Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-07-01

n ~ " nag is the most thrilling
o q known to history. ON
Y - Saturday. June IA. 1877.
SFoP( the Continental Congress
resolved THAT the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes. alter
nate red and white. that the Union be
thirteen stars. white I'm blue field.
representing a new constellation"
great variety OF flags. in number equal.
perhaps. TO the kinds OF uniforms
worn. had been carried by the patriotic
troops OF the Revolution. Conspicuous
among them was the yellow flag bear
siig a rattlesnake and the motto. Don't
Srcsd on me-" which Paul Jones hsisted
over the first flagship OF the patriot
navy. A more appropriate ensign for
use while the patriots as cOlOnists were
Sighting FOR their rights as British clti-
rens was that displayed on the Royal
Savage schooner. under Arnold at the
battle Of Lake Chsmplsin. for &c had
hirtcen stripes. alternate red and
white. with the British Cnion ia The
aeorncr.
But once the colonies had declared
their independence new nag was
needed. and IL was developed from the
old ono Of the Royal Savage. Wash
inrt0n himself George Ross OF Phila-
-.leiphia. and Robert Morris designed
tho flag and good Mrs. Betsy Ross.
sat her home. NO. 239 Arch street.
Philadelphia. Sewed the bunting The
thir,ccu stripes To represent the thir-
teen states were retained. and then
Vuion OF thirteen white stars on "a blue
field. constellation that was 10
found the ASTRONOMERS of politics in
snore ways than one took the place of
tle British Union.
The exact time when the flag was
unfurlcd over the halls Of Congress is
7lot matter of record. bur when DO was
1irst ll1ckencd with the smoke of lat-
1lc we know right we'll While Betsy
i;os, was stitching The flag together
i'ur-oyuc was marching down through
tie wilderness hy thc way 81 Lake
Champaign to meet the British army
that WAS to come up the Hudson from
Sew Work. TO aid boo crushing the
patriots THAT. under Schuyler. were op-
-. sing Burgoync. ST. Leger was sent
with 1900 men. chiefly Tories and
Indians To OSwegO. whence he
marched down to the head of the Mo-
hawk valley where Rome now stands.
Tho Mohawk Valley was the home o.
the Tories. No part OF the country
could show greater proportion OF
ahcm but the patriots had taken 10
\ 7hc field In surprising numbers and
Apvith mistaken faith. Fort Stanwix.
- the site of Rome. was manned by
600 men under Col. Peter Gansevoort.
and Col Marinus Willett was with
lim
ON August 3. 1777, St. Legcr arrived
before this fort and demanded its sur
render under pain of the slaughter
of the garrison by the Indians But
G2nsevoOrt in emphatic language de
clined. though short OF provisions an
ammunition. How a siege followed.
how the patriotic general. Nicholas
Herkimcr. started up the Mohawk Val
ley 20 relieve GanSevOOrt; how he was
ambused by St Leger's force at Oris-
! Sany. and how during the hot hours
that followed his men stood ia a circle
1 nd fought hand to nand one of the
most bloody battles OF the Revolution.
aecd not be told. But while the battle
ragged. Colonel NTillett sailed from the
Eort drove the British from their camp
! captured flags. papers and baggage
and returned in triumph. 1t was Il
\ splendid sortie and IL was made under
- aag. a most curious combination