Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-01
From the Boston Post.
OUR NATIoNA.LsFLAG.

It IS somewhat remarkable that, so fe
) as we know, there is NO entirely sstisfas
) tory account of the origin of the deyic
on our national flag.
! There are early allusions to local stand
n ards, or to odevices on colonial flags. Thu
the standards and drums of the Connect
cut troops Immediately after the battle q
4 Lexington. had on them the motto Q
I" gu; HanSlssa s9Stiaet'' in letters of gold
which was translated, God, who trans
planted us hither, viii support u.s.
\ Other local standards are alluded toA Th,
Massachusetts, colony had on its STANDARD
a Pine Tree. But it would require tot
much space to give the notices of suct
! flags that are before us. 1t is singular
that none of our early histories name 8
common banner.
The earliest notice Of banner en-
blematic of more than one colony is the
New England Flag. and this is seen as
early as 1885, Representation of one
of these flags in work printed in 1901.
4shows it to be simply an English ensign,
with quarter divided into four by a
cross, and having in one of the corners
the figure of a pine tree. This is ia.
vorite emblem in Massachusetts, and ap.
pears on its coin as well as its flag.
There is no authority, however, for say.
ing that this New England flag was used
in the revolutionary period. At any
/ rate it was not called by this name.
There are references to common
hag-one that had probably symbol to
common sentiment-in 1874; and it is
| col1ad 60 TTr1rrT ,,ra>- Il, - - MI
papers. speeches, and essays, and toasts
of this year glow with union sentiment.
Thus liberty song, printed in October,
1874, commences
eye sons of freedom, smile
America unites.''
At this period, also, Boston and
Gharlestown were suffering great distress
in consequence of the operation of the
port bill, and to relieve it large contribu.
tions were made from all the colonies.
These donations, accompanied with patri-
otto letters, and committees, were often
received with parade when teams loads
ed with grain, or wood, or other articles,
would have flying above them, "THE
UNION FLAG" We never met with a
description of it; and aged people who
well remember the procession, and "the
great flags" could not recall the device.
The Encyclopedias describe the third
flag Of Great Britain as the union flag
banner in which the crosses of St.
George and St. Andrew are blended.
These devices may have been on this
l774 banner as seen flying from liberty
trees and in PROFESSIONS !; but it is proba-
BILE that there was something peculiar on
it, and designed to symbolic the new
born union sentiment.
The writer of this article made much
inquiry to learn under what flag the battle
of Bunker Hill was fought. But neither
contemporary documents, nor the recoI-
lection ofold soldiers, supplied satisfac-
tory answer. A eulogy on Warren,
written soon after the event, describing
the astonishment of Great Britain on the
morning Of the 18th, adds
COlumbiG's troops are sccn in droad array
And waving strcamers in tho air displa ""
Tradition, doubtful authority, SAYS
red flag was used, with the motto '' Come
if you dare" Trumbull, in his picture
Of the battle, shows the pine tree flag.
There occur illusions to "The Union
Flag" through 1875. Now and then the
British. in describing the doiugs of the
"rebels" name their flag. Thus the
colors carried by General Montgomery,
in his memorable Canadian expidition,
were named by them as being red let
ters from Boston say the same as to the
standards aying from the American
camp, though some Of them name +" blue
streamers !" and in the fall OF this year,
priyateers captured aud carried into
British ports, consisting of "a white
bunting. with spreading green pine
the motto appeal to Heaven 4 let
ter of John jays July, 1876 states that
Congress had made no order concerning
the continental colors and that the cap
tains of the armed vessels had followed
their own fancies and he names as one
device, a rattlesnake, rearing his crest
and shaking his rattles, and having this
motto, Don't tread on me-
At the close of the yeer 1875, the two
ideas Of UNION and INDEPENDENCE were
making rapid progress and this should
be taken into account in tracing the de.
vice. There were relief and Joy In the
! American army, then besieging the Brit.
ish army in Boston, when It was an.
nounced that Georgia had acceded to the
Union. This made the union Of the thir,
teen colonies. The camp, too, was alive
with the kindling idea Of Independence
It was October, 1775) offensive tc
j pray for the king, and the policy of q
declaration was q favorite point In the
army. 1t was period ofintense anxiety
j for Washington, in the face of his disci.
plined enemy. who was obliged to disband
his old army and 70 raise new one
Even at this late period local prejudice.
were very strong. The troops OF eaet
colony were attached to their name, ans
were unwilling TO be called continental
SWhile Washington was exerting ever