At this time of year we recall that on June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the following resolution:
That the flag of the United States shall be of thirteen stripes of alternate red and white, with a union of thirteen stars of white in a blue field, representing the new constellation.
It is thought that the red, white, and blue standard which represented the fledgling nation flew first in a small battle near Brandywine on September 3, 1777, and for many battles thereafter.
However journal accounts from August 3, 1777, tell an impassioned story of Fort Stanwyx in New York. Having heard of the commission of a new flag two months earlier, yet not having one of their own when the enemy was approaching from afar:
a respectable one was formed the white stripes were cut...the blue strips out of a Cloak…The red stripes out of different pieces of stuff collected from sundry persons. The Flagg was sufficiently large and a general Exhilaration of spirits appeared on beholding it Wave the morning after the arrival of the enemy.
A more famous story of our flag has amazing details that have seldomly been told.
On September 13, 1814, attorney Francis Scott Key boarded a British ship in the Chesepeake Bay to negotiate a prisoner's release.
In what seemed to be really bad timing, Key realized he was forced to remain on board because the British had begun the bombardment of Fort McHenry, about four miles in the distance.
Anxiously Key endured twenty-five hours of watching perilous rockets and bombs released from the ship into the dark of night with one fateful objective.
As the red fingers of dawn rose in the sky, Key anxiously looked out towards the smoldering fort where he saw the rising of the large garrison flag unfurl over the fort.
Early in the war the commander of the garrison, Major George Armistead, wanted to be prepared lest the British attack.
Determined not only to win any future battle, he also wanted to send a clear message: to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty in seeing it from a distance.
Thus, in 1813, Armistead commissioned the sewing of an enormously large flag, 30 feet by 42 feet, along with a smaller version, 17 feet by 25 feet.
While it is thought that the smaller flag was flown during the twenty-five hour bombardment, what we do know is that the large garrison flag was unfurled after the battle to boldly proclaim victory.
At that exultant moment Key jotted down the words to what became our national anthem:
O say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave
What is the significance of a flag flying during battle?
Historically banners, or flags, were identifiers to be carried in battle. During the frenzy of hand to hand combat, the flag identified the position and status.
The man designated to carry the flag had an imperative duty: keep that flag flying at all costs.
If the standard bearer goes down so does the banner, which is unacceptable, because that would create havoc of confusion on the battlefield.
Thus, if the flag bearer went down in battle, another would quickly take his place to hold the flag high for all to see because it helped to enable victory.
As patriots we've instinctively known this, and there is historical precedence to this tradition.
The American flag represents the spirtit of those who fight to protect the people, country, and Constitution it represents.
This flag day, while holding our flag high, we invite you to join us at Convention of States to carry that boldness into using Article V of the Constitution to rein in the tyranny in Washington, D.C.
Signing our petition is a first step because it will be forwarded to your state legislators to let them know you want them to use their unique role in calling a Convention of States to propose amendments germane to three pillars: imposing term limits on federal officials, reducing the national debt, and restraining the power in Washington, D.C.
