Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-24
The FIaq on Mt. BipeIow.

All places that are associated with
the early history Of our state possess
an interest to everybody who has d
desire - be thoroughly familiar with
tho facts which gave them their names
Recent surveys of the east branch of
tho kcnncbcc river and the proposed
development of its power, give new
interest to events connected with Ar
noId'S march through the wilderness of
northern Maine on his expedition 70
Quebec in the fail of 1715. According
to ArnnldS own journal Of the march
two divisions of his army reached Dead
river. oct. Il. It was while his army
WAS cnCampel on the north of
what is now Flagstaff. which lies north
nf iigclOw plantation and Mount Bge-
low. that Mai. Bigelow was sent to the
top of the lmoun cain switch bears his
maine. to- brospeGf.2 ~ Flagstaff it is
probable that the stars and stripes
were Heated to the air for the first
time at so lar north A point. Previous
to that the army had been so constant
ly on til" march that no opportunity
offered itself in which a flagstaff could
be erected. Down to 80 or co years ago
residents of that section showed the
stump VI al Itblt VI post SGT III
the ground which, it was stated. was
thc identical remains Of the Flagstaff
which Arnold erected and which gave
the name to the townshp.-Bangor
Commercial
The tradition Of the flagstaff is not
t" b" disputed and the tribute which
the editor of the Commercial goes on
to- pay {" Major Bigclow as one
Of the heroes Of Arnold's expcdi-
ti"n is we'll deserved. but it is not at
all likely that the Stars and Stripes"
were unfurled at the place mentioned,
or in fact used at all by Arnpld's ex-
petition The mention of it in this
connection is obviously a slip on the
part Of the editor of the Commercial
who is usually so accurate and always
:" interesting when dealing with mat
ters of Maine history. for he knows
we'll that the American flag, as W.
know it with It's stars and stripes, was
not used or even designed until
long after the little patriot army under
Arnold had marched up the KennebeC
and through the Maine wilderness in
the attempt to capture Quebec and win
Canada for the cause Of independence.
\" doubt a flag of some kind was
borne by this expedition and no doubt
Il flaS pole was erected north OF Bige-
low mountain for the display of this
flag. but the historians give us no ink
ling as to what kind of Il flag it was.
At that stage of the war for indcpen-
dcnCc various flags were used by the
c"lones, The earliest vessels that
SEIZED under Washinstons authority
displayed the pine tree flag, and the
pine tree as ali emblem also appeared
on flags used on land at that time. 1t
Is not at all Impossible that such q
which vas doubly appropriate when
We consider the country through which |
the little army marched. though of
course this was not then known |
as the Pine Tree State. One flag used |
at that time bore on one side the Con-
necticut motto and on the other the |
words then recognized as the motto of !
massachusetts. IAN Appeal to Heav- |
en-" One flag bore a device consist |
ing of mailed hand grasping a bun
die Of IS arrows. An early flag in the
southern colonies displayed at Charles |
ton in 1875 was blue with white
crescent in the upper left hand corner
and the words Liberty or Death"
Then there was the rattlesnake flag.
tie snake with its IS rattleS, being
coied TO strike, and below it the mot
to Don't Tread on Me-
The first flag to bear the red and !