Chapter III: Ensigns, Flags and Pennants

The National Flag of a country is the flag which bears the device of the nation, the emblem by which the nationality of the state is shown.

An Ensign is the flag or insignia used to show the nationality of the armed forces of a nation; more properly speaking, it is the colors displayed by a ship of war or carried by a regiment of soldiers.

In some countries flags of different designs from those of their national flags are prescribed to be carried by the troops of the armies or displayed as “colors” by the ships of war, but in the United States of America the National Flag, the “Stars and Stripes,” is carried by the Army and displayed as the colors by all ships of the Navy.

The flag of the United States was authorized by a resolution of Congress of June 14, 1777, reading as follows:

_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.

For the design of the flag made in accordance with this resolution it was decided to make the stripes of equal width and the stars five-pointed.

Vermont was admitted as a State in 1791 and Kentucky was admitted in 1792, and as a result an act of Congress approved on January 13, 1794, provided:

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.

The rapid increase in the number of States in the succeeding years caused much confusion regarding the exact design of the flag and there came to be a great diversity as to the numbers of stars and stripes. In order to clear up all doubt the Fifteenth Congress passed an act, which was approved by the President on April 4, 1818, entitled,

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in
congress assembled_, 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 in a blue field.