The Sparrowhawk Flag

On May 23, 2010, Ed Cline was presented with an authentic reproduction of the "Sons of Liberty" flag described in his Sparrowhawk novels. Ed is shown (on the left) in the attached photo holding the flag along with Bob Hill the manager of the Williamsburg Booksellers at the Information Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. Ed frequently appears at the book store on Sundays during the height of the tourist season to autograph his books and discuss Revolutionary history. If you are planning a trip Williamsburg, be sure to look him up during your visit. If you enjoy history and historical sites, Williamsburg is not to be missed.



The flag was described in the novels as being based on a British East India Company jack. This fictional provenance is discussed in detail in an earlier post "A History of the Sparrowhawk Flag". Ed provided some real historical background in another post "More Sparrowhawk flag history" in which he postulated that the American flag, itself, was very likely based on the East India Company jack. Note, however, that the canton of the EIC jack and the Sparrowhawk flag is only five stripes wide versus that of the American flag which is seven stripes wide. The American founders, obviously, wanted a much bolder canton in which to display the stars.