Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-07-27


Ber Several weeks ago we published
pretty full description of the size, shape,
&c. Of the American Flag but as We see
many papers and flags not entirely correct
in themselves; we once more, and at great
length, refer to tho history Of our national
banner.
AT the commencement of the Revolution
the necessity for standard, by which the
American troops could recognize each 9TH
er at distance became apparent. On the
18th of July, l775, Gen. Putnam unfurled
a flag on Prospect Hill, in the presence of
large number of troops, which bore on
one side the motto, "Qui uanssula, sus-
tinet' He who brought us over will sus-
tain us), and on the other, dan appeal to
Heaven"
As early as 1854, before the colonies
became united, a very popular standard
bore the representation of rattlcsnake,
divided into thirteen parts, each bearing
the initials of colony, and underneath
the motto, "Join or dic.". When the I'm.
ion took place, the parts we're united
The only traces left for this device are to
be seen on the seal of the War Department
and the flag of South Carolina. A yellow
4ag, with coiled rattlesnake in the cen.
ter, and the words underneath, 'sDon't
tread on me-" was, in l775, first used as
the standard for the commander in. chief
of the navy, and was first displayed by
the gallant Paul Jones, who hoisted it with
his own hands as the commander,in chief
embarked on board the Alfred, December
7, 1875.
After the unionrof the colonies, flag
combining the crosses of St George and St
Andrew united (the emblem of the United
Kingdom of Great Britaiu), with field
composed of thirteen stripes, alternate red
and white, was adopted, and called the
"Great Union flag The union of the
crosses represented the union and nation.
ality of the colonies, while the thirteen
stripes symbolizcd the body of that union
and the number of members which com.
posed it. The colors of the stripes indi-
Gated defiance to oppression and purity,
symbolized respectively by the red and
white.
In l777 Congress appointed a committee
to design national flag, and onithe 18th
of juno a resolution was passed "that the
flag of the United States be thirteen stripes
alternate red and white; that the union
be thirteen stars, white, in blue field
representing new constellation.
In 1894, by an act of Congress, the
number of stripes and stars were increased
respectively to fifteen, and this was the flag
used during the war of 1879. On the 4th
Of April, 1918, the flag was again altered
and a return was made to the thirteen
stripes, and, by the plan proposed, a stal
was to be added on the 4th of July follow
ing the admission of each state. At frs
the stars were arranged in circle, but al
this time it was decided to arrange then
in the form Of large star. The resolu
ton, in full, was as follows:
| BE IL enacted, &C., That from and aftol
the fourth day of July next the flag Of thu
United States be thirteen horizontal stripes
alternate red and white; that the uniol
be twenty stars, white, in blue field
Sand that, on the admission of a new stat'
into the Union, one star be added to tn,
union of the flag and that such addition
! shall take effect on the fourth day of july
next succeeding such admission"
The size of the flag for the army is 81,
feet six inches in length by four feet fou
inches in width, with seven red and 81,
white stripes. The first seven stripes (foul
red and three white) bound the square o
the blue field for the stars, the stripes ex
tending from the extremity of the field t.
to the end of the flag. The eighth strip,
is white, extending partly at the base o
the field. The number of the stars sine,
| I'll Al r..