Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-06-29
lMPRovlsED FLAGS.
Ingenious Makeshift Banners OF Our
F0refathers.

Ingenious Makeshift Banners OF Our
Forefathers.
In days when at the smallest occasion
for patriotic display myriads OF starry
Aags I'LL the air, from the beautiful broad
striped silken banner TO the faglets way-
ing In tiny hands, we scarcely realize that
there was time when to possess an
American flag often required the exercise
Of ingenuity and sacrifice
In an orderly book of the Revolutionary
army. dated short time before the stars
were placed upon our striped banner, tho
following entry is found: "The colonels
are desired to provide themselves with
some colors II they are to be procured. 10
doth not signify Of what sort they are"
The very first starry flag that waved
over military action was hastily con-.
structed at Fort Schuyler. The fort was
without a flag when the enemy appeared,
and there was much hurrying to and fro
within the walls In search Of the coveted
red, white and blue. Soldiers offered their
ammunition shirts Of white linen to bo
cut In stripes. There was no difficulty
about the red, for q fine scarlet cloak o1
that color that had been taken from thu
enemy was, with much delight, devoted To-
stripes for the new flag. For the blus
there was much searching and stitching
together Of small pieces, but the late after
noon sunlight gllded the flag, which,
completed In accordance with the pre-
scribed pattern. foated from the bastion.;
In less than 7.eek five OF the enemy'g
colors were disp. ryed beneath 1t. all taken
in q successful sally from the fort
A. -. n. -. -
California was also constructed from tke
clothing Of the persons who raised 1t, not.
however, In token Of possession nor fu
warlike intent Sent ashore at San Diego
for the curing of hides, they wearied Of
the lonely life, barren Of comforts and
social Joy. Two gentlemen In charge of
the party seized upon the idea of construct
ing and mounting the national standard,
in hope of calling the attention of some OF
the distant ships, of which, at long inter-
walls, they caught glimpse. In quick
response to their signal came the good
ship Washington, from the Sandwich Is-
lands, sailing under the American colors.,
Sympathy, good cheer and companionshipI
were obtained through the flag, but doubt
less none of the party dreamed OF the ttme
when In right of possession the Union
flag should gracefully wave over tho Gold
en- Gate of California.
Undeterre1 by the fact that Humboldt
had tried 1t and pronounced IL impossible,l
a daring party Of army and navy officers.
soldiers and sailors attempted the ascent
of Mount Orizaba- Three only of the ~
who started reached the summit to behold
the wonderful panorama sspread out for
their enjoyment. A flag, constructed the
evening before from the sailors shirts,
Midshipman Rogers contributing awhite
one to complete ii, was planted by them
and left floating from the heights that had
been untrodden before by the foot Of man,
To bear our star spangled banner into
unbroken wilds, TO mark with 10 conquest
ard achievement, to grace with its waving
folds each hard won moral victory, has
been the Joy Of the heroes Of our past. To
those who are now gaining cducattcn be-
meath its protection belongs tho future.
May they devote themselves 20 the f1nE
and plant 1t ever higher. Forward.