History Of The Stars And Stripes

The iiu)st iatoresting keident conneetcd with the battle of ftaratnga, was the ünfurlinff lor the firat time the Sairs and Ötripes at tbe surrepdur ol BSrgoytre. Jiunker Hill was fonght lindera red il.ig beuring the m.tio, Vl Coma, il' you duro," but on the 14th of June, 1777, tl:u Continental Oongress resolved 'í Tliit t-hft tiag of tho tbirteen United States be thirteen stripos, alternato red jind white, and the Union bé thirteen stars white on a blue field, regresen ting a new constellation." Tnia was made public on the Sd of September following. Previous to thia our national banïier was the Union Plag eouibining the ■rosses of Si. George and öt. Ansrew (tjjben ironi the English b inner) with Uiirteen stripea ulternate red and white. Tho banner ut St Patriok (Ireland'a inbk'ti:) was ncit combined ivith llio eFoset of Öt. öjoorge and St Andrew in the standard of Great Brituin until 3 SOI, the vear of the union with IreLuid. The 6tnr8 oí tho ncw fl.ig repr;scr,tcd l!:e new cD8t. llation ol' States, the idea taken Irom the uonstetllation Lyra, wliieh aiDifies harmuny. Tho blue ol "!io field was taken 'i'ruin the edges of the CoTönnnten)' banner in Seot and, lii-cuuise significant ol the league and c ve a t ol tSe U ited C !ojttia agaiost oppics.-:o:i - and inuidentally nvolviog vigilance, perseverance and jüstioe. 'Iho Btara were disposed in a circle, symboüsiDg tho perpetuity of thu Union - (he cirelo being the sign of eteri ity. The thirteen stripes showed with tho stars, the number of the United ('olonie-, and denotad the subordinalion .)i' ttiu States to, and tbeir depend ence upon, the Union, as woll as equaü ly among themselves." The whole was i blendlng of tho various fiaga revimu to the Union Flag, viz: the red iiags of tho arrny, and the whito ones ■ f the Ü luting batteries - the gerin of our Navy. The red oolor ulao, wüioh in Ticman days was the ignal of detiunce, deiiotetl d;iring, aud tho white purily. What eloqnenoe do the Stars and Btripeë breathe vvhen their full signiticance is bnowo. A new Cmstellatioi) ; ünionj Purpetoity; a CoveDónt agatDst Opnrestion ; Jastioe; Etjnality; Submünatiou j Courage; Purity. By tho United Btatealawof Januarv 13, 1794, it was enacted " that from nul alter the lst of May, 1795, the ilag of tlio Uiiiicd States be fiftcen stripes, ulternate red and white," and "that the Ur.ion bu fifteen stars white in a bine field." This was National llag during tho war of 1812. On the 4th of April, 1818, Congress allered tho flag by diroc'.ing a return to the thirteen stripee, as foltows: " Be ü cnactcd, (c, Tbat from and nftcr the 4th d;y of J uly nest, the flag if ih-.i TJnited States be thirteen hoiïzontai stripes, altérnate red and white; that the uniou be twenty stare, white in a blue field. " An.il. -. itfurlhcr enacfed, That on t'ie adiiiiásion oi a new State into the Union, one Star be added to the unión of the flag; and that euoh AcMition afruil take cileoton the kh day of July nest Buooeeding such admission." Tho return to the th ir teen stripes was by reason of the inticipation that the addiiion of a stiipo to tho admisión of each S:ate would make tho ilar te o unvviüljly. The o!d number of Btnpee al-o perpefuated tho original nimiber of States of the Union, while the addition of lbo stars showcd the Union in its osisiing sla!e. The Ihg phinted by our troops in the city { .Mexico, at the conclusión of the Mexican war, bore thirty stars. Tho size oí the tLig for the army is íeet six e-hos in length by four üjet foor inohea in width, with seveD red and six white stripes. The first seven stripes (four rod and thtee white) buuiul tho eqaare of the blue field for tho Btarp,tbe stripes extending from the extremity of the field to the end of ñ.g. Tl.e oighth stripo is white, oxteading partly at the base of tlu field. The number of the stars is thirty-four. Sjccoss to the Fla, of our Nation ! lts folds all arounj us be spread ! It is Ulazed with desda of the valiunt, An.l siicred witb niimc of the dead. Tlie stni-8 nre tlie synibol of Union ; In union Ihey ever must wave ! The white is iho emMeai of honor, The red is the blood of the brave. Sueccsf to the Flag of our Nat ion ! Let it sweep o'er the land and the sea ! The shades of our héroes nre round it, Beneath it, the rank of the Free. We will keep it j'oung glory unsulliej, In the ages to oome as the past ; Uprear it bencon of freedom, Unbowed, bhrough all storing to the laet