Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-17
THE STARS AND STRIPES.

The stars and stripes became the national
flag of the United States of America by virtue
of resolution of Congress, passed June IA,
1777: "Resolued, That the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white that the union be thirteen stars,
white, in blue field, representing new con-
stellation." This resolution appears in the
Journal Of Congress, volume 2, page 1e5:
Although passed on the date given above, it
was not made public until September 3, in
the same year, when it appeared in the Boston
Gazette and Country Journal. The flag seems
to have been the result of the work commenced
by Washington, DR.. Franklin, Mr.. Lynch,
Mr.. Harrison and Colonel Joseph Reed.
On the End January, 1776, Washington
was in the American camp at Cambridge, or
ganizing the new army which was that day
created. The committee Of conference, con-
sisting of Franklin, Lynch and Harrison, sent
by Congress to arrange with Washington the
details Of the army, were with him. Colonel
Reed, one Of the aids.de-camp, was also secre-
tary of the committee of conference. The
several designs for flags had long occupied the
thoughts of Reed and his associates. The flag
in use by the army was plain red field, with
the British union of the crosses Of St. Andrew,
St. George and St. Patrick on the upper left
corner Several gentlemen Of Boston sent to
the American camp copies of the Kings
speech. It was received on the date men
toned above, and the effect is described in the
British Annual Register, 1776, page LAT, thus:
"The arrival of the copy ofthe Kings speech
with an account of the fate of the petition
from the Continental Congress, is said to have
excited the greatest degree Of rage and indig-
nation among them as proof of which, the
former was publicly burned in the camp, and
they are said on this occasion to have changed
their colors from plain red ground, which
they had hitherto used, to a flag of thirteen
stripes, as symbol of the number and union
of the Colonies"
The use of stripes to mark the number of
the States on the flag cannot be clearly traced,
but may be accounted for by custom Of the
camp at Cambridge The army Of citizen
volunteers comprised all grades of men. Very
few we're uniformed. It was almost impossi-
BILE for the sentinels to distinguish general off.
GERS from privates. Frequently officers were
stopped at the outposts and held for identi6.
cation until the arrival of the officer of the
day. Orders were issued that the different
grades of officers should be distinguished by
stripe of colored ribbon worn across the breast.
Washington, as Commauder.in-Chief, wore
ribbon Of light blue. The stars on the blue
Zelda new constellation suggested
by the constellation Lyra, time honored as
the emblem of union. The thirteen stars of
the new constellation were placed as the cir
cumference of a circle, and on blue field, in
accordance with the resolution already given.
That was the flag used at Burgoynes surren-
der, October 18th, 1777. By a resolution Of
Congress, passed January 18th, 1895, to take
effect May 1st, 1895, the flag was changed to
fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. That was the
flag of 1872 By resolution NJ ,sed April
4th, 1878, to take effect on the FLOWING Ju.
ly 4th, the flag was again changed to one of
thirteen stripes and twenty stars and new
star to represent new State, ordered to be
placed on the blue field on the 4th of July
following the admission of such State. The
flag planted on the National Palace in Mexi.
co had thirty stars. It now carries thirty
seven.