Oct.-Dec. 2009
Vol. 3, No. 3
Richmond, Ky.
Yellow flag designated
‘off limits’, no-fire zone

Civil War buildings and tents flying a yellow flag were in a definite no-fire zone.

Yellow flags commonly were flown at field hospitals during the War Between the States to designate “off limits” where any of the combatants were concerned.

The flag was used by the U.S. Army to designate a hospital facility during most of the Civil War as stated in General Orders No. 102, Army of the Potomac.

The March 24, 1862 order specifically stated that “hospitals will be distinguished by a (plain) yellow flag,” which remained the case until Jan. 4, 1864 when a yellow flag with a green H was adopted as a hospital banner.

The Confederate Army apparently used only an unmarked yellow flag for hospital designation throughout the war.

Generally, the yellow banners were three-feet square and flown in the most available manner at or on the designated hospital facility.

The use of the yellow flag in the United States dates back to the 1700s when the flag was used as a quarantine marker for ships suspected of carrying contagious disease.
No-fire zone
Battle of Richmond Association (BORA)
representatives Wayne Peters and President
Linda Ashley examine one of the field hospital flags
flown at BORA’s visitors center.
Articles and photos appearing on www.thekentuckycivilwarbugle.com may be used with permission. For permission, contact Bugle editor Ed Ford at fordpr@mis.net.

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