Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia

This flag waved at the battles of Trenton and Princeton, some of George Washington’s most famous victories.   

In 1774, distinguished members of Philadelphia society formed a unit of light horse (cavalry) for the city as the growing resistance to British authority in the American colonies made a military conflict seem likely. The flag for the new light horse unit, painted by Philadelphia artist James Claypoole, was likely designed by the unit’s founder Captain Abraham Markoe, an immigrant from Denmark.  

The Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia assembled in late 1776 as George Washington’s army retreated across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania and the British threatened to capture the capital of the American Revolution. On Christmas night, the Light Horse crossed the Delaware River with the Continental Army and attacked the Hessian troops at Trenton, New Jersey, the following morning. On the morning of January 3, 1777, the Light Horse carried their flag at the Battle of Princeton as they charged forward alongside George Washington and broke through the British lines to help turn the tide of the battle in Washington’s favor.   

Originally designed with the British union in its upper corner, the flag was repainted with 13 stripes following the adoption of the Declaration of Independence to represent the new United States of America. Some of the original British union is visible through the paint. At the center of the flag, 13 ribbons knotted together also represent that national unity.

The Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia remains a distinctive part of the tradition of citizen soldiers in Philadelphia. Today, the unit is known as the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, with many of its members serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Troop A, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment.