Last modified: 2001-12-13 by rob raeside
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French Colony
In 1847 the movement of colonists from France began, increasing in 1848 with the arrival of Parisian laborers.
French units had special flags. Charrie describes three of them in his book "Colors and Standards of the XIXth Century." Available information for the cavalry corps (chasseurs d'Afrique, spahis) is sparse. The standard of the 6th Squadron, 1st Corps of Chasseurs d'Afrique:
A more complex flag or standard is described for the 5th Chasseurs d'Afrique, which is preserved in the hall of honor of that corps.
The 1st Squadron, 3rd Regiment of Spahis, used a blue flag (the color of the corps) with a yellow border.
by Ivan Sache
The command flags of the army had their birth in Africa. They were established in the following form by General Bugeaud on 9 April 1837.
1st Brigade
2nd Brigade
3rd Brigade
by Ivan Sache
Commander in Chief
by Ivan Sache
Ambulance
by Ivan Sache
In 1848, General Pelissier took over the government (1848-54). He used a flag of the French colors, with the inscription (in Arabic), "Peace to those who submit--the sand [sable] for the unsubmissive." (Flaggenmitteilung 25)
During the Second Empire, Kabylia, which had never been dominated by the Turks, was annexed. The first attacks were carried out by Bugeaud. In spite of his efforts, part of Kabylia, inhabited by the tribal confederation of Djurdjura, resisted several more years until it was overcome by General Random in 1857. A standard captured by the French on 20 June 1854 is red with the hand of Fatima and four half-moons [sic; crescents are shown], one in each corner.
P. Charrie, Flags and Standards of the XIXth Century, reproduces a plate from a private collection showing the command flags used in Kabylia in 1857, which rounded out those established in 1837.
by Ivan Sache
General Staff
Divisional General Staff
by Ivan Sache
1st Brigade, 1st Division
by Ivan Sache
2nd Brigade, 1st Division
by Ivan Sache
1st Brigade, 2nd Division
by Ivan Sache
2nd Brigade, 2nd Division
by Ivan Sache
Column
by Ivan Sache
Commander in Chief, Cavalry
by Ivan Sache
1st Squadron of Spahis*
by Ivan Sache
Intendance [Supply]
A circular of 10 January 1859 established that a single standard for each battalion was inadequate, and created guidons [French would be fanions, I think] for each company, with a particular color for each one and a border in the color of the battalion (1st battalion blue, 2nd red, 3rd yellow, 4th green). The 5th, 6th, and 7th had a guidon with a double border (with the colors of the battalion and the company). These flags were adorned with the hand of Fatima and a crescent in each corner, of the color green for the four battalions. The crescents had their points oriented to the outside (in token of conquest) and not to the inside (which would have been a sign of submission). Of these guidons, several have been preserved that do not follow the provisions [of the circular] (regarding the green color for the crescents and the hand of Fatima):
2nd Company of Tirailleurs, 1st Battalion
2nd Company of Tirailleurs, 2nd Battalion
3rd Company of Tirailleurs, 3rd Battalion
1st Tirailleurs, 2nd Battalion, attached to the Imperial Guard
1st Tiraillerus, 3rd Battalion, attached to the Imperial Guard
From this date until 1871, only some local revolts disturbed the tranquility. The administration of the country was essentially military, with three provincial prefects who administered the civilian territories (the capital of each of three provinces, Algiers, Oran, and Constantine, and their suburbs). Between 1858 and 1860, the military and civil administration was superseded and transferred to the Ministry of Algeria and the Colonies, which governed from Paris, first under Prince Napoleon and later under Count Basseloup-Lanbat. But administrative disorder drove Napoleon III to reestablish the military administration in 1860, with Marshal Pellisier named as governor. He was succeeded by MacMahon in 1864. In 1865, Muslims were allowed access to French nationality.
In 1870, the French colonists expelled the officials of the Empire and proclaimed the Commune of Algiers. Like their Parisian comrades, they used a red (scarlet) flag, but because no example has been preserved, it is not known whether it carried any inscription, such as was frequent in the metropolis (inscriptions like "Vive le Commune" in black or gold).
* spahi: Initially, a beneficiary in Central Asia, who did personal military service ("sipari" means warrior in Persian). In the Ottoman Empire, a "sipahi" was a rider who received the use of land in Anatolia or Roumelia. The benefit became progressively hereditary. Until the end of the XVIIIth century, spahis constituted with the janisaries (infantrymen) the elite of the Ottoman army. After the conquest of Algeria, France constituted spahi regiments (1834), belonging to the light cavalry, armed, mounded and dressed in the Arabic way. However, they were more and more often recruited among the French population. I have *interpreted* the z. as "zouave", an infantry corps created in 1830 and disbanded in 1962. The name comes from the Zwavas, a Berber tribe. From the emblem, I infer the 1st chasseurs were also recruited among the local Moslem population. This was a page of French colonial history.
Sources:
Brommer Atlas
Laminas diversas
J. MacMeekin, African Kingdoms
W. Crampton, Flags of the World
E. Inglefield, Flags
K.H. Hesmer, Flaggen, Wappen, Daten
M. Talocci, Bandieri di tutto il mondo
W. Smith, Flags through the ages and across the world
Flag Bulletin
Flaggenmitteilung
Vexillinfo
Vexilologie
Banderas
Emblemes et pavillons
Boletin electronico de Vexilologia (Flag Report)
Michel Lupant
Lucien Philippe
Enciclopedia Europeo-Americana
Enciclopedie de l'Islam
Anuarios anuales 1975-1983
Various books on the history of Algeria, Morocco and
Africa.
Algerian Embassy in Madrid
Mohamad Ait Hamou
Aicha - RCD inmigration
Hossan Baghdad Tichul
Roberto Ortiz de Zarate
Jose Luis Cepero Creo.
Louis Loynes
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