Lead Adventure Forum

Miniatures Adventure => Old West => Topic started by: Rob Herrick on October 09, 2012, 10:03:48 PM

Title: US Infantry and Artillery company guidons
Post by: Rob Herrick on October 09, 2012, 10:03:48 PM

Were US Infantry companies and Artillery batteries serving as infantry authorized to carry guidons from 1866-1890?

If so, what did they look like?

My Google-Fu is failing, since it brings up either cavalry guidons for the period, or Infantry guidons that are much later (WWII or so).

Thanks!

Title: Re: US Infantry and Artillery company guidons
Post by: DFlynSqrl on October 10, 2012, 01:23:51 AM

Not much help, but in my searching I found a reference to "U.S. Army uniforms and equipment, 1889:
specifications for clothing, camp and garrison equipage, and clothing and equipage materials". 

It's supposed also mention items from earlier during the Indian Wars.  Searching on that title I got a preview from Google books that showed me an artillery guidon.  I'm guessing there's a wealth of information and dull reading if you can get a complete copy.  Good luck!

Title: Re: US Infantry and Artillery company guidons
Post by: CorvetteK225 on October 11, 2012, 11:44:17 PM

Artillery batteries already had an approved design for a guidon. In my blog link is an original battery guidon for my great-great gandfather during the ACW.

http://chargebayonet.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-great-grandpappy-john.html (http://chargebayonet.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-great-grandpappy-john.html)

David

Title: Re: US Infantry and Artillery company guidons
Post by: Rob Herrick on October 13, 2012, 04:18:45 AM

I've seen several of those from the ACW in volunteer formations, but were they authorized for Regulars, and did that continue until the 1881 regulations changed things?

Title: Re: US Infantry and Artillery company guidons
Post by: CorvetteK225 on October 21, 2012, 02:00:14 AM

Rob, I can only make a guess and conclude that Regulars carried the same design. General Winfield Scott Hancock carried the design into Gettysburg in 1863 and George Custer carried the same design to Little Big Horn in 1876. So, it seems that both the Artillery and the Cavalry used the identical design for quite some time. Here is a link to some additional flag info which leads me to believe that up to 1885, the standard flags would have still been a stars and stripes, swallow tail design. It appears that in 1885, new regulations as to the design of compnay level guidons went tinto effect.
http://www.flagcollection.com/tour.php?CollectionTour_Code=tourpage11_cavalry#5 (http://www.flagcollection.com/tour.php?CollectionTour_Code=tourpage11_cavalry#5)