Depiction of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry’s flag from 1774. Shows the flag with fringed edges on a spiked flagpole adorned with two tassels and held open by a rope from its upper right corner tied to a tree in the right. In the top left of the flag are thirteen stripes representing the colonies. In the center, flanking a shield illustrated with thirteen ropes tied into a Gordian Knot are allegorical figures representing Liberty and Fame. Liberty, depicted as a barefooted Native American figure attired in a headdress, feather skirt, and with a quiver of arrows on their back, carries a bow and a liberty cap on a pole. Fame, depicted as a winged angel, blows a trumpet. Above the shield is a horse’s head wearing a bridle with the letters “LHC,” which stands for light horse cavalry. A banner below the shield reads, “For these we strive.”, Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress in the Year 1839, by Wm. M. Huddy, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Penna., Printed on recto: Plate No. 4., Gift of David Doret., RVCDC
Date
1839
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Doret and Mitchell Collection – Prints [P.2019.64.33]
View of High (Market) Street from Ninth depicting a detachment of the First City Troop of Philadelphia drilling on horseback. The troop promenades up the busy street where several horse-drawn carts and a dray travel and several pedestrians, including an African American man and boy (in the right), watch the guard and/or stroll the tree-lined sidewalks. A market shed is seen in the distance. The First City Troop, one of the oldest continually mounted U.S. military units, was organized in 1774 to defend against British invasion. The Troop used a variety of arenas to perform drills including circuses, riding schools, and various public grounds., Title from item., Illustrated in S. Robert Teitelman's Birch's views of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1982), pl. 12., LCP copy has large vertical crease down the center of the print., Accessioned 1979., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator
W. Birch & Son
Date
1799
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Birch's views [Sn 12/P.2276.23]
