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USF02a - Bunker Hill Flag

The Bunker Hill flag with the blue field is really a myth, and was a mistake made in one of the early flag books when the illustrator hand-colored the field the wrong color. During the Revolutionary War the colonists began unfurling new versions of the British Red Ensign. They replaced the Kings colors in the upper right hand corner with a pine trees, St. George's Cross, and even blank white squares. When the British advanced up the slope of Breeds Hill at the Battle of Bunker Hill, according to legend they saw a "red" flag, but we have no real knowledge of which "red" American flag was actually flown in this battle.

However, in the famous John Trumbull painting of the Battle of Bunker Hill, he shows the red "Continental flag", instead of the now traditional "Bunker Hill" flag with its blue field. However, most historians believe that if a flag was flown at Bunker Hill, it was probably wasn't blue and most likely the "New England" flag with its red field since this was the most widely used version of the modified British Red Ensign.

USF04 - Culpepper Flag

This flag represented a group of minutemen from Culpepper, Virginia. These men formed part of Colonel Patrick Henry's First Virginia Regiment of 1775. Three hundred Culpepper Minutemen led by Colonel Stevens, marched toward Williamsburg at the beginning of the fighting. Their unusual dress alarmed the people as they marched through the country. They had bucks' tails in their hats and tomahawks and scalping knives were hung from their belts. Their flag?s central symbol was a coiled rattlesnake about to strike, and below it the words 'Don't tread on me! At each side were the words of Patrick Henry "Liberty or Death!"

USF05 - 1st First Continental Navy Jack Flag

This powerful American symbol was used by the Continental Navy in 1775 and is now being used again by the U.S. Navy in the War on Terrorism. The so-called First Navy Jack was probably not a Jack at all, but an ensign. It is shown in a painting of Commodore Hopkins, our First Navy Commander-in-Chief, flying from the Ensign gaff (pole) of his ship. A jack flies at the front of a ship and is usually square, an ensign flies from the back and is usually rectangular in shape.

USF06 - Betsy Ross Flag

The Continental Congress passed a Flag Act on June 14, 1777. It read: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." This led to a wide interpretation by those sewing flags so that although hundreds of flags were made, no two were exactly alike.

According to the most popular legend, in June of 1776, Betsy Ross, who was a widow struggling to run her own upholstery business sewed the first flag. According to the legend, General Washington showed her a rough design of the flag that included a six-pointed star. Betsy suggested a five-point star because it was easier to make, and demonstrated how to cut a five-pointed star in a single snip. Impressed, the general entrusted Betsy with making our first flag.

This is, of course, only a legend started by Betsy's grandson, and no proof exists that it ever happened or that the traditional design is of her making.

USF07 - Bennington Flag

This flag flew over the military stores in Bennington, Vermont, on August 16, 1777. The American militia led by Colonel John Stark, defeated a large British raiding force led by British General John Burgoyne in order to protect military supplies at Bennington.

The flag was made by Colonial Stark's wife, Molly Stark, who following the accepted rules of heraldry and began and ended the stripes with white ones. Also according to the rules of heraldry, a star must have at least 6 points. Anything with five points or less was called a "spur."

USF09 - War of 1812 Lake Erie / Commodore Perry Flag

During the War of 1812, Captain James Lawrence commanding the 49-gun frigate U.S.S. Chesapeake, was attacked off Boston Harbor by the British ship H.M.S. Shannon. In less than 15 minutes, Lawrence's crew was overwhelmed. Mortally wounded, Lawrence shouted, "Tell the men to fire faster and not to give up the ship; fight her till she sinks!" True to his words, every officer in the Chesapeake's chain of command fought until he was either killed or wounded. Even so, the battle was lost in under an hour, the Chesapeake was captured, and Lawrence died four days later." Lawrence's last command to his crew was "Burn her!"

In honor of Captain Lawrence, a group of women stitched the words "Don't Give Up The Ship" into a flag that was presented to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who commanded a new ship named for Captain Lawrence in the summer of 1813. Perry and the U.S.S. Lawrence went on to capture an entire squadron of British ships in the Battle of Lake Erie, on September 13, 1813, though not before every officer on the Lawrence - except for Perry and his 13-year-old brother - was either killed or wounded."

Lawrence's words became the motto of the U.S. Navy, which has since named numerous ships in his honor, and Perry's flag now hangs in a place of honor at the United States Naval Academy.

USF10 - 1824 Alamo Flag

The Mexican constitution of 1824 gave the people of Texas rights similar to those enjoyed at the time by the citizens of the United States, but the new Mexican government attempted to increase control over Texas. To call attention to this, Texans removed the coat of arms from the center of a Mexican flag, and replaced it with the date of the constitution.

On March 6, 1836, the Mexican army under General Santa Anna breached the walls of the Alamo, after thirteen days of continuous assaults. Jim Bowie, Davey Crockett, and William Travis were among the 187 defenders who died that morning. All were avenged six weeks later when Sam Houston, with the cry "Remember the Alamo," defeated Santa Anna and established the independence of the Texas Republic.

USF11 - 1st Confederate Flag

Although less well known than the "Confederate Battle Flag", the Stars and Bars was used as the official flag of the Confederacy from March 1861 to May of 1863. The pattern and colors of this flag did not distinguish it sharply fom the Stars and Stripes of the Union. Consequently, considerable confusion was often caused on the battlefield.

USF12 - 2nd Confederate Flag

On May 1st,1863, a second design was adopted, placing the Battle Flag (also known as the "Southern Cross") as the canton on a white field. This flag was easily mistaken for a white flag of surrender especially when the air was calm and the flag hung limply and it was replaced n 1895 by the Third and last Confederate National flag which had a large veritical red stirpe placed along its right edge.

USF13 - CSA "Rebel" Flag / Confederate Naval Ensign

The Confederate Battle Flag with it's well-known "Southern Cross" was completely square and carried by the Confederate troops of the Army of Northern Virginia. This retangluar version is the Confederate Naval Ensign and was flown by Confederate warships.

USF14 - Old Glory (48 stars)

This flag was official for 47 years, longer than any other American flag, and was carried by United States forces through two World Wars and the Korean War and saw the emergence of the United States of America as the leading nation of the world. Eight Presidents served under this flag.

USF15 - USA Flag (50 stars)

This is the current flag of the United States. Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21st, 1959. The 27th flag of the United States became the official American flag on July 4th, 1960.