Spanish Colony, Cuban 2nd Company, 4th Battalion, Voluntary Hunters of Havana, extremely rare Cuban Militia Color, 1898
Flag of the 2nd Company, 4th Battalion, Voluntary Hunters of Havana (Cuba circa 1858-1898) They were organized on 12 February1855. They distinguished themselves in the battle of Rio Seco, on 11 November 1897, and were disbanded in 1898.
Little is known about the history of this flag. It was acquired at auction in 2008 as an American soldier bring back. The Cuban Volunteers were raised in Cuba, and after the 1868 war for Cuban independence they were against Cuban rebels. They were drawn from Cuba's lower classes and were accused of harsh tactics.
The style and design of the flag would indicate that this might be standard from a mounted unit.
This flag is a war trophy. In ancient Greece and Rome, military victories were often formally commemorated with a display of captured arms and standards and cultural objects, called war trophies. In the Middle Ages; the European wars of the 17th and 18th centuries; and during the Napoleonic Wars variations of this were also practiced wherein armies returning home would often display flags captured from the enemy in public buildings or churches. In a public space they were displayed either as a morale builder, an overt symbol of victory, or a reminder of a past martial or naval accomplishment; whilst in a church or place of worship they usually represented a homage to the Divinity for granting victory, or as a symbol of the power of the providence of God for their cause.
In the American Civil War, official protocols were evolved for the disposition of captured colors. The act was considered worthy of decoration or promotion. More recently the World Wars saw the wholesale confiscation of enemy property including flags. In 20th century it became common for individual soldiers to return home with trophies and souvenirs, such as enemy flags.
After the Civil War American soldiers were no less interested in war trophies; however, the dominant foe, the Native American Indians, did not use flags. This changed when during both the Spanish American & Philippine American Wars; American soldiers once again prized enemy flags.
The possession of a captured enemy flag is often considered the ultimate war trophy; literally one has captured the flag. However, many of these are not actually captured on battle, or even battlefield pick-ups. They are flags encountered or acquired as the result of other activities; often rear echelon pieces acquired through purchase or trade.
ZFC Significant Flag
Provenance:
2nd Co , 4th Btn, , Havana Volunteers, Cuba, 1890s.
Sold via Heritage Auctioneers & Galleries, Dallas Texas, to Zaricor Flag Collection, 2008.
Sources:
War Trophy, Wikipedia,16 November 2011, from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_trophy
Squad of Havana Volunteers, Spanish-American War Era (1898),Photos of Cuba: 16 November 2011, from: http://www.studenthandouts.com/Cuba/015-Havana-Volunteers.htm
Sierra, Jerry A., The War for Cuban Independence, History of Cuba.Com, 16 November 2011, from:
http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/scaw/scaw1a.htm
Mitiuckov, Dr. N. V. , Spanish Order of Battle, 1898, Spanish American War Centennial Website, 16 November 2011, from:
http://www.spanamwar.com/spoobcuba.htm
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
Heritage Auctions
