This article, one of a series of occasional articles on Suvorov's army, hopes to redress the lack of information on Russian flags of the period. In that regard, the article will specifically key its information to data found in the most wide spread Napoleonic flag publication currently in use - Terence Wise and Guido Rosignoli's Flags of the Napoleonic Wars (2), Osprey Men at Arms Series no 78. The information presented also draws heavily upon Keith Over's Flags and Standards of the Napoleonic Wars, a book sadly out of print for some time. Infantry Flags Wise adequately addresses line infantry flags of the 1797 pattern (which probably were used by Suvorov's troops) on pages 28 - 31 of his book, except in one area. He gives no information about the color of each regiment's stave (flag pole) except to say that some were black,some white, some straw yellow and some coffee brown. It would seem, however, that the stave was the same color as were the drumsticks, spontoon and halbred staffs carried in the regiments. In 1796 these were straw yellow for all regiments of grenadiers and black for all musketeer regiments esxcept for Regiments Apcheronski, Vilikoloutz, Vitebsk, Karbardinski, Rylski, Riazin, Sevastopol and Staroingermanland which used straw yellow . In 1798 the colors changed with grenadier regiments Astrakhan, Kavkaski, Kiev, Siberia and Fangoria now using white, and Malorossiiski and Khersonski using black. Changes in the musketeer regiments included the following formations that now used white: Vitebsk, Vladamir, Voronezh, Karbardinski, Koslovski, Moskow, Narva, Nizov, Novogorod, Permski, Riazan, Staroingermanland and Staroskolski. Now using the color coffee were Regiments Briansk, Belevski, Vyborg, Viatski, Ekaterinburg, Kexholm, Mouromsk, Nacheburg, Nijegorod, Novoingermanland, Rostov, Rylski and Sofiiski. Regiments now adopting straw yellow were Azov, Dnieprovski, Kazan, Orlov, Pskov, Revel, Smolensk and Souzdalski. Regiments now using black were Apcheron, Vilikoloutz and Sevastopol. Other regiments retained their old colors. Jaeger regiments carried no flags. Guard regiments during this period also carried flags different than shown in Wise. The flags were issued 2 January 1798, the 1797 pattern being used (type A, Wise p. 31) with solid colored cross and white corner rays for the colored flag, and solid white cross and colored corner rays for the white flag. The colors in this case seemed to correspond to the facing color for each regiment. Thus Preobrazhinski used crimson, Semenovski blue and Ismailovski green. There was also a narrow maltese cross with pointed swallow tailed ends superimposed on the main cross. The maltese cross was white for the colored flag and presumably crimson, blue or green on the white flag. The cross extended about 2/3 of the distance to the edge of the flag. Also, in each corner of the flag lay a gold crown with the top pointing towards the center. The central orange disk was topped with a scroll on each side, the obverse reading "This Flag Victorious" and the reverse reading "Not for Ourselves, but in Your (God's) Name (I can't wait to see this in Cyrillic on a 15 mm flag)." On 6 January 1799 Czar Paul I issued another set of flags for his parade ground pets. The flags were as before except that the corner crowns were now replased with a gold embroidered wreath that contained the Russian word for "Blessed." Also, the narrow maltese cross now extended fully to the edge of the flag. Staves were now coffee for Regiment Preobrazhinski, black for Semenovski and white for Ismailovski The color scheme was also a little different and is given below, following the format Regiment-white color corner/cross- colored color corner/cross. Preobrazhinski-white/white (maltese cross raspberry)-raspberry/raspberry (maltese cross white) Semenovski-blue/white (maltese cross blue)-white/blue (maltese cross white) Ismailovski-green/white (maltese cross green)-white/green (maltese cross white) There were also several foreign infantry regiments (Bourbon French) serving the Czar at this time. They also used the 1797 pattern flag (type F, Wise p. 31, ie, a white latin cross superimposed on the main cross and extending to the edge of the flag), but with the addition of a gold (black edged) fleur de lis in each corner pointing towards the orange central disk. Specific colors are as follows, with format as for the Guard infantry above: Duke of Bourbon-orange/white- white/orange Hohenlohe-black/white-grey/black Noble Conde-white/white-white/black Flags for the Russian militia are too extensive to be discussed in this article. Instead, readers are advised to consult one of the Russian sources listed in the bibliography. Obviously, it also helps if you can read Russian. Cavalry Standards Dragoon standards during this period were actually miniature versions of the 1797 infantry flag, as befitted an arm that was originally conceived as mounted foot, with a fringe that normally corresponded to the metal button color of the regiment. Cuirassier regiments that were converted to dragoons, however, continued to carry that distinctive pattern of standard. Staves seem to have been green with gold flutting. Regimental distinctions are given below as follows - Regiment-colored standard cross/corners-white standard corners-metal: Astrakhan-yellow/lt blue-half lt blue and yellow-silver Hastatova-half red and white/dark blue-half red and dark blue-silver Ingermanland-deep pink/white-deep pink-gold Irkutski-lt blue/red-half red and lt blue-gold Kargopol-lt blue/white-lt blue-silver Moskow-orange/ltblue-half orange and lt blue-silver Narva-purple/white-purple-silver Nijegorod-half lt orange and white/black-half lt orange and black-silver Orenburg-red/white-red-gold Pskov-yellow/white-yellow-gold Rostov-blue/white-blue-silver Sverski-orange/black-half black and orange-silver Shreidersa-half white and dark green/white-half white and dark green-gold Siberia-red/green-half red and green-silver Smolensk-orange/purple-half orange and purple-gold St Petersburg-green/white-green-gold Taganrog-red/yellow-half yellow and red-gold Cuirassier regiments flew standards during this period that were nearly identical in design to the 1803 pattern color as shown in Wise, page 35. The background, however, was different in that it seems to have been based on the regimental facing colors of cuirassier uniforms (though not in all cases). Data for the regimental Dragoon & Cuirassier Standards, 1797 pattren, from Over, page 93. Dragoon standards were actually miniature infantry flags. flags is given below in the following format - Regiment-colored standard background/corner device background- white color corner device background-embroidery and fringe color: Czar's-lt blue/white-lt blue-silver Czarina's-deep pink/lt blue-deep pink-silver St George-black/white-black-gold Gloukhov-beige/orange-beige-silver Ekaterinoslav-orange/lt blue-lt blue- silver Kazan-green/red-red-gold Kiev-deep yellow/purple-deep purple- silver Malorossiiski-purple/lt green-purple- gold Nejinski-red/white-white-gold Rejinski-beige/lt blue-gold Riazin-lt blue/white-lt blue-gold Sifiiski-orange/lt blue-lt blue-gold Starodoub-dark green/white-dark green-silver Kharkov-pink/puce-puce-silver Tchernigov-yellow/puce-puce/silver Iamburg-green/white-green-gold Neplouieva-deep pink/dark grey-dark grey-silver Frideritsia-mauve/orange-mauve-gold Zorna-yellow/red-yellow-gold Most Guard regimental cavalry standards are properly covered in Wise, except those of Regiment Chevalier Guard. This regiment was issued standards as shown at the top of the next page. The vexillium type standard was issued in 1799 while the unit was still a ceremonial court formation. It was raspberry color with a white cross and silver fringe. Woodwork was evidently black with gold knobs on the crossbar and the white cross of the Order of St John mounted on a golden globe. Cords were black/orange/raspberry silk. A second vexillium, as shown in Wise p. 36, was used by the unit when it became a full regiment in 1800. Also in use was the standard shown above. It had a gold fringe and finial with flag colors being black for the corners, raspberry for the large cross and white for the maltese cross, the latter quite similar to the one used on Guard infantry flags during the period. The absence of the usual orange disk with black doubleheaded eagle is quite unique. Flag stave was likely green with gold fluting. Finally, there were two regiments of Bourbon French cavalry serving the Czar during this period, both units classed as dragoons. Like their infantry counterparts, they received flags in 1799. The standards were similar in size and shape to regular dragoon standards, but bore the 1797 cuirassier pattern. The difference was in that each of the four corners of the flag one found an elongated triangle that pointed towards the center while just barely piercing the interior rectangle. Sitting on top of these rectangles was a golden fleur di lis which also pointed towards the center. Flag staves were likely green like the rest of the cavalry. Fringe and embroidery were silver with colors for the two regiments given below in the format of Regiment-white flag corner triangle background- colored flag corner triangle background/base color: Duc de Berry-blue-blue/black Duc de Angien-blue-blue/yellow Like the militia, Cossack colors are too numerous and unique for coverage. Again, the Russian sources in the bibliography are recommended. Bibliography Over, Keith. Flags and Standards of the Napoleonic Wars. London, 1976. Wise, Terence and Guido Rosignoli. Flags of the Napoleonic Wars (2). London, 1991 Viskavatov, A.V. Istorichesko opisanie odezhdui i vooruzheniya roosiikikh voisk (Istorichesko opisanie odezhdui i vooruzheniya roosiikikh voisk). St Petersburg, 1900. Zveguintsov, V.V. L'Armee Russe. Paris, 1970. Zvegunitsov, V.V. Znamena i shtandartui Russkoi Armii XV-1914 (Znamena i shtandartui Russkoi Armii XV-1914). NFI. Special thanks to Jonathon Gingerich, El Segundo, CA and Colonel Vladislav Tabakin, Army of the Russian Federation.