ARTICLE XLVIII. PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL COURTS.

1461. When an officer is made a party to any action or proceeding in a civil court which may involve the interest of the United States; or when, by the performance of his public duty, he is involved in any action or proceeding in which he claims protection or indemnity from the United States, he shall promptly report the case to the Adjutant-General, to be laid before the Secretary of War.

1462. In ordinary cases, when an officer is called upon to show by what authority he holds a soldier in service, he can himself set forth the facts, and need not employ counsel. In important cases, if counsel be necessary, and there is not time to obtain the previous authority of the War Department, he will forthwith report the facts to the Adjutant-General.

ARTICLE XLIX.

ARMS OF THE UNITED STATES.

1463. Arms-Paleways of thirteen pieces, argent and gules; a chief, azure; the escutcheon on the breast of the American eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an olive-branch, and in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper; and in his beak a scroll, inscribed with this motto: “ E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

For the crest: over the head of the eagle, which appears above the escutcheon, a glory breaking through a cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen stars, forming a constellation, argent, and on an azure field.

ARTICLE L.

FLAGS, COLORS, STANDARDS, GUIDONS.

GARRISON FLAG.

1464. The garrison flag is the national flag. It is made of bunting, thirty-six feet fly, and twenty feet hoist, in thirteen horizontal stripes of equal breadth, alternately red and white, beginning with the red. In the upper quarter, next the staff, is the Union, composed of a number of white stars, equal to the number of States, on a blue field, one-third the length of the flag, extending to the lower edge of the fourth red stripe from the top. The storm flag is twenty feet by ten feet; the recruiting flag, nine feet nine inches by four feet four inches.

COLORS OF ARTILLERY REGIMENTS.

1465. Each regiment of Artillery shall have two silken colors. The first, or the national color, of stars and stripes, as described for the garrison flag. The number and name of the regiment to be  embroidered with gold on the centre stripe. The second, or regimental color, to be yellow, of

the same dimensions as the first, bearing in the centre two cannon crossing, with the letters U. S. above, and the number of the regiment below; fringe, yellow. Each color to be six feet six inches fly, and six feet deep on the pike. The pike, including the spear and ferrule, to be nine feet ten inches in length. Cords and tassels, red and yellow silk intermixed

COLORS OF INFANTRY REGIMENTS.

1466. Each regiment of Infantry shall have two silken colors.   The first, or the national color, of stars and stripes, as described for the garrison flag; the number and name of the regiment to be embroidered with silver on the centre stripe. The second, or regimental color, to be blue, with the arms of the United States embroidered in silk on the centre. The name of the regiment in a scroll, underneath the eagle. The size of each color to be six feet six inches fly, and six feet deep on the pike. The length of the pike, including the spear and ferrule, to be nine feet ten inches. The fringe yellow; cords and tassels, blue and white silk intermixed.

CAMP COLORS.

1467. The camp colors are of bunting, eighteen inches square; white for infantry, and red for artillery, with the number of the regiment on them.  The pole eight feet long.

STANDARDS AND GUIDONS OF MOUNTED REGIMENTS.

1468. -Each regiment will have a silken standard, and each company a silken guidon. The standard to bear the arms of the United States, embroidered in silk, on a blue ground, with the number and name of the regiment, in a scroll underneath the eagle. The flag of the standard to be two feet five inches wide, and two feet three inches on the lance, and to be edged with yellow silk fringe.

1469. The flag of the guidon is swallow-tailed, three feet five inches from the lance to the end of the swallow-tail; fifteen inches to the fork of the swallow-tail, and two feet three inches on the lance. To be half red and half white, dividing at the fork, the red above. On the red, the letters U. S. in white; and on the white, the letter of the company in red. The lance of the standards and guidons to be nine feet long, including spear and ferrule.