American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-09-13
FLAGS and Banners,

TIE idea of a national flag, of the
standard of an army, of banners for regi-
ments or clans or associations, of colors
for individuals-in short, the whole ar
rangement-grew out of the necessity OF
having some prominent object for sig
nal, or rallying- point, or special token.
The first expression of this was a spear,
ornamented to distinguish it. The Egyp-
tian princes carried one covered with
silver, and surmounted with gold ball |;
and they set the example of using some
peculiar mark for each tribe.
When the Hebrew host was numbered,
every man was commanded to pitch his
tent by his own camp and his own
standard, with the ensign of his fathers
house. By "ensign" is supposed to have
been meant the banner of his tribe, which
was, in its groundwork, of the color OF
the corresponding stone in the breast,
plate, and had, painted or embroidered
on the field, the emblematical figure, which
all could understands that of Issachar,
the picture of an ass bowed by his bur
den; that of Cad, troop of horse. The
word itself suggests something which
should be token-it was sign, answer
ing for q body of men the same purpose
which the device did for the individual.
The earliest used by the Romans was a
bundle of straw, borne aloft on the point
of the spear: then, the dragon, red or
purple; next, the eagle, in silver or gold,
with wings outspread-the famous Roman
eagle, under which their arms were vic
torious in SO many lands, known near and
fhr as sign of conquest-and this was
their military standard until Constantine
the Great in commemoratiOn of his vision
and the words he heard, I'm this over
come" changed it to the la6arum, or
standard Of the cross.
,1,,1 re hscfn
The crescent, which has been set against
the cross ON 80 many Eastern battle-fields,
representing the opposing force of Mo-
hammedanism, had its origin in the sim
pie circumstance that the ancient city of
Byzantium was saved from falling into
the hands of Philip and his army, be-
cause their approach was betrayed to the
inhabitants by the light of the moon; and,
an consequence, they adopted the cres-
cent, which the Turks, when the place
came into their possession, retained, be-
lieving it to be of good omen; and proba-
bly, in its meaning they saw a promise of
increasing power
+ ''ay power,s . crescent, and my auguring hope
Hardly less famed in history than the
labarum has been the orifananse of France
C'the standard of golden fames''), spear
of gold, and silk Of the color of gold and
fire, gashed in five points, each finished
with green silk tassel The royal stand
ard was gilded staff, and white silk
strewed with fessrs-de-lis. The oriflamme
was the consecrated banner, tabled to have
been brought by an angel to st. Denis,
whose name was on it. 1t was sacred to
him, and was suspended over his tomb in
the ancient abbey of st. Denis, and was
never taken down except on extraordinary
occasions, to be carried against heretics,
or when the crown was in danger. Then,
with its flaming folds above
them, shouting the war-cry, For
God and St. Denisi" the knights
rushed with confidence int the fight.
Z 1t was borne against the Flemings in
the battle in which Philip Won Arteveldt
WAS slain. Says Froissart: at was a
most excellent banner, and had been sent
from heaven with great mystery. 1t is a
sort of ganfan0n, and is of much comfort
in the day of battle to those who see it.
Proof was made of its virtues at this time ;
for All the morning there was SO thick a
fog that with difficulty could they see
each other, but the moment the knight
had displayed it, and raised his lance in
die air, the fog instantly dispersed"
6anfanoz, which Chaucer uses, or gon-
Talon, which Milton took directly from
the italian, was properly sacred banner,
carried in religious professions.
The words colors, flag, standard, ban
ner, pennon, and others, are often en-
ployed without discrimination. The first
may perhaps, in general terms, stand for
all the rest.
sAdvance our waving cosors ON the waIls"
Shakespeare there means the flag. But,
originally, colors distinguished the indi-
vidual; and he was known in that way,
as well as by the device on his shield.
Those of the Tudors were green and
white. All of the insignia of the house of
Orange and its followers was of the gOr-
geous hue of the family name. The Cid
of Spanish story had green
There were knights i've hundred went armed
And Bermndez the CSd's green standard bore.'
The meaning of standard would seem
to be plain enough from the derivation
and ordinary use of the word. The
standard might or it might not have a
banner attached to it. The labarum had
one of silk, on which were embroidered
the pictures of Constantine and his chill
dren- Although, by custom the two
words are used without distinction, it is
nevertheless true that, though there might
be . thousand banners on the field, there
could be hut one standard of the king.
Flag IL said to be derived from the
Anglo-Saxon word meaning "to fly" be-
cAuse the light material of which it is
made il lifted or fi0ated by every breeze.
In colloquial usage, it comprehends all
the Others.
The difference between pennon and q
banner seems anciently to have been that
the former was long, the latter square, ex-
cept when belonging to a prince. Frofs-
sart who understood all about these
things, is particular about the use of the
words, "Under the peanon of St. George,
and attached to the banner of Sir John
Chandos, were the free companions, who
had in the whole number twelve hundred
strsGnsers."
The streamers were the little flags, of
which each knight carried one on his
lance, called variously pennoneeaur, pen
sils, pennants, banderoles, and, by Spenser,
bGnneruAs. This pennant was in the form
OF Q swallows tail and, when the points
were cut of, it became banner, and the
rank of the one who bore it was advanced
-he became a leader of knights as well
as squires. Froissart describes the cere-
mony Of creating the knight banneret, the
most honorable Of all the orders, which
was always performed on the battlefield.
The word banner belongs to chivalry.
It has been claimed from bann, to sum-
mon the vassals to appear in arms; from
ban, q field, because none but landed men
could have one; and from bandum, the
band of union, the latter being the
favorite explanation, and one dear to the
hrofherhOod-A r. Hnrrfs IN A1,1Leeon,s