TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-09-11
GERMANS AND THE FLAG.
(From -The quincy Herald. /"

becomes more than a piece of ornat.
bunting. II becomes the embodiment
of great idea, the emblem OF a
cause, the banner OF a republic fol
whose blessings the early American.
fought bitterly and paid most dearly
II is this fact which prompts Z. r
Brandford OF this city 10 call the at.
tention OF The Herald TO contribu-
tion which appears in the little
weekly paper In his old home town
Of Webster. Massach usetts. The con-
tribution Is from the pen of Rev.
Edgar w. Preble, a former pastor
residing in that village and now liv-
Ing at Worcester. II Is as follows:
Charlton, Aug, s. 1915.
~Sir: The Stars and Stripes have
been flying 1873 years ago today
But the baby flag was queer
thing and was flung to the breeze
under quite peculiar circumstances.
wonder how many people in this
section ever heard the name oris-
kany? Perhaps few will remem-
Der thai 1t is town in York state.
and a geologist or builder might re-
call the fact that certain red sand
stone Is known as the oriskany for
nation.
But how many will connect the
name of the little New York town
with one OF the bloodiest battles Of
the revolution and the first display Of
the American flag
In the suburbs OF this then from
tier village, August 6. 1777. there
was an obstinate fight between Eng
lish regulars. under st. Legsr and
their Indian allies. commanded by
the notorious Joseph Brent. Ths
small oriskany for; was mostly sur
rounded by Legers motley forces.
but the brave little garrison OF 500
held Leger's 1.7O0 at bay and
laughed TO scorn his summons TO
To relieve the fort and
arrest further progress Of St. Leger.
= heroic Dutchman. Gen. Nicholas
hastily gathered some 500
and marched " meet tho
enemy.
THE result OF the battle, In
which the garrison and Herkimer's
troops separated and failed TO CO.
operate as intended. proved disas-
trous 10 St. Leger's plans and was
a victory for the Ameri-
cans.
John FisIe says: -of all the
battles Of the revolution this was
perhaps the most obstinate and mur-
derous. Each side seems TO have
lost not less than one-third Of its
whole number, and Of those lost
nearly all were killed. as It vas
largely q hand 10 hand struggle, like
The battles OF ancient times, and no
quarter was given on either side.
Among the wounded was Gen. Herki-
ner. who had a badly shattered leg.
but refused TO leave the field. Fiske
says: He had the saddle taken
rom his dead horse and placed at
he foot OF q great beech tree, where.
.aking his seat and lighting his pipe.
ne continued shouting his orders in !
voice and directing the
progress OF the battle Taken back
o oriskany he died q few days
ater sitting In bed. propped by pill
ows. calmly smoking his Dutch pipe
and reading his bible at the 3sth
,salm."
Returning from the battle, Col.
Willet. who took possession
II Sir John Johnson's camp and
,aptured twenty-one wagon loads Of
polls. including fve British stand
.rds, hoisted these standards over
he fort and over them he raised
American nag, made in
with the design adopted
~ congress In June, 1777, This flag
vas. Fiske tells US, extemporized out
II a white shirt. an old blue jacket
md some stripes OF red cloth from
he petticoat Of a soldiers wife. This
riske says. was the first American
lag with stars and stripes that was
iyer hoisted. and Il was first flung TO
he breeze on the memorable day VI
August 6, l777.'
Now. II were editing . news-
,aper. do you know what would
.dd?" asked the Quincyan who
'oasts Of the Yankee in his blood in
o the middle Of the seventeenth CEN
ury. Il should tell the people that
Id Gen. Herkimer, German, had
TO do with the making Of
he flag OF the United States. I
hould let the people know that the
,ermans helped at the very birth Of
his republic and gave the best OF
ervioe when tho hrst flag 'sas
made"
General Herkimas. the German OF
Thich h Herchhslmsr. ts honoped by
tate and nation By monument