The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-07-07
The Flag Of the United states.

The Flag Of the United states.
When General Washington arrived at
Cambridge to take command of the
army which had gathered around Bos-
ton in the summer of 1775, the army had
no particular flag which represented the
general patriotic cause. In the battle
of Bunker Hill, which had just been
fought, flag with a red field and
pine tree in white field for the union
had been used. This flag, called the
New England Flag" is represented by
Colonel Trumbull in his painting of the
battle of Bunker Hill. Another red
flag with the words "Come if you dare"
on it was also used in the battle.
On the 1st of July, 1875, the colonial
assembly of Connecticut passed an act
making the flag Of the colony red flag,
with the motto "Qui transtula sustinet" "
in gold letters. This flag was sent to
General Putnam, and was raised by him
at Prospect Hill, July Is, 1775, before
the troops under his command. One
side of the flag bore the words, can APP
peal to Heaven" taken from the address
of the Provincial Congress of Massachu-
sets to their brethren in Great Britain,
issued soon after the battle of Lexington.
On this occasion the declaration of
Congress to the British people, giving
the cause for taking up arms, was also
read. A white flag with pine tree ON
it, and bearing the motto, can Appeal
to Heaven" was also urged at this time,
especially on the privateers and floating
batteries. Colonel Reed, Washington's
military secretary, writing from Cam
bridge in October, 1775, to Colonies
Glover of Massachusetts, and Moylan of
Pennsylvania, suggested the general
adoption of this flag by the army.
The first flag shown by an American
man-of-war was of this last description,
and bore, in addition to the motto, Gan
Appeal to God" the words Liberty
Tree at the top. This was in Decem-
Der, 1775, on the Alfred, twenty-eight
guns, Commodore Hopkins, then lying
in the Delaware. The flag was hoisted
by John Paul Jones, then first lieutenant
of the Alfred.
The necessity of having some particu-
lar design for flag for general use re-
ceived the attention of Congress, and
the committee having charge of the de-
tails of the organization of the army
BENJAMIN Franklin, Thomas Lynch
and Benjamin Harrison) designed the
Great Union Flag" which was sent to
the army, and was first displayed by
General Washington at Cambridge, Jan
uary 1, 1776. This flag, of which we
gave description at the last time of it,
raising, and also century later, January
1, 1876, consisted of the union of the
British flag of the Crosses of st. George
and st. Andrew in a blue field, and
thirteen stripes, alternate red and white
The stripes were said to have beer
adopted from similar ones on the arm,
of the Washington family. That is de
MED by some authorities. He certainly
never claimed it. They were designed
to represent the union of the tkirteer
colonies in defense of the common cause
The union represented allegiance to tn.
British crown, the idea of separation
from which had hardly been yet con
ceived, though the discussion of it soor
began, and grew rapidly till it ended il
the Declaration of Independence. TIL,
colonies were fighting for their rights a
British subjects, and while they had thi
object only in view they had the sympa
thy and aid of many who refused to fol
low them in separation from tn
crown, and who after the passage of th
Declaration of Independence renewed
their allegiance to the king and wer
afterward known as royalists and tories
The "Great Union Flag" was tn
standard of the colonies for nearly yea
and half; with it Washington's arm,
marched into Boston; with it the battle
of Princeton and Trenton were fought
though Trumbull in his paintings 9
these battles has, by an anachronism
painted in the stars and stripes. Unde
this flag the Declaration of independents
was signed.
! There were also in use striped flag