Bisbee daily review., 1908-07-04


 lived under the British flag. In 16Sa the flag of New England was white, charged with St. Georges cross in red surmounted with the crown. In the center was inscribed Jacobus Rex. While Manhattan was in possession of the Dutch the ships waved a flag on which was a beaver, the then insignia of the New Netherlands. HOT the colonies adopted the Union Jack of Great Britain This was formed by combination of St. Andrews and St. Georges crosses, and of course was typical of the fact that the two coun- tries had become one when Queen Elizabeth died and the Scottish king succeeded to the English throne.
 At the time of our revolt from Brit ish authority the Union Jack was in general use, usually bearing some patriotic motto Of which Liberty and Union" was the favorite. Directly aft CT the battle of Lexington a new flag was improyised with the motto of the state of Connecticut, viz, "Qui trans tulit sustinet" This soon gave way to regimental colors, each being dis tinctive in shade. At Bunker Hill blue flag was chosen to designate New England troops-the first sign we see of union in the colonial army. This flag had St. Georges cross in one corner. It was growing beautifully less within our limits and soon afteS wards disappeared when Gen. Put nam displayed a red banner on Pros pect hin with the motto An Appeal to Heaven" The colony of Massa- chusetts sent out cruisers in the spring, supplying each with a white flag on which was painted a green pine tree. When armed vessels were commissioned In Washington they were furnished with flags of similar kind.
 To Col William Moultrie of South Carolina is due the honor of raising the first republican flag. It had a white crescent on a blue ground. This was unfurled on the east bastion of the fortress in Charleston harbor, June 2S, 1776, while on the opposite side waved the flag called the Great Union" which had first been raised by Washington at Cambridge.
 June fl, TIT, the Continental con- gross, realizing the appropriateness of longer using British colors, resolved that the flag of the 13 United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in . blue field, representing a new con steIlation."
 The first national flag after this pat tern was made by a Mrs. Ross, a lady of Philadelphia. She had some dis tinguiShed men to assist her, among whom were Benjamin Franklin and Gen. Joseph Reed. We are not in formed whether these men, appointed by congress for the purpose, used the thimble, needle and thread that the lady herself employed. From her gen eraI character it is probable that Mrs. Ross declined to let them boss the job" and proceeded in her own way.
 The 13 stars Of the flag of TIT were arranged In a circle, although there was no officially prescribed form. In 1794, after the admission of Vermont and Kentucky into the union, 1t was resolved by congress that from and after May 1, 17e5, the flag of the United States be 15 stripes alternate red and white, that the union be IS stars, white, in 8 blue field"
 No provision was made by this act for future alterations, nor were any changes made till 1s1s, although q number of new states were admitted meanwhile into the union. On April { of that year a bill embodying the suggestions of Capt. Samuel G. Reid, who recommended the reduction of the stripes to the original 13 and the adoption of stars equal to the number of the states, formed into one large star, and a new star to be added on the Fourth of July next succeeding the admission of each new state, was ap- proved by President Monroe, and the flag thus established was afterward hoisted on the hall of representatives.