The Washington herald., 1914-06-14
HISTORIC FLAGS
in MUSEOMHERE
twenty Examples Of the
American Emblems
on View.
ONE INSPIRED HYMN
The Original "Star Spansled Banner"
Is Being Repaired on
Linen.
ONE INSPIRED HYMN

Linen.
One II the most conspicpous features
of the historical exhibits in the National
Museum il the nag collection. which in
cludes some twenty examples OF the
American nag and shows its development
in the different historical periods
While there are no early colonial nags,
such al were used by the several colonies
before the flag of the United States was
Established by Congress on June u. IfH,
a fine example Of the first true United
States ensign is shown
Representative Of the stars-and-stripes
type is a flag said to have flown on the
Bonhomme Richard. under command of
John Paul Jones. This flag measures
10 L. feet by IA feet. On December l3,
17s4, 1t was presented to Lieut. James
Bayard Stafford. L. s. N. by the Marine
Committee of the Confidential Congress,
as a reward for meritorious services dur
ing the revolution. 1t came into the pos
session of the Smithsonian Institution as
a gift from Mrs. Harriet r. Perry Staf-
ford.
Has Great Value.
Another nag of the very highest his
toric value Is the original Star Spangled
Banner" of Keys anthem. which waved
over Fort McHenry during the lombard
ment Of September 1914. 1874, and which
was presented to the Smithsonian InstI-
tuition by Eben Appleton. The Fort Nc
Henry flag Is of the type having fifteen
stars and stripes, adopted in 1874. upon
the addition of the States Of Vermont and
Kentucky.
This type went into effect in l7S and
C0nfinnad N 10 the standard until INK
when Congress returned to the original
thirteen stripes. and made provision for
the addition OF a star for each new State
The original Star Spangled Banner.
which Is very large, measuring Is feet by
3e feet. is being remounted on linen for
preservation and exhibition.
Recall Mexican War.
Several flags recall vividly the Mexican
war Of lSis-47 Among them is the flag
of thirteen stripes. with an eagle in the
field, carried throughout the war by the
battalion of volunteers which enlisted
from Baltimore and Washington. and
hoisted in Victoria City, Mexico: also the
flag Of Mexico hauled down at this time.
The nag Of Company /, Fourth Regiment
of Indiana Volunteers, which was pre-
sented by the commanding officer, Capt.
Robert Fravel, and carried in the Mexi-
can war. is also to be seen
An incident relating to our flag in Mex
leo was recently brought out on the oc-
casion Of the presentation OF replica Of
the Star Spangled Banner to the Ma
ticnal Society Of the Sons Of the, Ameri-
can Revolution. Gen. Simon Bolivar
Buckner stated that shortly after the
Mexican war IL had been his privilege 10
lead a party of American officers to the
summit of Mount Popocatapetl. where he
IL. "a - Ev,,ff fatf fAF, ,f
the early Spaniards.
Not Carried by Troops.
Recent researches on the history Of our
flag indicate that the Stars and Stripes
was not carried by troops in battle until
the period of the Mexican war. Up to
that time. although il was used by the
army as a garrison nag. and flown on all
war ships. only the national standard,
bearing the coat Of arms Of the United
States and the regimental colors were
carried by land forces
Pertaining to the civil war are nine
flags. The garrison flag Of Fort Moul-
trie. 8. c., lowered when the command
evacuated that fort to assemble at Fort
Sumter, December 26. 1850: the remains
of the flag carried in the three days fight
at Salem Heights. Va, May 3-5. 1858. when
three color -sergeants were killed. though
the standard never faltered or fell to the
ground: headquarters flag of Brevet Mai.
Gen. William Babcock Hazen, comprising
a large white star on field half red and
blue, representative of the rank Of brig
adler general; Gen. Hazen's garrison flag
hoisted at Fort McAllisteer, Ga, after
the surrender Of the fort to the Union
army. December Is. 1864: the flag flown on
the L. S. S. Kearsarge when she defeat
ed the Alabama. deposited in the National
Museum by Lieut.. Herbert Winslow- son
Of Rear Admiral Winslow, commander
of the Kearsarge during this action; a
thirty -fve-star flag flown after the cap
ers flag of Mai. Gen. E. o. c. Ord. re-
ceived from his son, Lieut.. James T.
Ord; nag Of First Rifles. Pennsylvania
Volunteers. found in the capital at Rich
mond, in 1865. and the flag raised at New
Orleans by its citizens upon the occupa-
ton Of the city by the Union forces under
Gen. B. F. Butler. May l. 1867.
Some Spanish Banners.
The. Museum collection contains flags Of
many sorts and types carried in the war
with Spain. including several Spanish
standards, a flag of truce employed by
Lieut. F. r. Brainard for the release Of
two newspaper men from Havana, Cuba,
and later for the release of Lieut.. Ho5son
and his sailors after the destruction Of
the Merrimac, and Commodore Schley's
pennant. flown from the U. S. s. Brook
lyn. July 3, 1895
A collection from the State Department
includes a series of sixty-seven flags of
different nations.
The following MISCELLANEOUS flags are
also of interest: Flag owned by Admiral
Charles Wilkes, U. S. N; flag made of
the first silk raised in the United States;
the American colors flown at the north
pole by Rear Admiral Peary in 1903: also
the flag of the Navy League. the flag car
ried by the Smithsonian African expedi-
ton under the command of Col Theodore
Roosevelt in 190e-10. and many other ex-
amples of the National Ensign which has