Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-06-30

II is universally admitted that as a
patriot, George Washington stands
without rival in the annals Of the
world 1t is not, however, so gener-
ally allowed that as military genius
he transcends all others. Americans
and his admirers the world over
might well rest content with behold
ing their ideal citizen acclaimed with
universal consent the unique figure
in the annals of human veal, industry
and peace. Yet do not think 1t would
be hard to show that even in military
genius he is still without a peer.
But the arts of peace, not war, Is
our theme, and we shall therefore
leave the question of military genius
/ to more convenient season and ad-
dress ourselves to the subject in
hand: Washington and the American
flag. This naturally falls under the
threefold Acknowledgements Ances-
try, the Evolution Of the Flag, and the
Symbolism of the Flag"
First, Washingtons Ancestry. AS
far as historical research has yet
reached back, Washington's ancestry
has been located in Durham, in the
north of England. From Durham some
of the Washingtons migrated to Lanca.
shire. Then we find them settling in
Northamptonshire in the reign of
Henry VII. From Northampton the
great-grandfather of Washington emf.
grated to America in or about the year
1857. The pursuits followed by the
Washingtons may be summed up
under the church, the army, the law
and the farm. 1t is around this last
that the most interesting and roman
tic incidents of the family gather. and
Northampton Is the scene of the vary
ing vicissitudes that eliminated in the
emigration of Lawrence Washington
to Virginia.
The emigrant, who was knighted by
James l., spent his younger days in
Brington. In the parish church there
are two sepulchral stones of absorbing
interest to every American. One with
the date 1916 is over the grave of the
emigrant's father. On it appears his
arms "impaled" with those Of his wife.
The second covers the grave Of an
uncle, and has on a brass simple
family shield with the extraneous
crescent appropriate to younger son.
But that which is of transcendant in
terest to very American citizen Is that
here on the tombstone of the. dead
\ IN a
great nation and which thrill the soul
of mighty people; the embryo of the
National Flag-the Stars and Stripes.
The stars on the shield have this
popularity, they are five pointed.
whereas six points are the general
characteristic of heraldic stars. On
the coat of arms are three stars and
two horizontal bars or zones with
alternate gules and white"-gules
being the word in heraldry for red--in
a vertical position. Here we discover
the nucleus, the fons ct origo, of the
American Flag.
Three years ago, when spending a
heightened vacation in England, had
charge of parish not far from Bring
ton. 1t was a source of never falling
qualification to visit Gods Acre" to
stand close to the ashes of the dead,
to mediate upon the origin of the
American Flag, to delight in the dis
covery of the hidden meaning of it's
symbolism, and oft to quote the open
ing lines of Cowper's hymn:
uc,o,l rnoves In n nvsterious wav
His wonders TO perform
Second, The Evolution of the Flag.
In colonial times each colony had its
own peculiar ensign, and both army
and navy of the United Colonies dis
played various flags. Some were colo
NAL, others were regimental, and still
others were for special occasions.
That at Fort Sullivan. Charleston har-
Dor, was blue field with silver
crescent. The ensign under which the
battle of Bunker Hill was fought was
the New England flag. The flag Of an
American cruiser is thus described by
the London Chronicle of January,
1776:
1.-The field is white bunting; on the
middle is green pine tree; and on
the opposite side Is the motto. ZAP
peal to heaven" The flag Of the Gull
pepper men, who marched with Pat
rick Henry, had rattlesnake, coiled
ready to strike. with the words, Don't
tread on me-
The first American flag having thir-
teen alternate red and white stripes
upon it, there is good reason to believe
was presented to the Philadelphia
Light Horse by Captain Markoe, early
in ITS. The earliest naval flag show
ed thirteen alternate red and white
stripes with either a pine tree or rat
tlesnake, with the words Don't tread
on me-" The union flag raised Cam
bridge, Jan. 1, 1776, had thirteen alter
nate red and white stripes with the
English union In one corner.
When the necessity for national
nag made itself felt the Congress of
June IA, 1777 resolved; That the flag
of the United States be thirteen