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Battle of San Juan Capistrano (U.S.)

Historical

image by Randy Young, 21 October 2004

Description of the flag

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Description of the flag

From the book "Flags to Color, Washington to Lincoln," page 22. The flag is listed as "A fierce flag at the Battle of San Juan Capistrano, 1838."

Quoted from the book:
"Colors unknown. Bloody red (which meant that no quarter would be given) might be proper." I have used a red field with a yellow ribbon as was popular at that time.

"Governor Alvarado, of the Free and Sovereign State of Alta California, sent Captain Salvador Vallejo to San Juan Capistrano Mission to expel the would-be governor, Don Carlos Carrillo. The latter, who had been officially appointed from Mexico City, fled when he saw this flag. It means: 'If our enemies do not surrender, I shall order their throats cut!' The flag, as far as the publisher can tell, is known only from a written description by M.G. Vallejo. Dr. Smith suggested its reconstruction using scrollwork common to the time. It has not been published before."
Randy Young, 21 October 2004

Unless the description is very precise in this point, I believe there should only one exclamation mark at both beginning (¡) and end (!), rather than one and two as in the image.
Santiago Dotor, 22 October 2004