Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-09

and would finally afford them the relief they
prayed.
Stripes in flags have not been uncommon. 50
there was nothing really novel in them at the
time Of the Revolution, excepting their appliCa-
ton Stripes were employed in European flags
far back as 200 years before the Colonists
revolted
The Grand Union flag the result of the
deliberations OF committee OF three-the VEN
cradle enjamin Franklin, a Mr.. Lynch and q
Mr.. Harrison, and 1t was first hoisted over
Washington's command at Cambridge, Mass.
January 2, 1916 When, in six short months
thereafter, the American patriots, becoming
convinced Of the futiity OF struggling for re-
dress, decided to burn their bridges behind them
and once and for all throw off the British yoke.
and on July 4, 1916, the Declaration of indie
pendenee was proclaimed to the world 3
new charter of human liberty, the Grand
Union flag at once became obsolete and passed
into history. It was June a. 1777, about Q
year later, superseded by the Stars and Stripes.
representing a new order of things, q new ma
tional ambition, a rainbow Of hope for human
betterment set in the political armament. In
the interim, the infant nation got along with
out a general emblem
Haunted in the face of the foe was at Fort
Stanwix, N. Y, August 2, 1777, when the gar
rison under command of staunch Col. GanSe-
WORT, was invested by the British. There was
no flag In the garrison, but white Shirts odd
bits Of red goods and Capt Abrahams Swart-
wouts fine blue cloak were given over to the
shears in patriotic sacrifice. and. behold there
soon foated on high flag which without
price, under whose inspiration the enemy was
finally beaten off in defeat.
It is not recorded how many of the garrison
took cold that night. Probably none, since It
won't was finally reimbursed for his cloak by
the Continental Congress. The starry banner
was carried in the Battle of Brandywine. Sep
TENDER IL, 177T, eight days after it was pro-
mulgated at Philadelphia, in the fray where
the gallant Lafayette received his baptism of
fire o nAmerica nsoil, got shot through the
leg, and concusively proved his capacity for
command and his heroic qualities to the whole
army.
The flag was the inspiration of the Americans
at Princeton, October T. and was present ct
the surrender Of Burgoyne at Saratoga, Octo-
Der IT.
AS Rear Admiral George Henry Prebie, u
8. N, says in his outstanding authoritative
work on the flag: "It will probably never be
known who designed our union Of stars, the
records Of Congress being silent upon the sub
ject, and there being no mention suggestion
of it in any Of the volumnous correspondence
or diaries Of the tine, public or private which
have been published"
The story that Betsy Ross Of Philadelphia
had anything to do with it or with its initial
construction is declared to be legend founded
only on the unsubstantiated statements Of her
relatives. Her claim to distinction cO-de-
sgner Of the flag with Washington and maker
OF the first flag, was first given public utter
ance by one of her descendants, William j.
Candy, in 1870, the claim being based solely on
family tradition, unsupported by historical evi-
dence.
At the time when it was claimed that Betsy
Ross designed and made the flag in June I7T6
before the Declaration of Independence came
into existence), and for a year afterward, the
country had no national flag of any description.
as Revolutionary correspondence clearly shows
Furthermore, Washington evidently knew
nothing about the matter There is no refer
ence to Mrs. Ross as designer of flags, or TO
when or by whom the first flag was made, In
any Of his voluminous private or public papers,
and he was not the sort of man to overlook
or neglect to make some note of such q mo-
mentous circumstance as the creation of q
tional emblem. When he caused the Declare