The Proctor flag consisted of a red ground with a rattlesnake in the attitude of striking at the Union Jack of Great Britain. Beneath the snake the words 'Don't Tread on Me.' The initials J. P. 1 B. W. C. P. mean John Proctor, 1st Brigade, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The original is at New Alex andria, Pa.
The London Chronicle (January 1776) states: "A captured Provincial cruiser had a flag of white — a pine tree; opposite side words, An Appeal to Heaven.' * A Martinique harbor entry (September 1776) states that an °American Continental brig, Reprisal, floats a flag of 13 stripes of white and yellow.° The London artist, Thomas Hart, on 22 Aug. 1776 drew a picture of an American vessel having a white flag with words 'An Ap peal to God° under a tree; above tree, words 'Liberty Tree.' There were also a few anti-religious flags —and some few anti-cited banners, but they were the outgrowth of groups of people, rather than the action or authorized action on the part of civil authorities or representative as semblies.
In the latter part of 1775 the Continental Congress, knowing the necessity for a continen tal flag, appointed a committee composed of Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), Benjamin Harrison (Virginia), and Mr. Thomas Lynch (South Carolina). This committee journeyed to Boston and there conferred with Gen. George Washington and other leaders of the rebellion, as it was then called by both the colonists and the English. But some of the distinguished advocates of self-defense were not so outspoken as to rebellion; and even separation from England was not the com monly accepted idea that prevailed. In tact the idea of a new and opposing flag was not entertained by even General Washington, who rather at that time had great hopes of recon ciliation and felt that England would soon see the folly of her oppressive measures and grant the colonies what they desired and all would soon be restored to peace. But when the conference committee which also had the flag problem in charge landed in Boston 13 Dec. 1775, there was considerable discussion, much of it of a heated character. The com mittee finally decided that a flag should be de wised which should contain symbolisms of loyalty to the mother country, but should also contain a rather bold element • which would typify that the colonies were united and that union or combination of military strength be a prominent feature in the flag. The delibera tion devised such a combination and the union of that flag contained the crosses of Saint George and Saint Andrew on a blue field; and the 13 colonies were indicated by 13 stripes, alternate red and white.
Writers and speakers have in the past ac cepted Martin Tupper's (English poet) sugges tion made in 1850, that the American flag with its stripes and stars was evolved from the Washington coat-of-arms, but careful search now shows that the stripes as well as the stars were prominently blazoned on colonial and continental flags before George Washing ton figured in the flag-creating proposition. It's a mere coincidence that these devices are some what similar.
The National or "United States Flag* (Part The gradual the col onies into a spirit of national importance, together with the unexpected military triumphs begot the idea that a mere 'confederated standv and as the Grand Union flag,— raised by Gen eral Washington at Cambridge on 2 Jan. 1776 had outlived its symbolism. That flag con tained 13 stripes, alternate red and white, but its union of the crosses of Sainti George and Andrew, strictly British emblems, were not iu good favor now,. and hence a committeeRobert posed of Gen. George Washington, Morris and Col. George Ross, was instructed by the Continental Congress to devise and pro duce a flag for the United States of North America. The committee, with the aid of Mrs. Elizabeth Ross, evolved the basic idea of the present flag of the United States. The adoption of the Declaration of Independence of July 1776, prompted the delegates to see that a na tional Seal be designed at once, (see GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES)- while the na tional flag was not acted upon for upwards of 10 months later and adopted, as suggested by Washington, Morris and Ross, on 14 June 1777. Hence the Grand Union or Cambridge flag was the Continental emblem from 2 Jan. 1776 until 14 June 1777, when the Continental Congress made the Stars and Stripes the standard of the United States. In fact they fought under that Boston flag until 2 Aug. 1777, when a "hurry up)" or °home made" Stars and Stripes was im provised and floated over Fort Schuyler at Rome, N. Y. The soldier who was among the flag producers was Col. Marinus Willett, and his story is in part supported by other members of the fort, as well as by a recently disclosed letter in England, in which the British soldier refers to a banner: °Over the Fort Stanwix built by us in 1758 and named after the brave General Stanwix, they (the continentals) hoisted a flag of white and red stripes and on a canton of azure there were white stars." The garrison decided to form the national standard, but being away from stores, clothshops or homes, and being hemmed in by the British, the task arose, how shall this emblem of unity be constructed? Here is where Colonel Wil lett's diary and narrative comes to the surface with the facts, and reads as follows: "The (Fort Stanwix) had never been supplied with a flag. The necessity of having one had, upon the arrival of the enemy, taxed the invention of the garrison a little; and a decent one was soon contrived. The white stripes were cut out of an ammunition shirt; the blue out of the catnlet cloak taken from the enemy at Peeks kill, while the red stripes were made of differ ent pieces of stuff procured from one and another of the garrison." Another witness of the garrison states in his letters home that *The blue ground for the stars was composed of a cloth cloak belonging to Captain Abraham Swartout of Dutchess County." The captain, hence, wore the camlet cloak taken from the British at Peekskill battle. See Ross FAMILY.