Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-10-29
HISTORY or TIE AMERICAN FLAG.

The Albany Express gives the following abstract Of the
history of national colors, from interesting work
by Capt SCHUYLER HAMILTON, U. S. Army recently pub
ished in Philadelphia and entitled History of the Anne
rican Flag
The first coors spoken of in connexon with the Ame
rcan Revolution significantly enough called Union
Flags No account is given of the devices upon them
They frequently spoken of in the newspapers of 14
The Connecticut troops fixed upon their standards and
their drums, in l715, the motto, Qu TRANSLATE Sus
Unit in letters ofgod, literally God who transplaned
us hither will support u.s. This was the motto. Each
regiment distinguished by its color-bue, orange &c.
July 18th, 1775 General Israel Putnam, glorious g old
Put" unuied at Cambridge Massachusetts,, the joy
occasion of the reception in that town of the Deca
ration Of Independence, standard bearing the motto
side An Appeal to Heaven, and on the other " Qui
TRANSLATE Sustint. The flag flung to the breeze
amid the of and the shouts of the people
1t said at that time that the PhiSt1cs on Bunker
Hill heard the cheers of the IsraeIes Israel Putnam,
and being fearful paraded themselves in battle array
This flag red one, the signal of defiance or battle
since the days Of the Romans.
In September, 17I6, Col. Moutrie unfurled large
blue flag, with crescent in This was the
American flag displayed in South Carolina, and
used the taking of Fort Johnson Jamess Island The
crescent is the emblem Of sovereignty.
standard with awhite ground, pine tree in the mid
die and the motto "Appeal to Heaven" adopted in
l7I5 as the flag ofthe floating batteries
On January ID 1776 the day that gave birth to the
new American army, the flag designated The Great
Union Standard was hoisted This was the basis of the
National Flag of the present day.
In 1776 was adopted the standard to be used by the
Commander-in-Chef Of the American navy, being yell
low field with lively representation of rattesnake in
the middle in the attitude of striking. Underneath
were the words, Don't tread me-
The year the cruisers of the colony Of Massachu
sets hosted white flag with green pine tree and the
motto, appeal to Heaven"
June l4th 1777, Congress passed the following reso-
luton
Rsolced That the flag the thirteen United States be
thirteen stripes, alternate red and whites that the union be
rfppng iu in fall
stellaton'
This the origin of the national flag of the United
States-the glorious /" stars and strpes"-whch has
proudly waved since that day many of the greatest
victories Of modern times that rs the blood Of every
ruehearted citizen whenever and wherever he behods
floating in the breeze that every part of the
world and that is where respected on sen and
shore.
The above resolution made public September Sd,
1777. According TO Col Trumbu the flag made in pur-
suancc OF it first used the surrender OF Burcoyne
October 9TH, of the same year This glorious be-
ginning truly for that of the most important VIC
tories of the American arms during the Revolution.
The first change in the national coors directed in
the following enactment Of Congress, adopted January
18th, 1894:
"Bc enacted DC. That from and after the irst day of
May 1895, the flag Of the United States DO fifteen stripes
alternately red and whites that the union be ftee stars
white in a blue field"
This the flag of the United States during the war
of l8l2-14
In 1918 the flag of tho United States was again altered
On the suggestion Of the Hon. Mr. Wendover of the State
of New York, return made to thirteen stripes it
anticipated the flag would become unwiedy il stripe
was added on the admission of each State; and more
by the plan proposed the Union Of the old thirteen
States, well the number Of States comprising the
existing Union would BIO presented by the flag Of the Uni
ted States Mr. w. also proposed the arrangement Of
the stars in the Union into the form of single STAR
The act Of 1918 follows:
BE enacted, dc. That, from and after the 4h day OF
July the flag Of the United States be thirteen horizontal
stripes alternate and white that Union be twenty
stars, white blue fcd and that the admission of
State into the Union star be added TO the union Of
the flag; and that such addition shall take effect 5
day Of July succeeding such admission"
The flag planted the National Palace in the city of
Mexico had thirty stars in the Union 1t is deposit
ed in the Department of State at Washington.
The Union Of the flag Of the United States now num-
hers thirty one stars