Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-06-08
History ot the starr asd stripes
Alfred d. Street writes AZ foIIows IN 4

AHred u. street writes as fOll0Ws to the
Albany IN. ~ Evening Journal:
The most interesting incident connected
with the battle Of Saratoga was the unfurl-
ing for the first time the Stars and Stripes
ct the surrender Of ~Burgoyne.
Bunker Hill was fought under a red flag,
hearing the motto: "Come If you dare but
ON the l4th of june, l777, the Continental
Congress resolved "That the flag of the
thirteen United States be thirteen stripes,
alternate red and white, and that the Union
be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, re.
presenting a new constellation" This was
made public on the Sd Of September follow
ing Previous to this our national banner
was the Union Flag, combining the crosses
Of st. George and st. Andrew taken from
the English banner), with thirteen stripes
alternate red and white. The banner of st.
Patrick (Ireland's emblem) was not COM
bined with the crosses of st. George and st.
A drew in the standard Of Great Britain
until 1901, the year Of the union with Ire
land
The stars of the new flag represented the
NEW constellation of States, the idea taken
from the constellation Lyrs, which signifies
harmony. The blue of the field was taken
hOm the Coyenanters banner in Scotland,
likewise significant of the league and cove
Lent Of the United Colonies against oppres-
sion, and incidentally involving vigilance,
perseverance, and justice. The stars were
disposed in a circle, symbolizing the perpet.
uIty of the Union, the circle being the sign
o eternity. The thirteen stripes showed,
viii the stars, the number of the United
Colo2ies, and denoted the s~ubordination of
the States TO and their independence upon
the Union, as well as equality among them
se.ves. The whole was a blending of the
various flags previous to the Union flag. viz
the red flags of the army and white ones of
the floating batteries-the germ nf our navy.
The red color, also, which in Roman days
was tie signal of defiance, denoted daring,
and the white purity.
What ~eloqueDce do the Stars aud Stripes
b eathe when their full significance is known,
A new Constellation; Union; Perpetuity; a
Covenant against Oppression; Justice; Equal
ityi SubordinatioD; Courage; Purity.
By the United States law of January l3.
1874, it was enacted that from and after the
first Of May, 1895, the flag of the United
States be fifteen stripes, alternate red and
white" and shat the Union be fifteen stars,
white in q blue field.' This was our national
flag during the war of 1912.
On the 4th Of April, 1918, Congress altered
the flag BY directing a return to the thirteen
stripes, as follows:
BE it enacted, &c, That from and after
The fourth day of July next, the flag of the
hANN0 ONaACo bO tulINCCh nOIlLOuOdl SIIlDGS,
alternate red and white; that the Union be
twenty stars, white, in a blue field.
And be IL further enacted, That on the ad-
mission of q new State in 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 addition
Of q stripe on the admission Of each State
would make the flag too unwieldy. The old
number of stripes also perpetuated the orig
inal number of States of the Union, while the
addition Of the stars showed the Union in its
existing state.
The flag planted by our troops in the city
Of Mexico, at the conclusion of the Mexican
wsr, 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; the stripes extended from
the extremity of the field to the end of the
flag. The eighth stripe is white, extending
partly al the base of the field. The number
of the stars is thirty.four.
Success to the Flag Of our Nation
Is fOide all around us be sprt adj
1t is blazoned with deeds Of the valiant,
And sacred With the names Of the dead.
This ltaTs q the symbo Of Union:
In Union they ever must wave
The white ia the emblem of honor,
The red is the blood Of the brave.
Success TO the Flag Of our Nation
Let IL sweep DER the land and the sea
The shade Of our heroes around il,
Beneath IL til ranks Of the Free.
We viii keep its young glory upsuilied,
In the ages TO come, a. the past;
Upfeer IL, a beacon Of Freedom,
CBboWed, through sill storms to the last.