Von Steuben in very interesting in the fact there is what he calls for (2 flags, 1 for each battalion, or both used together if a regiment is so small that both it's battalions form together). (It is also interesting to note that Von Steuben does not set out an assigned group of men to be a color guard as most reenactors interpret it). This is what he says in the blue book, but what happens in practise is all over the map. For example, the 3rd VA Detchment was using 3 colors when it was decimated at Waxhaws (2 wing colors and a regimental color). An ensign in the British army noted another unit passing near to York PA in Jan. of 1780 that also carried three colors in the same manner. There is also the Gostelow return of 1778 that lists 13 stands of colors in storage to be issued to the army. Of the 13 stands, 11 of them consisted of 3 colors (one of these stands was the one captured at Waxhaws that was on display at Colonial Williamsburg for a year and a half). Just to make it more confusing, the Bitish army had several ways of doing it as well. Depending on which manual you read (Lord Harvey, Cuthbertson, Simes, Pickering, Bland, and others) there are different refferences to how the colors are displayed, guarded, positioned. Basically it means there is no ONE rule that works for everyone.
Are there many on this discussion group that also do a bit of research on Rev War flags? I have been looking for a group like this on that topic but this is the best group I have found. Civil War flags and their research is for my own enjoyment, Rev War flags and research is for my job. Would love to chat Rev flags if anyone wanted to go off topic a bit and knows a good site to post.