Revolutionary Flags of New Hampshire
6/3/2026 | 1m 54sVideo has Closed Captions
Two of the world’s surviving Revolutionary War flags are in NH.
Two of the world’s surviving Revolutionary War flags call New Hampshire home. Lost in battle and rediscovered generations later, these rare artifacts tell an extraordinary story.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Granite State History Minute is a local public television program presented by NHPBS
Revolutionary Flags of New Hampshire
6/3/2026 | 1m 54sVideo has Closed Captions
Two of the world’s surviving Revolutionary War flags call New Hampshire home. Lost in battle and rediscovered generations later, these rare artifacts tell an extraordinary story.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipDid you know that out of the 32 Revolutionary War flags left, two of them are right here in New Hampshire.
These are the only surviving stand or pair of American Revolutionary War flags in the world.
These flags were with New Hampshire's second Regiment in New York.
They were captured by the British during an American retreat, along with several other sets of flags.
For all anyone knew, these flags, along with the others, were gone for good.
But in 1907, we got a letter from a scholar in England who referenced these flags.
They had been taken from the American baggage by a British officer in July 1777, and sent back to England.
After the war, the flags were handed down through the generations of the officers family, until finally they came to the attention of this scholar, who included their story in his book.
After a lot of back and forth with the family, the flags were purchased for the New Hampshire Historical Society by a benefactor named Edward Tuck.
The New Hampshire Historical Society framed the flags and placed them in an honored spot on our grand staircase, where thousands of schoolchildren see them every year when they visit for field trips.
Recently, they took their own field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.
These two flags were the highlight of an exhibition called Banners of Liberty, which brought together the largest collection of American Revolutionary War flags since the Battle of Yorktown.
Now the flags are back here in New Hampshire, where anyone can come and see them.
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Granite State History Minute is a local public television program presented by NHPBS