six Or and Sable a bend counterchanged, a bayonet (c. 1776) fesswise Silver. Crest- That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Maryland Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, a cross bottony per cross quarterly Gules and Argent. Motto- Decus et Praesidium (An Honour and a Guard). Symbolism- The colors blue and white are for Infantry, white the original color of Infantry facings has been superseded by blue; the combination of the old and new colors signifies the regiment has been Infantry since organization. The five stripes have a dual significance. They represent the regiment's participation in five major wars, i.e., The Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War (C.S.A.), World Wars I and II. The Whiskey Rebellion 1794, Harpers Ferry 1859, War with Spain 1898 and The Mexican Border Incident 1916, are not referenced, though Federal Service, since combat was not involved. They also indicate the former regimental designation, the Fifth Maryland, 1794–1941, and the popular sobriquet, "The Dandy Fifth of Maryland." The torteau alludes to the red of the uniform of the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the initial uniformed militia company of the Colony of Maryland; this uniform was later adopted during the Revolutionary War by Smallwood's Regiment of the Maryland Line. The swan is from the coat of arms of the Gist family and commemorates Mordecai Gist who on 3 December 1774 organized and commanded the Baltimore Independent Cadets, the parent unit of the regiment. The gold and black pattern in chief is from the reverse of the Great Seal of the proprietary Colony of Maryland, the family coat of arms of the Calverts, under whose authority the Mordecai Gist company was organized. The bayonet is representative of its introduction to American arms at the Battle of Long Island 1776, by the Maryland Line and in the use of which it became famed throughout the War. It is also symbolic of the Maryland 400 which by repeated charges and sustaining heavy losses delayed General Howe's army, which enabled General Washington to successfully withdraw his defeated army across the Hudson River. The coat of arms was approved on 9 July 1958. Unit decorations References Military units and formations established in 1774 Infantry regiments of the United States Army in World War II Military units and formations in Maryland Infantry regiments of the United States Army National Guard Infantry regiments of the United States