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.