The morning call., 1890-07-04

were too strongly reminded by the red
cross OF ST. George of their early persecu-
ti0ns. The cross was borne upon a field of
white extending over the entire surface of
the flag, and at the intersection OF the arms
of the cross were embiaZoned in yellow the
royal crown over the cipher of King James
/. So great was the dislike felt for this
emblem that it was compelled in short
time to give way to the plne-tree flag, which
was the first ever borne by Americans to
battle. 1t foated over the American con-
tingent at Cape Breton and the same shot
torn banner fioated gayly in the wind on
that fateful day when the gallant and la
mented Warren fell doing hero,'s work at
Bunker Hill. The main body of this flag
was crimson in color, in one corner of
which was white field bearing red cross
and with q green pine tree in the upper
canton next the staff.
REVOLUTIONARY BANNERS.
When the Revolution came on wide va
riety of flags sprung into existence, and
numerous assortment OF banners led the
colonial troops to war. A favorIte design
was white field bearing in the middle
New England pine above the inscription,
IAN Appeal to Heaven" the motto OF
Massachusetts. New York sent her armed
ships to sea under white flag embazoned
with a beaver. The first American flag
displayed at the South was hosted by
Colonel MOultrie on Fort Sullivan, after
ward Fort Moultre. 1t was large blue
flag with white or silver crescent in the
dexter corner, and tho word Liberty
bazoned across it. Congress, it seems, at
that time had made no provision concern
ing Continental eolors, and captains of
armed vessels followed their own faDces.
Following these came the rattlesnake flag
with thirteen horizontal stripes OF alter
nate white and red-ln some instances red
and Ulue-on yellow field. Stretching di-
agonally across its surface was rattle
snake, with thirteen rattles to designate
the number of the colonies, and underneath
the suggestive words, Don't Tread on Me"
This was the flag under which Paul Jones
fought when he captured the Scraps. The
thirteen stripes, however, had been used
previous to this in standard presented to
the Philadelphia troop OF White Horse in
1875, and still preserved in the armory of
that troop. This seems to have been the
origin of that portion of the flag.
BIRTH OF THE STARS AND STRIPES.
The cross of st. George which had been
banished from the flag, made its appear
ance on New Years day, 1776, on new
standard unfurled by Washington in the
presence of his army at Boston. Thirteen
stripes in red and white covered the main
body of the flag, while in the corner, in red
and white, were the crosses of st. George
and st. Andrew in a field Of blue. This be-
came by act of Congress the Continental
colOrs, and remained as such until the sign.
when the crosses were permanently ban
ished.
The stripes having thus, as it will be seen,
become ingrafted ON the flag, it remained to
erase forever the blended crosses of st.
George and ST. Andrew and display in their
place a canopy of stars and blue field
representing Il new constellation. With
the first introduction of the star. however,
disappeared for brief period the stripes.
ana in 1IT6 appeared white flag blazoned
J.. tnat
bearing next the staff q blue field set with
white stars. 1t remained to combine the
two into the flag as it is seen to-day.
Thus begun, the evolution of the stars
ana stripes was rapid, and in l777, on the
14th day of June, Congress decided upon
the stars and stripes as the national en-
blem. In the first flag made after the new
design there were thirteen stars and an
equal number of stripes, 1t being decided
upon to add new star for each new State,
but to make no increase in the number of
stripes. Notwithstanding the act of Con-
gress, however, changes were made, and
until 1918 the number of stripes varied with
the fancy of the maker. They were in
creased to eighteen in some and reduced to
nine or eleven in others, thus destroying the
beauty and perspicuity OF the flag.
THE FIRST DESIGN.
Tie design of the first star-spangled BAN
ner had been drawn up in 1776 under the
personal supervision of General Washing
ton. but the name of the designer is lost to
history. To Mrs. John Ross, an uphol-
sterer of Philadelphia, belongs the honor
of having made the first flag, in June, 1776,
from rough drawing furnished her by n
committee consisting of General Washing
ton and Colonel George Ross. In CHANGING
over it she noticed that an English six
pointed star had been used in the drawing,
and she suggested the substitution of the
five pointed French star. This was agreed
to, and Mrs. Ross made the flag accordingly,
it being presented to Congress as model.
1t was almost Immediately adopted, and TO
Mrs. Ross was given the contract for max
ing all flags required by the new govern
ment. Her establishment sprung into im-
mediate prominence. and she succeeded in
amaSsng handsome fortune. She, 1t
seems, had been chosen for the work be-
cause of Washington having employed her
to embroider his shirt rutfles. Although
adopted as the national standard on June
IA, 1777, the order was not promulgated I'M
til September Sd, when the colorS were pre-
sented TO the Amy.
BAPTIZED BY BLOOD.
Eight days later they received their first
baptism OF blood on the disastrous field of
Brandywine. They waved for the first
tins over "a foreign fortress on January 2S,
1888. icing planted on Fort Nassau, on the
Island Of New Providence, by the crew of
the American sl0op- Providence
With the close of the war and the recOgni-
ton of the new government American
ships bore the new standard to all quarters
of the earth, where it attracted much atten-
ton and ELECTED great admiration because
of the striking beauty of the design. 1t
was declared to be the handsomest ensign
in the world.
No alteration was made in the stars and
stripes until 1892, when, on the admission
OF Vermont and Kentucky, an act of Con-
gress was passed increasing to fifteen the
number of the stars and stripes. and under
this flag the battles of the War OF 1872 wef5
fought.
BY the year 1918 the number of States