The Royal Hospital: Flags, standards, etc.

VI.—FLAGS IN THE GREAT HALL

The captured Standards and Eagles enumerated below were brought here in 1835 from St. Paul's Cathedral, Whitehall and the India Office through the instrumentality of Sir J. M. Wilson, Adjutant of the Royal Hospital.

South Side of Great Hall

3. A Martinique (French Republican) Flag, taken in 1809.

42. Chinese Flag, taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

1. Standard of the King of Kandy, in Ceylon, taken in 1803.

6. Standard of the King of Kandy, in Ceylon, taken in 1803.

7. Netherlands Flag, probably taken in the Walcheren Expedition, 1809.

15. American Flag, the 2nd Regiment of U.S. Infantry, date of capture not known.

12. French Tricolor, date of capture not known.

13. Imperial French Flag, date of capture not known.

9. Maltese Flag, taken at the Surrender of Malta in 1800.

39. Arabian Flag, taken at the Capture of Aden, 18th January, 1839, by a force under Captain Smith of H.M.S. "Volage," Major Baillie commanding the troops.

8. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

38. Arabian Flag, taken at Aden in 1839.

18. Dutch Flags (East India Co.), date of capture not known.

11. East Indian Flag (Mahratta Infantry), date of capture not known.

North Side of Great Hall

19. Dutch Flag (East India Co.), date of capture not known.

27. Maltese Flag, taken at the Surrender of Malta in 1800.

14. French Flag, date of capture not known.

17. East Indian or French Flag, date of capture not known.

24. American Flag, date of capture not known.

46. Chinese Flag, taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

28. French Flag.

45. Chinese Flag, taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

5. East Indian or French Flag, date of capture not known.

25. French Republican Flag, taken at the Battle of Alexandria, in Egypt, by Antonie Lutz, 97th Regiment, or Queen's Germans, 21st March, 1801.

20. French Republican Flag, date of capture not known.

44. Chinese Flag, taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

34. French Republican Flag, date of capture not known.

43. Chinese Flag taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

Placed in the Gallery on Left of Entrance

4. French Republican Flag, date of capture not known.

26. French Flag, date of capture not known.

2. French Tricolor, date of capture not known.

10. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

35. French Flag, date of capture not known.

33. American Flag, 4th Regiment of U.S. Infantry, date of capture not known.

23. French Flag, date of capture not known.

Flag on Screen

29. Eagle of the 45th French Regiment, taken by Sergeant Ewart, Scots Greys, at Waterloo, 18th June, 1815.

Placed in the Gallery on Right of Entrance

32. French Republican Flag, supposed to have been taken at Martinique, in 1809.

21. American Ship Flag, date of capture probably 1812–14, as it contains 17 stars, showing that it was taken after the War of. Independence.

16. Hesse Darmstadt Flag, taken at Badajoz, in 1812.

31. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

22. Hesse Darmstadt Flag, taken at Badajoz.

30. American Flag, date of capture not known.

36. Standard of the King of Kandy, in Ceylon, taken in 1803.

FLAGS IN VESTIBULE

Over Door Leading to North Entrance

47. Russian Imperial Flag taken at Kinburn, 1855. Presented by H.M. Queen Victoria.

Over Door Leading to Centre Court

31 & 32. Standards taken at the Storming of Seringapatam, 4th May, 1799. These Standards were borne in State before the Sultans, Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib.

On Left of Entrance to Great Hall

12. East Indian Flag, taken at the Storming of Bhurtpore, in 1826.

9. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

15. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

1. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

23. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

41. Chinese Flag, taken in 1841 by General Gough at Chinhai or Ningpo.

48. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

On Right of Entrance to Chapel

28. Belonged to a French Corps in the Service of Tippoo Saib, taken at Seringapatam, in 1799.

11. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

20. French Republican Flag, taken at Seringapatam, 1799. Belonged to a French Corps in the service of Tippoo Saib.

2. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

40. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

3. Maltese Flag, perhaps first captured by the French, but finally by the Troops under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, at the Surrender of Malta, in 1800.

35. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

The three remaining groups of flags are situated as follows:—

1. 6 Flags on right of entrance to Great Hall.

2. 5 " on left of entrance to Chapel.

3. 7 " over entrance to Chapel.

These groups consist of nine Regimental Colours, two Union Jacks pre-1800, five Soudanese Flags, and in the Centre over the Chapel door:

4. A Maltese Flag, perhaps first captured by the French; but finally by the Troops under Sir Ralph Abercrombie at the Surrender of Malta, in 1800.

FLAGS IN THE CHAPEL

5. American Flag, 68th Regiment, James City, Light Infantry, captured at Bladensburg by the 85th Regiment, in 1814. An eagle on white ground, with stars and the scroll E. Pluribus Unum. on the reverse, and stripes and Cap of Liberty, and "Virginia" on a blue band.

6. Eagle of the 8th French Regiment of Infantry, captured at the Battle of Barrosa, in 1811, by the 87th Regiment.

7. American Cavalry Flag, captured at Bladensburg by the 85th Regiment, in 1814. An eagle on blue ground, 1st Har . . . Light Dragoons. On scroll "Touch me not."

8. American Flag, The 2nd Regiment of Infantry, date of capture not known. Eagle on blue ground.

10. Eagle of the 82nd French Regiment, taken at Martinique, in 1809. Inscription "L'Empereur des Français au 82 Regiment de ligne."

29 & 33. Two Pendants belonging to the Standards (Nos. 31 & 32) which were fixed in front and rear of the Howdah of Hyder Ali and Tippoo Saib's State Elephants, taken at Seringapatam, 4th May, 1799.

13. Netherlands Flag, probably taken in the Walcheren Expedition, 1809.

14. Eagle of the 82nd French Regiment, taken at Martinique, in 1809.

16. American Flag, date of capture not known.

18. Eagle of the 13th French Regiment, found in the Retiro, Madrid, August, 1812.

17 & 19. East Indian Flags, date of capture not known.

21. French Republican Flag, taken in Egypt, date of capture not known. Tricolor with fasces or Cap of Liberty in centre. Inscribed "Montenotte, Millesimo, Mondovi, Pont de Lodi, Castiglione, d'Arcolo, da Brenta, Rivoli, St. George, d'Anguilari."

30. American Flag (4th Regiment of U.S. Infantry), taken at surrender of Fort Detroit, 12th August, 1812. (The Regimental Colour of the Regiment.) (See No. 52 for National Colour.)

24. Dutch Flag, date of capture not known.

25. East Indian Flag, taken at the Storming of Bhurtpore, in 1826.

26. Eagle of the 62nd French Regiment, taken at Salamanca, July, 1812, by Lieut. (later Lt.-Col.) William Pearce of the 44th Regiment.

27. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

51. Belonged to a Prussian Regiment in the Service of France, supposed to have been taken in Spain, date of capture not known. Inscription on one side—"L'Empereur des Français au Regiment Prussien," and on the other—"Valeur et discipline, 3me Bataillon."

43. Belonged to a Prussian Regiment in the Service of France, supposed to have been taken in Spain, date of capture not known.

34. Eagle and Flag of the 105th French Regiment, taken by Captain Kennedy Clark and Corporal Stiles, 1st Dragoons, at Waterloo, 18th June, 1815. Inscribed "Jena, Eylau, Eckmühl, Essling, Wagram."

36. Dutch Flag, date of capture not known.

38. Eagle of the 22nd French Regiment, taken at Salamanca, 1812, by Lieut. (later Major) John Pratt of the 30th Regiment.

37 & 39. East Indian Flags, date of capture not known.

41. French Republican Flag, taken in Egypt (see 21).

22. Eagle of the 82nd French Regiment, taken at Martinique, in 1809.

42. Eagle of the 66th French Regiment, taken at Guadaloupe, 27th January, 1810.

44. American Flag, date of capture not known.

46. Eagle of the 51st French Regiment, found in the Retiro, Madrid, August, 1812.

45 & 47. Ghorka Colours, taken at Mackwampore, 1816.

49. French Tricolor, supposed to have been taken at Fort Pecurinha, Badajoz, in 1812.

50. Eagle of the 26th French Regiment, taken at Martinique, 1809.

52. American Flag, the 4th Regiment U.S. Infantry, supposed to have been taken on the Frontier of Canada, date of capture not known.

53. East Indian Flag, taken at the Storming of Bhurtpore, in 1826.

54. Eagle of the 39th French Regiment, found in the River Ceira, in Portugal, 15th June, 1811.

55. East Indian Flag, date of capture not known.

Note.—The above flags are described and illustrated by coloured drawings in a MS. book compiled by Captain J. Ford (Captain of Invalids) in 1841. A copy is in the possession of the Royal Hospital, having been presented by Queen Victoria on 24th October, 1861, and another copy is in Chelsea Public Library.