The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1927-06-16
bur FLAG is
/ 80 YEARS OLD
.nthentic Account of the
FIRST American Flag
Given by D. A. R.

I :. the National Republic for this
nth = H. W. BAR. Mason. publisher
Vaiu' she Bound Brook Chronicle,
.ss =, graphic account of the cir
+ances ss of the first use of the
IT, ;h''' bv the army under Washing
W. r. nrotect the inhabitants from
- = aids Of. the Hessians under
..Ssss,nwallis, w. and to guard against
y nossible movement on the part
/. Howe and CORVALLIS to ap-
mach the camp at Morristown,
rs;eh 'ay would be by way of Bound
p,aok. ar washington. early in March
|iT97 stationed Maj. Gen. Benja-
NM Lincoln there with a force of
.bout 500 Americans. Lincoln es-
I,blished patrol extending some
lsir or seven miles up and down
1tbe river, guarding the three
lrjdQes. any or all of which the
british might use in the event of
noyinp toward Morristown.
This was evidently annoying to
ICsmwallis. with his 1000 troops,
mly a few miles away. and on the
|rkht Of April IL. he sent. out
hrre body of them to wine ont
SSths outpost. He divided them into
thrse detachments and made a sur
prse attack on Lincoln early Sun
dy morning, the 18th, but while
b found the general and most of
be men asleep, he was not quick
aough to surround them, an es-
ape being effected into the Mid
1ebrook hills where the Ameri-
ans rallied.
The surprise at Bound Brook
uused much anxiety to Washing
ton. That showed it was a post of
Dpeat danger as well as Of great
Importance. Washington himself
made careful scrutiny of the en-
| tire situation. about the middle of
Nay. and within a day or two
moved the army from Morristown
To the valley between the first and
second range of hills, in what is
now known as Washington Valley
|near Bound Brook.
The army remained here only
short time and early in June NOV.
So to the face of the first mountain
a an elevation of some 200 feet
q more above the river, with the
|reclpitous hills behind. This po-
atlon was impregnable and its oc-
cpatlon proved most advantage
eeus to the Americans. The army
aug in. throwing up an entrench-
nent on its right extending sew
aal hundred yards. which is in
much the same condition today. In
mont OF the left wings great walls
z loose stone was laid, of which
Ere was plenty in the vicinity.
Ealn the past half century. the
Vnes have gradually been carted
way for use in building opera
s0ls' and many of the cellar walls
y Bound Brook are constructed of
aem. The army remained here un-
|@ July End, then it moved to
fompton Plains.
u was here then, that Washing
81 was encamped when. on June
- "a; I.l5, congress in session at
.'niaoelphia . and decreed that the
|ag y Of the United States be thir-
|xsa stripes, alternate red and
snse; that the union be thirteen
.~s. white on blue field. repre-
ssa'lng new constellation" The
Is S OF communication was omen
pss;Eeen ps;1 Camp Middlebrook and
i h1M1aoeiphla ~ and in all probabili-
: =. nasnington was advised of the
Suon OF congress within two or
~ fIse days. AS DR.. Willis Fletcher
has put it: "Whatevar
rsertalnty and however many dis
rses there may be concerning
II S'ne details of the origin of the
~ and Its first display, the fact
\ Y, wrlt or history's pages, bold
- ,ndlsputable, that it was while
s,ssnington and his army were en-
saped at Middlebrook that the
fats and strips was born.
ny y is on this ground that the
sMeed States government and the
H1e le OF New Jersey will officially
c.sorate the sesquicentennial of
g american flags adoption on
! ,sue 18th. The day is destined to
s.,G \ aown in history as properly
IAng the survival of that en-
h I'm Oh liberty, now floating over
greatest nation of the earth.
, ssOuntry that 150 years ago was
~ Usna OF weak colonies, wagfng a