Chapter II: Part 2

"Those who have the general welfare of the United English Colonies
in North America sincerely at heart, who wish to see peace
restored, and her liberties established on a solid foundation, may,
at present, be divided into two classes, viz.: those who 'look
forward to an independency as the only state in which they can
perceive any security for our liberties and privileges,' and those
who 'think it not impossible that Britain and America may yet be
united.'

"If the present struggle should end in the total independence of
America, which is not impossible, every one will acknowledge the
necessity of framing what may be called the 'Constitution of the
United English Colonies.' If, on the other hand, it should
terminate in a reunion with Great Britain, there yet appears so
evident a necessity of such a constitution that every good man must
desire it."[42]

[42] American Archives, 4th series, vol. iv. p. 467.

This letter shows the importance the Union of the Colonies, lately entered into, held in the mind of the public. Prior to its being entered into, its necessity was thus forcibly indicated to the public mind. The newspapers commonly bore the device of a disjointed snake, represented as divided into thirteen portions. Each portion bearing the initials of one of the colonies, and under it the motto, "Join, or die." Thus impressed, we can readily perceive how naturally they seized upon the flag in use in the mother country and its dominions, as an emblem of union among the members of that mother country, to indicate the necessity of it among the colonies, and, by displaying it from liberty-poles, &c., indicated the object for which union was necessary, viz.: to secure the liberty of British subjects.

The first authentic account of the display of the Union flag, as the flag of the united colonies, is from the pen of General Washington, in a letter addressed to Colonel Joseph Reed, his military secretary.

"CAMBRIDGE, January 4, 1776.

"DEAR SIR: We are at length favored with a sight of his majesty's
most gracious speech, breathing sentiments of tenderness and
compassion for his deluded American subjects. The echo is not yet
come to hand, but we know what it must be; and, as Lord North said
(and we ought to have believed and acted accordingly), we now know
the ultimatum of British justice. The speech I send you. A volume
of them was sent out by the Boston gentry; and, farcical enough, we
gave great joy to them, without knowing or intending it; for, on
that day, the day which gave being to the new army, but before the
proclamation came to hand, we had hoisted the Union flag in
compliment to the united colonies. But, behold! it was received in
Boston as a token of the deep impression the speech had made upon
us, and as a signal of submission. So we hear, by a person out of
Boston, last night. By this time, I presume, they begin to think it
strange that we have not made a formal surrender of our lives."

[From _Philadelphia Gazette_], note to the above, in _American Archives_.

"PHILADELPHIA, January 15, 1776.

"Our advices conclude with the following anecdote: That, upon the
king's speech arriving at Boston, a great number of them were
reprinted and sent out to our lines on the 2d of January, which,
being also the day of forming the new army, The Great Union Flag
was hoisted on Prospect Hill, in compliment to the United Colonies.
This happening soon after the speeches were delivered at Roxbury,
but before they were received at Cambridge, the Boston gentry
supposed it to be a token of the deep impression the speech had
made, and a signal of submission. That they were much disappointed
at finding several days elapse without some formal measure leading
to a surrender, with which they had begun to flatter themselves."

We observe, in General Washington's letter, that the Americans, "farcical enough," "without knowing or intending it," led the Boston gentry to imagine them about to surrender, because a Union flag was displayed, which was only displayed in compliment to the United Colonies on the day the army, organized under the orders of Congress, _subsequent_ to the union of the thirteen colonies, came into being. And, in the extract from the newspaper account of this, that the flag was displayed on Prospect Hill, and that it must have been a peculiarly marked Union flag, to be called The Great Union Flag. As this was the name given to the national banner of Great Britain, this indicates this flag as the national banner of the United Colonies. Lieutenant Carter, a British officer, very naturally explains both these circumstances. He was on Charlestown Heights, and says: January 26, 1776: "The king's speech was sent by a flag to them on the 1st inst. In a short time after they received it, they hoisted an Union flag (above the continental with thirteen stripes) at Mount Pisgah; their citadel fired thirteen guns, and gave the like number of cheers."[43]

[43] Siege of Boston, p. 283.

This account of the flag, from Lieut. Carter, is corroborated by the following from the captain of an English transport, to his owners in London, when taken in connection with the extract subjoined to it, taken from the _British Annual Register_ for 1776. The captain writes:--

"BOSTON, Jan. 17, 1776.

"I can see the rebels' camp very plain, whose colors, a little
while ago, were entirely red; but, on the receipt of the king's
speech (which they burnt), they have hoisted the Union Flag, which
is here supposed to intimate the union of the provinces."[44]

[44] American Archives, 4th series, vol. iv. p. 711.

The _Annual Register_ says: "The arrival of a copy of the king's speech, with an account of the fate of the petition from the Continental Congress, is said to have excited the greatest degree of rage and indignation among them; as a proof of which, the former was publicly burnt in the camp; and they are said, on this occasion, to have changed their colors from a plain red ground, which they had hitherto used, to a flag with thirteen stripes, as a symbol of the number and union of the colonies."[45]

[45] British Annual Register, 1776, p. 147.

We have already shown that the first flag spoken of in both the above accounts (Flag No. 3) in our Table, bore certain mottoes; and not being precise in the description of the flag, which for months had been displayed before their eyes, we may expect inaccuracies in the description of a flag newly presented to them, and which, even to an officer on Charlestown Heights, who, as appears, was at some pains to describe it, appeared to be _two_ flags; and remembering that this flag was supposed to be displayed on the receipt of the king's speech, the following account of the colors of British regiments explains why it was especially regarded by the British as a token of submission.

"The kings, or _first_ color of every regiment, is to be the Great Union throughout.

"The _second_ color is to be the color of the facing of the regiment, with the Union in the upper canton, except those regiments which are faced with red, white, or black.

"The first standard, Guidon, or color of regiments of the line, is not to be carried by any guard but that of the King, Queen, Prince of Wales, Commander-in-chief, or Admiral of the Fleet, being of the royal family; and, except in those cases, it is always to remain with the regiment."[46]

[46] King's Regulations for the British Army, Colors, &c.

From the above we see that, to the mind of a British officer, the Union flag, supposed to have been displayed in connection with the receipt of the king's speech, above a flag with thirteen stripes, would indicate an acknowledgment of the supremacy of the king over the United Colonies, supposed to be represented in the thirteen stripes.

Without further proof, therefore, we may conclude that the "Union" flag, displayed by General Washington, was the union of the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew, with thirteen stripes through the field of the flag. (See Fig. 2, Plate II.)

On the evacuation of Boston by the British, this standard was, on the entrance of the American army into Boston, carried by Ensign Richards.[47]

[47] American Archives, 4th series, vol. v. p. 423.

While we may fairly infer from General Washington's letter, that this emblem of union had presented itself to his mind as such, we may also infer from his not describing its accompanying devices, to mark the compliment to the United Colonies, that he supposed Colonel Joseph Reed, his military secretary, fully acquainted with them; and from this we may conclude Colonel Reed had something to do with its preparation. This conclusion is strengthened by the fact, that Colonel Joseph Reed was Secretary to the Committee of Conference sent by Congress to arrange with General Washington the details of the organization of the army, which went into being January 2, 1776. And, at the very time that Committee was in session at the camp at Cambridge, we find Colonel Reed having the subject of flags under consideration. To the reply to a letter written by him at that time, we may possibly trace the origin of the use of a modification of the British ensign, a drawing of which is given under Queen Anne's proclamation before quoted, as the flag of the United Colonies. And we shall give good reasons to conclude that this modification consisted in applying to its red field a sufficient number of white stripes, to divide the whole into thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, as above shown; and we will show the propriety of this by establishing the fact that a _stripe_ was the badge of rank in the ununiformed army that assembled about Boston in defence of liberty.

Colonel Joseph Reed, Secretary to the Committee of Conference from Congress, and Military Secretary of General Washington, the Committee being then in session, wrote, October 20, 1776: "Please fix upon some particular color for a flag and a signal by which our vessels may know one another.[48] What do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, the motto, 'Appeal to Heaven?' This is the flag of our floating batteries." To which Colonels Glover and Moylan replied, October 21, 1775: "That as Broughton and Selman, who sailed that morning, had none but their old colors, they had appointed the signal by which they could be known by their friends to be 'the ensign up to the maintopping lift."[49]

[48] From this, we may justly conclude that the Committee of
Conference, composed of Dr. Franklin, Mr. Lynch, and Mr.
Harrison, had the subject of the flag under consideration,
and that the flag prepared under their supervision was the
one displayed as the flag of the United Colonies, on the day
the army organized by them, General Washington, &c., went
into being.

[49] Siege of Boston, p. 261.

This ensign, which is called their "old colors," must have been the ensign spoken of and described in Queen Anne's proclamation. (See Fig. 7, Plate I.) Since we have seen _one_ ensign prescribed 1707, for the merchant ships and vessels of Great Britain, and the dominions thereunto belonging, and that no change was made until 1801. This being the case, the ensign of the colonial cruisers, inasmuch as they were armed merchant vessels, must have been the British ensign displayed at the maintopping lift. There were several reasons for this; the most forcible of which were, that it being usual to have no special place for the display of the national ensign at sea, but the custom being to exhibit it in such part of the vessel from which it could be most conveniently observed by the strange sail (on which occasion only it was worn at sea), to adopt a particular place for its display would be to give it a new character; one peculiarly happy for the then state of affairs, as it would betray the _English_ transports to the colonial cruisers, and would not betray the _Colonial_ cruisers to the British ships of war, as "the maintopping lift" must have been such a position as would not attract the attention of those not in the secret. This reply of the gentlemen charged with the continental or colonial cruisers, would readily have suggested a modification of the British ensign for the ensign of the United Colonies of North America; for the transition, in the adoption of a flag, from a particular place for the display of a particular flag, to some modification of the same flag, was both natural and easy; especially, as a slight modification of this flag would enable them to indicate the number of colonies, while the emblem of union would happily indicate the union of those colonies, and at the same time would have justified them in saying, in their address of December 6, 1775, "Allegiance to our king. Our words have ever avowed it, our conduct has ever been in keeping with it," as having acknowledged their dependence on the mother country, even in the flag with which they were to struggle against her.

Before we proceed to consider the origin of the stripes, we shall give an account of the same flag as displayed on the fleet fitted out at Philadelphia about this time, so as to fix, beyond a doubt, this emblem of _union_. As a preliminary, we will give a short extract of the sailing orders given to Benedict Arnold's fleet,[50] when he set out on his expedition to Canada. They may be found at length in Major Meigs's journal of that expedition.

[50] Mass. Historical Collections, 2d series, vol. ii. p.
228.

"1st Signal." "For speaking with the whole fleet, _ensign_ at maintopmast head."

"2d Signal." "For chasing a sail, ensign at foretopmast head."

"6th Signal." "For boarding any vessel, Jack at maintopmast head, and the whole fleet to draw up in a line as near as possible."

The Jack, or Union, or Union Jack, as it was and is called, was and is, to this day, in the navy of Great Britain, the flag of the admiral of the fleet; and was probably, as such, worn by the vessel of the commander-in-chief of this expedition, and its use probably suggested the adoption of a standard for the commander-in-chief of the first American fleet, Flag No. 7, in our table. The date of sailing of the above fleet was Sept. 19, 1775, before the letter of Colonels Glover and Moylan, speaking of the "old colors," was written (the date of the latter was Oct. 21, 1775), and the use of the terms jack and ensign strengthens the conclusion that the term "old colors" meant British colors, for we shall find, in the orders of the first American fleet, that the ensign and jack are called the striped ensign and Jack.

In this connection, we give a few extracts from the sailing orders of the first American fleet, "given the several captains in the fleet, at sailing from the Capes of Delaware, Feb. 17, 1776."[51]

[51] American Archives, 4th series, vol. iv. p. 1179.

"Sir: You are hereby ordered to keep company with me, if possible, and truly observe the signals given by the ship I am in."

"In case you are in any very great danger of being taken, you are to destroy these orders and your signals."

SIGNALS FOR THE AMERICAN FLEET BY DAY.

"For chasing: For the whole fleet to chase, a red pennant at the foretopmast head." We have already said that, since the time of the Romans, a red flag has been the signal to prepare for battle.

"For seeing a strange vessel: Hoist the ensign, and lower and hoist it as many times as you see vessels, allowing two minutes between each time."

Supposing this _ensign_ to be a Union flag, observe the similarity between this signal and that for the lighthouse and castle in Boston Harbor in 1720; "the lighthouse," as we have already stated, "in time of war makes a signal to the castle, and the castle to the town, by hoisting and lowering the Union flag so many times as there are ships approaching."

"For the Providence to chase: A St. George's ensign with stripes at the mizzen peak."

"For a general attack, or the whole fleet to engage, the standard at the maintopmast head, with the _striped_ Jack and ensign at their proper places."

Now let us look at some of the descriptions of the colors of this fleet, both by American and British writers.

SAILING OF THE FIRST AMERICAN FLEET.

"NEWBERN, NORTH CAROLINA, February 9, 1776.

"By a gentleman from Philadelphia, we have received the pleasing
account of the actual sailing from that place of the first American
fleet that ever swelled their sails on the Western Ocean, &c.

"This fleet consists of five sail, fitted out from Philadelphia,
which are to be joined at the capes of Virginia by two more ships
from Maryland, and is commanded by Admiral Hopkins, a most
experienced and venerable sea captain."

"They sailed from Philadelphia amidst the acclamations of thousands
assembled on the joyful occasion, under the display of a Union
flag, with thirteen stripes in the field, emblematical of the
thirteen United Colonies."[52]

[52] American Archives, 4th series, vol. iv. p. 965.

And the following extract from a letter, dated New Providence, West Indies, of which Island Admiral Hopkins took prisoner the governor, &c.[53]

[53] Ibid. vol. v. p. 823.

This letter was kindly furnished by Colonel Peter Force, editor of the _American Archives_, and may be found in the _London Ladies' Magazine_, vol. vii. July 1776, p. 390.

"NEW PROVIDENCE, May 18, 1776.

"The colors of the American fleet were striped under the
_Union_, with thirteen strokes, called the United Colonies,
and their standard, a rattlesnake; motto--'Don't tread on me.'"

The following extract was furnished by the same gentleman, to whom I cannot too warmly return my thanks for the facilities and assistance he has afforded me.

"WILLIAMSBURG, VA., April 10, 1776.

"The Roebuck [a British cruiser] has taken two prizes in Delaware
Bay, which she decoyed within her reach, by hoisting a
_Continental Union Flag_."

Reference to this letter not obtained, but in support of its correctness, see affidavit of Mr. Barry, master's mate, ship Grace, captured by the Roebuck, to be found in the _Pennsylvania Evening Post_, June 20, 1776, vol. ii. No. 221.

It is unnecessary to multiply proof on this subject. The term _union_, in these accounts, both by American and British writers, at sea and land, by the interpretation we give it, explains and harmonizes all of them. We therefore proceed to consider the other and what may be called the distinctive devices--we mean the stripes on this Continental Union Flag.

Under the head of Ensign (_Brande's Dictionary_), we are told: "Men of war carry a red, white, or blue ensign, according to the color of the flag of the admiral." By the 1st Article of the union between England and Scotland, we have seen that the ensigns, both "at sea and land," were to embody the union of the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew conjoined; hence the colors, red, white, &c., only apply to the field of the ensign.

In the extract from the King's Regulations for the British Army, we have shown that the ensign of the different regiments differed in color according as the facings of the uniforms of the particular regiments to which they belonged differed. We have seen, in the Crusades, the different nations were distinguished by different colored crosses on their surcoats, from which the particular colored cross was transferred to the national banners of at least Scotland and England. Here the striking distinction was color. The same practice prevailed at the time of the Revolution in the colonies.--See the Proceedings of the Provincial Congress of Connecticut, "July 1, 1775. One standard for each regiment, distinguished by their color, as follows, viz.: For the seventh, blue; for the eighth, orange."[54]

[54] American Archives, 4th series, vol. ii. p. 1582.

With this practice of nations, then, before them, and evidently applied by them, viz.: that of applying some badge of distinction in use in their armies to their national banner, combined with that of indicating different portions of their armies by different colors for their flags; and of two nations, when uniting, adopting as a common ensign something to indicate their union, and still preserve the original banners (both as to devices and color), under which they had respectively achieved signal triumphs, especially as this last example was that of the mother country, we may expect to see the colonies carrying out this practice in their Union flag.

They were British colonies: and, as we have shown, they used the British Union, but now, they were to distinguish their flag by its color from other British ensigns, preserve a trace of the colors under which they had previously fought with success, and, at the same time, represent this combination in some form peculiar to themselves.

The mode of distinction by color could not well be applied by the United Colonies in a single color, as the simpler and most striking were exhausted in application to British ensigns; but, if applied, must have been used in a complex form or combination of colors. This being the case, stripes of color would naturally be suggested as being striking, as enabling them to show the number and union of the colonies, _as preserving the colors of the flags previously used by them_; and also the badge of distinction, which, at the time of the adoption of this flag, marked the different grades in the ununiformed army before Boston. Hence, probably, the name, _The Great Union Flag_, given to it by the writer in the _Philadelphia Gazette_, before quoted, doubtless Colonel Joseph Reed, inasmuch as this flag indicated, as respected the Colonies, precisely what the Great Union Flag of Great Britain indicated respecting the mother country.

The only point that now remains for us to establish is, that a stripe or ribbon was the badge in common use in the army of the colonists before Boston. In proof of this, we quote the following extracts from the orders of General Washington.

"HEAD-QUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, July 14, 1775.

("Countersign, Inverness. Parole, Halifax.)

"There being something awkward as well as improper in the general
officers being stopped at the outposts, asked for passes by the
sentries, and obliged, often, to send for the officer of the guard
(who, it frequently happens, is as much unacquainted with the
persons of the generals as the private men), before they can pass
in or out, it is recommended to both officers and men, to make
themselves acquainted with the persons of all officers in general
command, and, in the mean time, to prevent mistakes, the general
officers and their aides-de-camp will be distinguished in the
following manner: The commander-in-chief, by a light blue ribbon
worn across his breast, between his coat and waistcoat; the majors
and brigadiers general by a pink ribbon worn in like manner; the
aides-de-camp, by a green ribbon."[55]

[55] American Archives, 4th series, vol. ii. p. 1662.

"HEAD-QUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, July 28, 1775.

("Parole, Brunswick. Countersign, Princeton.)

"As the continental army have unfortunately no uniforms, and
consequently many inconveniences must arise from not being able
always to distinguish the commissioned officers from the
non-commissioned, and the non-commissioned from the privates, it is
desired that some badges of distinction may be immediately
provided; for instance, the field officers may have red or pink
colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and
the subalterns green. They are to furnish themselves accordingly.
The sergeants may be distinguished by an epaulette or stripe of red
cloth sewed upon the right shoulder, the corporals by one of
green."[56]

[56] American Archives, 4th series, vol. ii. p. 1738.

"HEAD-QUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, July 24, 1775.

("Parole, Salisbury. Countersign, Cumberland.)

"It being thought proper to distinguish the majors from brigadiers
general, by some particular mark for the future, the majors general
will wear a broad purple ribbon."

Having thus established the use of the stripe as a badge of
distinction, we have completed our proofs in reference to the Union
flag displayed by General Washington before Boston, January 2,
1776. And to perceive how simple and natural is the deduction of
the ensign of the army and fleet of the United English Colonies of
North America, from the national ensign of Great Britain, it is
only necessary to compare Fig. 7, Plate I. and Fig. 2, Plate II.

Having made some observations in reference to the mottoes on
several of the flags given in our table, we would now invite
attention to the religious character of those on the colonial
flags, viz.: _Qui transtulit sustinet_, and an "Appeal to Heaven."
In the famous effort of colonial vigor, which, resulting in the
capture of Louisburg, surprised the world in 1745, we learn, from
Belknap's _History of New Hampshire_, vol ii. p. 157, that the
flag used bore the motto, _Nil desperandum Christo Duce_. A
motto furnished by the celebrated George Whitfield. This last
flag, under the treaty of union, must have been an Union flag,
probably, similar to the British ensign above given, or perhaps
with a white field, to which color the New England people were
partial (see the colors of the Massachusetts cruisers, Flag No. 8,
in our table), with the motto above given inscribed on the field.

May we not conclude that, when the flags embodying such mottoes
were dispensed with, some reference to them would still be
preserved, as would be the case by preserving in the flag which
replaced them the colors of the flags laid aside?

THE RATTLESNAKE UNION FLAG.

The letter previously quoted, dated New Providence, May 13, 1776, says: "And their standard, a rattlesnake;" motto--"Don't tread on me." This _standard_ is thus described, viz.:--

"In CONGRESS, February 9, 1776.

"Colonel Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard,
such as is to be used by the Commander-in-chief of the American
Navy, being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a
rattlesnake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and
the words underneath, 'Don't tread on me.'[57]

"_Ordered_, That the said standard be carefully preserved and
suspended in the Congress room."

[57] American Archives, 4th series, vol. v. p. 568. South
Carolina Provincial Congress.

Before I proceed, I shall offer one or two remarks on this device of the rattlesnake, to show that it also, as well as the British crosses, was an emblem of union, and that it was seized upon as one _then_ (December, 1775) in use, and familiar.

In 1754, in the _Philadelphia Gazette_, when Benjamin Franklin was editor of that paper, an article appeared, urging _union_ among the colonies as a means of insuring safety from attacks of the French. This article closed with a wood-cut of a snake divided into parts, with the initials of one colony on each division, and the motto, "Join, or die," underneath, in capital letters.[58] (See Fig. 3, Plate II.)

[58] Franklin's Works, vol. iii. p. 25.

When union among the colonies was urged, in 1774-6, as a mode of securing their liberties, this device, a disjointed snake, divided into _thirteen_ parts, with the initials of a colony on each division, and the motto, "Join, or die," was adopted as the head-piece of many of the newspapers. When the union of the colonies took place, this was changed, for the head-pieces of the newspapers, into the device adopted on the standard, viz.: a rattlesnake in the attitude of going to strike, and into an _united_ snake. (Under both forms of this device, was the motto, "Don't tread on me.")

The seal of the War Department is the only public instrument in use, exhibiting evidence of the rattlesnake's having played an important part as a device in the American Revolution. The old seal of 1778, and the more modern seal now in use, both bear the rattlesnake (with its rattles as the emblem of union), and a _liberty cap_ in contiguity with it; the _liberty cap_ enveloped by the body, so that the opened mouth may defend the _rattles_, and liberty cap, or _union_ and liberty, with the motto, "This we'll defend." (See Fig. 4, Plate II.)

The following account of this device, supposed to be from the pen of Benjamin Franklin, indicates fully why it was adopted, and will be found in the _American Archives_, vol. iv. p. 468.

"PHILADELPHIA, December 27, 1775.

"I observe on one of the drums belonging to the marines now
raising, there was painted a rattlesnake, with this motto under it,
'Don't tread on me.' As I know it is the custom to have some device
on the arms of every country, I suppose this may have been intended
for the arms of America; and, as I have nothing to do with public
affairs, and as my time is perfectly my own, in order to divert an
idle hour, I sat down to guess what could have been intended by
this uncommon device. I took care, however, to consult, on this
occasion, a person who is acquainted with heraldry, from whom I
learned that it is a rule, among the learned in that science, 'that
the worthy properties of the animal, in the crest-born, shall be
considered;' he likewise informed me that the ancients considered
the serpent as an emblem of wisdom; and, in a certain attitude, of
endless duration--both which circumstances, I suppose, may have
been had in view. Having gained this intelligence, and recollecting
that countries 'are sometimes represented by animals peculiar to
them,' it occurred to me that the rattlesnake is found in no other
quarter of the world beside America, and may, therefore, have been
chosen on that account to represent her.

"But then, 'the worthy properties' of a snake, I judged, would be
hard to point out. This rather raised than suppressed my curiosity,
and having frequently seen the rattlesnake, I ran over in my mind
every property by which she was distinguished, not only from other
animals, but from those of the same genus or class of animals,
endeavoring to fix some meaning to each, not wholly inconsistent
with common sense.

"I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness that of any
other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may, therefore, be
esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor,
when once engaged, ever surrenders. She is, therefore, an emblem of
magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all
pretensions of quarrelling with her, the weapons with which nature
has furnished her she conceals in the roof of her mouth; so that,
to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a
defenceless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and
extended for defence, they appear weak and contemptible; but their
wounds, however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this,
she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her
enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her. Was
I wrong sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and
conduct of America?

"The poison of her teeth is the necessary means of digesting her
food, and at the same time is certain destruction to her enemies.
This may be understood to intimate that those things which are
destructive to our enemies, may be to us not only harmless, but
absolutely necessary to our existence. I confess I was wholly at a
loss what to make of the rattles, till I went back and counted
them; and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the
colonies united in America; and I recollected, too, that this was
the only part of the snake which increased in number.

"Perhaps it might be only fancy, but I conceited the painter had
shown a half-formed additional rattle; which, I suppose, may have
been intended to represent the province of Canada. 'Tis curious and
amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the
rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united
together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to
pieces. One of these rattles singly is incapable of producing
sound; but the ringing of thirteen together is sufficient to alarm
the boldest man living. The rattlesnake is solitary, and associates
with her kind only, when it is necessary for their preservation. In
winter, the warmth of a number together will preserve their lives:
while, singly, they would probably perish. The power of fascination
attributed to her, by a generous construction, may be understood to
mean, that those who consider the liberty and blessings which
America affords, and once come over to her, never afterwards leave
her, but spend their lives with her. She strongly resembles America
in this, that she is beautiful in her youth, and her beauty
increaseth with her age, 'her tongue also is blue, and forked as
the lightning, and her abode is among impenetrable rocks.'

"Having pleased myself with reflections of this kind, I
communicated my sentiments to a neighbor of mine, who has a
surprising readiness at guessing at everything which relates to
public affairs; and indeed, I should be jealous of his reputation
in that way, was it not that the event constantly shows that he has
guessed wrong. He instantly declared it as his sentiments, that the
Congress meant to allude to Lord North's declaration in the House
of Commons, that he never would relax his measures until he had
brought America to his feet; and to intimate to his lordship, that
if she was brought to his feet, it would be dangerous treading on
her. But, I am positive he has guessed wrong, for I am sure that
Congress would not condescend, at this time of day, to take the
least notice of his lordship, in that or any other way. In which
opinion, I am determined to remain, your humble servant."

The yellow flag, with the rattlesnake in the middle, and the words underneath, "Don't tread on me," (see Fig. 5, Plate II.,) the standard for the Commander-in-chief of the American Navy, was probably the flag referred to by Paul Jones, in his journal.

Paul Jones was commissioned first of the first lieutenants in the continental navy. "This commission, under the United Colonies, is dated the 7th of December, 1775, as first lieutenant of the Alfred. On board that ship, before Philadelphia, Mr. Jones hoisted the flag of America, with his own hands, the first time it was ever displayed, as the commander-in-chief embarked on board the Alfred." (Page 34, _Life and Correspondence of Paul Jones_.)

From the foregoing account, it will be perceived that the first flag adopted by the army of the colonists before Boston, was a red flag, with the mottoes, _Qui transtulit sustinet_, and "An Appeal to Heaven." By the combination of these mottoes, the union of Massachusetts and Connecticut, in defence of their outraged liberties, was doubtless intimated; and, taken in connection with those mottoes, the color of the flag indicated that, trusting in the God of battles, they defied the power of the mother country. About this time, too, the floating batteries, the germ of the navy subsequently organized, bore a white flag, with a green pine-tree, and the motto, "Appeal to Heaven." These flags were adopted before the union of the _thirteen_ colonies was effected.

After that union, and upon the organization of the army and fleet, these flags were supplanted by one calculated to show to the world the union of the North American colonies among themselves, and as an integral part of the British Empire, and as such demanding the rights and liberties of British subjects. And a flag combining the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew united (the distinctive emblem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain), with a field composed of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, the combination of the flags previously used in the camp, on the cruisers, and the floating batteries of the colonies, was adopted for this purpose, and called THE GREAT UNION FLAG.

The union implied both the union of the colonies represented in the striped field, which was dependent upon it, and the nationality of those colonies. The thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, constituting the field of the flag, represented the body of that union, the number of the members which composed it, as well as the union of the flags, which had preceded this Great Union Flag.

We assume that the colors of those stripes were alternate red and white, inasmuch as those were the colors in the first flag of the United States, and we presume no change, not absolutely necessary, was made, in altering the flag of the United Colonies to that of the United States. There is no evidence of their being of that color, except the universally received tradition that such was the case.

The colors of those stripes, alternate red and white, indicated on the part of the colonies, thus represented as united, the defiance to oppression, symbolized by the red color of the flag of the army, and red field of the flag of the continental cruisers together, with the purity implied by the white flag of the floating batteries, of which the motto was, "Appeal to Heaven."

Lest these conclusions should seem far fetched, we would again advert to the fact, that in the present Union, or national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, not only are the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick united, but the colors of the fields of the banners of St. George, of England, St. Andrew, of Scotland, and St. Patrick, of Ireland, are preserved.

In the case of the colonies, everything that tended to call to mind previous triumphs would have been studiously preserved, and the red and white flags were identified with the successes of Bunker Hill, (for tradition says the flag on that occasion was red, and that a Whig told General Gage that the motto was, "Come, if you dare,")[59] and the various successes of the siege of Boston, prior to Jan. 2, 1776.

[59] Frothingham's Siege of Boston.

The use of the stripes, besides indicating the union of the above flags, for the purpose before indicated, would, as a badge of distinction for the Great Union Flag of the colonies, have carried the minds of those who were marshalled under it back to the moment when the tocsin of war sounded at Lexington--called them, "generals" as well as "private men,"--in the garbs in which they were pursuing their peaceful avocations, to arms in defence of liberty. And we of the present day should regard them as hallowed, by having been employed by General Washington as the first step towards introducing subordination into the army, which achieved our independence. In those stripes we may perceive the necessity indicated of the subordination of each State to the Union, while their equality under the Union is also intimated, by there being nothing to indicate that any particular State was represented by any particular stripe. There being seven red stripes, doubtless arose from that being the color of the principal flags represented in the combination of colors, for certainly the flags of the army and cruisers must have had pre-eminence over that of the floating batteries.

The striped Union flag was the colonial colors, both at sea and land, but there was also, as we have seen, a standard such as was used by the commander-in-chief of the American navy, being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattlesnake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and the words underneath, "Don't tread on me." The color of the snake, as represented, was dark. This circumstance goes strongly to prove the correctness of our conclusion, that the example of the mother country was followed in the preparation of the flags of this period--for the quarantine flag of the mother country was a _yellow_ flag with a dark spot, a representation of the plague-spot in the middle--those colors were, doubtless, chosen for the rattlesnake flag, to indicate the deadly character of the venom of the rattlesnake, and the danger of treading on it.

But we have before stated that the rattlesnake first appeared as a snake divided into thirteen parts, each part marked with the initials of the colony to which it corresponded, and beneath them the motto, "Join, or die," indicating the necessity of union. And that, the union being effected, the initials on the parts were dropped (thus indicating the equality of the colonies under the Union), and the parts were united in the form indicated in this standard, and beneath it the words, "Don't tread on me," implying the consciousness of strength derived from that union, of which, we have seen, the rattlesnake was an emblem indigenous to America, while at the same time the serpent implies eternal duration. This, then, may properly be called the Rattlesnake Union Standard, and the other, the Great Union, or Striped Union Flag; and together they indicated that existence as a people was inseparable from union--the strength resulting from that union--the necessary subordination of each colony to the whole Union, the intimate connection of the colonies composing the Union, their equality and perpetuity under it, and the power of fascination in the Union and harmony in the colonies, which would draw everybody to America, and cause those who had once tasted the liberty and blessings she enjoys, never to leave her, but to "spend their lives with her."

Having thus described the flags of the United Colonies, and shown that they were emblematic of union, and hence called Union flags, in imitation of the prevailing custom of the mother country, we now proceed to consider the Flag of the United States, described in the following Resolution of Congress, passed June 14, 1777:--

"_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."

This resolution was made public September 3, 1777; and Colonel Trumbull represents the flag made in pursuance of it as used at Burgoyne's surrender, October 17, 1777.

From the above resolution and what has preceded, it is apparent that the object of that resolution was simply to give the authorization of Congress to a color existing, so far as the stripes and part of the flag called the union were concerned; but it is worthy of remark that the character of the new emblem for that union is specially described as representing "a new constellation."

The use of some emblem of union different from the British crosses, the United States having declared themselves free and independent States, was eminently natural, but the description of the emblem substituted for them as "representing a new constellation," involves the idea that some constellation, in some way emblematic of union, had been presented to the minds of those adopting this resolution. It may be said that the adoption of a star, as the representative of a State, would naturally lead to the idea of a constellation; but, as the emblem to be altered was one of union, we are inclined to think that the first idea suggested was that of some constellation, which of itself implied union, and that the representation of a State by a star was involved in it.

The question that now arises is, was there any constellation which implied union? The answer is, there was the constellation Lyra. The next point is, to ascertain if the first flag displayed under this resolution bore that constellation. If not, in what form the stars were presented on that flag, and whether any connection can be traced between it and the constellation Lyra.

Let us first consider the fitness of the constellation Lyra to indicate union. In Charles Anthon's _Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities_, we find the following account of the Lyra. He says:--

"Lyra. The Latin name _fides_, which was used for a lyre as well as a cithara, is probably the same as the Greek [Greek: sphides], which, according to Hesychius, signifies gut-strings; but Festus takes it to be the same as _fides_ (faith), _because the lyre was the symbol of harmony and unity among men_." The quotation from the Astronomicon of Manilius, presented in the following letter from Mr. Charles Francis Adams, grandson of Mr. John Adams, confirms the attributes above ascribed to the lyre, and its corresponding constellation "Lyra."

QUINCY, May 18, 1852.

DEAR SIR: Your letter of the fourth came upon me unprepared to
answer it without investigations, which I have ever since been
hoping to pursue, but thus far in vain. Not a moment has been at my
command since I received it, and as I am now expecting every moment
to depart for Washington, I fear that I must give up all idea of
doing more hereafter, at least in season for any object of yours.

With the exception of a few letters to and from Generals Green,
Sullivan, Parsons, and Ward, there are no memorials remaining in my
hands of my grandfather's services while chairman of the Board of
War. He had no time to copy or record papers, so that very few are
left. I am not aware of the existence of any journal or other
record of the action of the body, nor of any further history of it
than is given in his lately published diary. I am, therefore,
wholly unable to give you any light upon the question of the origin
of the American colors.

With regard to the other design, of the eagle, with the lyre on its
breast, and the stars of the constellation Lyra, I can only say
that I possess the seal which was the original form in which the
device was presented. There it has the motto, _Nunc sidera
ducit_, taken from the Astronomicon of Manilius, describing the
effect of the Lyre of Orpheus,

"At Lyra diductis per coelum cornibus inter Sidera conspicitur,
qua quondam ceperat Orpheus Omne quod attigerat, cantu,
manesque per ipsos Fecit iter, domuit que infernas carmine
leges. Hinc coelestis honos, similisque potentia causae: Tunc
silvas et saxa trahens, nunc sidera ducit, Et rapit immensum
mundi revolubilis orbem."

II. 331-337.

It is my opinion that, although this last line does not appear, my
father had it in his mind when applying the device to the American
passport, but I have not had the leisure to look for any
explanation he may have himself left of it. His papers are
voluminous, and I have barely as yet glanced at any part of their
contents. This must be my apology for sending you so unsatisfactory
a reply.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

(Signed,) CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

The following is a translation of the above quotation:--

Conspicuous among the stars, its horns wide spread over the heavens, is the Lyre, with which Orpheus was wont to captivate everything to which he addressed his song, and even made a journey through Hades itself, and put to sleep the infernal laws. Hence, its celestial honor; and, by the same power with which it then drew rocks and trees along, it now leads the stars, and _whirls along the immense orb of the revolving world_.

This last line shows that the constellation Lyra, as an emblem of union for the United States, would have been an amplification of the attribute of "fascination" ascribed to the Rattlesnake, as an emblem of union for the United States, in the account we have already given of the Rattlesnake as such, in describing the standard of the commander-in-chief of the American navy; for the constellation Lyra would not only imply "that those who consider the liberty and blessings which America affords, and once come over to her, never afterwards leave her, but spend their lives with her," but that by their union and harmony the United States would "whirl along the immense orb of the revolving world," to follow their example in their forms of government.

Having thus shown how appropriate the constellation Lyra would have been as an emblem of the union of the United States, we proceed to ascertain if the first flag displayed under the resolution of June 14, 1777, bore that constellation. In Trumbull's picture of the surrender of Burgoyne, and Peale's picture of Washington, the thirteen stars are represented as arranged in a circle; it now remains to show the existence of some record exhibiting a connection between the constellation Lyra and the circle of thirteen stars.

We find this record on a form for a passport of the United States, prepared under Mr. John Quincy Adams, when Secretary of State, in 1820, which form is now in use. In adopting the form in question, the arms of the United States, previously used on U.S. passports, were replaced by a circle of thirteen stars surrounding an eagle, holding in his beak the constellation Lyra, and the motto, _Nunc sidera ducit_.

Mr. W. J. Stone, of Washington City, gives the following account of the preparation of the device above described, and presented in the vignette to the title-page. In it, the constellation Lyra is represented as radiating into a circle of thirteen stars.

MOUNT PLEASANT, WASHINGTON CITY, May 8, 1852.

MY DEAR SIR: I find, on examination, that on the 25th of August,
1820, I engraved for the Department of State, by order of J. Q.
Adams, Secretary of State, a plate for a passport, at the head of
which was a spread eagle, drawn to encompass the constellation
Lyra.

The drawing was made by me, according to particular verbal
directions given by Mr. Adams. I have a distinct recollection of
having submitted the drawing to Mr. Adams, for approval, previous
to engraving.

Very respectfully, your obedt. servt.

(Signed,) W. J. STONE.

Had not this device been substituted, on the form for a United States passport, for the arms of the United States, by Mr. John Quincy Adams, we should not consider the constellation Lyra, radiating into a circle of thirteen stars, as having any special meaning; but as, at the time the circle of thirteen stars was introduced into the flag of the United States as an emblem of union, his father, Mr. John Adams, was chairman of the Board of War, we think it has.

On page 6, vol. iii. of the _Life and Writings of John Adams_, we find the following entry in his journal:--

"The duties of this Board kept me in continual employment, not to
say drudgery, from the 12th of June 1776, till the 11th of November
1777." Again: "Other gentlemen attended as they pleased, but, as I
was chairman, or as they were pleased to call it, president, I must
never be absent."

A change being contemplated in the emblem of union in the flag, the Board of War would, doubtless, have had charge of the preparation of the substitute; and from the above, we perceive the chairman must have been particularly connected with its preparation.

We have thus presented the data upon which is based the conclusion that the constellation Lyra was originally proposed for the union of our Flag, in 1777, at the time the circle of thirteen stars was adopted. The reasons for that conclusion are the following:--

It was a Union flag that was to be altered. The United States having become independent of Great Britain, the British emblem of union was no longer appropriate; some other emblem of union was to be substituted.

The constellation Lyra was a time-honored emblem of union. The language of the resolution of June 14, 1777, evidently has reference to such an emblem, representing a constellation. The Lyra was not adopted. A circle of thirteen stars was. At this time, Mr. John Adams was chairman of the Board of War.

Mr. John Adams's son became Secretary of State in 1820. Striking out the arms of the United States, he presented on the passport a device, representing the constellation Lyra radiating into a circle of stars--the stars thirteen in number. At this time there were twenty-one States in the Union--hence this circle of thirteen stars referred to an earlier day. The first instance of a circle of thirteen stars being used as a national device, was in the U. S. Flag, and its being presented on the passport must have referred to that use of it, as constituting it a well-known emblem of the United States, indicative of their union, while the constellation Lyra, occupying the centre of this circle, indicates the origin of the circle of stars, as an emblem of union "representing a new constellation," in that time-honored emblem of union. The other circumstances we have adduced point to Mr. John Adams as the source from which his son derived his information. We suppose the circle of stars was preferred to the Lyra because it indicated the perpetuity of the Union, which was distinctly intimated by the Rattlesnake Standard, laid aside when the flag of the United States, commonly called the Stars and Stripes, was adopted. It may not be improper to observe that these deductions are in keeping with the general rules, presented in our Introduction, as deduced from the practices of nations relative to national emblems.