Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

colors worn by the handful of Americans hastily called together at the battle of Lexington, but immediately after, the Connecticut troops had standards, bearing on them the arms of that colony, with the motto, Qui transtulit sustinet, in letters of gold, which was freely translated, "God who transported us hither, will support us." By an act of the provincial congress of Connecticut, July 1, 1775, the regiments were distinguished by the colors of their standards, viz: for the 7th, blue, 8th, orange, etc.

In March, 1775, a union flag with a red field having on one side this inscription, Geo. Rex and the Liberties of America, and on the other No Popery, was hoisted at New York. The armed ships of New York of that time are said to have had a black beaver for their device on their flag. This was the device of the colonial seal of New Netherland, and is still seen on the seal of the city of New York.

[graphic]

Netherland.

No description of the union flags of these times has been preserved. Aged people living Colonial Seal of New a few years since who well remembered the processions and the great flags, could not recall their devices, nor has any particular description of them been found in the cotemporaneous private diaries or public newspapers; nevertheless it is more than probable and almost certain, that, these flags were the familiar flags of the English and Scotch union, established in 1707, and long known as union flags, inscribed with various popular and patriotic mottoes.

The Hist. Chronicle of the Gentleman's Magazine under date April 17, 1775, records "by a ship just arrived at Bristol from America, it is reported that the Americans have hoisted their standard of liberty at Salem."

Neither contemporary accounts nor the recollections of old soldiers, are satisfactory respecting the flags used at the battle of Bunker hill, on the 17th of June, 1775. It is not positively

[ocr errors]

Or

1 The British used the following signals: "Signals for boats in divisions, moving to the attack on the rebels on the Heights of Charleston, June 17, 1775, viz.: 1. Blue flag, to advance. Yellow ditto, to lay on oars. Red ditto, to land.". derly Book of Major Gen, Howe.

ascertained that any were used by the Americans, certainly none were captured from them by the British.

A eulogy on Warren, however, written soon after the battle describing the astonishment of the British on the morning of the battle says:

"Columbia's troops are seen in dread array

And waving streamers in the air display."

It is to be regretted that the poet does not give a description of these fanciful waving streamers; probably, says another writer, "they were as various as the troops were motley." Tradition asserts a red flag was used with the motto, Come if you dare.1 Trumbull in his celebrated picture of the battle now in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington has represented a red flag having a white canton bearing a green pine tree.2

In a manuscript plan of the battle, colors are represented in the centre of each British regiment.

Botta 3 says that Doctor Warren, finding the corps he commanded pursued by the enemy, despising all danger stood alone before the ranks endeavoring to rally his men and to encourage them by his example. He reminded them of the motto inscribed on their ensigns, on the one side of which were these words “An appeal to Heaven" and on the other "Qui transtulit sustinet," meaning that the same Providence which brought their ancestors through so many perils to a place of refuge would also deign to support their descendants.

1 At a patriotic celebration in 1825, a flag was borne which was said to have been unfurled at Bunker hill, and tradition states that one was hoisted at the redoubt, and that Gage and his officers were puzzled to read by their glasses its motto. A whig told them it was "Come if you dare."

"This, however, cannot be considered authoritative. Painters frequently take a poet's license and are not always particular in the accuracy of the cotemporary accessories of their paintings. Thus Leutze in his celebrated painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, Dec. 25, 1776, conspicuously displays the American flag with the blue field and union of white stars, although the flag had no recognized existence before the 14th of June following. Yet this inaccurate historical tableau has been selected to embellish the face of the fifty dollar notes of our national banks.

The gold medal awarded to General Daniel Morgan for the battle of Cowpens, January 17, 1781, has on its reverse a mounted officer at the head of his troops charging a flying foe, while behind and over the officer are two large and prominent banners simply striped with thirteen stripes alternate red and white without the stars, though the stars had been for more than three years blazoned on the American ensigns. The medal was probably struck in France.

3 History of American Revolution.

An intelligent old lady (Mrs. Manning) informed Mr. Lossing that her father who was in the battle assisted in hoisting

Revolutionary Flag.

the standard, and she had heard him speak of it as a noble flag. The ground of which was blue with one corner quartered by the red cross of St. George, in one section of which was a pine tree.

On the 18th of July, a month after the battle, Major General Putnam assembled his division on the height of Prospect hill, to have read to it the manifesto of congress signed by John Hancock its president, and countersigned by Charles Thomson, secretary. The reading was followed by a prayer suited to the occasion, and at the close of the prayer, at signal from the general, the troops cried Amen, and at the same instant the artillery of the fort thundered a general salute and the colors recently sent to General Putnam bearing on the one side, the Connecticut motto, "Qui transtulit sustinet," and on the other the recognized motto of Massachusetts, "An appeal to Heaven," were unfurled, the same ceremony was observed in the other divisions.2

Lieut. Paul Lunt in his diary, which has been printed, says: "May 10, 1775, marched from Newburyport with 60 men, Capt. Ezra Lunt, commander, and May 12, at 11 o'clock arrived at Cambridge. * * * June 16, our men went to Charlestown and entrenched on a hill beyond Bunkers Hill. *

June 17, the regulars landed a number of troops and we engaged them. They drove us off the hill and burned Charlestown. July 2, Gen. Washington came into the camp.

July 18th. This morning a manifesto was read by the Rev. Mr. Leonard, chaplain of the Connecticut forces upon Prospect Hill in Charlestown. Our standard was presented in the midst of the regiments with this inscription upon it' Appeal to Heaven,' after which Mr. Leonard made a short prayer, and

[graphic]

2

1 Field Book of the American Revolution, vol. 1, p. 541.

Bancroft's History of the United States. Frothingham's Siege of Boston.

then we were dismissed, by the discharge of a cannon, three cheers and a war whoop by the Indians."

June 19, 1775, two days after the battle of Bunker Hill and before the news could have reached Georgia, there was a meeting of a committee of the leading men of Savannah, to enforce the requirements of the American association. After the meeting a dinner was had at Tondee's tavern, where a union flag was hoisted upon a liberty pole, and two pieces of artillery placed under it.

In September, 1775, Arnold made. his famous expedition through Maine to Canada, and when drifting down the gentle current of the Dead river, came suddenly in sight of a lofty mountain covered with snow, at the foot of which he encamped three days, raising the continental flag over his tent. What its color was, or the devices upon it, we have no means of ascertaining. The mountain is now known as Mount Bigefrom a map published in Paris, 1776 low, tradition asserting that Major Bigelow of Arnold's little army ascended to its summit hoping to see the spires of Quebec.

[graphic]

The Pine Tree Flag,

During Sept., 1775, two strong floating batteries were launched on the Charles river, and opened a fire toward the last of Oc

at the siege of Boston, from an English manuscript.

tober upon Boston that produced great alarm and damaged several houses. They appear to have been made of strong planks pierced near the water line, for oars; and along the sides

American Floating Battery, used higher up for light and musketry. A heavy gun was placed at each end, and upon the top were four swivels. Their ensign was a pine tree flag,' the six schooners first commissioned by Washington and the first vessels commissioned by the united colonies sailed under the pine tree flag. Col. Reed in a letter

1

Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution.

2

Capt. John Selman and Nicholas Broughton were commissioned by Gen. Washington (according to the statement of Selman to Elbridge Gerry), in the fall of

[ocr errors]

from Cambridge to Cols. Glover and Moylan under date Oct. 20, 1775, says: "Please fix upon some particular color for a flag, and a signal by which our vessels may know one another. What do you think of a flag with a white ground, and a tree in the middle, the motto AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN,' 1775, both living at Marblehead. "The latter as commodore of two small schooners, one the Lynch mounting six four pounders and ten swivels, and manned by seventy seamen and the other the Franklin of less force having sixty-five. The commodore hoisted his broad pendant on board the Lynch, and Selman commanded the latter.

"These vessels were ordered to the river St. Lawrence to intercept an ammunition vessel bound to Quebec, but missing her, they took ten other vessels and Governor Wright of St. Johns, all of which were released, as we had waged a ministerial war and not one against our most gracious sovereign."- Letter of E. Gerry to John Adams, dated Feb. 9, 1813.

The form of commission issued by General Washington to the officers of the vessels fitted out by him, under authority of the continental congress, and the officers so commissioned, was as follows:

By his excellency George Washington, Esq., commander-in-chief of the army of the united colonies. To William Burke, Esq.

By virtue of the powers and authorities to me given by the honorable continental congress, I do hereby constitute and appoint you captain and commander of the schooner Warren now lying at Beverly port, in the service of the united colonies of North America, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said office of captain and commander of the said vessel, and to perform and execute all matters and things which to your said office do, or may of right belong or appertain, until further order shall be given herein by the honorable continental congress, myself, or any future commander-in-chief of said army, willing and commanding all officers, soldiers, and persons whatsoever, any way concerned, to be obedient and assisting to you in the due execution of this commission.

Given under my hand and seal, at Cambridge, this 1st day of February, Annoque Domini, 1776. GEORGE WASHINGTON.

By his excellency's command.

To Captain William Burke, of the Warren.

Officers of the armed vessels, fitted out by order of General Washington, on the 1st day

[blocks in formation]

of February, 1776.

Captain and Com....
1st Lieutenant,
2d Lieutenant,
Captain,..

Franklin, ...Samuel Tucker,.... Captain,.

1 January, 1776.

1 January, 1776.

1 January, 1776. 20 January, 1777. 20 January, 1776.

1st Lieutenant,

2d Lieutenant,.

20 January, 1776.

John Desmond,.

[blocks in formation]

20 January, 1776.

Edward Phittiplace,. 1st Lieutenant,
Francis Salter,..

20 January, 1776.

20 January, 1776.

20 January, 1776.

23 January, 1776.

20 January, 1776.

[blocks in formation]

2d Lieutenant,
Captain,....
1st Lieutenant,
2d Lieutenant,
Captain,

1st Lieutenant,.

2d Lieutenant,
Captain,

20 January, 1776. 20 January, 1776.

20 January, 1776.

1 February, 1776.

American Archives, 4th series, vol. iv, pp. 909, 910.

« ZurückWeiter »