Kinds of National Flags

There are four kinds of national flags: Flags which are flown at military posts or on ships and used for display generally; small flags or ensigns which are used on small boats; colors which are carried by unmounted regiments; and standards which are carried by mounted regiments, and are, therefore, smaller in size than colors. There is prescribed in Army Regulations a knotted fringe of yellow silk on the national standards of mounted regiments and on the national colors of unmounted regiments. However, there is no law which either requires or prohibits the placing of a fringe on the flag of the United States. Ancient custom sanctions the use of fringe on the regimental colors and standards, but there seems to be no good reason or precedent for its use on other flags.