Some Mexican Flags

By T.D. Hooker

Large Version of Flags 1,2: (54K)

Fig. 1. The Flag of Francisco I. Madero, 1913.

This flag was used by President Madero during his "Marcha de la Lealtad" on the 9th February 1913, it is the normal Mexican tri-colour ( Green next to the pole, white in the middle and red on the outside section ) on the middle white band all of the text, or legend, is in gold ( I presume that this design was painted on rather than embroidered ), the two angels and halo are also in gold. The two branches of laurel leaves are in green tied with a gold ribbon, the bust of Madero has hair and suit jacket in dark brown (outline of the face is also in brown ) in the painting of Madero from which this portrait has been taken the hair and tail-coat jacket are both in black, I wonder whether the colour shown on the flag has faded or it is a bad reproduction by the printer, or that when the design was being hurriedly painted there was no black paint available ? I will leave you to decide. White shirt with white bow-tie, he is wearing a medal or Presidential sash under the jacket which is in the national colours; green top-white centre-red bottom. ( in the Museo Nacional de Historia, Mexico )

[ There is a contemporary photograph on page 362, showing this flag with it's escort in the book "Anales Gráficos de la Historia Militar De Mexico", by Gustavo Casasola, Mexico, 1973, I recommend this work to anyone who wishes to view photographs of this period as it contains from pages 152-503 b/w photographs of the 1900-1922 period, with on average 6 photos per page, text is in Spanish, see if your library can obtain a copy. ]

Fig. 2. Headquarters Flag, Army Corps of the Noreste, Constitutionalist Army.

Used by the forces under the command of General Pablo González, it has the normal Mexican tri-colour with black lettering, brown eagle with green snake and cactus, laurel and oak branches with green leaves brown branches tied with a red bow, in the text for this flag it says the in the green section are the words "OCTUBRE DE 1913" and in the red section "MAYO 1915" as these are not shown on this side of the flag I can only presume that they were placed on the reverse without the other lettering but with the national coat of arms, a gold lace fringe on the top and bottom edge of the flag. ( in the Museo de Monterrey, Mexico )

Large Version of Flags 3,4: (40K)

Fig. 3. Flag of 1st Regiment Brigade of Jesus Carranza, 1913.

Used by this unit in the Brigade under the command of General Pablo González, this is not the normal Mexican tri-colour as the red section is nearest to the flag-pole while the green section is on the outer edge, the lettering is in black, the branches are Laurel and Olive ( although I have always thought the norm was Laurel and Oak ) both with green leaves and brown branches tied with a red bow, eagle is brown with cactus and snake in green, this flag has a gold fringe but only on the top and bottom edges. ( in the Museo Obispado de Monterrey, N.L. Mexico )

Fig. 4. Flag of the Constitutionalists, 1916.

This flag was decreed on the 20th September 1916 by the "Primer Jefe de la Nación", Venustiano Carranza. It has the normal Mexican tri-colour but as you can see the design of the eagle is from the side rather than the front otherwise the colours are the same as the previous flags, notice the acorns in the oak branch.

To finish this small section I have looked through my various books etc. to try and find any more flags, used during this period. The first one that appears to have been used other than the straight forward National tri-colour was a reproduction of the famous "Virgin of Guadalupe" standard first carried by Miguel Hidalgo on the 16th September 1810 on his ill-fated call for Independence from Spain, I have not illustrated this as it is among the flags that make up the Society badge on the front of this booklet ( the bottom one on the left hand-side ) these later-day copies do not appear to have the design or the text other than the picture of the Virgin above the angel and the golden rays emitting from her, the field was of white the rays, crown and angel in gold the figure in cream/white with a light blue head covering, many variations are shown but all on the same theme, it was carried by a central pole connected to the standard by cord affixed to the two top ends of the cross-pole, looking like an upside down "V", also it was usually square in shape without the swallow tail bottom. Another variation of this flag was the one carried by the "Death Legion" under Zapata in 1913, this has the Virgin with rays, without crown, but instead of the angel by her feet there is a grinning skull with two crossed bones in black ( page 45, "the Crimson Jester" by H. H. Dunn, London 1934 ).

The Red Flag of Ricardo Flores Magon, an important anarchist against the Diaz Regime founding the Partido Liberal Mexicano in 1905, the photo I have was taken at Tijuana in 1911, it has a red field with the legend "TIERRA Y LIBERTAD" in white, in three lines.

Another flag is the "Cruz Roja Tricolor" from the Liberation Army of Baltaser Anaya, circa. 1914, this has a white field in the centre imagine a Swiss style cross divide each arm into three sections of equal proportions the centre sections are white forming a central white cross, now if we take the top arm the left section, nearest the pole, is in green the right section is red, the arm on the left nearest the pole the top section is green the bottom red, making a green right angle, on the bottom arm the left section nearest the pole is green the right section is red, the right-hand arm farthest from the pole has the bottom section in red making a red right angle, the top section is green, so you should see two right angles in either green or red with the nearest coloured section to each being in the other colour, red or green, quite an interesting design.

In another photo there is General Aureliano Blanquet with a captured rebel flag under the command of Calixto Contreras, this is about 3 foot by 2 foot 6 inches in size, having a black field with two white crossed bones surmounted by a white skull ( like a "jolly roger" or pirate flag ). A photograph showing the entrance into Mexico City by Colonel Ramón Sánchez in 1914 he is proceeded by the Mexican tri-colour flag by instead of the sections being vertical they are horizontal. In a photograph of General Francisco del Toro ( from the Durango region ) mounted on a white horse, circa 1912, he is next to a mounted flag-bearer, the flag being of one colour that shows up in the photograph as dark, maybe red or blue (?).

Hopefully these few notes will be of help to you, sorry that there was no more but if you know of any additional ones please let me know.


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