Banners of Liberty: An Exhibition of Original Revolutionary War Flags

The Museum of the American Revolution will kick off its celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial with a special exhibition, Banners of Liberty: An Exhibition of Original Revolutionary War Flags, which will bring together 16 original flags from the Revolutionary era – the largest gathering of such flags since the close of the eight-year conflict in 1783.

Opening on the 250th anniversary of the “shot heard round the world” at the Battles of Lexington and Concord which ignited the Revolutionary War, Banners of Liberty will be on view exclusively at the museum starting April 19 in the first-floor Patriots Gallery.

Of the hundreds of flags made and carried in the Revolutionary War by soldiers fighting for the American cause, only about 30 are known to survive today. Working with institutional and private lenders, the museum assembled nearly half of these original flags present at military campaigns stretching from northern New England to South Carolina. These artistically embellished flags employed colors and designs to represent political ideals and a growing national identity, as well as to instill “esprit de corps” within military units. For America’s Revolutionary generation, the flags that flew over their regiments and ships or were carried through their towns to battle were perhaps the first visual expressions of liberty and independence that they saw.
Flags on loan to the exhibition have traveled to Philadelphia from across the tri-state region and as far away as New England and the Midwest for the exhibition. Several of these flags were made in Philadelphia – the capital of the American Revolution – and this exhibition marks their first return to the city since the war.

As part of its commitment to preserve these rare and fragile artifacts, the museum has contributed to the conservation and new framing of six of the displayed flags with the help of generous donors. These preservation efforts, led by textile conservator Virginia Whelan, are set to include the pair of flags of the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment, which will be on loan from the New Hampshire Historical Society, and the flag of Pulaski’s Legion, on loan from the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

Curated by the Museum’s in-house exhibitions team, Banners of Liberty will feature:

• The Commander in Chief’s Standard, the silk standard used by General George Washington to mark his headquarters and his presence on the battlefield, according to stories passed down through the Washington family. A key aspect of the Museum’s permanent collection, the standard will be on display for only the second time since our opening. Collection of the Museum of the American Revolution.
• The Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia Flag, carried by a unit of distinguished members of Philadelphia society formed in 1774 that is today one of the oldest active military organizations in the nation, now known as the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. This flag waved at the battles of Trenton and Princeton, some of George Washington’s most famous victories. Originally designed with the British union in its upper corner, the flag was repainted with 13 stripes following the adoption of the Declaration of Independence to represent the new United States of America. Some of the original British union is still visible through the paint. At the center of the flag, 13 ribbons knotted together also represent that national unity. On loan from the Museum of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry.
• The Delaware Militia Flag, also known as the “Dansey Flag,” which was captured by British Army officer Captain William Dansey in September of 1777 and brought back to England as a war trophy. It remained in his family’s possession until it was sold to the Delaware Historical Society in 1927. On loan from the Delaware Historical Society.
• The 2nd Spartan Regiment of Militia Flag, a rare surviving artifact from the war in the South, represents a unit that reflected the diverse society of the South Carolina backcountry they came from. John Biddie (or Biddle), a free man of African descent originally from Virginia, and Aquila Hollingsworth, a Quaker from Delaware, both volunteered to join the regiment and served with the unit at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781 where Hollinsworth was killed in battle. The exact origin and meaning of the dog and snake painted on the flag remain unknown, though snakes were often used by Revolutionaries to represent American liberties. On display courtesy of Nick Manganiello and Francine Carrick.
• The Massachusetts Militia Flag, often referred to as the “Forster Flag” due to its provenance to the Forster family of Massachusetts, was likely used by the company of soldiers from Manchester, Massachusetts. It also likely had a British union in its canton when it was originally created, but its design was then altered to include six short white stripes (and seven more on the reverse) stitched on the flag to represent the 13 United States. On loan from Brian and Barbara Hendelson.
• The two 2nd New Hampshire Regiment flags, which were purchased by the regiment in 1777 with funds from the New Hampshire Committee of Safety. One, a buff-colored flag, is painted with the “Chain of States” and the motto “We Are One” to represent unity among the states. The other, a blue flag, features the motto “The Glory not the Prey.” Each flag has a British union stitched in its canton. Captured by the British 30 miles away from where the regiment fought at the Battle of Hubbardton in 1777, these flags were sent to England as war trophies, then donated to the New Hampshire Historical Society in 1913. While female flag makers like Rebecca Flower Young and Elizabeth “Betsy” Ross were working in the same neighborhood as this exhibit and possibly tasked with creating some of the banners set for display, their individual contributions cannot be confirmed. But the 2nd New Hampshire flags are known to be sewn by Boston-based milliner Fanny Johonnot Williams. On loan from the New Hampshire Historical Society, Gift of Edward Tuck.

Banners of Liberty will be open daily from 10 am to 5 pm from April 19 to August 10. The 5,000-square-foot exhibition will be located in the museum’s first-floor Patriots Gallery.

Access to the exhibition is included with regular museum admission. Tickets can be purchased at AmRevMuseum.org, by calling 215-253-6731, or at the front desk. Children ages 5 and under are free. All tickets are valid for two consecutive days. Group tickets for parties of 15 or more are available for a reduced price by calling 267-579-3623. Memberships are also available online or by calling 215-454-2030.