The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-06-17
history and Description of United States
Flag.
IRMA b. WISWALL.


Flag OF the heroes who Ieftus their glory,
Borne through their battle fields thunder
and fame,
Blazoned in sons, and illumined in story
Wave DER US all who inherit their fame
'"be origin and history of the ''Stars
and Stripes" should be of intense in
terest to all loyal American citizens,
because of what it symbolizes, and the
sacrifices that have been made for it.
The American flag was not created
by a single act, but by a series Of leg
islative enactments.
In other words, it is, like our nation,
the product of a continuous growth.
In colonial times, previous to the
Declaration of Independence, many
forms Of colonial flags were in use.
The American flag used at Bunker
Hill was called the New England
flag" 1t was blue ground with the
red cross Of st. George in corner,
Quartering a white field.
The New Englanders had also a
/" Pine tree flag" The field was white
bunting; on the middle of which was a
green pine tree, and on the opposite
corner was the motto An Appeal to
Heaven.
Many other forms were in use, but
all contained the cross OF st. George.
The first flag of the United States of
America was raised by Washington at
Cambridge, Mass, Jan. End, 1875. It
consisted of thirteen stripes, alternate
red and white, with a blue field en-
blazoned with the crosses of st. George
and St. Andrew.
But the necessity of a national flag
was felt, especially for the marine ser
vice, and the Continental congress
adopted the following resolution, June
18th, 1777: Resolved, that the flag of
the United States be the thirteen
stripes, alternate red and white; that
the union be thirteen stars, white, on
blue field, representing a new constel-
lation."
1t is said that the original idea of the
alternate stripes OF the flag was taken
from Washington's family coat-of- arms,
and that a Mrs. Betsey Ross made the
first flag according to a roughly drawn
design brought TO her by Gen. Wash
ington and Robert Morris, who re-
quested her to make a flag for presen-
tation to congress and is supposed to
be the first " Old Glory" ever flung to
the breezes of heaven.
Curiously enough, history throws no
light on the question as to who de-
signed the drawing Of the flag which
Gen. Washington first brought to Bet
sey Ross Congressional records make
no mention of such design, nor do any
Of the innumerable letters and diaries
Of the day; but
1--WE have nicknamed it Old Glory
AS it floats upon the breeze,
Rich in legend, song and story,
On the land and on the seas.
Tar above the shining river:
Over mountain gorge and glade,
With fame that lives forever,
Floats the banner Betsey made.
1t is probable that our national flag,
as now constituted of stars and stripes,
was first unfurled to the tree air of
heaven, from the top mast of the Rang
en- commanded by that sailor Of I'M
dying fame, John Paul Jones, June
IA, 1777. 1t was first displayed over
Fort Schuyler, August 3, of the same
year.
Probably the first time g Old Glory"
led heroic soldiers into battle was on
the banks Of the Brandywine, Sept.
IL, 1777-the first battle after its
adoption.
When Vermont and Kentucky were
added to the union of states, in 1871
and 1892, the flag was increased from
thirteen to fifteen stars and stripes.
No further change took place for
twenty -four years, although Ohio and
Louisiana had been admitted as states
of the Union.
The war of 1912 was therefore fought
under a flag of fifteen stars and fifteen
stripes.
The improperly Of adding a stripe
for each new state, led to an enact
ment by congress, April 4, 1918, by
which the stripes were to be limited to
thirteen in memory of the thirteen states
which had secured for the flag a place
among national emblems, while the
number of stars should represent the
entire number of states in the union.
Unfortunately the arrangement of
the stars had not been fixed, conse-
quently there had been a lack of uni
formity in their arrangement; some
times they were placed in the form of a
circle, sometimes in the form Of star
and sometimes in straight lines.