The sun., 1900-09-08
WHERE old GLORY
WAS FIRST BAPTIZED
IN CORY battle
Celebration of the Anniversary
of Struggle at Brandy
wine Next Tuesday.
THIRTEEN G0VERNORSI SINVITED
Flag Owned by w. III. Harrison, of
This City, Which Was Carried
in the Battle, Will he ON
Exhibition Next
Tuesday.
THIRTEEN GOVERNORSINVITED

Exhibition Next
Tuesday.
West Chester, Sept. 7.-On Tuesday
next the anniversary of the Battle of
Brandywine will witness grand and
fitting demonstration at Old Birming-
ham Meeting House and adjacent points
of historical interest. The celebration
will be under the auspices Of Mccall
Post No. 81, &. A. r., of this place,
with Colonel Hooton as the master
spirit Of the occasion.
The initial step was taken by the Post
some months ago the movement being
TO celebrate the baptism Of "Old Glory"
in battle. 1t has long been the opinion
of local historians that The first appear
ance of the flag in battle was on the
Brandywine field in l777, and according
~ the Post appointed Il committee to
make a careful and thorough search of
the archives of the American Reyoll-
tcn at Washington, and to report the
result Of their labors to the Post This
was done. and the committee carly dis
covered that the cl"imS pf the home
historians were well based, ana that in
decd the baptism of the flag i'll battle
was on the field of Brnndywinp. 10 this
effect they male to the Post an elabor.
ate an interesting report which was
adopted, and nj once arrangements were
begun for making the 18th Of September.
this year at the old spot, il memoruhlr
one.
The Baptism of the Flag.
The committees report says:
On Saturday. June IA, iii, Congress
resolved that the flag Of the thirteen
United States shOuld be tlliltccn stripes.
alternately rel and white, and the Union
Shunll be thirteen stars. white iii ii
blue !ield. representing = now conStela
ton. This date is therefore the birth.
day. the American flag. This rvsol,l-
lion was not published IN the neWs-
papers until August and was not oiiici-
ally promulgated under. the signature Of
The Secretary Of Congress 1T Phiadel-
pha until the 81 Of September, eight
daSs beforc the battle Of Rfandywine
hut il seems ID be w"ll autheEtcnted
that the stars aud Stripes. except rs ID
tiie member uf the stars. vas ii,st M
tusied III the battle or HrnGF~tne
fuH4 IN Wltst w;ls th,,l @ eStai cGintt.
the county is now partly iii Gnsf44
county and partly ii, Belstwaap c0tu ty.
IN September II, 4. -, 17l,a.'
Great Flag Rasing.
'l,io work ~ the Committee uf ~
lu@encnts has brel rapidly lcco npli.sh
~, and everything i now in readiness
for Tho event. There will 30 i large
turnout Of tn" g. \. 4. Posts of Prnn-
srIvaI';, Delaware and New Jersey
The Governors OF IL, original tEi,.t, rn
States have heen inri",o to 70 present.
aild evcinl I thcm are eXu"cttd 10
shritl thr day IN lhsa historic ,iorml>.
I'M the exercises ii leading feature will
be tie running mp of a large and beauti-
ful flag, the Gift Of Congressman Thorn
, as :. Butler. and little Miss Mary
Shaiplrss, residing on the grounds, has
been selected 10 do the honorS Of hoist
ing the starry emblem to the masthead
The flag pole is 4 beauty. some seventy
feet in height and as straight as an ar
row. Ii was cllt On the grounds and pre-
pared by local workmcn.
Ii has been erected near the old Seal
store, south of the Old Friends Meeting
House that was used as Il hospital dur
ing the battle. and where many soldiers
Of both armies fell and lie buried. 1t
stands in an angle Of two roads. ono
loaI.t, 10 Chadd's Ford. lia other / /.
Dilworthtown. Beside it Is il canlnoii--
Il thirty -poundcr-and twenty shells.
This cannon. with another mounted on
| the Dilworthtown road, close to where
| Lafayette fell wounded. was given the
Post by the United States Government
! at the solicitation of Congressman But
lei. They were brought from Governors
/ Island free Of charge by the Pennsyl-
vania tailroad Company. They were
fine pieces, nicely hronzcd and well
mounted.
The Battle Flag Of Brandywine.
| An interesting feature Of the day will
he the exhibition Of Il flag. owned by w.
| III. Harrison. of Wilmington. which is
said TO have heen carried in the fore ut
the battle Of that memorable day. when
British arms won, and Washington,
| Wayne, Lafayette. and their commands
retreated to Old Chester, ON the Della
ware.
| This flag is worthy of a description.
1t is about four feet square and all Of
red silk. In the corner of the flag at the
top where it connects with the pole Is 4
square about two fast each way. This
square consists of red and white stripes,
thirteen in all. In the upper corner of
this square is a white fold about ten
nches square On this fold is sewed
thirteen eight-pointed stars. cut out with
scissors. of red silk. There is no hlue
about it.
1t looks as if it had originally been Il
British flag. and that the part had hcrn
cut out where the British cross is. and
in that place was put the red and white
stripes and in the corner of that the
ML..1 Gei4 Nth the slA.e. ! rcd stars.