The Colorado statesman., 1916-07-22
Stars and Stripes First Carried
in Battle, However, in
Mexican War.
OF MANY SIZES and SHAPES
Banner That inspired Key and One
Carried by Paul Jones in COL
lection of the National
Museum

A decree recently issued by Uncle
SAN standardizing the form and size
Of the American flag has brought out
some interesting bits of history con-
uected with the Stars and Stripes.
The fact that some siXty-odd sizes and
shapes of American flags were found
ia use in the various government de-
partments led to the executive order
The flags and Union Jacks of all
departments, with certain exceptions
Ia the army and navy, must now CON
form to specifications. There nre 10
prescribed sizes, from 1.31-foot to %
foot widths, but the 10-foot flag is to
be the standard.
The story of how the American flag
grew is told in a bulletin of the Smith
sonan institution. Examples of the
dag in its various periods of develop
Uent are included in the collections of
che United States National Museum.
1t is interesting to note, says the
bulletin. that during the Revolution
the flag had 13 stars, in the war of
1912. 10, in the Mexican war, 80, in
the Spanish-Americnn war 40, and to-
day there are 1S. The American flag
Is among the oldest of national flags,
being older than the present British
Union Jack. the French tri-color and
the flag of Spain. and many years old
er than the flags of Germany and Italy,
some of which, like those of other
countries, are personal flags, or those
9f reigning families.
Banner That Inspired Key.
Representative of the early type
there is 12-Star flag said to have
been used by John Paul Jones during
the War of the Revolution, which is
now in the National museum. Another
flag of the very highest historic value
is the original "Star-Spangled Banner"
which flew over Fort MclIenry in Bal
timore during the bombardment on
September 1914, 1914, and was the in
spiration for Keys anthem. This Fort
McHenry flag is of the 15 stars and
stripes type, adopted by an act APP
proved by President Washington, jan
uary 13, 1894, which took effect May 1,
1898, after the admission of Vermont
and Kentucky. 1t measures about 80
feet square, is much battered ard torn,
with one star missing, but this great
historic souvenir has been preserved by
quilting 1t on heavy linen cloth, and
remains one of the country's most pre-.
CiOus relics.
From 1795 this form continued as
the standard flag un-il President Mon
roe's administration, when congress
enacted that 1t should thereafter be of
13 stripes, with the addition of n star
,.,s., I,,I,
H. 1918.
1t seems that the army never car
ried the national flag in battle, though
we have record of its use as garrison
flag from about 1887 or 1880 until 1916.
Bodies of troops carried during this pc
riOd, and before 1t, what was known
as national cOlors or standards of blue
emblazoned with the arms of the
United States, an eagle surmounted
by number of stars, and with the
designation of the body of troops, as
infantry or artillery inscribed on
scroll.
Definite Rules in 1912.
In 1884 the artillery was given the
eight of carrying the Stars and Stripes
as recorded by the war department
regulations, the infantry and cavalry
still using the national arms with an
added scroll in the eagles beak bear
ing the words: "B pluribus unum."
These flags remained the colors of the
infantry until 1871, and of the cavalry
until as late as 1887, when they were
ordered to employ the Stars and
Stripes.
Several flags of the period of the
Mexican war, 1S46-47, are in the mu-
seum collections. Among them is
flag of 13 stripes and stars carried