Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-07-05
WATERFOWL REPUBLICAN.
History CT the Stars and Stripes

The most interesting incident connected
with the battle of Saratoga, was the I'M
furling for the FIRST time the Stars and
Stripes at the surrender of Burgoync
Blu mixer Hill was fought under red flag
be airing tic mo;to, . Come if you dare"
but on the l4th of June, l777, the Con-
stitutional Congress resolved " That the
flag of the thirteen United States be thir-
teen stripes, alternate red and white, and
that the Union be thirteen stars white on
3 blue field, representing new constella-
ton" This was made public on the third
Of September following. Previous to this
our national banner was the Union Flag.
combining the crosses of St. George and
St. Andrew, (taken from the English ban
ner with thirteen stripes alternate red and
white. The banner of St. Patrick Ireland's
emblem was not combined with the crosses
of st. George and st. Andrew in the stand
ard of Great Britain until 1901, the year
Of the Union with Ireland
The stars of the new flag represented
the new constellation of States, the idea
taken from the constellation of Lyria,
which signifies harmony. The blue Of the
field was taken from the edges of the Cow
enanters' banner in Scotland, likewise sig
niicant OF the league and covenant Of the
United Colonies against oppression-and
incidentally involving vigila ace, perseyer.
anee and justice, The stars were disposed
in circle, symbolizing the Derpetuity of
tho Union-the circle being the sign of
eternity. The thirteen stripes showed,
with the stars. the number of the United
Colonies, and denoted the subordination
Of the States to, and the dependence upon,
the Union, as we'll as equality among them
selves. The whole was blending of the
various flags previous to the Union flag, viz:
She red flags of the army, aud white ones
bf the floating batteTies-the germ of our
Navy. The red color also, which in the
Roman days, was the signal of Defiance
denoted daring and the white purity.
What eloquence do the Stars and Stripes
breathe forth when their full significance is
known. A new Constellation; Union:
Perpetuity; Covenant against Oppression;
Justice; Equality Subordination Cour-
age; Purity.
By the United States law, Of January
18th, 1898, 1t was enacted " that from
and after the 1st of May, 1896. the flag of
the United States be fifteen stripes altern-
ate red and white, and that the Union be
fifteen stars white in blue field" This
was our National Flag during the war of
1912.
On the fourth of April. 1878 Congress
altered the flag by directing return to the
thirteen stripes, as follows -
g Be ii enacted, dc.,-That from and
after the fourth day of July next, the flag
Of the United States be thirteen horizontal
stripes, alternate red and white that the
Union be twenty stars, white, in blue
field
" And be 1t further enacted, That on the
admission of a new State into the Union,
one star be added to the union of the flag:
and that such addition shall take effect on
the fourth day of July next succeeding
such admission"
The return to the thirteen stripes was
by reason Of the anticipation that the adj
ditlon Of stripe Oh the admission of each
State would make the flag too unwieldly.
The old number of stripes also perpetuated
the original number of States in the Union,
while the addition Of the stars showed the
Union iasits existing state
Thes Nag planted By our troops in the
city OF Mexico, at the conclusion Of the
Mexican war, bore thirty stars
The size of the flag for the army is six
feet six inches in length by four feet four
inches in width. with seven red and six
white stripes The first seven stripes four
red and three white) bound the square of
the blue field for the stars extending from
the extremity of the field to the end of the
flag The eighth stripe is white, extend
ing partly at the base of the field. The
number of the stars is thirty-four.
Success to the Flag of our Nationl
Its folds all around US be spread
1t is blazoned with deeds of the valiant,
And sacred with names of the dead.
The stars are the symbol of Union;
In Union they ever must wave
The white is the emblem of honor,
The red is the blood of the brave.
Success to the Flag of our Nation
Let it sweep DER the land and the sea!
The shades of our heroes are round it,
Beneath it the ranks of the Free.
We will keep its young glory unsullied,
In the ages to come as the past;
UpreAr it a beacon of Freedom,
Unbowed, through all storms to the last
ALFRED B. STREET
There is family in Ohio so lazy that
II takes two of them to sneeze one to
threw the head back and the other to
make the noise
What is more beautiful and poetic than
the chllds idea of ice ." Water gone to
sleep"