"Know the Truth and the Truth shall make you Free"

The History of The American Flag

Washington takes over at Cambridge on July 3, 1775 to try and get Gage and Howe out of Boston. There were a thousand things wrong with the new army. Short enlistments, no training, desertion, foul language, no respect for officers and many, many more problems. One less problem was the flag. While in Cambridge, Washington, Franklin and Mrs Lynch and Harrison formed a committee to consider and recommend a design for a Colonial flag.

Arrangements were made for them to stay at Cambridge in the home of a well-to-do patriot. The gentleman's house was of modest size having the front room as the guest chamber. This room was already occupied by a somewhat peculiar old gentleman who was staying awhile with the family. The family had only one other vacant room which adjoined the guest chamber.

The elderly gentleman graciously agreed to share his room with a member of the committee. His guest turned out to be Dr. Franklin. In his letter, Franklin wrote, "Little seems to have been known concerning this old gentleman. He was evidently far beyond his three score and ten years; and he often referred to historical events of more than a century previous just as if he had been a living witness of their occurrence; still he was erect, vigorous and active, hale, hearty, and clear minded, as strong and energetic every way as in the mature prime of his life. He was tall, of fine figure, perfectly easy, and very dignified in his manners; Being aat once courteous, gracious and commanding. He was, for those times and considering the customs of the Colonists, very peculiar in his method of living; for he ate no flesh, fowl or fish; he never used as food any green thing, and any roots or anything unripe; and he drank no liquor, wine or ale; but confined his diet to cereals and their products, fruits that were ripened on the stem in the sun, nuts, mild tea and the sweets of honey, sugar or molasses. He was well educated highly cultivated, of extensive as well as varied information, and very studious. He spent considerable of his time in the patient and persistent conning of a number of vary rare old books and ancient manuscripts which he seemed to be deciphering, translating or rewriting. These books and manuscripts, together with his own writings, he never showed to anyone; and he did not even mention them in his conversations with the family, except in the most casual way; and he always locked them up carefully in a large, old fashioned, cubic shaped, iron bound, heavy, oaken chest, whenever he left his room, even for his meals. He took long and frequent walks alone, sat on the brows of the neighboring hills, or mused in the midst of the green and flower-gem meadows. He was fairly liberal but in no way lavish in spending his money, with which he was well supplied. He was quiet, though a very genial and very interesting, member of the family; and he was seemingly at home upon any every topic coming up in conversation. He was in short, one whom everyone would notice and respect, whom few would feel well acquainted with, and whom no one would presume to question concerning himself as to whence he came, why he tarried, or whither he journeyed."

"He was firmly, and in a dignified and assured way, one who was in favor of demanding and of securing justice on the part of the Mother Country toward the Colonies; one of his favorite forms of stating the matter was; " We demand no more than our just due, we will accept and be satisfied with nothing less than we demand." Then he would sometimes add; " We demand our rightful dues - Justice; and we will soon get all we demand - peaceably, if Parliament is wise - forcibly, if need be."

The committee arrived at Cambridge on the morning of Dec. 13th. Their host invited General Washington to dine with them at the house. The dining party was made up of General Washington, the three committeemen, the Professor as he was called, the host and the hostess. The Professor was quite at ease with giving the distinct impression of being quite superior in his abilities, experience and attainments. It seemed quite proper that he was numbered among them. When he shook Dr. Franklin's hand, and their eyes met, Dr. Franklin wrote that there seemed to be an instantaneous recognition of each other. The meal was set on the table soon thereafter and the usual amenities of cordial dining were followed. They were soon discussing the topic of the day, the relation of the Colonies to one another and to the Mother Country, one's relation to Great Britain and thence of course to the design of the flag.

Dr. Franklin noted in his writings that the Professor took a very noticeable part in the conversation. He proved to possess a great deal of accurate information about the colonies. He seemed to understand very well the progress, condition, needs and such of the Colonies. He also understood and was well versed in the principles and operations of British and European statesmanship. He was an earnest patriot and the others found his confidence in the success of the Colonies very encouraging. The hostess of the meal was quite an intelligent woman who earnestly supported all who demand justice for the Colonies. She took part in the conversation also during the discussions, especially when talk turned to the flag. It was readily apparent that she was one of the Professor's followers.

While the members of the party were rising from the table, a brief discussion took place between the committeemen and General Washington about an apparent suggestion put forth by one of the members. There appeared to be a hearty, unanimous assent to the suggestion as Dr. Franklin states in his letter; " As the chairman of this committee, speaking for my associates, with their consent, and with the approval of General Washington, I respectfully invite the Professor to meet with the Committee as one of its members; and we, each one, personally and urgently, request him to accept the responsibility, and give us, and the American Colonies, the benefit of his presence and his counsel. It has already been arranged that General Washington and our worthy host will also meet with us as honorary members." The Professor then stood up, looking taller and much more dignified than usual, I might add, and addressed us as follows;

" I appreciate the compliment bestowed and the humor offered.  I humbly accept the invitation, and I cheerfully assume the responsibility of all I may and do as a co-worker with you.  Since, by your unanimous invitation and my unqualified acceptance, I have become a member of your committee, so that I can in all propriety say Our Committee, I will process at once to offer my first suggestion."

"Gentlemen and Comrades, this is a most important occasion. Upon what we do at this time, and at the regular sessions of this committee that will follow this informal and unofficial meeting, there may depend much of the immediate welfare of the people of the colonies which we represent."

"We are now six, an even number, and not a propitious one for such an enterprise as we now in hand. We cannot spare any one already a member of the committee, even though in so doing we should improve the conditions in one respect, by making our number five; but we must needs increase our number, so we will be seven. This increase of our numbers should be by the introduction of an element that is usually objected to, or even worse than objected to, ignored in all national and political affairs. I refer to Women, the purifying and intuitional element of humanity."

"Let us, therefore, invite our hostess, because she is our hostess, because she is a woman, and above all, because she is a superior woman, to become one of us; and perhaps she will prove a most important factor in solving the important question which we are to consider; for more depends on our work here and now than appears on the surface, to the multitude; and for her patriotism, her intelligence, her fidelity and her discretion, you may, one and all, hold me personally and entirely responsible that is, if any of you suppose that any man's endorsement, in any way, adds to an earnest and good woman's responsibility."

His suggestion was quite an unusual matter for these days, but it was unanimously adopted. The hostess received a formal invitation to become a member of the committee, which she accepted. I do not know what the hostesses name was since Dr. Franklin did not include it in his letter. She acted as secretary, taking notes of the meetings. Thus, the first informal session of the committee ended with the members agreeing to meet again the same evening in the house guest chamber at the afternoon hour.

Dr. Franklin and the Professor went for a long stroll together and he notes in his letters that he and the Professor became quite will acquainted to their mutual satisfaction and enjoyment. Upon their return, it was evident that they had come up with a solution to a perplexing problem. Dr. Franklin said his face was so obviously relieved and confident that the other members noted it immediately at the meeting. Understandably, Washington called on Dr. Franklin to open the meeting with any or all suggestions and recommendations he might have. Dr. Franklin replied that rather than doing as the General asked, he wished to ask the Professor to repeat to them what he had said during their stroll, and if the members were agreeable with the suggested designed of the Professor, there would be no need for further prolonged sessions to recommend the new flag. The members agreed to listen, and the Professor was invited to present his design and his reasons for it. Dr. Franklin's letters contained the following comments made by the Professor.

"Comrade Americans; We are assembled here to devise and suggest the design for a new flag, which will represent, at once, the principles and determination of the Colonies to unite in demanding and securing justice from the Government to which they still owe recognized allegiance. We are not, therefore expected to design or recommend a flag which will represent a new government or an independent nation, but one which simply represent the principle that even kings owe something of justice to their loyal subjects. This, I say, is what we are expected to do, because this is the publicly announced, as well as the honestly entertained intent of the great majority of the people of the Colonies, as well as of their representatives in Congress, and of their soldiers in the field. This is unquestionably true now; for the sun of our political aim like the sun in the heavens, is very low in the horizon, just now approaching the winter solstice, which it will reach very soon. But as the sun rises from his grave in Capricorn, mounts towards his resurrection in Aries and passes onward and upward to his glorious culmination in Cancer, so will our political sun rise and continue to increase in power, light and in glory; and the exalted sun of summer will not have gained his full strength of heat and power in the starry Lion until our Colonial Sun will be, in its glorious exaltation, demanding a place in the governmental firmament alongside of, coordinate with, and in wise subordinate to any other sun of any other nation upon the earth."

"We are now self-acknowledged Colonies, dependencies of Great Britain, which government we, as loyal subjects, vainly sue for justice. We will, ere long, be a self-declared independent nation bestowing upon ourselves the justice for which we now vainly sue. We must, therefore, design and recommend a flag which will now recognize our loyalty to Great Britain, and at the same time announce our earnest and united suit and demand for our rights as British Subjects."

"These demands will, of course, in the future as in the past, be neglected or denied. Our justice demanding and our freedom-loving companions will soon learn that there is no hope for us as British Colonists; and that we can secure the rights we now contend for as well as many more, and more to be prized rights, only as the loyal and united citizens of a free and an independent American Nation."

"General Washington, here is a British Subject; aye, his is a British soldier; and his is in command of British troops; and they are only attempting to enforce their rights as loyal subjects of the British Crown. But General Washington will soon forswear all allegiance to everything foreign; and he will, ere many months appear before his own people, the people of these Colonies, and before the world, as the General commanding the armies of a free and united people, organized into a new and independent nation."

"The flag which we now recommend must be one designed and adapted to meet the inevitable, and soon to be accomplished, change of allegiance. The flag now adopted must be one that will testify our present loyalty as English subjects; and it must be one easily modified, but needing no radical change, to make it announce and represent the new nation which will come to birth, and that not prematurely, but fully developed and ready for the change into independent life before the sun in its next summer's strength ripens our next harvest."

"The field of our flag must, therefore, be an entirely new one. For this there are two reasons either one of which is amply sufficient why it should be so. First, the field must be new, because it will soon represent a new nation. Second, the field must be one hitherto unused as a national flag; because it will represent an entirely new principle in government--The equal rights of man as man."

"While the field of our flag must be new in the details of its design, it need not be entirely new in its elements. It is fortunate for us that there is already in use a flag with which the English Government is familiar, and which it has not only recognized, but also protected for more than half a century, the design of which can be readily modified, or rather extended, so as to most admirably suit our purpose. I refer to the flag of the English East India Company, which is one with a field of alternate longitudinal red and white stripes, and having the cross of St. George for a union. I, therefore, suggest for your consideration a flag with a field composed of thirteen equally wide, longitudinal, alternate red and white stripes, and with the Union Flag of England for a union."

"Such a flag can readily be explained to the masses to mean as follows; The Union Flag of the Mother country is retained as the union of our new flag to announce that the Colonies are loyal to the just and legitimate sovereignty of the British Government. The thirteen Colonies: Their equal width will type the equal rank, rights and responsibilities of the Colonies; The union of the stripes in the field of our flag will announce the unity of interests and the cooperative union of efforts, which the Colonies recognize and put forth in their common cause. The white stripes will signify that we consider our demands just and reasonable; and that we will seek to secure our rights through peaceable, intelligent and statesman-like means, if they prove at all possible; and the red stripes at the top and bottom of our flag will declare that first and last and always, we have the determination, the enthusiasm, and the power to use force, whenever we deem force necessary. The alternation of the red and white stripes will suggest that our reason for all demands will be intelligent and forcible, and that our force in securing our rights will be just and reasonable. All this is in strict accordance with the present public sentiment in the Colonies; for, as I have already said, the masses of the people, and a large majority of the leaders of public opinion, desire a removal of grievances, and a rectification of wrongs, through a fuller recognition of their rights as British Subjects; and few of them desire, and very few of them expect at this time any complete severance of their present political and dependent relations with the English Government."

"There are other weightier and eternal reasons for a flag having the field I suggest; but it will be time enough to consider them when, in the near future, we or our successors, are considering not a temporary flag for associated and dependent Colonies but a permanent standard for a united and an independent nation. Thanking you, one and all, for your complimentary and courtesy and for your patient attention, I submit this miniature drawing of the suggested flag for your intelligent consideration."

The Professor's remarks had a profound impression on the other members. His suggested designed was endorsed and adopted by everyone of them. General Washington and Dr. Franklin gave it especial approval and praise. The design was formally adopted shortly before midnight the 13th of December, 1775. No record of any congressional action upon the report of this committee could be found. There did seem to be any record of any report made by this committee either. However, this design was adopted and recognized by General Washington and the military as their standard.

As quickly as possible, a full sized garrison flag was made in strict accordance with the drawing made by the Professor. General Washington hoisted the new flag with his own hands in an appropriate military ceremony. The Franklin committee took part in this ceremony which placed the banner on a tall pine tree, a liberty pole. This pole had been specially cut and raised to be the proud bearer of the new Confederated Colonial flag. Thus, it waved majestically in the breeze for the first time in view of all of the citizens and the army as well as in view of the British forces then in Boston. This 2nd day of Jan, 1776 at Cambridge marked the first authoritative recognition of a standard which had the Congressional action behind it. It was a banner made to represent the union of the Colonies in their fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice. It also marked the first time in history that thirteen alternate red and white stripes were used as the foundation field of a national flag.

The British Officers at Charleston Heights witnessed the flag raising through their field glasses. They interpreted the flag's design as being very British and gave it thirteen hearty cheers for the thirteen stripes. They followed this with an official thirteen gun salute. This action was another of the mysterious occurrences during the war. Herein I include some verse written about the occasion.

It was indeed a prophecy divine-- That light of grand success should ever shine In gloried brightness, and in matchless might, Upon this flag of Justice, Truth and Right.

Returning to that eventful evening of Dec. 3rd at Cambridge, Dr. Franklin wrote in his letters that both he and General Washington spent the remainder of the night after the committee had adjourned talking with the Professor and comparing their views about the plight of the Colonies. They were in total agreement about pressing vigorously and persistently the Colonists demands for redress of their grievances as well as for the complete recognition of their rights as British Subjects. Although Dr. Franklin and General Washington were very hopeful of success in this endeavor, the Professor had no hope at all.

They all agreed that the continued refusal of Great Britain to comply with their just demands would rapidly ripen and popularize the feelings of the Colonists toward becoming independent. The Professor was quite confident that such occurrence would be accomplished within the coming year. He also insisted that both of the gentlemen with him would play significant parts in forming and establishing the new government. Then he told them that he had suggestions concerning an appropriate design for the new flag of the New American Nation which would soon be recognized by the world. He indicated then that these suggestions and design would be put forth at the proper time and place when such a flag would be considered a practical issue.

The Savior's Flag

USA Civil Flag

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