Cockades of Culloden
On April 16, 1746, the final contest between the Hanovarians and the Stuarts was fought. As sharply divided as the forces were their cockades. It was literally black versus white.
In the Battle of Culloden, the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart ensured that King George II of Hanover would stay on the throne of Great Britain.
Black for the Hanovers
The House of Hanover and their followers traditionally wore a black cockade. A British source in 1902 tells us how it came into being.
"In the Georgian days, [that is, the time of the Hanovarian Kings George] when the troops wore the old three-cornered hats, these required, for the purpose of aiming along the musket, that the left side should be looped up, and this was done by a brooch. Anyone who has ever looked at a soldier's uniform knows how every opportunity is taken of using the Royal Crown and cypher and badges, and the brooch at the side was no exception to this rule. In fact, the whole Royal Shield, surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by the Crown, shows, if silhouetted, the basis of the fan-shaped military cockade, and it was this metal ornament at the side of the three-cornered hat that was the original of our cockade.
"The white cockade of ribbon being the badge of the Jacobites, [the Stuarts] the black metal brooch-ornament, which, as part of their uniform all the Royal troops wore, very naturally was accepted as the badge of the other side, and, without any formal intention and certainly without the slightest regulation or initiation for that object, it became 'the black cockade of Hanover.'"
By the way, it's worth noting a slight correction to this quote - the left side of the hat was looped up, not for aiming (that would have been from the right side), but so the gun could be "shouldered" on the left side without hitting the hat brim.
White for the Stuarts
The Stuarts' claim to the throne came from their royal ancestry in the House of York. The symbol of York is a white rose.
It is claimed (most romantically!) that while staying at Fassifern House, Prince Charlie first picked a white rose to put in his hat. His followers then supposedly adopted white cockades modeled after the rose. In reality, he wore the white cockade of the House of York long before that. But it sure makes a nice story!
After Culloden - Cockades Come to America
Both cockade colors made it to America after Culloden. American troops were considered British until 1776 and wore black cockades as part of their uniform. However, black was officially kept as the American military cockade even after the War for Independence and well into the 1800s. (You can read more of the history of black cockades here.)
As for the white cockades, when Prince Charlie was eventually defeated at the Battle of Culloden, many of his followers had to flee the wrath of the British. Wonder where they ended up? You guessed it.
In the American colonies. In fact, tradition says that as the colonists marched to Concord bridge, where the first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought 250 years ago, the band played a Scottish revolutionary tune, "The White Cockade."
Black, White and Everything Else!
If you need a Hanovarian black cockade or a Scottish white cockade... or any other cockades that suits your fancy!... check out my shop! Search "Scottish" or "Hanover" to see what's available. Pssst.... I have many Scottish tartan cockades in my shop too!
Anniversaries Everywhere!
Not only did we just pass the anniversaries of the Battle of Culloden and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, we had the anniversary of the firing on Fort Sumter (officially starting the American Civil War) - AND that happens to commemorate the start of my cockade business! I first began making and selling cockades for the 150th anniversary of Fort Sumter, back in 2011. This is a three-generation picture of me, my sis, my mom and my grandma at a tea in Charleston, SC, observing that anniversary.
I couldn't have kept this going without the interest, encouragement and purchases of y'all!! I really do have an awesome customer base and I so enjoy your comments, suggestions, and photos of you wearing cockades.
Thank you so much for 14 years of support!!
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Regards,
~Heather Sheen