As part of the ongoing development of the rules for the Mexican War, 1846-48, Gone To See The Elephant , this definitive Collection of Colors, Standards, Guidons and Pennants for the Mexican and US Armies was an early priority. With the help of contributors in Mexico, as well as the US, we found information and materials on Mexican and US military Colors and Standards never previously assembled.

With our obsession for detail and accuracy, we devoted literally hundreds of hours work designing over 300 Mexican and North American Flags in precise detail. All designs are based on existing contemporary examples, the US Army Regulations of 1841, or informed conjecture based on the surviving evidence.  Now, Colors and Standards for all units which fought in the War have been completed and are offered in the three most common game scales, 15mm, 18mm, and 25/28mm.

While intended for use with Gone To See The Elephant, these flags will work as well with any set of rules, large scale or "Skirmish."  Professionally printed on high quality paper, the fine detail of these highly accurate flags will be the perfect complement to the even the finest painted figures, either for gaming or display.

Where other companies sell small sets of flags of the most limited variety (we have seen at least one pack containing 6 of the same Mexican Infantry Regiment!), TVAG's Mexican War Flags Collection allows you to use the exact flag for each unit in your armies.  

The Mexican Army is represented in TWO Sets totaling some 60 flags. Together, these represent all the Permanente, Activo Milicia, and many Guardia Nacional Infantry and Cavalry Battalions/Regiment which saw action during the war. A variety of Cavalry Guidons are provided for smaller scale games where these would appear, as well as many authentic Lance Pennants for individual figures.  Some extra National Colors are included as well.

The Mexican Army had, or observed, no detailed regulations for unit colors, though most flags followed themes in the National Colors. Consequently, a wide variety of eclectic eagle/snake/cactus designs were used, as were a range of scripts and texts. Based on the remarkably large number of Mexican Flags which survived the war (largely as US trophies until returned to Mexico by 1950), as well as others revered in Mexican Museums, it was possible for Eric Cox to represent flags for practically every unit which saw action.

Set #1 : Mexican Permanente and Activo Infantry Battalions (approximately 50)

Set #2: Mexican Guardia Nacional and Cavalry (approximately 50)

The US Army is represented in four Sets: Regular Infantry, Dragoons and Mounted Rifles, Artillery, and US Volunteer formations.

The eight original Regular foot Regiments each have a Regimental and National Color, and those raised for the war have the same, though with 28 stars showing rather than the 26 on the older flags. Stars and text are in silver, as was the practice for Infantry.

All three Dragoon Regiments carried only Regimental Standards and Guidons for each Company.  These showed gold stars, text, etc, as befitted mounted troops and artillery.

The four Artillery Regiments which were represented during the war are provided with their Regimental and National Colors, though likely neither saw much, if any use, in combat. Instead, Guidons are provided which may have been carried by Batteries and "Red Leg" Infantry.

The Flags of Volunteer units have not been well documented, and our efforts have been among the first attempts to do so. We have found some 25 images of surviving flags, as well as a number of contemporary descriptions. Special credit must go to Ms. Donna Schmink of the Indiana War Memorial (IWM) who graciously provided images and data on the surprisingly large number of Mexican War flags in its protection.

All of these flags have been reproduced for their appropriate units with as much historical detail as possible. For the many remaining units which went off to "See The Elephant," we have provided conjectural examples influenced by practices such as using State Seals or mottoes of local significance, etc. These "plausible" designs are clearly distinguished from those of historical fact.

Altogether, the four US Sets total over 206 flags with only a very few repeats of "generic" National Colors for use by US Volunteer units.

Set #3: US Regular Infantry & Voltigeurs (44 Flags, both Regimental and National Colors)

Set #4: US Dragoons & Mounted Infantry (45 Flags, with Regimental Standards and Guidons)

Set #5: US Artillery (48 Flags, Regimental and National Colors, and individual Battery Guidons)

Set #6: US Volunteer Formations (68+ 28mm Flags, 80+ 15mm & 18mm, both Infantry Colors and Cavalry Standards)