Category — Historic & Military Flags

Between the years 1795 and 1818 is the only time when the U.S. flag had more than thirteen stripes. Recognizing the addition of Kentucky and Vermont, the new flag enlarged to fifteen stars and fifteen stripes. This was the flag of a newly independent nation struggling to keep it newly won freedom.

The Star Spangled Banner Flag.

The battleship USS Constitution flew this flag defending American vessels and asserting U.S. sovereignty in battles against the Barbary pirates. Ultimately, the Constitution defeated several British warships during the War of 1812. She earned the nickname “Old Ironsides” when British shells seemed to bounce of her hull. Today, the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned battleship afloat. She may be visited at Charlestown Navy Yard at the end of Boston’s Freedom Trail. United States Flags may be flown for individuals from the ships riggings. Make requests to the ship’s Flag Coordinator found on the USS Constitution’s official Web site.  A certificate signed by the ship’s commander to record the event will be returned with the flag.

During the Battle of Baltimore in the same war, the flag gained its endearing name, “The Star Spangled Banner.” Poet Francis Scott Key coined the name as he penned our national anthem, “and the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”  Key saw the huge flag flying over Fort McHenry on the morning after the battle.  He knew the fortress had not surrendered, and he found inspiration to write the beloved poem.  Fort McHenry may be visited today in Baltimore’s harbor. A reproduction of the Star Spangled Banner flies over the star shaped fortress.

Sailors aboard USS Constitution raise 15 star & 15 stripe U.S. flag.

The original flag, which flew over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, has become the nation’s most cherished artifact.  Torn and tattered by battle and years of neglect, having suffered the removal of souvenir patches, and having deteriorated through the passage of time—the banner has been the subject of several preservation projects.  At a cost of two million dollars, the latest monumental preservation effort has secured the flag for future generations.  The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is home to the conserved flag.  When visiting Washington, D.C. don’t miss a visit to view the Star Spangled Banner.

If you are not planning a visit to Washington, visit the Smithsonian’s official Web site (http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb) for the Star Spangled Banner’s.  It will amaze and inspire you.

On June 14th in 1777 the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution proposed by the Marine Committee:  “Resolved: that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

On first glance, the description seems sufficient.  Knowing, as we do, what the first U.S. flag looked like, we mentally check off the items:  thirteen red and white stripes, check; a union, check; thirteen white stars on blue, check.  Yes, everything is there.  On the other hand, there are many details not clearly defined in that resolution.  Is it seven red stripes or only six?  How big is the union?  How many points does each star have?  What is the pattern for the stars?  A circle of thirteen?  Twelve stars in a circle surrounding a central star?  Or are the stars displayed in rows?  How many rows?  Is the flag square or rectangular?  If we had never seen an American flag, we would have a lot of questions that the Flag Resolution did not answer.  Many variants are possible all following the description in the flag resolution.

Strangely, the flags actually used during the American Revolution were even more diverse than that.  It was not uncommon for early U.S. flags to boast red, white and . . . blue stripes.   As a matter of fact, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, our commissioners to France, described the flag in 1778 as follows:  “It is with pleasure that we acquaint your Excellency that the flag of the United States of America consists of 13 stripes, alternately red, white and blue; a small square in the upper angle, next to the flag staff, is a blue field, with 13 white stars, denoting a new Constellation.”

Some illustrations of the period show U.S. flags with red white and blue stripes.  John Paul Jones sailed into the Dutch harbor at Texel in 1779 with two ships.  One was an American vessel, the Alliance.  The second was a British ship that Jones had captured.  The British protested to Dutch authorities that the ships did not fly recognized national ensigns; therefore, Jones and his crews were pirates.  Quietly, the Dutch sent an artist down to the wharf with instructions to paint illustrations of the flags flying from the two American ships.  They then placed the pictures in their files.  When the British complained again, the Dutch pulled out the paintings of the two flags.  The Dutch did recognize the flags as genuine national flags.  A few years later, in 1793, a sheet of national flags was published in Augsberg, Germany.  It showed the U.S. flag labeled in French “Pavillion du Congrés Americain,” which translates “Flag of American Congress.”  It also shows red, white and blue stripes.This points out that there were actually many variations of the Stars and Stripes in the early years of the republic.  Details were pretty much left up to the flag maker.  If it had stars, stripes and was red white and blue, that was close enough.  Today, all of these questions have been answered.  The description for the United States flag is extremely specific in every detail.  Even the ratios of each dimension are spelled out.  If the hoist (width) is given the ratio value of 1.0, then the fly (length) is 1.9.  Even the ratio of the stars has been computed.  Each of the fifty stars is officially designated as being a ratio of 0.0616 of the hoist.  Click for the chart here.

Also, learn more here…

If you want to make a flag, better get out your scientific calculator.  Better yet, buy a ready made flag.  Colonial Flag will make sure you get a flag that is correct.  Three cheers for the red white and blue!

The Bedford flag is one of quite a few battle flags out there with somewhat of a controversial or (better said) mysterious history to it.  Today, the Bedford flag is possibly the oldest “battle flag” with regards to the American Revolution.  Some historic professionals have claimed that this special flag was flown by the Bedford Minuteman Company and, also, was flown at the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, all the way back in 1775.

The Bedford Flag.

One particular question remains pretty much unanswered to this day: when and where was the Bedford flag made?  Some evidence available takes us back to the early 18th century.

Now, the Bedford flag was made from crimson silk damask, with on top of this material, the actual design of the flag.  The image on both side of the Bedford flag is not the same.  One side of the flag displays “VInce Aut Morire” which is Latin for conquer or die reading from the top of the Bedford flag to the bottom on one side, and in the opposite direction on the other side.  Also, the sword which is displayed behind the motto on one side, is displayed in front of the motto on the other side of the flag.

Historic professionals out there have been inclined to say that the Bedford flag was a flag that was made for a another cavalry, some 310+ years ago, because of it’s similarity.  However, with the aid of science, this possibility was discarded after in-depth analysis was performed on the paint used on the emblem of the Bedford flag.  Outcome of this analysis concluded that this paint type did not exist till 1704, some 20 to 30 years later.

Lots more can be said, or even discussed I am very sure, with regards to the history of the this special battle flag.  Now, whatever ends up being the Bedford flag’s history, it is still on display in the Bedford Free Public Library, in Bedford, Massachusetts.