CAPTURED AMERICAN COLOUR AT QUEENSTON, 13 OCT 1812

[Bill Smy]

During the Battle Of Queenston Heights, 13 October 1812, an American regimental colour belonging to a New York State infantry regiment was captured by a soldier from one of the flank companies of the 2nd Regiment of Lincoln Militia. The Americans surrendered a short time after.

              John Clark, who had arrived at Queenston during the battle, saw General Sheaffe in the vicinity of the Redan Battery minutes after the surrender of the Americans with the Colour wrapped about him.

          John Beverley Robinson, a young officer of the York Militia (later knighted and Chief Justice of Upper Canada ) saw the Colour displayed at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea on 24 November 1815 :

                “Here, on the west side, is the Colour taken from the Americans at Queenston, placed by them on our battery, when they gained possession of it just before Brock fell.

                It was taken by a private militiaman of one of the Chippawa companies in our advance under Sir Roger Sheaffe in the afternoon, and presented to him on the field. I saw him with it round him on the field. I have heard that the gallant fellow who seized it on the battery while the enemy were yet there was suffered to remain unrewarded.”

The capture of an enemy regimental colour in combat is a unique feat in Canadian military history. The colour is still in the museum at Chelsea.

So far, a search of Canadian and British records to identify the American unit to which the Colour belonged has produced no results.

Can anyone who has researched the American records  identify the unit?

 

[tomahawk6]

Sounds like the 4th Infantry Regiment whose color now resides at the Welch Regiment Museum.

 

[je suis prest]

The 4th Infantry Regiment lost its colour when it surrendered at Detroit.  The colour captured at Queenston Heights belonged to one of the New York militia regiments.  There were five of them present at the battle, the 16th through 20th, but I don't know if is known which ones managed to get their colours across the river (many of the militia refused to cross) and which one was captured.

 

[Danjanou]

Sounds like the 4th Infantry Regiment whose color now resides at the Welch Regiment Museum.

Makes sense. The Royal Welsh are the descendents of the 41st Foot who were present at Detroit

 

[jeffb]

Jon Latimer in 1812: War with America, references that "...a stand of New York Militia colours.." were taken at Queenston Heights. He claims these were taken to England although he doesn't say which unit specifically it was.

The 41st was also at Queenston Heights (they were actually in most of the engagements in Upper Canada).

 

[je suis prest]

Chelsea Hospital has at least four American colours (I suppose they are, technically, "Colors").  They belong to the 2nd and 4th Infantry and an unidentified New York militia regiment.  The question which has been posed is whether anyone knows to which of the New York regiments the colour belonged.  I haven't seen any reference source that identifies it.

Pictures of the colours can be found here: http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/Warof1812/2008/Issue8/c_Chelseaflags.html

 

[tomahawk6]

I was looking at the pictures of the flags on display.The two Regular Army regimental colors are readily identifiable. During this period regiments had two colors.

http://www.warflag.com/napflags/flaghtml/usa.htm

Modern US Army campaign streamer.

 

[QORvanweert]

Is that a computer generated image to display how the streamer would appear, or is that an actual streamer? If so, which units parade with it?

 

[tomahawk6]

The streamer is attached to the US Army flag which all major units have.There are 183 campaign streamers. Organizational flags have streamers for the campaigns the unit participated in.

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/UniformedServices/streamers_doc.aspx