Brown’s Flag of Texas Independence

This flag is a reproduction of Brown’s Independence flag and is meant to look as much like the original flag as possible. The size and materials are not the same as the original.

History of Captain Brown’s Independence Bloody Arm Flag

Brown’s Flag of Independence was designed in the fall of 1835 by Captain William S. Brown who was an officer in the Texas Navy. The flag’s design incorporated the basic layout of the Texas Navy flag, which closely resembled the American flag, and a symbolic bloody arm and dagger placed inside the blue field in place of the star. “Independence” was printed on the 3rd from the top white stripe. The bloody arm and dagger or sword imagery date back as far as prehistoric – medieval Ireland. This brutal, war-like imagery was incorporated into various European (mainly Irish) Family crests and coats of arms. The defiant, militant design dramatically reflected the shifting political atmosphere of Texians away from support of independent statehood of Texas in the Federalist Republic of Mexico and return to the Constitution of 1824, to support complete separation from Mexico, establishing a sovereign Texas Republic. Captain Brown joined the Texas Revolutionary Army in 1835 and took part in the siege of Bexar (San Antonio) where he and his men were said to have carried the flag. After the Texian army successfully occupied the city and the Alamo, Captain Brown, and his men went on to Goliad where it is believed that the flag was on display at the signing of the unsanctioned December 20th, 1835 Texas Declaration of Independence at Goliad along with Captain Dimmitt’s flag and Captain Scott’s Independence flag with the Dimmitt’s Goliad Flag (which also employed the bloody arm and sword theme) as the official flag of the occasion. It is unknown whether Dimmitt’s idea to use the bloody arm symbol was acquired on his own, or if he was inspired by Brown’s Independence flag which predated Dimmitt’s flag. Captain Brown went on to San Felipe where the flag was flown once again before returning home to Velasco in early January where Brown’s Flag is believed to have been flown in front of the American Hotel along with the Troutman flag for the city’s 8th of January celebration. Later in January 1836, Brown was made Captain of the 60-ton schooner “Liberty” and on March 3rd, 1836, Brown and his crew successfully captured the Mexican merchant schooner Pelicano which was found to have been carrying munitions concealed in barrels of flour. Brown resigned from his command of the Liberty on March 12th, 1836 because of a quarrel with the then commodore of the Texas Navy Charles Hawkins. He was given another commission in July as commander of two vessels that had been captured from the Mexican Navy, the Fanny Butler, and the Comanche. Later, he was commissioned as Captain of the privateer ship Benjamin R Milam. Captain William S Brown died on August 18th, 1838 in New Orleans before his ship was ready for service.

Made of single-ply printed polyester which is a very lightweight material that will fly nicely in the slightest breeze. The artwork is visible on both sides of the flag while the lettering reads right on one side only.