Dutch infantry flags (2)

In 1752 the Dutch army was reorganised so that all infantry regiments, be it National, German, Scottish or Swiss, would have two battalions (exept the Wallooon regiment who kept its 3 battalions for some years). The Scotisch regiments became national regiments in 1783 but no there was no change in their organisation of 7 companies per battalion.
The Walloon regiment lost its third battalion around 1790 (as guard Walloon battalion which used as a light unit) and the Walloon regiment consists of two battalions as other regiments.

Every line battalion had 7 companies: 1 grenadier and 6 fusilier.
An exception to this rule were the Swiss regiments:
- the guard Swiss had 4 companies per battalion
- the Swiss line had 6 companies
Guard and Swiss line had the grenadiers included in the line companies so had no seperate  grenadier companies although it is possible that in the field they combined their grenadiers into a company per battalion.
Existing regiments in 1752 were combined into this new structure or disbanded.

Although I have found no definitive proof, I think that this reorganisation led to new flags for the regiments but it is possible that at first the regiment which existed and into another regiment were amalgamated kept its old flag.

The new regiment now had two flags per battalion and mostly had:
- the colonels flag in white. The flags we know are ecru or an off white colour and bore:
      x mostly the coat of arms of the province who paid for the regiment (see underneath),
      x sometimes the coat of arms of  the States General of the Republic itself (as these were sometimes also the paymaster of a regiment),
      x the Nassau and/or Orange regiments and the Hollandse garde probably had the Prince of Oranges heraldric weapon and     
      x maybe sometimes the coat of arms of the proprietor (a lot of flags are not known so who knows).
- the regimental flag(s) which was coloured and bore probably the colonel/proprietor coat of arms. In the case that the Stadholder was proprietor, these flags were probably orange.

The Swiss guard regiment was again an exception as they had a flag for each company so four flags per battalion of which one was the colonels and three the companie flag. (it is not known if all these colours were carried in the field).

The Swiss line regiments had according to the reglement of 1791 still 6 flags per battalion (it is not known if all these colours were carried in the field).

Colonels'/Provincial flags
Afaik up to this moment the flag of the province was white (or "ecru" coloured, an off-white colour) with the coat of arms of the province mostly on a field of throphies like flags, cannons etc with the banner of the provincial motto and various small extras as grenades in the corners of the flag or arms with swords coming out of a cloud.
Sometimes both sides of the flags are the same but a flag is known with on one side the provincial coat of arms and on the other side the Republic coat of arms.

Of some provinces, flags of the revolutionary period are known and I will shown them here in the near future.
The colonels flags of the swiss regimetns are partly known and are described in a book of the 1780 period.

In the regiments of which the Stadholder, the Prince of Orange was proprietor, the colonels flag was afaik also white/off-white and bore the heralcic coat of arms of the prince of Orange.

Regimental flags
The regimental flags of the colonel/propretor, probably coloured, are very rare (better-none exists anymore) as these flags were taken by the colonel as the regiment was disbanded or the regiment received a new propietor. Also almost no prints exists of Dutch flags (at least I don't know) of this period.
Colours and coat of arms of these flags are mostly not known and no pictures/prints exists. Only guessing and deducting can be done.
For the swiss flags some pictures exits; I will show them in the near future.

Foreign troops
Foreign troops had their own flags, if I have them, I will show them in the future.

Dutch infantry flags (1) Flag Dutch Guard (Hollandse Garde) 1792-1795

The Hollandse Garde received in 1788 their new flags.
The Rijksmuseum has some other flags of earlier periods but it is known that in 1788 new flags were given to the Hollandse Garde.
These new flags were needed because the patriots in 1786 insisted that the heraldric signs of the Prince of Orange on the flag needed te be removed.

As is known, the Prince of Orange was in 1787 helped by the Prussian king (brother of Williams' wife) to reclaim his position and so in 1788 the Hollandse garde received new flags again.
The 1786-1788 flag (now in the Rijksmuseum) looked as this).

Of the 1788 new flag, in the Rijksmuseum there is only the white (ecru) colonels flag (underneath). From the description of the Rijksmuseum, both sides are the same. The Rijksmuseum has two examples of this flag so probably both battalions wore the same colonels flag. The flag is appr 1 meter x 1 meter which is according to the measurement in the reglement.



A drawing of Hoynck van Papendrecht shows the same flag but probably the backside. Notice the golden tassels on the flag which are also on the painting of 1770.

The other (regimental) flag was Orange.
In the painting underneath of 1770, an orange flag is shown and also, because this is the second battallion, it can be concluded that both battalions had an colonels flag.
But, as this picture is of appr 1770 both flags are of the older design so without the change of 1788. It is not very clear in the picture but probably the orange flag shows an arm with sword coming out of a cloud within a green laurel. It is not known if this same pattern is in 1788 on the new orange flag.

(remark: for my wargaming army I will use the known white flag with the same design but then in orange as regimental flag until better information comes to hand).

In the painting, the grenadiers of the Hollandse Garde are still shown in the bearskin with frontplate;  a bearskin without plate was officially ordered and mentioned in the reglement of 1773.

As we are on the topic of the Hollandse garde; some plates of their uniform in the FR period are:
top row: officer grenadiers and NCO
other pictures various soldiers
Notice the yellow metal drum (also in the painting), the red and white hanging bag of the grenadiers but also the lacking of the lapels on the coats in the paining which appears first appr 1772 (according to the "Jassenboekje")
Of course it is strange that the officer underneath (although dated at 1790) is still wearing a frontplate but maybe this is artistic impression. The otehr plates alle show the bearskin without plate.

Trent additions

Trent has three additions to their Irish range; two characters (Josef Holt and Martin Dwyer) plus a set of cavalry with seperate heads and arms to make various poses.

New additions to Great War Miniatures Russians and Swedish

Although no pictures appeared on the North Star site yet, there are some more packs of Russians and Swedes of the Potemkin War range.
Line infantry in attacking poses for both countries are available together with command, for the Russians followed by Leib grenadiers and infantry in summer uniform.

Reiver castings new french revolutionary figures

Very quietly Reiver Castings brought out some new packs for the French Revolution.
There are four additions to the British 1792-1800 range and 2 packs of Vendean troops.
Pictures are on the Reiver Casting website and underneath starting with 2 packs of British artillery (foot and horse)

followed by the cavalry which has the troopers plus a pack of horse command

and at last two packs of Vendean troops; the first with muskets, the second with pitchforcks

All these figures looks nice and are welcome editions to the  Revolutionary range. Haven't seen them in the flesh yet but at leat the British will appear on the table someday.
Hopefully more additions will follow.
Suggestions (hint, hint) are of course artillery in round hats, licht cavalry, more active poses for the ligth infantry etc etc