| Show s h eri in aft of la AVOW a f aw AM AW t PO 4 t 4 4 1 t WIT A Is list i 11 jr ka I 1 1 4 at I 1 k I 1 it 11 1 4 19 by ELMO SCOTT WATSON VINE ONE 14 is flag day and on that day patriotic americans will pay tribute to the emblem which symbolizes the BR freedom equality justice and human kabb ity for which our forefathers sacrificed their lives and personal fortunes and which represents a nation of over free people its constitution ution and institutions its achievements and aspirations everywhere over ver homes bustness business offices and public buildings the red white and blue will be displayed in celebration of the anniversary of the day when the continental congress in session in philadelphia resolved that the flag of the thirteen united states bo be thirteen stripes alternate red and white that the union be thirteen stars white in a blue field representing a new constellation there are several places in the united states which have become flag shrines eh rines because of their association with the history of our flag and there could be no more appropriate celebration of flag day than a visit to one of these shrines on that day one of them Is the little house at arch street in philadelphia where once lived elizabeth griscom ross famous in american legend as betsy ross rose who even though she may not have been as the legend has it the maker of the first american flag was certainly one of the early ones another Is the reconstructed fort mchenry in maryland where here was displayed the flag which provided the inspiration for francl francis scott keys star spangled banner still another Is the case in the national museum in washington where Is displayed the very flag which key saw by the dawns early light it was this flag which gave him the inspiration for the immortal poem that has become our Dat national ional anthem the star spangled banner then too there Is the monument in old city cemetery in nashville tenn which marks the last resting place of capt william driver the new england sea captain who first called the flag old glory interesting as all of these are because of their individual parts in the history of our national emblem there Is no place perhaps where so BO much flag dag history can be found in one place as in the museum at the united states military academy at west point in its cases are displayed colors which not only cover more than a century of american history but which as individual flags played their part in stirring events in all of our wars from the revolution to the spanish american war one group of flags which has a special appeal during this the washington bicentennial year Is composed of british and hessian colors which were once the property of gen george washington having probably been surrendered dereI at yorktown in 1781 with tile command of lord cornwallis these flags were bequeathed to george washington parke custis son of adopted son and grandson of martha washington custis bequeathed them to the war department who received them in 1858 whereupon secretary floyd sent them to west point meager as are the records for these flags the labels on them r su hueit eit innumerable thrilling stories of the days when washington ington and his continentals Continent als were fighting what so BO often seemed to be a hopeless fight for american liberties here bere Is one described as british kings kingi colors 1 the museum st at the united states military academy at west point note X arrange ment of the stars on the american flag in the th middle 2 one of the hessian flags captured at trenton and once the pre property perty of george ceorge washington 3 ansbach bayreuth german mercenaries colors color captured at yorktown 4 A battle torn british flag which became the property of the americans when cornwallis surrendered at yorktown 5 british kings colors or regimental union jack of the seventh royal fusiliers Fusi liers probably the first british flag captured during the revolution 0 or regimental unon union jack of the seventh royal fusiliers Fusi liers probably captured at fort chantilly chambly october IS 1775 and was therefore the first british flag captured in the revolution what memories of the brilliant exploits of mad anthony wayne or of 0 the stubborn fighting in the re doubts at yorktown are called up by the label on this one near by british kings colors or union jack queen anne pattern 1707 history not known but this may be the flag of the seventeenth regiment lost at stony point or the forty third seventy sixth or eightieth regiments lost at yorktown there are half a do dozen cn or more flags described as alsbach bayreuth german mercenaries colors bearing the date of 1770 captured at yorktown and flags captured from the hessians one taken at trenton and two others either captured at trenton or at yorktown no doubt washington often looked upon these colors while they were in his possession with particular pride for they were relies relics of the two high points in his career as a soldier reminiscent of the fierce border wars in new york during the revolution when green coated tory and black painted iroquois carried the tomahawk and the torch agal against rist their neighbors who had espoused the patriot cause are two flags close by those previously described one Is labeled captured english colors probably revolutionary war or war of 1812 imitation british kings colors or union jack queen anne pattern 17 1707 07 probably a tory or renegade flag and believed to be the flag of colonel butlers rangers carried in the susquehanna region during the revolution and at the wyoming massacre also believed to have been taken at fort george in upper canada may hay 27 1813 the other is even more historic it if the following inscription Is correct captured british colors revolution or war of 1812 imitation british kings colors or union jack queen anne pattern 1707 A tory flag which has an olive green st georges cross may be either sir john johnsons royal greens flag captured at fort george in upper canada may hay 27 or it Is possible that this flag was captured by colonel willett at fort stanwix new york august 6 1777 11 close by the british and hessian colors captured during the revolution are the colors of another foreign enemy captured in a later war mexican flags taken by the troops of scott and taylor below the rio hlo grande and there are american flags there too which played d an important part in that conflict one of them Is designated as the first flag hoisted over vera cruz and the citadel at mexico city the hal bal yards on it carried the mexican flag dag on the national palace in the city of mexico and by the same halyards hal yards was carried this american ensign on september 14 1847 but even more interesting Is the story which the placard on another american flag tells it reads regimental colors of the eighth united states infantry carried by james longstreet regimental adjutant in the storming of churubusco it was the first flag planted on the fortifications by capt J and lieutenant longstreet and it was the second flag planted on the battlements of chapultepec by george E pickett it was claimed by the ment to be the first american hag flag to enter the city of mexico such Is the record of this flag in the mexican war Is it necessary to remind any american that these same men who carried it then rose to greater fame in a greater conflict later longstreet as a general in the conf confederate ed army on many a hard fought field from 1801 1861 to 1865 and pickett as the leader of that immortal charge up the slope at gettysburg the civil war flags in the museum are lesion legion including such notable colors as general sheri dans headquarters flag for the cavalry rescue brigade first division cavalry corps army of the potomac ro tomac with its record of 55 S i battles and the colors of the fifth cavalry the fighting fifth of later indian fighter fame with cl battles on oil its record but perhaps the most historic lil civil war naff flag there Is one u aich is labeled thus flag of the first new york col ephriam elmer eli Zo Zou aves naves it Is claimed that this flag was placed on the stait of the marhall house in alexandria va may 24 by colonel ellsworth after lie had pulled down the stars and bars ile he was shot dead by the hotel proprietor while descending the stairs there Is some doubt as to whether or not this Is really the flag since it has 30 36 stars on it and the american flag did not have that number of stars until between october 31 ISM and march 1 1867 not so historic perhaps as tile the ellsworth Ellswort ii flag it if it Is indeed the Ills dillsworth worth flag but bur having connected with it a remarkable story Is another carried by the thirteenth united states missouri volunteer infantry regiment here Is the story on sunday morning april 6 1862 at the battle of shiloh the confederates attacked soon after sunrise the regiment advanced to a bridge near shiloh leaving its camp flag fling and only a few sick men to protect it one a boy named deem beem was wag a member of the color guard the regiment was forced to retreat through its own camp cannon balls were flying through the air and one of them passed through the flag beem hauled down the flag undressed wrapped the flag around liis his body ant and dressed in larger garments made ills way safely through the thick of the fight in time to save the regimental flag for this lie he was commissioned as an officer this flag was presented to professor church of the military academy faculty in 1874 by col crafts J 1 wright of glendale ohio who commanded the thirteenth Misso missouri url during that historic sunday battle it was not such a peaceful sunday morning wrote colonel wright my regiment lost so 89 killed and wounded in about an hour among them all of my field and start stair officers oni cors 11 the story ot of the improvised flag at fort stanwix Is somewhat paralleled by another improvised flag which Is on oil display in the west point museum described as follows handkerchief flag made of a colored handkerchief eight stars in a blue field used by united states broons in an expedition la in the philippines above Is tile the official record but it Is probable that a small number of men were detached from the main body and sent beat on an expedition during the inserro ion of 1899 1002 not wishing to be without a flag wherever they went they made this one from the material available IQ by western newspaper union I 1 |
