Last modified: 2008-08-09 by dov gutterman
Keywords: puerto rico | burgundy cross | lares |
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On 25 April 2006, representatives of the Spanish government
delivered in San Juan the "Bandera de Fortificación"
to the "Regimento Fijo". This flag was the first to
bear the shield of arms of Puerto Rico. The shield was granted by
King Charles IV of Spain to the first Spanish regiment to
incorporate local soldiers, that contributed in 1797 to the
expelling from San Juan of the English troops (68 vessels and
3,000 men) commanded by General John Abercrombie. The
"Regimento Fijo", which is involved in the
commemoration of historical acts, required the return of the flag
at the Spanish Embassy in Washington, which contacted the Spanish
Army.
Source: <actualidad.terra.es>.
Ivan Sache, 1 May 2006
image by Nelson Román and Blas Delgado, 19
January 2005
1873.gif)
Coat of Arms
image by Nelson Román and Blas Delgado, 19
January 2005
During a very short period of time, from 1873 to 1875, a
Republic was proclaimed in Spain, after the dethronement of
Isabella II (1833-1868) and the following abdication of Amadeus,
Duke of Aosta, as King (1870-1873). The change from Kingdom to
Republic was apparently felt, at least vexillologically, in
Puerto Rico with the incorporation of a new Coat of Arms and
flag. Both images can be seen in the small museum at Arecibo's
Museo del Faro (Lighthouse Museum). Nobody is sure how long they
were used, if ever.
Source: photos taken by Nelson Román.
Blas Delgado, 19 January 2005
image by Jose' Carlos Alegria
Obsolete Colonial Registration Ensign. The difference between
the European provinces and those from overseas territories are
that the previous were rectangular, while the later were
swallotail flags. Ratio: 3:5.
Jose C. Alegria, 5 November 1999
Flag According to Steenbergen Book (1862)
image by Jaume Ollé, 16 August 2003
No. 848 - Portorico [This is the matricule province flag
for Puerto Rico].
Source: [stb62]
Jaume Ollé, 16 August 2003
![[Grito de Lares flag]](../images/p/pr-gdl.gif)
pale yellow star version
image by Rick Wyatt, 5 August 1998
white star (Lares flag)
version
image by Blas Delgado
This is the Grito de Lares flag, used 23 September 1868
during an unsuccessful revolt against Spanish government. The
flag is still preserved at the University of Puerto Rico. Even
though all written material speaks of the star as white,
according to Whitney Smith, who has seen the flag, the star is
unmistakably pale yellow.
Dave Martucci, 6 March 1998
Francisco A. Scarano in "Puerto Rico Cinco Siglos de
Historia" a generally recognized textbook, on p. 432 has a
B&W photo of a man and woman holding the flag. They are not
identified, but on p. 442 there is a photo of a woman (older) who
is almost certainly the same and she is identified as Mariana
Braccetti with the mention "Bordó la bandera de
Lares." That is, "She embroidered the flag of
Lares."
Anna Stone Jimanez, 31 October 1998
An inland town wherein an unsuccessful rebellion was
prematurely staged against the Spanih government in September 23,
1868. The Lares flag, intended to become the national flag of the
Republic, was designed by Dr. Ramon Emeterio Betances and
embroidered by Mrs. Mariana "Golden Hand" Bracetti.
This layout in turn honors their liaison to the Antillean
Confederacy and nationalist forces in the Dominican Republic,
where Dr. Betances had been exiled to.
Juan Vaquer Jr, 26 Febuary 1999 and Peter J. Torres,
26 March 2002
On "CBS
3 - Springfield", 25 July 2008, Miranda Grossman reports
the discovery of a flag from the Spanish-American War:
"Its faded, and has a few stains, but the battle flag in
Westfield is in good condition. Considering it dates back to the
Spanish-American War of 1899.
"The flag had a label on it that said captured at the battle
of San Juan Hill," said Dr. Robert Brown, a local historian.
The flag was found at the Westfield Athenaeum. In an attic,
folded up in a box.
"It appears to have belonged to the equivalent of a national
guard unit that may have very well fought in the Spanish-American
war," explained Dr. Brown.
Local Historian, Dr. Robert Brown is chair of an historical task
force, who has spent the last few years looking at items people
have donated over the century. They've determined it's the oldest
Puerto Rican national flag in existence, and pre-dates Puerto
Rico becoming a U.S. territory.
The flag will be given to the National Puerto Rican Cultural
Historical Museum in San Juan during an official ceremony in
November. Until then, the flag is on display at the Athenaeum on
Elm Street."
As shown on a colour
photography, the flag is vertically divided red- yellow-red,
c. 1:2:1, with an emblem in the middle, surrounded by the black
lettering "BATALLON PROVISIONAL" (top) / "PUERTO
RICO No 3" (bottom).
There is also a video capture of the scene on the same page. Part
of Dr Brown's explanations on the TV channel have been deleted
from the written version I have quoted. Brown says that the flag
is most probably authentic because it was found together with
other authentic items of the same period.
Ivan Sache, 29 July 2008
If this is basically the Spanish flag with the battallion
crest in the middle, wouldn't one expect it to have been flown
with the red and yellow bars horizontal?
In this case, the battallion crest would have appeared on its
side, which seems to be unlikely.
It would appear, therefore, that this "flag" was
designed to be hung vertically and is, therefore, not an item
which would have been carried or flown in action.
I would also quibble with the description of this item as
"...the oldest Puerto Rican national flag in
existence". This "flag" is clearly that of a
military detachment and, as such, cannot be said to have any
"national" characteristics other than those of Spain.
Peter Johnson, 30 July 2008
