The indelible memoirs of the United States Flag.

By: Flag Daddy

It is believed that the first American flag bearing 13 crimson and white stripes was a Union flag offered to the Philadelphia Light Horse by Captain Abraham Markoe, a Dane, in all probability early in 1775. A "Union flag" is talked about as having been displayed at a gathering of Whigs at Savannah in June, 1775, probably 13 stripes. The earliest naval flags exhibited thirteen alternate red and white stripes, some with a pine-tree upon them, and others with a rattlesnake stretched throughout the field of stripes, and beneath it the words, both imploringly or as a warning, "Don't tread on me." The brand new Union flag raised at Cambridge, Jan. 1, 1776, was composed of thirteen alternate crimson and white stripes, with the English union in a single corner.

Finally, the necessity of a nationwide flag was felt, particularly for the marine service, and the Continental Congress adopted the next resolution, June 14, 1777: "Resolved, that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate crimson and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white, on a blue field, representing a brand new constellation." There was a delay in flying this flag.

The decision was not formally promulgated over the signature of the secretary of the Congress until September 3, although it was beforehand printed within the newspapers. This was more than a year after the colonies had been declared free and independent. In all probability the primary show of the national flag at a navy publish was at Fort Schuyler, on the location of the current metropolis of Rome, New York. The fort was besieged early in August, 1777. The garrison had no flag, so they made one in keeping with the prescription of Congress by cutting up sheets to form the white stripes, bits of scarlet cloth for the red stripes, and the blue floor for the stars was composed of portions of a material cloak belonging to Captain Abraham Swartwout, of Dutchess county, New York This flag was unfurled over the fort on August 3, 1777.

Paul Jones was appointed to the Ranger on June 14, 1777, and he claimed that he was the first to show the celebrities and stripes on a naval vessel. The Ranger sailed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on November 1, 1777. It is possible that the national flag was first unfurled in battle on the banks of the Brandywine, September 11, 1777, the primary battle after its adoption.

It first appeared over an overseas stronghold, June 28, 1778, when Captain Rathbone, of the American sloop-of-struggle Providence, together with his crew and a few escaped prisoners, captured Fort Nassau, New Windfall, Bahama Islands. The captors have been menaced by the folks, when the celebrities and stripes have been nailed to the flagstaff in defiance. John Singleton Copley, the American-born painter, in London, claimed to be the primary to display the stars and stripes in Great Britain. On the day when George III. acknowledged the independence of the United States, December 5, 1782, he painted the flag of the United States within the background of a portrait of Elkanah Watson. To Captain Mooers, of the whaling-ship Bedford, of Nantucket, is likely due the glory of first displaying the nationwide flag in a port of Great Britain. He arrived within the Downs, with it flying at the fore, February 3, 1783. That flag was first carried to the East Indian seas within the Enterprise (an Albany-constructed vessel), Captain Stewart Dean, in 1785.

When Vermont and Kentucky were added to the union of States the flag was altered. By an act of Congress (January thirteen, 1794) the variety of the stripes and stars within the flag was elevated from 13 to fifteen. The act went into impact Could 1, 1795. From that time till 1818, when there were twenty States, the number of the stars and stripes remained the same. A committee appointed to revise the standard invited Captain Samuel C. Reid, the brave defender of the privateer Armstrong, to plan a brand new flag. He retained the original 13 stripes, however added a star for every State. That has been the device of the flag of the United States ever since. In 1901 the sphere of the flag contained forty-5 stars. Ultimately we ended up with the current Old Glory with 50 stars.

Article Source: https://www.collectibles-articles.com

Eddie Hill (Uncle Flag) is a self proclaimed patriot Buy an American Flag

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