Historical flags of the United states

Social Studies Review, Spring 2002

This flag represented a group of about one hundred minutemen from Culpeper, Virginia. The group formed part of Colonel Patrick Henry's First Virginia Regiment of 1775. In October-November 1775 three hundred such minutemen, led by Colonel Stevens, assembled at Culpeper Court House and marched for Williamsburg. Their unusual dress alarmed the people as they marched through the country. The words "LIBERTY OR DEATH" was in large white letters on the breast of their hunting shirts. They had bucks' tails in their hats and in their belts, tomahawks or scalping knives.

This flag, the First Navy Jack, is believed to have flown aboard the Continental Fleet's flagship the Alfred, in January 1776. American ships throughout the Revolution used this flag or one of its variations.

The Fort Moultrie flag. Colonel William's South Carolina Militia on Sullivan Island in Charleston Harbor carried this flag on June 28, 1776. The British were defeated by between 50 - 75 men with only a 6-pound cannon and no ammunition. Their victory saved the south from British occupation for another 2 yrs. Some versions of this flag have the word "Liberty" across the bottom of the flag. The South Carolina state flag still contains the moon from this flag.

This flag was never officially sanctioned by the Continental Congress, but is considered the first flag of the United States and was in use from late 1775 until mid 1777. This flag was an alteration of the British Red Ensign. In its blue canton was the red cross of St. George, signifying England, and the white cross of St. Andrew, signifying Scotland. The thirteen stripes signified the original colonies. Retaining the British Union in the canton indicated a continued loyalty, as Americans saw it, to the constitutional government against which they fought. On January 1, 1776, this flag was first raised on Prospect Hill (then called Mt. Pisgah), in Somerville. Massachusetts. At this time the Continental Army came into formal existence. At the time it was known as the continental colors because it represented the entire nation. In one of Washington's letters he referred to it as the Great Union Flag" and it is most commonly called the Grand Union today.

On August 16, 1777 the "Green Mountain Boys" fought under Gen. Stark at the Battle of Bennington. Its green field represented their name and the thirteen white stars on a blue canton were a tribute to the thirteen colonies. A Their notable victory, under Ethan Allen, occurred on the morning of May 10, 1775, when they silently invaded the British held Ft. Ticonderoga and demanded its surrender. Their motto was "In the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress." The captured cannon and mortars were transported across the snow covered mountains of New England and their subsequent installation on the heights over Boston harbor enabled Washington to force the British to leave that important seaport. This was a tremendous victory for the colonial cause and Bostonians celebrated wildly.