| Show sh r m e f 19 a T W IL T PO 0 fly MOL 13 N u F r n W 14 i 5 W A J jq 4 X t N n W tw M Y 1 NUR 5 ZI N 4 J A K V 4 P e va f X 7 KW 72 X MA 4 by ELMO SCOTT WATSON IUNE 14 Is F flag lag day and on that day patriotic americans will pay tribute to the emblem which symbolizes the freedom equality justice and humanity 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 11 everywhere over homes business offices and public bull buildings dings the lied bed white and blue will be displayed la 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 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 because of their association with the history of our lag 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 elizaboth elizabeth griscom GrI scorn ross famous in american americ an legend as betsy ross boss who even though she may not nol 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 was wag displayed the flag which provided the inspiration for francis Franc ls 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 national 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 bistor history y of our national emblem there Is no place perhaps where here so much flag history can bo 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 0 of american history but which as ai individual flags played their part in stirring vents events in fill all of our wars from the revolution to the spanish american war one group of flags which has et a special appeal during this the washington bicentennial year ll IS composed of british and hessian colors which were once the property of gen geor george ge washington having probably been surrendered at yorktown in 1781 with the command ot of lord corn we walls Lills these flags were bequeathed to george washington parke custis son eon of adopted son eon and grandson of martha washington bequeathed them to the war department who recel received them in 1858 whereupon secretary floyd sent gent them to west point meager as aro are the records for these flags tie the labels on them suggest innumerable thrilling stories of the days when Wash washington lington and his continentals Continent als were fighting what so often seemed to tx be ft a hopeless fight for american liberties I 1 Is one described oa as british kings colors ithe I 1 the museum at the united states military acad academy erny at west point note X arrange ment of the stars stare on the american flag in th the middle 2 ona of the hessian flags captured at trenton and once the property of george washington 3 ansbach bayreuth german mercenaries colors captured at yorktown 4 A battle torn british flag which became the property of the americans when cor Cornwall ls surrendered at yorktown 5 british kings colors or regimental union jack of the seventh royal fusiliers Fusi liers probably the farst british flag captured during the revolution 1 or regimental union jack of the seventh royal Pu fusiliers Fusi liers probably captured at fort chambly october 18 1775 and was therefore the first british flag captured in the revolution what memories of the brilliant exploits of mad anthony wayne or of the stubborn fighting in the re doubts at yorktown are called up by the label on this one near by DrI british tIsh 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 naif half a dozen or more flaps flags described as ansbach 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 nerce border wars in new york during the revolution when green coated tory and black painted iroquois carried the tomahawk and the torch against their erstwhile neighbors who had bad espoused the patriot cause are two flags close by those previously described one to Is labeled captured english colors probably revolutionary war or war of 1812 imitation british kings icings colors or union jack queen anne pattern 1707 probably a tory or renegade ling flag and beIl believed eved to bo 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 27 1813 the other Is even more historic if the following inscription Is correct captured british colors I 1 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 27 1813 or it Is possible that this flag was captured by colonel willett at fort stanwix new york august 0 1777 close by tho 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 grande A and nd there are american flags there too which played an important part in that conflict one ona of then them Is designated as the first flag hoisted over via cruz and the citadel at mexico city the hal yards on it carried the mexican flag on the national palace in the city of mexico and by the same halyards hal yards was carried this american ensign on september 14 1817 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 antry carried by james longstreet regimental adjutant in the storming of churubusco it was the first flag planted on the forti fortifications ficat tons by capt J ford and lieutenant longstreet and it was the second flag planted on the battlements of chapultepec by george E pickett it was claimed by the regiment to bo be the first american 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 confederate army on many a hard fought field from 1801 to and pickett as the leader of that immortal charge up the slope at gettysburg the civil war flags in the museum are legion including such notable colors as general sherl sheri dans headquarters flag for the cavalry reserve brigade first division ca cavalry alry corps army of the potomac with its record of 55 battles and the colors of the fifth cavalry the fighting fifth of later indian lighter fighter fame with 01 battles on its record but perhaps the most historic civil war flag there Is one which Is labeled thus flag of the first new york col ephriam elmer Ell Zou aves it Is claimed that this flag was placed on the staff of the marshall house in alexandria va may 24 1801 by colonel ellsworth after he had pulled down the stars stara and bars lie he was shot dead by the hotel proprietor while descending the stairs there Is some doubt as to whether or riot not this Is really the flag since it has 30 stars on it and the american flag d did ld not have that number of stars until between october 31 and march 1 not so historic perhaps as the ellsworth flag it if it Is indeed the E ellsworth flag but 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 8 6 1862 at the battle of shiloh the confederates attacked soon after sunrise the regiment advanced to a bridge near Shiloh loh leaving its camp flag flying and only a few sick men to protect it one a boy named deem beem was a denber 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 deem beem hauled down the flag undressed wrapped the flag around his body and dressed in larger garments made his way safely through the thick of the fight in time to save gave the regimental flag for this he was commissioned as an officer this flag was presented to professor church of the military academy faculty in 1874 by col crafts J wright of glendale ohio who commanded the thirteenth missouri during that historic sunday battle it was not such a peaceful sunday morning wrote colonel wright my regiment lost 89 killed and wounded in about an hour among them all of my field and stall officers the story or the improvised flag at fort stan w alx ix Is som somewhat paralleled by another improvised flag which Is on 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 troops in an expedition in tho the philippines above Is the off official lelal record but it 1 Is probable that a small number of men were detached from the main body and sent on an expedition during the tha insurrection of 1899 1002 not wishing to be without a flag wherever they went they made mada this one from the material available 0 by western newspaper paper union |
