Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-08-15
HligttllQneOug.
History Of the Stars and Stripes.
By Alfred B. Street.

The most interesting incident con-
nected with the battle of Saratoga was
the unfurling for the first time the Stars
and Stripes at the surrender of Burgoy-
ne.
Bunker Hill was fought under red
flag bearing the motto, Come, If you
dare But on the 18th of June, 1777,
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 blue field, representing new
constellation 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 banner, )with thirteen
stripes alternate red and white. The
banner Of st Patrick (Ireland's embem)
was not combined with the crosses Of St.
George and St. Andrew in the Standard
of Great Britain until 1901, the year of
the Union with Ireland.
The stars of the new lag represented
the new constellation of the States, the
idea taken from the constellation Lyria,
which signifies harmony The blue of
the field was taken from the edges of the
Covcnanters banner in Scotland likewise
significant of the league and covenant OF
the United Colonies against oppression
and incidentally involving vigilance per
severance, and justice The stars were
disposed in circle. sym boizins the per
petulty of the 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 their
dependence upon the Union, as well as
equally among themselves. The whole
was a blending of the various flags pre-
vious to the Union flag, viz: the red flags
of the army and the white ones OF the
floating batteries the germ of our ma
w. The red color, which in Roman
DAYS was the signal of defiance, denoted
daring and the white purity. What ell
oquence do the stars and stripes breath
when their full significance is known! a
new constellation: Union, Perpetuity: a
Convenant agained Oppression; Justice;
Equality, Subordination, Courage, Pu-
rity.
By the United States law of January 13
1894, it was enacted that from and af-
ter the 1st of May. 1895, the flag of the
United States be fifteen stripes. alter
nate red and white, aud that t-e Union
be fifteen stars, white in blue field, =
This was our national flag during the
war of 1872.
On the 4th of April, 1918, Congress
altered the flag by directing return to
the thirteen stripes, as follows:
BE it enacted, &C., That from and
after the fourth Of July next, the fag
of the United States be thirteen horizon.
tai stripes, alternate red and white; that
the Union be twenty stars, white, in q
blue field.
And be it further enacted. That on
the admission of new State into the
Union, one star be added to the Union
of the flag. and that such addition shall
take effect on the 4th day of July mex,
succeeding such admission
The return to the thirteen stripes wa:
by reason of the anticipation tnat the ad
dition of stripe on the admission o.
each State would make the flag too un
wieldy The old number of stripes alst
perpetu ated the original number of States
of the Union. while the addition of thu
stars showed the Union in its existing
; state.
The flag planted by our troops in tn
, city Of Mexico, at the conclusion of tn
Mexican war, bore thirty stars
The size of the flag for the army l
six feet six inches in length by four fee
], four inches in width, with seven red an