Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-12-01
1.-THE Flag"
BY Miss VIRGINIA Wilson.

On June 18th, l777. the STARS and
Stripes" by Act Of Congress. became the
official flag of the United States. Previous
to this, at different times and places and on
different occasions, numerous flags, nearly
seventy in number, it is said, had floated
over the Colonies.
The earliest record of our American flags,
emblematic Of the union Of more than one
Colony was the New England Flag"
which floated as early as 1886. At Taun-
ton, Massachusetts,. in 1774. two years
before the Declaration of independence
Union Flag" was unfurled. with the
words Liberty and Union" inscribed there
on. This was the first to wave with that
motto and goes down through history as
the Taunton Flag"
In IT'S the colonists bore two standards,
the Bunker Hill Flag" which they carried
at the Battle of Bunker Hill June 18th,
ITS. and the pine Tree Flag" which
was used by the navy.
In l776. three flags became prominent,
the "Rattlesnake Flag" bearing the motto
Don't tread on me-" the Crescent Flag"
used mostly in the South and famous be-
cause Sergeant Jasper rescued it after it
had been shot away at the Battle of Fort
Moultrie and the Grand Union Flag"
which was carried before Washington's
army and which marked an era in the
affairs Of the Colonies. as it was the first to
be raised that symbolized the Union of the
Thirteen Colonies.
In response to request made by Cen
eral Washington that flag should be
adopted which would enable the American
vessels to recognize each other. a commit
tee, composed Of George Washington. Rob-
ert Morris and George Ross. was appointed
by Congress to take into consideration the
designing of such flag This committee
called on Mrs. Betsy Ross and arranged
with her to make the flag. II was at her
suggestion that our stars were made FIVE
pointed Washington redrew the plans at
her request. and from this drawing Mrs
Ross made the first "Star-Spangled Ban
ner."
On June 18th. 1777. the committee re-
ported to Congress and the following reso-
luton was adopted
Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes. alternate
red and white, that the union be thirteen
stars. white in blue field. representing a
new constellation"
AT the time of the adoption of this reso-
luton. Washington said: I'VE take the
star from Heaven, the red from our mother
country. separating it by white stripes.
thus showing that we have separated from
her, and the white stripes shall 60 down
to posterity representing liberty"
The order following the adoption of the
new flag was not officially promulgated
until September of that year. although on
August 9th the new flag was first hoisted
over troops at Fort Schuyler, Rome. N. Y.
1t was raised by Paul Jones in November.
1777. over the Ranger" 1t was carried
by the army in battle. first at the Battle
of the Brandywine. September nth. l777.
At the admission of Vermont and Ken
lucky. it was ordered by Congress that on
and after May LIST, 1898. the flag should
be fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. The
growth Of the country gave assurance that
in time to come there would be many
States, too many to admit star and stripe
for each State. Therefore. on April 4th,
1918, Congress passed the following Act:
THAT from and after the 4th day of July,
next, the flag of the United States be thir-
teen horizontal stripes, alternate red and
white, that the union be twenty stars.
white in blue field, and that on the ad-
mission of new State into the union, one
star be added to the union of the flag. and
such addition to take effect on the fourth
day of July next succeeding such adms-
sion" Today the union contains 48 stars
1t is interesting to note that during the
War of the Revolution the number of stars
was thirteen; in the War of 1872. fifteen;
in the Mexican War, twenty-nine in the
Civil War, thirty-five; and in the Spanish
American War. forty-fve.
The Stars and Stripes is among the Oldest
of national banners. 1t is older than the
present British Union Jack. older than the
French Tri-color. older than the flag of Spain
and many years older than the flags of
Germany and Italy.
~ ahaa
not long ago with the following tribute to
the Flag:
"AsI look at that flag seem to see
many characters upon it which are not
visible to the physical eye. There seems
to move ghostly visions of devoted men
who. looking to that flag. thought only of
liberty. of the rights OF mankind. of the
mission of America to show the way TO
the world for the realization Of those
rights And every grave Of every brave
man in the country would seem to have
upon it the colors of the flag, II he were a
true American-would seem to leave on it
that stain Of red which means the true
pulse of blood, that patch Of pure white
which means the peace Of the soul. And
then there seems to rise over the graves
of those men and to hallow their memo
ries, that blue space of the sky in which
swim those stars which exemplify for us
the glorious galaxy of the States Of the
Union which stand together to vindicate
the rights of mankind.
And believe that even if our Flag had
not this varied history, no true American
could help but love "0ld Glory" for what
il is and for what it stands today.
d. A. Y. Meeting.
The November meeting Of the Janet