The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-07-13
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
The FlaR of the United states--The First
Flag and the Inst one--Thirty-eisht
Stars.

The Flag of the United states.-The First
Flag and the Inst one--Thirty- -eisht
stars.
The pine tree was early adopted as the
provincial emblem of that community
from which the States of Massachusetts,
and Maine were subsequently erected.
It appeared on the shillings and sixpen-
ces coined by Massachusetts in 1862, and
when Maine was divorced from the Bay
State, in 1920, the pine tree was pic
tured on her escutcheon and gave its
name to the new State. When the New
England colonists began to chafe under
the rule of Great Britain, one of the
first symptoms of growing rebellion was
an aversion for the "meteor flag of Eng
land" Massachusetts, not only led in
the revolt against British oppression,
but she furnished the vessels that were
to bear flag which should, in some fee
BILE but determined sort, express hostili-
ty to the mother country. The pine tree
| flag of the sturdy little commonwealth,
so far as we know, was the first which
braveI the ire Of Great Britain. Long
before the time of the Declaration our
bold privateers flew the pine tree flag.
Early, too. the Carolinians, possibly ac-
cepting the suggestion made by the
Northern pine, adopted the palmetto as
their ensign of sovereignty. But the
first Republican flag in the South was
one designed by Col. William Moultrie,
of Charleston. 1t was of blue, with
white crescent in the upper corner, next
the staff. This flag waved on the defen-
ses of Charleston, and when Fort Sulli
van, afterwsrd Moultrie, was lombard
ed by the British, June %, 1776, the
crescent flag foated above the palmetto
logs of the east bastion. In the early
years of the Revolution, the Southern
palm waved at the head of gallant South
Carolinian regiments, strugg ing where
the fight was thickest. In time, as we
know, the palmetto was transferred to
the State shield, just as the pine tree
became the symbol of Maine, and as,
many years after, the lone star of Texas
was blazoned on the coat of arms of that
State, and as. in like manner, the griz
ly bear rudely painted with berry juice
on the white banner of the Sonora val
ley adventurers in 1916, eventually be-
came the totem" of the young State
of California.
Another revolutionary device was the
rattlesnake, an American product Of
dangerous proclivities. This was blazon
ed on the flag of Commodore Esek
Hopkins, who commanded the fleet of
privateers which sailed from the Della
ware capes in 1776. The reptile was
pictured on yellow field with the
motto Don't tread on me - Another
form of the same design gave the field
with thirteen stripes, red and white,
across which the serpent spread his un
dulating length. Before Hopkins sail
ed, however, Washington had hoisted at
Cambridge, Mass. (Jan. 2, 1776), the
'GGrand Union" flag, banner in which
the blended crosses of st. George and
st. Andrew were retained in the union,
while the thirteen stripes typifed the
new compact of the colonies At the
battle OF Bunker hill, it is said, the pine
tree figured in white square in the red
cross OF st. George, which filled the
upper corner next the staff; the field OF
that flag was blue. There were other
notifications of the various emblems
already i'll use among the colonies. The
beaver of New York had its place in
ensigns of the first armed ships which
sailed out of this harbor. Not until
June IA, 1777, did our national flag as.
sumo definite shape and color. During
all this time, uncertain what they were,
or what political condition they should
reach, our forefathers thought less OF
an ensign than of the results of theil
struggle. The country had been de
clared independent of Great Britain; al
signs OF British domination must disap
pear. The Congress ordered that "the
flag OF the thirteen United States be
thirteen stripes, alternate red and white
that the union be thirteen stars, white il
a blue field, representing a new constel
r lation." At first the stars were ar
ranged in circle; subsequently, wher
additional States entered the Union
Congress formally increased the numbel
, of stars to fifteen, and these assumed
the form of one large star. In 1918 i
: was ordered by Congress that new
star should be added 10 the constella
tioa on the fourth of July next sue
ceeding the admission of new State
Colorado, therefore, gives us the thirty
eighth star in our azure July 4, 1877
= one hundred years after the forma
adoption of the flag Of the Union.