| War and History Non-Fiction posted September 14, 2009 | Chapters: |
...22 23 -24- 25... 
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The ingeniousness of the stripes on our flag
A chapter in the book Foxtales From The Front Porch
Thirteen Stripes
by foxtale
With our local National Guard unit called up for active duty overseas, there have been a lot of flags sprouting up on store fronts and front porches all over town. Some flags are old, some brand new, most with fifty stars and some with less, but all with the familiar thirteen red and white stripes; our national colors.
By tradition the first use of a flag with thirteen stripes by our national armed forces was when George Washington received appointment as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. General Washington accepted command and had the "Continental Colors" presented to the assembled troops.
Back in my days as a Scoutmaster I often worked with scouts on the Citizenship in the Nation and American Heritage merit badges. It helped me to learn a lot about our history and our flag too. One summer at a Boy Scout Camp as I stood there with my scouts for the morning flag ceremony, our national flag was hoisted along with a replica of the "Continental Colors." As the camp's flag historian stepped forward and explained the first use of this early American flag, I realized I had even more to respect about George Washington. And I shared my insight with the scouts.
General Washington had a flag hoisted which bore the British Union Jack ensign in the upper left corner over thirteen stripes, alternating red separated by white, which he announced, "Symbolizes the thirteen colonies now separated from our mother country."
What I suddenly recognized was the pure genius of George Washington and that flag. At the time, almost every town militia in the colonies had a Queen Anne Ensign Flag which bore the British ensign in the upper left corner of a solid red flag. Now, by the simple addition of white stripes sewn or painted onto that flag, every local militia could have a national flag of the colonies in rebellion.
Even more ingenious was the perfect propaganda this created; anywhere the armed militia joined the rebellion and changed their flag to fight for freedom, the Tories of that town no longer had a flag with which to welcome the arriving British troops. I am convinced that George Washington consciously planned that.
How ominous that must have been for those arriving Redcoats.
.jfox.
With our local National Guard unit called up for active duty overseas, there have been a lot of flags sprouting up on store fronts and front porches all over town. Some flags are old, some brand new, most with fifty stars and some with less, but all with the familiar thirteen red and white stripes; our national colors.
By tradition the first use of a flag with thirteen stripes by our national armed forces was when George Washington received appointment as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. General Washington accepted command and had the "Continental Colors" presented to the assembled troops.
Back in my days as a Scoutmaster I often worked with scouts on the Citizenship in the Nation and American Heritage merit badges. It helped me to learn a lot about our history and our flag too. One summer at a Boy Scout Camp as I stood there with my scouts for the morning flag ceremony, our national flag was hoisted along with a replica of the "Continental Colors." As the camp's flag historian stepped forward and explained the first use of this early American flag, I realized I had even more to respect about George Washington. And I shared my insight with the scouts.
General Washington had a flag hoisted which bore the British Union Jack ensign in the upper left corner over thirteen stripes, alternating red separated by white, which he announced, "Symbolizes the thirteen colonies now separated from our mother country."
What I suddenly recognized was the pure genius of George Washington and that flag. At the time, almost every town militia in the colonies had a Queen Anne Ensign Flag which bore the British ensign in the upper left corner of a solid red flag. Now, by the simple addition of white stripes sewn or painted onto that flag, every local militia could have a national flag of the colonies in rebellion.
Even more ingenious was the perfect propaganda this created; anywhere the armed militia joined the rebellion and changed their flag to fight for freedom, the Tories of that town no longer had a flag with which to welcome the arriving British troops. I am convinced that George Washington consciously planned that.
How ominous that must have been for those arriving Redcoats.
.jfox.
By tradition the first use of a flag with thirteen stripes by our national armed forces was when George Washington received appointment as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. General Washington accepted command and had the "Continental Colors" presented to the assembled troops.
Back in my days as a Scoutmaster I often worked with scouts on the Citizenship in the Nation and American Heritage merit badges. It helped me to learn a lot about our history and our flag too. One summer at a Boy Scout Camp as I stood there with my scouts for the morning flag ceremony, our national flag was hoisted along with a replica of the "Continental Colors." As the camp's flag historian stepped forward and explained the first use of this early American flag, I realized I had even more to respect about George Washington. And I shared my insight with the scouts.
General Washington had a flag hoisted which bore the British Union Jack ensign in the upper left corner over thirteen stripes, alternating red separated by white, which he announced, "Symbolizes the thirteen colonies now separated from our mother country."
What I suddenly recognized was the pure genius of George Washington and that flag. At the time, almost every town militia in the colonies had a Queen Anne Ensign Flag which bore the British ensign in the upper left corner of a solid red flag. Now, by the simple addition of white stripes sewn or painted onto that flag, every local militia could have a national flag of the colonies in rebellion.
Even more ingenious was the perfect propaganda this created; anywhere the armed militia joined the rebellion and changed their flag to fight for freedom, the Tories of that town no longer had a flag with which to welcome the arriving British troops. I am convinced that George Washington consciously planned that.
How ominous that must have been for those arriving Redcoats.
.jfox.
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