flag, nearest the flag pole. This dimension is given in inches. If a flag has fringe, the measurement with fringe will be listed first. The measure of the flag not including the fringe will be listed under a subheading “Hoist without Fringe”.Fly: The distance from the flag pole to the outer edge of the flag. This dimension is given in inches. As with the hoist, if a flag has fringe, that measurement will be listed first. The dimension without the fringe will be listed under the subheading “Fly without Fringe”.Flag Text: If any text is present on the flag, it will be entered here. Often, Latin phrases were used. These would be listed, with a translation following.Icon: Military flags in the 18th century very often included an image either embroidered or painted on the flag. This entry will give a short description of any objects such as: an owl, the Hanoverian white horse, a rose in a garter, a palmetto tree, a pine tree, or a soldier wearing a uniform and holding a gun. The description does not need to give immense detail, but just enough for clarity.Catalog Number: This designation will be composed of five elements: The first will be the chronological sequence in which the flag entered the collection, beginning with “1”. The next element will be a two letter representation of the nation the flag represented. Continental Congress (American Colonies in rebellion) = CC Great Britain = GB France = FRSpain = SPGerman States:Anspach – Bayreuth = ABBrunswick = BRHesse Hanau = HHHesse Cassel = HCWaldeck = WAThe third element will be a single lower case letter denoting the type of flag. n = National e = Ensignr = Regimentald = Divisionalc = Company g = Guidona = Camp The fourth element will be a two digit number corresponding to the primary material used in the construction of the flag. Linen = 10Wool = 11Silk = 12Cotton = 13Mixed = 14The final element will be the year the flag was known to be constructed. If the exact year is not known, the decade it is believed to have been constructed will be used. If the flag was believed to have been built in the 1760’s, then the number should be “1760”.A sample number: 36GBr121779 = 36th flag in the collection, Great Britain, regimental flag, made of silk in 1779. Sample Flag Collection WorksheetImageName: Type: Conflict: Material: Ground:Hoist: Hoist without Fringe:Fly: Fly without Fringe:Flag Text: Front: Translation:Flag Text: Back:Translation: Icon: Front:Icon: Back: Catalog Number: Flag Collection WorksheetName: 2nd Continental Light Dragoons Regimental ColorType: Regimental Conflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Silk, paint, gold bullion fringe Ground: Red and white horizontal stripesHoist: 35 1/8 inchesHoist without Fringe: 30 inchesFly: 38 ? inchesFly without Fringe: 36 inchesFlag Text: PAT:A CONCITA FULM:NT NATI. Translation: (roughly) “When their country calls, her sons answer in tones of thunder.” Icon: Black thundercloud with 10 gold and orange thunderbolts, held up by a pair of silver wings over a gold scroll bearing the text.Catalog Number: 1CCr121776Flag Collection WorksheetName: 3rd Virginia Regiment Regimenal ColorType: Regimental Conflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Silk and paintGround: Yellow-GoldHoist: 50 ? inchesFly: 45 3/8 inches (damaged)Flag Text: PERSEVERANDOTranslation: PerseveringIcon: Blue canton with 13 white stars, beaver gnawing on a palmetto tree on the bank of a stream over a scroll bearing the text.Catalog Number: 2CCr121778Flag Collection WorksheetName: 3rd Virginia Regiment Grand Division ColorType: DivisionalConflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Silk, paintGround: BlueHoist: 40 ? inchesFly: 43 ? inchesFly without Fringe: 42 ? inchesFlag Text: REGIMENT Icon: Scroll bearing the textCatalog Number: 3CCd121778 Flag Collection WorksheetName: 3rd Virginia Regiment Grand Divisional ColorType: DivisionalConflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Silk and paintGround: YellowHoist: 44 ? inchesFly: 44 inches Fly without Fringe: 42 inchesFlag Text: REGIMENTIcon: Scroll bearing textCatalog Number: 4CCd121778Flag Collection WorksheetName: 7th Regiment of Foot King’s ColorType: National Conflict: American RevolutionGround: Red, white and blue Union JackMaterial: Silk and embroidered silkHoist: 72 inchesFly: 78 inchesFlag Text: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSETranslation: Shamed be he who thinks evil of itIcon: Tudor rose surrounded by a garter containing text, under a crown. “VII” in upper left cantonCatalog Number: 5GBn121771 Flag Collection WorksheetName: Ansbach-Bayreuth Company ColorType: CompanyConflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Silk, embroidered silkGround: WhileHoist: 48 inchesFly: 50 inchesFlag Text: Front: Script SETCA over M.Z.B. 1775Translation: SETC = “Sinceriter et Constanter” – Sincerely and Constantly, initial A for Christian Fredrich Karl Alexander; M.Z/B. = Markgraf zu Brandenburg – Marquis of Brandenburg Flag Text: Back: PRO PRINCIPE ET PATRIATranslation: For Leader and Country Icon: Front: Crown over script SETCA, over M.Z.B., over a bow holding a laurel and palm, over 1775.Icon: Back: Banner reading “PRO PRINCIPE ET PATRIA” over a Brandenburg eagle holding a rod and a laurel.Catalog Number: 6ABc121775Flag Collection WorksheetName: 8th Virginia Regiment Regimental ColorType: RegimentalConflict: American RevolutionMaterial: SilkGround: GoldHoist: 41 inchesFly: 45 inchesFly without Fringe: 43 inchesFlag Text: VII Virg RegtIcon: Scroll bearing textCatalog Number: 7CCr121776Flag Collection WorksheetName: U.S. 13 Star FlagType: NationalConflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Cotton, wool and linenGround: Red and white horizontal stripesHoist: 60 inchesFly: 103 inchesFlag Text: Front: Hancock & English (added in 1880)Icon: Blue stars on white groundCatalog Number: 8CCn141780Flag Collection WorksheetName: Fort Bedford FlagType: EnsignConflict: French and Indian WarMaterial: Silk DamaskGround: RedHoist: 70 ? inchesFly: 80 5/8 inchesIcon: Union Jack in upper left cantonCatalog Number: 9GBe121758Flag Collection WorksheetName: Royal Highland Emigrants Camp ColorType: Camp Conflict: American RevolutionMaterial: Wool and paintGround: Navy BlueHoist: 14 inchesFly: 18 inchesFlag Text: Royl. EmigrantsTranslation: Royal Highland EmigrantsIcon: Crown over a stylized and intertwined GR3Catalog Number: 10GBa111778Image Citations BIBLIOGRAPHY 2nd Continental Light Dragoon Flag:Sothby's An American Revolutionary War Battle Flag 1776-1779. 14 June 2006. 10 October 2013. < Virginia Regiment Regimental and Divisional FlagsSothby's. Sothby's - 3 American Revolution Battle Flags 1778-1780. 14 June 2006. 8 October 2013. < Regiment of FootMelius, Jason. "7th Regiment of Foot King's Color." West Point, NY, 2006.8th Virginia Regiment FlagAntique Trader Blog. 19 July 2012. 12 October 2013. < Flag:Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Price of Freedom: Americans at War. n.d. 10 October 2013. < Bedford FlagFort Bedford Museum. 2009. 13 October 2013. < Highland Emigrants Camp ColorTroiani, Don and James L Kochan. Don Troiani's Soldiers of the American Revolution. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2007. Book.U.S. 13 Star FlagZFC Zaricor Flag Collection: A National Treasure. 1998. 13 October 2013. < Referenced BIBLIOGRAPHY Alabama Department of Archives and History. Alabama Civil War Period Flag Collection. n.d. 4 October 2013. < Archives. Capitol Museum Collection. April 2008. 7 October 2013. < Historical Society. Fight for the Colors: Ohio Battle Flag Collection. 2000. 5 October 2013. <;. ................
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