Post
by subedai » Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:34 pm
Roy,
According to the Osprey New Model Army book by Stuart Asquith it says that the infantry standards were usually 6' 6'' square and each of the 10 companies carried one, normally all together in front of the unit. Cavalry had much smaller standards, 2' square, one usaully carried by each of the regiment's six companies.
The above information is also applicable to Scottish units as corroborated in Flags of The English Civil Wars Part Two, The Scottish Colours of Foot and Cornets of Horse 1639-1651 by S. Ede-Borrett and B. Mcgarrigle. This booklet also goes on to say that colour poles 'were probably about the same length as their English counterparts -that is some 7 to 7 1/2 feet plus ferrule.' Cavalry standards were carried an 8-9 foot long lance similar to the type carried by medieval knights.
Hope this helps.