Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object |
Flag |
Year Range from |
1775 |
Year Range to |
1777 |
Description |
Small rectangle of green silk. Fragment of General Stark Flag from the Battle of Bennington. |
Width (inches) |
2.000 |
Height (inches) |
1.500 |
Subjects |
Bennington, Battle of, N.Y., 1777 |
Information |
This is a piece of the flag used by General John Stark during the American Revolution. It had a green float and blue canton with 13 white stars (the canton survives and is A1042 in the Museum's collection). This was a regimental flag, and is similar to other silk regimental flags of the time. The flag was retained by Stark until his death, and either Stark himself or his descendants cut it up to give pieces to his many admirers (a common fate for flags). Over the years, the flag picked up an association with the Green Mountain Boys, the Vermont militia who had fought with Stark at the Battle of Bennington. The flag was never used by the Green Mountain Boys, who were a Vermont regiment (General John Stark led New Hampshire troops). The flag was later adopted as a symbol by the Vermont National Guard. There are several pieces of the green float in the Museum's collection (A72, A440, A1043, A4736, and 1996.54.1). One (A4736) has a painted flourish on it, and it's likely that this flag had a painted design like other regimental flags of the era. |
Related People |
Stark, John |
Credit line |
Gift of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution |
Catalog Number |
1996.54.1 |