The Scarlet Standard is of fine _cloth_, and is in tolerable preservation; it has a green border, with a crimson and yellow fringe; on the join, about the centre, a patch of light blue cloth is introduced, on which are neatly sewn some characters in yellow cloth, which probably form an extract from the Koran, the Affghans being known to attach great faith in such inscriptions, which are supposed to ensure victory. The flag is triangular in shape, and swallow-tailed; two of the sides are about eight and nine feet in length, the shortest side being about four feet. The staff, which is the branch of a tree with the bark on, is spear-headed, but is broken at the lower extremity. The two other Flags are but fragments; like the above they are triangular. They have pointed iron-ends to plant them in the ground. The _Crimson_ flag has a green piece of cloth, with red characters, sewn in. The _Blue_ flag is a sort of coarse printed cotton stuff, and has a rude shawl pattern border. There is about five feet of the flag on both the staffs, which are from eight to nine feet in length. Their appearance betokens that they have seen service, and borne the brunt of battle. [Illustration: STANDARDS CAPTURED FROM THE AFFGHANS BY THE 13^{TH} LIGHT INFANTRY, 1842 DEPOSITED IN THE ROYAL HOSPITAL AT CHELSEA] FOOTNOTES: [6] List of troops under Major-General Mackay, at the battle of _Killicrankie_, 27th July, 1689:-- CAVALRY. Annandale’s troop of horse } Afterwards incorporated in a regiment, now Belhaven’s ” ” } the Seventh Hussars. INFANTRY. HASTINGS’ Foot, now THIRTEENTH. Leven’s Foot, now Twenty-fifth. Kenmare’s Foot, afterwards disbanded. Mackay’s } _Scots’ Brigade_ in the Dutch Service, afterwards Balfour’s } _Ninety-fourth Regiment_ in the British line; Ramsay’s } disbanded in December, 1818. One hundred of Hastings’ and two hundred of Leven’s, were detached at Inverness, and were consequently not at the battle of Killicrankie. [7] The bayonet, at this period, was fixed by forcing the handle into the muzzle of the musket; the troops, therefore, could not fire with fixed bayonets. [8] ‘There was no regiment or troop with me but behaved like the vilest cowards in nature, except HASTINGS’ (THIRTEENTH), and Lord Leven’s (Twenty-fifth), whom I most praise at such a degree, as I cannot but blame others.’--_Mackay’s Despatch to the Duke of Hamilton._ ‘I could learn of no commanding officer that misbehaved, though I confess that my Lord Leven, Colonel HASTINGS, and their officers have distinguished themselves in this occasion above all others.’--_Mackay’s Official Narrative of the Battle._ ‘My Lord,--Your son has behaved himself with all his officers and soldiers extraordinarily well, as did also Colonel HASTINGS with his.’--_Mackay’s letter to Lord Melville._