The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-19
ABOUT THE FLAG.
Interesting Facts i'm Its History Not
Generally known.
New York Times.


Singularly opportune is a paper read by
Mr. Hugh Hastings, the state historian of
New York, his subject being "Our Flag"
All that is sentimental in nation" says
flag. 1t embodieS the softest and the strong
est emotion of people" To-day the stars
and stripes, or the emblem of our national
colors, are worn by millions of our people.
In tracing the history of our flag, Mr..
Hastings gives what to many is quite novel.
He tells US that to-day the national flag
of the United States is older than the flag
Of many of the oldest European countries.
1t is older than the present flag of Great
Britain, which was established in 1901; than
the flag of Spain, which was establishment
1885; than the French tricolor, decreed in
1854; than the flag of Portugal, established
in $780, than the Italian tricoio1 established
in 164S; than the flags of the old empires
or China and Japan, and of the empire of
Germany, which represents the sovereignty
IS i'D' ice" uiS'in'' STATES eS'aOilshe0 IN
Before our revolution the flags of the COL
onles We're English. In 1851 when 1.-THE
English Parliament resurrected and adopted
the old standard of the cross of st. George
as the colors OF England, the General Court
OF Massachusetts, ordered that the English
flag be advanced upon the castle on all
land in 1856 the adopted coors Ne we're En me-
cross of st. George, borne on a white field
occupying the whole flag, the center of the
cross emblazoned with a yellow or green
ground over the cypher of the sovereign
King James l."
About the close of the seventeenth and be-
ginning of the last century several mentions
Of flags are to be found, with distinguish
ing emblemS. and American colonial mer-
chantmen bore at their mastheads special
tween the colonies ana the mother coun-
try, the Sons of Liberty showed their zeal
in flying great variety of flags. At the bat
tie of Bunker Hill the colonists had their
own standard and the gallant Warren was
shot while attempting to rally his men by
on their ensign This flag carried a blue
field with one corner CHARTERED by the red
cross Of St. George, in one section of which
was a pine tree.
This pine tree on the flag had a certain
persistency from October. 1775. to July, 1776.
1t was generally adopted by Washingtons
army. and the six schooners first commits
stoned by Washington and the first vessels
commissioned by the united colonies sailed
q 1nsenb t Ped m net III Ito CO.
tary, wrote Colonies Glover and Moylan as
follows: please fix upon some particular
color for flag or signal by which our YES
sells may know one another. What do you
say of a flag with white ground and a
tree in the middle, the motto, An appeal
to heaven?' This is the flag of our floating
batteries"
white flag, because it is invisible at a
certain distance, would have rendered such
lettering on a flag is illegible from the same
cause. Nevertheless, in a certain way,
Reeds suggestion was adopted. and several
bore the white flag with the pine tree. The
lettering seems TO have been subject to
charges. A favorite flag at that time, how
ever, bore a serpent with the legend Don't
Tread on Me-" Unite or DIE
THE Gadsden flag, which was presented to
Congress on the Sth of February 1776, car
ried q field of yellow, with a lively repre-
sentatfon in the middle of a rattlesnake in
the attitude of striking. The Westmoreland
county (Pa.) regiment had similar flag
with a red field; the First Regiment of Penn
sylvania a tiger flag. with a deep green
ground
That these should be national nag did