Part 61

In the beginning of the hostilities the Connecticut troops had standards displaying the arms of the Colony, with the motto. The flag displayed by General Putnam had a red field with the motto of Connecticut: “_Qui transtulit sustinet_” (“He who transplanted us will sustain us”), on one side; on the other, “An appeal to Heaven.” The floating batteries at the same time had a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, and the motto “Appeal to Heaven.”

Trumbull, who was both soldier and artist, in his celebrated picture of the battle of Bunker Hill, represents our troops as displaying a flag combined of the two last mentioned--a red flag with a pine tree on a white field in the corner--and it is probable that just such a flag was used in that battle.

When, in 1775, South Carolina displayed a flag at the taking of Fort Johnson by Colonel Moultrie, it is described as one having a crescent in the quarter of a blue field. There were various others, but they were soon supplanted by the “Great Union Flag” we have spoken of already.

In 1776, a flag was presented to Congress by Colonel Gadsden for the use of the infant navy. It had a yellow field, a rattlesnake with thirteen rattles, coiled to strike, and the motto, “Don’t tread on me.” The device of a rattlesnake was a favorite one with the colonists at this period, and was frequently adopted as a heading by the newspapers of the day; being represented as cut into thirteen parts, and the initial of one of the colonies on each, with the motto “Join or die.” The British used to make great fun in those times of many peculiarities of the Rebels, as they were called, and one of the jokes was directed against the fondness of the Americans for the number thirteen, which was suggested, of course, by the number of the Colonies. Some of the witticisms in this connection were personal and rather vulgar, but one was that “every well-organized rebel household has thirteen children, all of whom expect to be generals and members of the high and mighty Congress of the thirteen United States when they attain thirteen years; that Mrs. Washington has a mottled tom cat (which she calls in a complimentary way Hamilton) with thirteen yellow rings round his tail, and that his flaunting it suggested to the Congress the adoption of the same number of stripes for the rebel flag.”

The Province of Massachusetts adopted a flag to be worn by the cruisers of that Colony, which was white, with a green pine tree in the middle, and the inscription “Appeal to Heaven;” being the same as that used on the floating batteries. The great Union flag, without the crosses, and with a rattlesnake and “Don’t tread on me,” was also used as a naval flag. Different corps also carried different flags, with many devices, in the land service, but the “Great Union Flag,” which was first unfurled on the first of January, 1776, over the new Continental army at Cambridge, was particularly the banner of the United States.

The stars and stripes, substantially as we see them to-day, were not adopted for the standard of the United States until some time after the Declaration of Independence. On the 14th of June, 1777, Congress passed a resolution, which was not made public until the following September, 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.” The new constellation, which it was intended should be represented, is supposed to be Lyra, which in ancient times was the symbol of harmony and unity among men. The difficulty of representing a constellation on a standard probably led to a modification of the plan, and a circle of thirteen stars was chosen, signifying union and eternal endurance. Red is the emblem of courage and fortitude; white, of purity; and blue, of constancy, love, and faith.

The flag, as thus authorized, was used at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, October, 17th, 1777. Admiral George Preble, whose history of the flag is the greatest and most exhaustive work upon the subject, says: “It will probably never be known who designed our union of stars, the records of Congress being silent upon the subject, and there being no mention or suggestion of it in any of the voluminous correspondence or diaries of the time, public or private, which have been published. It has been asked why the stars on our banner are five-pointed, while those on our coins are six-pointed, and always have been so. The answer is, that the designer of our early coins followed the English, and the designer of our flag, the European custom. In the heraldic language of England, the star has six points; in the heraldry of Holland, France, and Germany, the star is five-pointed.”

But, in the same work, an account is given, which is of the highest interest, in regard to the actual manufacture of the flag which we know so well, and revere so greatly.

In June, 1776, almost a year before the present flag was adopted by solemn resolution of Congress, General Washington was in Philadelphia for about a fortnight, being called on from New York to advise with Congress on the state of affairs just previous to the Declaration of Independence.

At that time there lived in Philadelphia a Mrs. Ross, whose house is still standing at what was formerly No. 89, and now 239 Arch street. It is little changed to-day from its general appearance of more than a century ago.

Mrs. Ross was a well-known upholsterer, and a committee, which had been considering the important question of a flag, visited her, in company with General Washington, as the most likely person to be able to carry out their views, and asked her to make a flag from a certain design of which they produced a rough drawing. At her suggestion, it is said, this was redrawn by General Washington in pencil in Mrs. Ross’ back parlor. From this she made a specimen flag, which was afterwards adopted by Congress. Mr. Canby, who wrote a paper about this origin of the actual flag, which he read before the Pennsylvania Historical Society, in 1870, was a descendant of Mrs. Ross on the mother’s side, and at the time he wrote the paper there were three daughters of Mrs. Ross living, and a niece, then ninety-five, who all relied for their accounts of the transaction upon what Mrs. Ross had told them. They said that when “Colonel George Ross and General Washington visited Mrs. Ross and asked her to make the flag, she said: “I don’t know whether I can, but I’ll try;” and directly suggested to the gentlemen that the design was wrong, the stars being six-cornered and not five-cornered (pointed), as they should be. This was altered and other changes made.”

Whether this account is correct or not has been made a matter of much discussion by persons interested in the early history of our country. There is one thing certain; it came from _report_ of three people, reduced to writing, and _not_ from tradition. Mr. Canby said that he was eleven years old when Mrs. Ross died in his father’s house, and he well remembered her telling the story. The mother and two of the sisters of Mr. Canby were then living and in good memory. One of his aunts succeeded to the business, and continued making flags for the navy-yard and arsenals, and for the mercantile marine for many years, until, being conscientious on the subject of war, she gave up the government business, but continued the mercantile until 1857.

It is altogether probable that General Washington, with Colonel Ross, who was no relation of Mrs. Ross, and Robert Morris, did call upon Mrs. Ross to make flags, for General Washington knew Mrs. Ross very well. In fact, she made his shirt ruffles and many other things, especially while he resided in Philadelphia as President of the United States.

The first change in the flag provided by the Act of Congress which we have quoted was in the year 1794. Then Congress passed a resolution: “That from and after the first day of May, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, the flag of the United States be fifteen stripes, alternate red and white. That the union be fifteen stars, white in a blue field.” This was approved on January 13th, 1794. Already new States had been formed.

The next change was in 1818; when the resolution of Congress was that: “From and after the fourth day of July next, the flag of the United States be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be twenty stars, white on a blue field; and that, on the addition of a new State into the Union, one star be added to the union of the flag; and that such addition shall take effect on the fourth day of July next succeeding such admission.” The present arrangement of the stars on the flag is well known, and the arrangement is such as to admit of addition when a new State is admitted.

In regard to the use of flags in the navy we may say that there are no admirals or vice-admirals at present allowed by law. Our navy now has only rear-admirals. When the three grades existed the distinguishing flags were of blue bunting, bearing four, three, or two stars, according to the rank of the officer: and, in the same way, carried at the main, fore, or mizzen.

Sometimes it happens that two or more admirals are in company, and then the senior flies the blue flag, the next in rank the red, and the last the white, each with the stars as described. The Secretary of the Navy, when on aboard a vessel of the navy always flies a flag peculiar to his office--being a blue flag with the stars--in other words, the union of the national flag.

When the President embarks in a naval vessel the fact is denoted by hoisting the national colors at the main, he being Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy.

The courtesy of the flag on board a man-of-war embraces so many points that they would be wearisome to the ordinary reader. We may only say that, in the case of two vessels meeting at sea, the national flag is always displayed. If one ship is a warship and the other a merchant vessel of another country, or of her own, and she does not respond, the man-of-war is apt to compel her to do so, especially under any suspicious circumstances. When a man-of-war leaves a harbor at an earlier hour than that usual for hoisting the colors she always hoists hers first as she proceeds seawards, and each ship lying in the port hoists her ensign until the outgoing vessel has passed, when it is hauled down again, to await the regular hour for hoisting it with the honors.

In seaports, when the flag of a newly-arrived man-of-war is saluted, that flag is always shown at the fore, of the saluting vessels at the first gun, and promptly hauled down when the last gun of the salute is fired.

VESSELS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

+-----+--------+-------+--------+----------+ | | Dis- | | | | | | place- | | | | NAME | Keel| ment, | Speed,| Horse- | | AND CLASS. |Laid.| Tons. | Knots.| power. | Cost. | -----------------+-----+--------+-------+--------+----------+ ARMORED VESSELS.| | | | | | _Seagoing | | | | | | Battleships._ | | | | | | Indiana | 1891|10,288 | 15.54 | 9,738 |$3,020,000| Iowa | 1893|11,410 | 16 | 11,000 | 3,010,000| Maine | 1888| 6,682 | 17.4 | 9,293 | 2,500,000| Massachusetts | 1891|10,288 | 15 | 9,000 | 3,020,000| Oregon | 1891|10,288 | 15 | 9,000 | 3,180,000| Texas | 1889| 6,315 | 17 | 8,000 | 2,500,000| Kearsarge | 1896|11,525 | 16 | 10,000 | 3,150,000| Kentucky | 1896|11,525 | 16 | 10,000 | 3,150,000| Alabama | ...|11,000 | 16 | ... | 3,750,000| Illinois | ...|11,000 | 16 | ... | 3,750,000| Wisconsin | ...|11,000 | 16 | ... | 3,750,000| | | | | | | _Armored | | | | | | Cruisers._ | | | | | | Brooklyn | 1893| 9,271 | 20 | 16,000 | 2,986,000| New York | 1890| 8,200 | 21 | 17,401 | 2,985,000| | | | | | | _Ram._ | | | | | | Katahdin | 1891| 2,155 | 17 | 4,800 | 930,000| | | | | | | _Dbl. Turret | | | | | | Mons._ | | | | | | Amphitrite | 1874| 3,990 | 12 | 1,600 | 3,178,046| Miantonomoh | 1874| 3,990 | 10.5 | 1,426 | 3,178,046| Monadnock | 1874| 3,990 | 14.5 | 3,000 | 3,178,046| Monterey | 1889| 4,084 | 13.6 | 5,244 | 1,628,950| Puritan | 1875| 6,060 | 12.4 | 3,700 | 3,178,046| Terror | 1874|13,990 | 12 | 1,600 | 3,178,046| | | | | | | _Sing. Turret | | | | | | Mons._ | | | | | | Ajax | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 626,582| Comanche | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 613,164| Canonicus | 1862| ... | 6 | 340 | 622,963| Catskill | 1862| ... | 6 | 340 | 427,766| Jason | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 422,766| Lehigh | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 422,766| Mahopac | 1862| ... | 6 | 340 | 635,374| Manhattan | 1862| ... | 6 | 340 | 628,879| Montauk | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 423,027| Nahant | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 413,515| Nantucket | 1862| ... |5 to 7 | 340 | 408,091| Passaic | 1862| ... |5 to 6 | 340 | 423.171| Wyandotte | 1862| ... | 6 | 340 | 633,327| | | | | | | UNARMORED | | | | | | STEEL VESSELS. | | | | | | Atlanta. | 1883| 3,000 | 15.6 | 4,030 | 617,000| Baltimore | 1887| 4,413 | 20.09 | 10,064 | 1,325,000| Boston | 1883| 3,000 | 15.6 | 4,030 | 619,000| Charleston | 1887| 3,730 | 18.2 | 6,666 | 1,017,500| Chicago | 1883| 4,500 | 15.10 | 5,084 | 889,000| Cincinnati | 1890| 3,213 | 19 | 10,000 | 1,100,000| Columbia | 1891| 7,375 | 22.8 | 18,509 | 2,725,000| Minneapolis | 1891| 7,375 | 23.7 | 20,362 | 2,690,000| Newark | 1888| 4,098 | 19 | 8,869 | 1,248,000| Olympia | 1891| 5,870 | 21.6 | 17,313 | 1,796,000| Philadelphia | 1888| 4,324 | 19.6 | 8,815 | 1,350,000| Raleigh | 1889| 3,213 | 19 | 10,000 | 1,100,000| San Francisco | 1888| 4,098 | 19.5 | 9,913 | 1,428,000| | | | | | | _Cruisers._ | | | | | | Detroit | 1890| 2,089 | 18.7 | 5,227 | 612,500| Marblehead | 1890| 2,809 | 18.4 | 5,451 | 674,000| Montgomery | 1890| 2,089 | 19.5 | 5,580 | 612,500| | | | | | | _Gunboats._ | | | | | | Bennington | 1888| 1,710 | 17.5 | 3,436 | 490,000| Castine | 1891| 1,177 | 16 | 2,199 | 318,500| Concord | 1888| 1,710 | 16.8 | 3,405 | 490,000| Helena | 1894| 1,392 | 13 | 1,600 | 280,000| Machias | 1891| 1,177 | 15.4 | 2,046 | 318,000| Nashville | 1894| 1,371 | 14 | 1,750 | 280,000| Petrel | 1887| 892 | 11.7 | 1,095 | 247,000| Wilmington | 1894| 1,392 | 13 | 1,600 | 280,000| Yorktown | 1887| 1,710 | 16.14 | 3,392 | 455,000| Annapolis | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| Vicksburg | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| Newport | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| Princeton | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| Marietta | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| Wheeling | 1896| 1,000 | 12 | 800 | 230,000| | | | | | | _Special Class._ | | | | | | Bancroft | 1891| 839 | 14.3 | 1,213 | 250,000| | | | | | | _Dispatch Boat._ | | | | | | Dolphin | 1883| 1,488 | 15.5 | 2,253 | 315,000| | | | | | | _Dynamite | | | | | | Cruisers._ | | | | | | Vesuvius | 1887| 929 | 21.4 | 3,794 | 350,000| Torpedo Cruiser | ...| ... | ... | ... | ... | | | | | | | _Torpedo Boats._ | | | | | | Cushing | 1888| 105 | 22.5 | 1,720 | 82,750| Ericsson | 1892| 120 | 24 | 1,800 | 113,500| Stiletto | | 31 | 18.2 | 359 | 25,000| Foote | 1896| 142 | 24.5 | 2,000 | 97,500| Rodger | 1896| 142 | 24.5 | 2,000 | 97,500| Winslow | 1896| 142 | 24.5 | 2,000 | 97,500| Porter | 1896| 130 | 27.5 | ... | 147,000| Du Pont | 1896| 180 | 27.5 | | 147,000| Rowan | 1896| 182 | 26 | 3,200 | 150,000| Plunger | | | | | | (Submarine) | 1896| 168 | 8 | 1,200 | 150,000| Dahlgren | 1897| 146 | 30.5 | 4,200 | 194,000| T. A. M. Craven | 1897| 146 | 30.5 | 4,200 | 194,000| Farragut | 1897| 273 | 30 | 5,600 | 227,500| Davies | 1897| 128 | 22.5 | 1,750 | 81,546| Fox | 1897| 128 | 22.5 | 1,750 | 85,000| Morris | 1897| 103 | 22.5 | 1,750 | 89,000| Talbot | 1887| 46.5| 20 | 850 | 39,000| Gwin | 1897| 46.5| 20 | 850 | 39,000| MacKensie | 1897| 65 | 20 | 850 | 48,500| McKee | 1897| 65 | 20 | 850 | 45,000| Stringham | 1897| 340 | 30 | 7,200 | 236,000| Goldsborough | 1897| 247.5| 30 | 7,200 | 214,500| Bailey | 1897| 235 | 30 | 5,600 | 210,000| | | | | | | OLD NAVY VESSELS| | | | | | _Old Iron | | | | | | Vessels._ | | | | | | Alarm | 1874| 800 | 10 | 600 | ... | Alert | 1873| 1,020 | 10 | 365 | ... | Monocacy | 1863| 1,370 | 11.2 | 850 | ... | Michigan | 1844| 685 | 10.5 | 305 | ... | Pinta | 1865| 550 | 8.5 | 190 | ... | Ranger | 1873| 1,020 | 10 | 365 | ... | | | | | | | _Old Wooden | | | | | | Vessels._ | | | | | | Adams | 1874| 1,375 | 9.8 | 550 | ... | Alliance | 1873| 1,375 | 9.9 | 668 | ... | Enterprise | 1873| 1,375 | 11.4 | 790 | ... | Essex | 1874| 1,375 | 10.4 | 505 | ... | Hartford | 1858| 2,780 | 12 | 2,000 | ... | Lancaster | 1858| 3,250 | 9.6 | 733 | ... | Marion | 1871| 1,900 | 11.2 | 753 | ... | Mohican | 1872| 1,900 | 10.6 | 613 | ... | Thetis | ...| 1,250 | 7.5 | 490 | ... | Yantic | 1864| 900 | 8.3 | 225 | ... | -----------------+-----+--------+-------+--------+----------+