The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-01
THE NATIONAL GRIDIRON.
Points Of Interest Regarding the American
Flag.

(From tie Virginia (Nev.) Enterprise)
In response to q communication Of IN
quiry we give the following, compiled
from the most authoritative and reliable
sources. In the beginning of the Revo-
luton variety of flags were displayed
in the revoted colonies. After the bat
tie of Lexington the Connecticut troops
displayed on their standards the arms OF
the colony with the motto: Qui transtrlit
sustinet; and later, by act Of the Pro-
vincial Congress, the regiments were dis
ttinguished by the various colors of their
flags. It is uncertain what flag, if any,
was used by the Americans at the battle
Of Bunker ELL. The first armed vessels
commissioned by Washington sailed un-
der the flag adopted by the Provincial
Congress Of Massachusetts, as the one to
be borne on the flag Of the cruisers Of
that colony-''a white flag with q green
pine tree The first Republican flag
unfurled in the Southern States-blue,
with white crescent in the upper cor
ner next to the staff-was designed by
Col. William Moultrie, of Charleston,
S. c., at the request of the committee OF
safety, and was hoisted on the fortifca-
tions Of that city in September, ITS.
The official origin of the "grand
Union" flag is involved in obscurity. At
the time OF its adoption at Cambridge
the colonies still acknowledged the legal
rights Of the mother country, and there
fore retained the blended crosses Of St.
George and st. Andrew, changing only
the field Of the old ensign for the thlr-
teen stripes emblematic Of their union.
Tie color Of the stripes may have been
suggested by the red flag OF the army,
and the white flag OF the navy, previous
ly in use. Congress resolved, on June
II, 1777I7, s:that the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stars, white IN
blue field, representing q new constel-
lation." This is the first recorded legis-
lative action for the adoption of a nation.
al flag. The thirteen stars were arrang-
ed in q circle, although no form was PIE
scribed officially. The flag thus adopted
remained unchanged ill 1874, when, on
motion Of Senator Bradley, of New
York, it was resolved that from and after
May l, 1895, ':the flag Of the United
States be fifteen stripes, alternate red
and white, that the union be fifteen
stars, white in a blue field This was
the flag used in the war Of lSl2-l4. The
act made no provisions for future altera-
tons, and none were made until 1878,
although several new States had mean
while been admitted into the Union.
In 1916, on the admission OF Indiana,
q committee was appointed "to inquire
into the expediency of altering the flag"
\ bill was reported on January 2, 1918,
but was not acted on, which embodied
the suggestions of Captain Samuel c.
Reid, a distinguished naval officer, who
recommended the reduction Of the
stripes to the original thirteen, and the
adoption Of stars equal to the number of
States, formed into one large star, and a
new star to be added on the Fourth of
July next succeeding the admission OF
each new State. On April 1, 1918, a bill
embodying these suggestions, with the
exception Of that designating the man.
ner OF arranging the stars, was approved
by the President, and on the 18th Of the
same month the flag thus established
was hoistcd over the hall of Represents
tircs II Washington, although its legal
existence did not begin until the follow
ing Fourth of July.
Ii 1859, when Congress passed vote
oE thanks to Captain keid, the designer
Of the tag, it was suggested that the
mode OF arrangement OF the stars should
be prescribed by law, but the matter was
overlooked. The stars in the unions of
flags used in the war department of the
government are generally arranged in
one large star; in the navy flags they are
invariably set in parallel lines. The blue
union Of stars, when used separately, is
called the union jack The United States
revenue flag, adopted in 1893, consists
.: IS perpendicular stripes, alternately
rcd and white, the union white, with the
national arms in dark blue. The union
used separately constitutes the revenue
union. Tie american yacht flag is like
tic national tag with the exception Of
the union, Which is a white foul anchor
IN q circle OF l3 stars, in q blue field.
---:--2---S