New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-10
FIRST Use or THE flag.

FIRST Use or THE flag.
The theory was advanced by CORE
Spondent in Tuesdays Tribune that the
Stars and Stripes was raised over Wash
ington's army ar Camp Middiebrook. New
jersey. immediately after its adoption by
Congress in June, III That is in ac-
cord with the claim which is made by
many patriotic .lerseymen. and which Is
10 be commemOrated 10y the erection OF
q fine monument on the site of that
Revolutionary camp There will he, and
indeed there are. however many so dis
pufe its correctness and 10 challenge OR
correspondents belief that il IS "gener-
ally accepted ny students Of Keyon-
"tionary history" Certainly many of the
most iudiciouS students of Revolution
ary history regard the matter rs involved
i'm apparently hopeless obScurity.
II was long ago claimed on some au-
thority. that the first use of the Stars
and Stripes in battle was nj Fort stan
wiz. New York. on August 90, HI ana
memorial tablets have been erected in
token thereof II has also been insisted
that the first use of the flag in battle was
1T CoOohs Bridge Delaware on Septem-
her 8. III. and that is set forth 10y an
inscription on granite monument That
il was borne mt the battle of the Brandy
wine. on September II, 17TII, seems well
authenticated. and some have held that
that was the first use of il Of which we
have positive knowledge OF course. the
flag might have foated over Camp Mid
dlebrook all that summer. and still these
other stories might he true. for they re
fer entirely 10 its first use in battle.
Yet if must be observed that there IS no
actual testimony Of any kind that II was
used al MiddlehroOk. but merely an aS-
sumption To that effect. on the ground
that Washington would naturally use
the flag of his own designing Is soon IS
il was adopted by Congress That is
plausible. though NOT convincing
The known facts are these: That the
1ag was designed some time in the early
part Of III, that it was adopted Ivy
Congress OH June II. and that n was
nlflnllSi''fl Nv 0liGltN~ ON C'llIflllNfI
2 The Journal of Congress does not
tell who introduced the resolution Of
adoption, nor whether there was any de
bate ON Il nor is there any explanation
Of the delay of more than two and
half months in promugatina il. Some
have tried 10 explain this apparent lack
Of interest in II on the ground that the
Stars and Stripes had in fact been in
usr for some time before its formal
adoption. This seems improbable. There
is little question that the Grand Union
flag. hearing the thirteen stripes of
America and the crosses Of ST George
and 81. Andrew i'm the Union Jack. was
used by Washington AT the beginning Of
111G and was retained by him until
June. I'LL. if not longer The verse
The American ensign now sparkes a
star" dated March 10. l174. referred not
10 r constellation I'm the flag. bur 10 the
white star on the forehead of the bay
horse which was emblazoned on the flag
of the Philadelphia Light Horse troop.
Even the origin Of the Grand Union
flag. the connecting link between the
British and American flags. is uncer-
tain Admiral preble saws that II Us
involved in ohscurity' A. early as 1104
the British East India Company had a
flag Of thirteen red and white stripes
with the cross of ST. George on a white
ground in the canton. and il was doubt
less often seen on shipping in Boston
Harhor. Rotta relates that when news
Of the Kings rejection Of the first petit
tion Of Congress reached America The
American soldiers were enraged and
changed AT this time the red grounds Of
their banners Hnd striped them with
thirteen lists rs IN emblem Of their
number and the union of the colonies"
The same statement apnears In THE
British Annual REGISTER" for l77G This
Grand Union flag seems 10 hive been
used 10y E~el, Hopkins ut sea. IN Feb
ruary. 171G.
II Is n good thing 10 CLEAN all possible
knowledge concerning the history Of the
flag and TO commemorate suitably every
established fact Of importance But II
seems improbable that the lost links i'm
the chain Of narrative will ever he re.
gained. 81 that We shall ever certainly
know Just when and where the Stars
and Stripes first appeared And II will
he more profitable. after all 10 make
Flag Day time Of emphasizing the re
Spect and honor which are due To the
fag now. and the significance Of free
dom. unity and progress with which il
should be invested. than If indetermlnate
wraneling over Understandable details of
the forgotten past
President dc Ia Barra's tribute to
President Taft and his policy In sending