Happy to see this topic pop up.

We know there are a number of the small swallow-tail First National flags out there with crude four pointed stars. I think these were indeed intended to be lance pennants. As one who also knows well the Napoleonic era, nations with lancer regiments always had small flags attached to the lance just below the point. This was often a small version or variant of their national flag. Napoleon's lancers were indeed the terror of Europe - see what happened to a British line regiment at Albuera when a lancer unit cracked the corner of their square. They suffered over 80 percent casualties. The Scots Greys were chopped up at Waterloo when the French lancers got done with them. One dead trooper had 18 lance wounds in him.

The Confederates and Federals raised lancer regiments in 1861. Some saw combat use out in Texas while others, like Rush's Lancers, already noted here, dumped the lances pretty quickly. Yet, lance pennants were made in 1861 for the Confederate lancers. Flag makers Hetty Cary (yes - of the famous Cary girls) and Laura Lacy, both have invoices for lance pennants as does Burger & Brothers of Richmond. So when the lancer units don't happen, what becomes of these flags?

One relic dealer I know firmly believes they were used as squadron guidons. I tend not to go for that as I have not found any reference of the use of troop guidons in the Confederate cavalry other than Co. B, 7th TN Cavalry which lost a silk FN guidon at Union City, TN in March, 1862 (now at the TN State Museum). The Confederates, always hunting for supplies, do not seem frivolous at all in what they make so I would think that these pennants got used for something. Did the CS cavalry use troop pennants like the US cavalry did? It makes sens that this is what happened to them but I would love some concrete proof.

Greg Biggs