Friday, May 6, 2011

The First Flag: The Grand Union

In the fall of 1775, Mr. James Wharton arrives at Mistress Margaret Manny’s Philadelphia millinery shop with over 100 yards of red, white and blue bunting from which the good seamstress is to make a ship’s flag. In this case, the ship is the Alfred, one of the first war ships in a navy that has but a handful of ships – literally. (Sources vary in their count, placing the number of ships anywhere between 4-6.)

The Alfred, a 30-gun frigate manned by 300 sailors, anchors in Philadelphia’s Delaware River. On December 3, 1775, her new First Lieutenant, John Paul Jones, has the honor of raising, before a cheering crowd of sailors and civilians alike, the first flag to fly over any American war ship.

“I hoisted, with my own hands, the flag of freedom,” says Jones later (www.ushistory.org).



The flag Lt. Jones raises is new as well as familiar: With a bold design of 13 stripes in alternating colors of red and white, it also contains, in the upper, left-hand corner, the British Union Jack.

This first flag of the Revolution is called the Grand Union. ... And yep, in the heat of battle, things could have gotten confusing!



A post script:
The Union Jack, interestingly, is its own hybrid. Its design is made from superimposing England’s red St. George’s cross on top of Scotland’s white St. Andrew’s cross. These are laid against a dark blue field.

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny how some people claims John Paul Jones 1st raised the flag aboard the Alfred on Dec 2, 1775, but others say Dec 3, 1775. And another claim is that, Commodore Esek Hopkins actually hoisted it on Dec 3, 1775.

    Then some even claim Washington 1st raised it in Cambridge Jan 1, 1776. Some claim Francis Hopskinson designed it, others say Washington.

    Some say 13 stripes represent the 13 colonies, but history shows the 13 stripes existed way before, as an English Naval ensign, which later became the British East India co. flag, which is just the Grand Union with the Jack on it's side.

    We learn Washington was General of the Continental Army and 1st President, but the truth is, he was also Colonel of British Armies and a Crown loyalist. On top of that, he wasn't even the 1st President, he was actually the 9th.

    John Hanson was the 1st President.

    Our history also claims the revolution was American, but in reality, it was British vs British, which makes that a British Revolution. The only Americans were the Natives, and they were slaughtered and land jacked by illegal immigrants.

    American history claims that was Patriotic, but in America today, it's called murder and robbery.

    Were told to salute a flag that's American, but really, it's clearly British. Were told it represents freedom and bravery, which must be code for genocide and slavery.

    The point? You can't trust history. Especially if it's an American version. lol

    America calls it history. Common sense shows it Propaganda!

    ReplyDelete
  3. If people actually understood what really happened, they would see things in a new light. Suddenly the flag would make sense. The colonists were duped into thinking they won independence, which is why the British surrendered freely. Washington devised a brilliant strategy to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. He stopped the fighting, and then still collected the taxes which colonists were refusing to pay.

    The flag was changed to reflect that independence, but not enough so as to lose their stay of claim. The jack is British, and basically a star. The 13 stripes are English, and the flag remains in the colors of Crown King. That's Washington was called a brilliant strategist, not for his less than impressive record on the field.

    Why do you think a man known for such bravery was as nervous as school girl taking oath? He knew if the people caught on, he would of been killed on the spot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. If that seems hard to believe, than anyone is welcome to check the registration records for "United States LTD." at White House #2 in Scotland. You can do it online.

    Look closely at the parent company country of origin. If you think America won it's independence from British rule, think again. The signs are everywhere. Just look with your eyes, not with your ears. The Middle Temple is the true owner of America.

    No conspiracy theory about it. It was a conspiracy!

    Other verifiable facts...
    2 United States (U.S. = Federal Government / U.S.A. = 50 states)
    2 Constitutions (this Constitution aka the written / THE CONSTITUTION)
    3 Corporate Registrations (2 Delaware USA [inc|corp.] / 1 Scotland USA [ltd.])
    3 Offices of President (Office of President main [vacant] / Office of President of United States / Office of President of United of America)
    2 White Houses (Washington DC [#1] / Scotland [#2])

    They try to hide the sister White House with a bed & breakfast named the same, but look up house of stuart, dutchess of alba..etc.

    ReplyDelete