The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
u. S. FLAG CARRIED BY OUR ARMY MAY BE Herr
Chaplain and Fellow Ey.
perts Linking Up
History of Emblem
Found at West Point

Louisiana Historical Society at yov
Orleans. This is said to have been
used under Gen. Jackson at the barr,
Of New orleans.
IF I am correct in my view as ,o n,
identity Of your flag. then YOU Nsy,
indeed a priceless relic"
Since the writing of that letter r,r.
evidence has been unCarthod. and tno
experts are still more positive m thor
opinions. II may he said tina; the on.
cials at West Point are considerable
chagrlned at having parted with ,bc
flag, and would greatly like tu get me.
session Of 1t again. but Chaplain Smith
has assured them that they viii no,
he able to do so.
As to the bits of evidence referred
to. one Of them is the shane Of ,bo
thirteen stars on the flag. These are
eight pointed.
AS all the world knows. the star,
now used on Old Glory are five point.
ed. but there was IA period not exactly
fixed during which a six pointed star
was used. And there is no Instance
known of the use of an eight pointed
star in any flag made later than 1871.
| reference being, Of course, to United
States flags.
The design of the flag now in use by
all branches Of the military service
was adopted by Congress I'm June. III
but II was not Immediately adopted hy
the army. The navy seized upon #,
and 1t was at once displayed on al
United States vessels of war. but Tia
army continued to use what were
strictly speaking. recimou'al c,lurs
until lSil, when the infantry adopted
the Stars and Stripes,
a fact that is comparatively little
known is that the regulation Stars and
Stripes in 1892 had fifteen stripes and
fifteen stars, the plan originally ADOPT.
ed being To add Il stripe for each new
State that joined the Union. l. WIS
realized after a while. however, that,
this would be cumbersome and imrrac.
ticablc in time. and Congress decided
in 1915 that the stripes should he only
thirteen. while the number ~ STATE,
in the Union for all time should ie
shown 10y the number Of stars ON ~.
| blue field.
Another piece of evidence is tie
bank of clouds referred to. This does
not appear on any flag of later date.
and MIR. Davis. in commcntinc on i
says it suggests a European color o.
the eighteenth century
No other flag is known ~ have beer
carried as national colors from ','l 10
! 1912. excepting one that is said 20 have
been carried by the Fourth lufan'rr.
L. :. A.. in 1896. but that flag has leen
lost sight of and no record exists 30
far as is known of what the design Of
IL was. The flag that was carried Nv
that regiment in tn" War of lSl2 was
captured by the British and i rov
preserved as a relic in the famoE
Chelsea Hospital.
1t may Ice seen from this summarr
that the authenticity of the nag n
Governors Island as the flag frs, car.
ried by the regular army = cst7t'
l!shcd only by the opinions OF the ~
perts. There are other points n -
evidence besides those here told hE'
they are Of a character only 90 t'
fully understood by the experts hem.
selves. Told here they would hardy
he convincing to the reader, hu' In -.
minds Of those who have studied -
question extensively there renal,
no doubt. A..