Spanish infantry flags after 1809 - how many per unit?

[olicana]

How many flags to each Spanish infantry unit (battalion) post 1809?

I don't seem to have a reference to this in any of my books (that I can remember). I've seen pics of wargame units with one and pics of units with two in equal measure.

I presume, like most info on the Spanish post 1809 it's all a bit hit and miss and, more or less, what you fancy. However, if anyone has a definitive answer please share it.

Thanks in advance,

James.

P.S. My Front Rank battalion packs come with two standard bearers each, so that may be how I go anyway - it gives a nice look to the units if nothing else.

[Unlucky General]

Funny you should ask Olicana,

I was only reading this the day before yesterday. Yes, it appears to be a wide ranging and involved subject so I'll assume you are asking about Spanish regular line infantry regiments.

Regular line infantry regiments by the last Royal Ordinance 1802 had up to three battalions, each battalion carrying one colour only. The first battalion carried the Coronela (the white Colonels colour) and the second and third battalions carried a Sencilla (the 1762 pattern red cross with regional arms in the corners).

This changes again in 1812 when the regiments reduce to a single battalion.

Newly raised battalions (regiments if you like) from 1808 had a range of different colours apparently but it was also quite common for old, formerly retired Sencillas to be recovered from their storage (in churches was common) and used.

All of this is from Cronin and Summerfield's Spanish Infantry of the Early Peninsular War (2014) which is excellent.
Hope this helps.

[olicana]

Brilliant, thanks.

[olicana]

Hi Unlucky G,

I have come across something else possibly taken from that book.

Everything you say checks out. In addition, it was interesting to note that when retired flags were taken out of churches to be used anew, no one cared which units they had previously belonged to - for newly raised units, regardless of where they were from, any old flag would do; so you might end up with the Volunterios de Salamanca carrying a flag formerly belonging to a regular battalion from Leon (fictional example). 

The more I read about the Spanish 1809 -1812 the more the whole thing feels like a 'Dad's Army' operation. I'm finally getting my head around the fact that most Spanish figure collections I've ever seen for the 'mid years' of the war, regardless of how well presented, are just a complicated mix of best guess, fudge and outright deceit.

[vtsaogames]

The thing started with Napoleon taking out the central Spanish government. Then the various provinces, spurred on by popular insurrection, rose up against the central, French-controlled government. Evereything was ad-hoc and jury rigged, varying province by province. I can't imagine anyone can ever document the whole thing accurately, either in terms of numbers per unit, uniforms, supply status, flags carried, etc. It was unprecedented. Small wonder that Napoleon didn't anticipate it.

[VonAkers]

Olicana
Funny you should bring this up , I was looking at the same thing.
As stated one flag each battalion , but feel free to have some with 2 flags , often they amalgamated different battalions that fought together if numbers were down , so 2 flags could be possible..

Cheers