What is the origin of the Bedford Flag?
The exact age and origin of the flag are not known, but physical and historical evidence are consistent with a date early in the 18th century. Because of its heraldic similarity to a documented flag made for a Massachusetts cavalry unit in the 1660s, historians thought that the Bedford flag might actually be that earlier flag.
When was the first American flag carried over the Concord Bridge?
It is celebrated as the flag carried by the Bedford Minuteman, Nathaniel Page, to the Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775, the beginning of the American Revolution, but it was already an antique on that day. It was made for a cavalry troop of the local Massachusetts Bay militia early in the eighteenth century.
When was the first flag used in the Revolutionary War?
It dates to the early 1700s and was probably used in the French and Indian War. Legend has it that this flag was carried into the Battle of Concord at the beginning of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775, by Nathaniel Page, cornet of the Bedford, Massachusetts Minutemen.
What is the oldest flag in the US?
The Bedford Flag is probably the oldest existing flag in the United States. It dates to the early 1700s and was probably used in the French and Indian War.
How old is the Bedford Flag?
THE ORIGIN OF THE FLAG The distinctive floral pattern woven into the damask has been dated by textile experts as appropriate to the early 1700s. When did the Page family first receive the flag? Displayed in the Flag Room in the Bedford Free Public Library is an original commission dating 1737.
What does the Bedford Flag stand for?
As a symbol of the Revolution With the passage of time, the Bedford flag came to be a political symbol of the early American Revolution and specifically the militia's resistance at Concord.
Who made the Bunker Hill flag?
The flag is the Bunker Hill Flag with a circle of six five-pointed stars in the middle of the blue field to represent the six states in New England. The flag was designed by artist Albert Ebinger. The Bunker Hill Flag was also featured on a 1968 US Postage Stamp.
What was the American flag during the Revolutionary War?
The Grand Union Flag, also known as the Continental Flag was the first (unofficial) flag of the United States and remained so until June 14, 1777 when the Union Jack was removed and the stars were added.
What is the oldest flag in the world?
of DenmarkThe oldest, continuously used national flag is that of Denmark. The current design of a white Scandinavian cross on a red back ground was adopted in 1625 and its square shape in 1748. In Denmark it is known as the 'Dannebrog' or 'Danish cloth'.
Who created the Bedford Flag?
It was Cyrus, the minuteman's grandson, who presented the flag to the Town of Bedford in 1885. He gave it into the keeping of the library, “so that all may look upon it.” And there it has stayed for a hundred thirty-four years.
What flag is red with a tree?
Design. The flag of New England has two prominent symbols: a pine tree and red color. Other features, like the St. George's Cross, are not always displayed on the flag, but the pine almost always is.
What is a Bravo flag?
Marine Signal Flag: Letter "B" (Bravo) Marine signal flags are international signals used by ships at sea to spell out short messages, or more commonly, used individually or in combination they have special meanings.
What flag has a tree on it?
flag of Lebanonhorizontally striped red-white-red national flag with a central green cedar tree. The width-to-length ratio of the flag is 2 to 3. On September 1, 1920, the state of Greater Lebanon, with French military administration, was proclaimed under a flag derived from French and biblical symbols.
Who made the 1st American flag?
On May 29, 1777, Betsy Ross was paid a large sum of money from the Pennsylvania State Navy Board for making flags, and on June 14, 1777, Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as our official national flag.
How many US flags are there?
27 differentSince the founding of the United States in 1776, there have been 27 different versions of the flag featuring the stars and stripes.
What flag did George Washington Fly?
General George Washington first raised the Continental Army flag in 1776, a red-and- white striped flag with the British Union Jack where we now have stars.
What was the purpose of the Gadsden flag?
It was used by the Continental Marines as an early motto flag, along with the Moultrie flag. Its design proclaims an assertive warning of vigilance and willingness to act in defense against coercion. This has led it to be associated with the ideas of individualism and liberty.
What does the Sons of Liberty flag represent?
The flag of the Sons of Liberty, the Rebellious Stripes, was adopted in 1767. This flag was noteworthy for having nine vertical stripes in alternating colors – said to represent the nine states who attended the Stamp Act Congress.
What is the appeal to heaven flag?
Flags are flown and emblems worn – The Appeal to Heaven flag is flown to show who a person is – a man or woman who does not look to men or government for approval, but lives by principles of their convictions and appeals to the Almighty for protection, provision and justice. Welcome!
Why was the Culpeper flag used?
For a group of home grown and trained soldiers, to expel a colonial occupier in this way was a remarkable achievement and an incredible display of determination. For this reason, the Culpeper Flag is still flown to this day as a symbol of American determination and independence.
When was the Bedford flag carried?
The combination of facts suggests that the Bedford flag could have been carried by enlisted members of the Page family as early as 1720.
Where is the Bedford flag?
The original Bedford flag now resides in the care of the trustees of the Bedford Free Public Library, a gift from Nathaniel Page's grandson, Cyrus Page.
Who donated the Bedford flag?
Funding for the preservation and display of the flag was provided by the Bedford Library Corporation and the Friends of the Bedford Flag.
What did Cyrus wish to keep the flag of Bedford?
Cyrus desired that this “relic of by-gone days” should be “kept for the inspection of the public at all proper times.” It has remained in the care of the library to this day.
What is the oldest flag in the United States?
The Bedford Flag is the oldest complete flag known to exist in the United States. It is celebrated as the flag carried by the Bedford Minuteman, Nathaniel Page, to the Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775, the beginning of the American Revolution, but it was already an antique on that day. It was made for a cavalry troop ...
How to unlock the flag room?
In exchange for your driver’s license or other secure deposit, you will be loaned a magnetic key that will admit you to the Flag Room. Passing the key in front of the red light beside the door handle will unlock the door.
When did the Page family first receive the flag?
When did the Page family first receive the flag? Displayed in the Flag Room in the Bedford Free Public Library is an original commission dating 1737 . It names Minuteman Nathaniel Page’s father John “Cornett of the Troop of horse.” A cornet was the cavalry officer just below lieutenant whose duty it was to bear the flag.
Who took the flag to Concord?
The flag was still in the custody of the Page family at the time of the American Revolution, and it is believed in Bedford that Minuteman Nathaniel Page took it with him to the battle at Concord. Nathaniel told the story to his grandson, Cyrus, and it was written down after his death by the nineteenth century historian, Abram English Brown. This account says:
Who was the first Cornet Page?
The first Cornet Page’s great-great-grandson, Cyrus Page, sent the flag to the centennial celebration at Concord. 1885. Flag presented to Town of Bedford. Just before Page’s death, he presented the flag to the Town of Bedford, into the keeping of the trustees of the Bedford Free Public Library.
Where is the Bedford flag?
Some of the needle holes are still faintly visible on the original Bedford Flag, which is housed in the Bedford Free Public Library. The daughter of Cyrus Page removed the silver fringe from the edges of the flag to make a dress with early in the 1800s. When the flag was being restored by the Textile Conservation Center in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1999-2000, they found a single remaining microscopic strand of the silver thread. They also found evidence that a tassel probably hung from the hoist side of the flag.
Why was the Bedford flag important?
The cornet in colonial militia carried the flag for the unit. This was an important position because the cornet would signal the captain's directions to the rest of the unit who might not be able to hear his commands during the heat of a battle. The cornet would stand next to the captain at all times so he could accurately convey the captain's messages to the troops. Because of the importance of the cornet's role, he was often targeted in battle and many cornets were shot down from underneath their flags.
What happened to the Bedford Minutemen?
The Bedford Minutemen suffered no casualties in the first engagement with the British at the Olde North Bridge. After this engagement, they accompanied the other numerous Minutemen companies in harassing the British all the way back to Boston. The Bedford Minutemen suffered their first losses while engaging the British at Merriam's Corner a mile from Concord. Job Lane, a descendant of early settlers in the area, was severely wounded and Captain Jonathan Wilson was killed. The Bedford company joined the other Minutemen as they moved toward Boston, ending up at Cambridge, where they stayed for seven days. Nathaniel Page then returned home to Bedford with the flag where it stayed for a hundred years.
Why did the Bedford Minutemen put down the flag?
According to Cyrus Page, Nathaniel's grandson, who is also the primary source for the legend, when the Bedford Minutemen arrived in Concord they assisted others in removing the remaining military supplies from their storage place to greater safety. Nathaniel said he laid the flag down to help in moving the supplies. When he had finished, he came back to get the flag and found that some boys had picked it up and were "playing soldier." Page then took the flag and the company marched to the Olde North Bridge to engage the British Regulars.
What is the oldest flag in the United States?
The Bedford Flag is probably the oldest existing flag in the United States. It dates to the early 1700s and was probably used in the French and Indian War. Legend has it that this flag was carried into the Battle of Concord at the beginning of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775, by Nathaniel Page, cornet of the Bedford, Massachusetts Minutemen.
Where did the Bedford Minutemen gather?
Nathaniel Page and the other 25 members of the Bedford Minutemen gathered at Fitch Tavern, a tavern still located in the center of the town, that was owned by Bedford Militia Sergeant Jeremiah Fitch. The Minutemen gathered around the fireplace in the tap room and Lydia Fitch served them cold cornmeal mush and hot buttered rum.
What is the 3 county flag?
The Three County Troop Flag, representing Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex Counties, was commissioned along with a drawing some time around 1660. In the drawing is an arm holding a sword that is very similar to the one in the Bedford Flag.
Where is the original Bedford flag?
The original Bedford Flag, which can be seen at the Bedford Free Public Library in Bedford, Massachusetts, still exists. Spectroscopic studies estimate the flag was made in the early 18th century, but after 1704 (due to the Prussian Blue pigment used in the paint). Its silk damask has lost its shine and the painted-on image is not as clear as it ...
What is the color of the Bedford flag?
While the square shape evokes cavalry of old, the red color of the Bedford Flag makes it undeniably a cavalry flag. Its armored arm and sword harken back to the heraldic symbolism of the Massachusetts cavalry, which in turn dates back to the 1660s. The flag’s Latin motto VINCE AUT MORIRE (“Conquer or Die”) is strikingly similar to the motto ...
What is the oldest flag in the world?
Spread the word; knowledge is power! Dating back to the early 18th century, the Bedford Flag is America’s oldest historically attested flag. Previously, historians thought the flag dated as far back as the 1660s, but this was later proven false, as the color “Prussian blue” did not exist until 1704. It looks very much like something carried ...
What does the Bedford flag represent?
Over time, the Bedford Flag has come to symbolize the militias’ resistance at Concord, as well as the early Revolution, when a group of barely trained men fought back against the world’s most powerful army and started a war for independence and freedom. It stands for fighting for liberty, no matter the cost.
Why did the British march on Concord?
The Battle of Concord took place almost immediately after the Battle of Lexington, hence why they are often collapsed into “Lexington-Concord.” After the British regulars won a brief skirmish at Lexington, they continued marching on toward Concord to capture materiel. The gathering American militias, who had been warned of the redcoats arrival, traveled from the west and congregated on the other side of the North Bridge about one mile from the village.
What is the Latin motto of the American flag?
The flag’s Latin motto VINCE AUT MORIRE (“Conquer or Die”) is strikingly similar to the motto of several Scottish and Irish clans, and the “Victory or Death” battle cry popular among the revolutionaries. Although its role in the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War is not completely certain, there is evidence to believe ...
What happened to the American cavalry after seeing smoke rising from Concord?
Upon seeing smoke rising from Concord, the American cavalry troops moved closer to the village, concerned the British were going to burn it. Not wanting to engage, the British forces retreated to the North Bridge.
Why was the Bedford flag important?
With the passage of time, the Bedford flag came to be a political symbol of the early American Revolution and specifically the militia's resistance at Con cord.
Who took the flag to Concord?
Page family oral tradition, later recounted for historians, held that the Bedford militia's flag was in the custody of the Page family at the time of the American Revolution, and that Nathaniel Page took it into battle at Concord.
