THE FLAGS OF OUR ARMY, NAVY, AND 

 GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS 



For illustrations see the corresponding numbers on the colored Hags, 



pages 310 and onward 



1. United States Flag and Ensign. — On 

 July 4, 1912, following the admission of Ari- 

 zona and New Mexico into the Union, two 

 stars were added to the Stars and Stripes, giv- 

 ing the banner its present composition of 48 

 stars, representing the States of the Union, 

 and 13 stripes, commemorative of the Thir- 

 teen Original Colonies which achieved the na- 

 tion's independence. (See pages 286-304 for 

 the history of the American flag; pages 303- 

 304, 404-413 for the uses of the flag, and de- 

 scriptive text under flags 6, 7, 8, 361, 362, 364, 

 and 367 for the evolution and development of 

 the Star Spangled Banner.) 



2. President's Flag. — When the President 

 visits a vessel of the United States, the Presi- 

 dent's flag is broken at the main the moment 

 he reaches the deck and is kept flying as long 

 as he is on board. If the vessel can do so, a 

 national salute of 21 guns is fired as soon as 

 possible after his arrival on board. Upon de- 

 parture, another salute of 21 guns is fired, the 

 President's flag being lowered with the last 

 gun of the salute. When the President is em- 

 barked in a boat he usually directs that his flag 

 be displayed from the staff in the bow of his 

 barge (see page 283). When he passes in a 

 boat flying his flag, vessels of the navy parade 

 the full guard, four ruffles are given on the 

 drum, four flourishes are sounded on the bugle, 

 the National Anthem is played by the band, 

 and officers and men salute (see page 282). 

 When the President is embarked in a ship fly- 

 ing his flag, all saluting ships, on meeting her 

 at sea or elsewhere, and all naval batteries, 

 fire a national salute on passing (see page 324). 



Previous to the present order there were 

 two designs displayed on flags and on colors 

 to be used in the presence of the Commander- 

 in-Chief of the army and the navy. The navy 

 design was of an earlier date than that of the 

 army, and consisted of the coat-of-arms of the 

 United States, as shown in the Great Seal (3), 

 upon a blue ground. This happened to be al- 

 most identical with the infantry colors (see 

 11). The President's colors were designed to 

 be distinctive from the infantry colors, and 

 consisted of a blue ground with a large crim- 

 son star, outlined heavily with white. Within 

 the star was to be seen the coat-of-arms of 

 the United States, and outside the star within 

 its angles were powdered small stars to the 

 number of the States in the Union. The dou- 

 ble display of flags and colors at the Grand 

 Army Review in 1915 caused considerable 

 comment, and as a result the suggestion was 

 made to the President that the navy flag might 

 fittingly be made distinctive from the infantry 

 colors by the addition of four stars— one in 

 each corner. The flags of an Admiral and of 



a General bear four stars, as a sign of com- 

 mand. The President approved of the idea, 

 but directed that the coat-of-arms, as shown 

 on the President's seal (see 5), be used upon 

 the President's personal flag and colors. 



3. The Great Seal of the United States.— 

 The Great Seal was adopted by the Continental 

 Congress June 20, 1782. 



Arms. — Paleways {perpendicular stripes or 

 divisions) of thirteen pieces, argent (white) 

 and gules (red) ; a chief (upper part of the 

 escutcheon), occupying one-third of the whole 

 azure (blue) ; the escutcheon on the breast of 

 the American eagle displayed proper (repre- 

 sented in its natural colors), holding in his 

 dexter (right) talon an olive branch, and in 

 his sinister (left) a bundle of thirteen arrows, 

 all proper (natural colors), and in his beak a 

 scroll, inscribed with this motto, "E Pluribus 

 Unum" (Out of Many, One). 



Crest. — Over the head of the eagle, which: 

 appears above the escutcheon, a glory (circle 

 of light), or (gold), breaking through a cloud, 

 proper, and surrounding thirteen stars form- 

 ing a constellation, argent, on an azure field. 



Reverse. — A pyramid unfinished. In the ze- 

 nith an eye in a triangle, surrounded with a 

 glory, proper. Over the eye these words, 

 "Annuit Coeptis" (He [God] has smiled on 

 our undertakings). On the base of the pyra- 

 mid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI, and 

 underneath the following motto, "Novus Ordo 

 Seclorum" (A Nezv Order of Ages). 



Accompanying the report, and adopted by 

 Congress, was the following: 



The escutcheon is composed of the chief and 

 pale, the two most honorable ordinaries (di- 

 visions). The pieces, paly (equal in width and 

 of two colors, alternating), represent the sev- 

 eral States all joined in one solid, compact 

 entire, supporting a chief, which unites the 

 whole and represents Congress. The motto 

 alludes to this union. The pales in the arms 

 are kept closely united by the chief, and the 

 chief depends on that union and the strength 

 resulting from it for its support, to denote the 

 confederacy of the United States of America 

 and the preservation of their union through 

 Congress. 



The colors of the pales are those used in the 

 flag of the United States of America; white 

 signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness 

 and valor; and blue, the color of the chief, 

 signifies vigilant perseverance and justice. 



The olive branch and arrows denote the 

 power of peace and war, which is exclusively 

 vested in Congress. The constellation denotes 

 a new State taking its place and rank among 

 other sovereign powers. The escutcheon is 



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