Tarleton's Revolutionary War battle flags to auction

Belatedly posted; thanks to reader Steve Bogdan for the pointer.

Four rare battle flags captured during the American War of Independence by a British officer have been returned after more than two centuries to be auctioned.

The regimental colours seized in 1779 and 1780 by Lt Col Banastre Tarleton, who remains one of the conflict's most controversial figures, have already aroused huge interest among American military historians. They are expected to fetch between £2.3 million and £5.8 million at Sotheby's in New York next year.

Until recently the flags had hung in the Hampshire home of Capt Christopher Tarleton Fagan, the great-great-great-great nephew of the lieutenant colonel. . .

Only about 30 American revolutionary battle flags have survived, all of which, apart from the ones to be sold at Sotheby's, are in museums and in most cases only fragments remain. The ones captured by Tarleton are in excellent condition and their history is well documented.

More on Tarleton here; the famous Reynolds portrait shown at top may also be seen in color here; the print after the portrait is discussed as part of the Tate's recent Reynolds exhibition here. Bogdan also notes of the Reynolds painting, "Tarleton is wearing the correct green jacket for the British Legion, rather than the red one Mel Gibson had him wear in The Patriot."

Posted by David on November 28, 2005 10:56 AM