motto of the State, "Hope," on the center of 

 the field, this regimental banner of Rhode Is- 

 land easily takes high rank as an attractive 

 flag; nor is it lacking in interesting historic 

 associations. Carried safely through the in- 

 tense struggle of Brandywine, at Trenton, and 

 at Yorktown, it now rests in the State House 

 at Providence, mute witness to the heroism of 

 those who bore it to final victory (see 313). 



397. Linked Hand. — Thirteen mailed hands 

 grasping the thirteen links of an endless chain 

 formed one of the early representations of the 

 spirit of unity in the colonies. It recognized 

 the sentiment of "United we stand," and fore- 

 shadowed the "E Pluribus Unum," soon to ap- 

 pear as our motto. The number thirteen was 

 prominent on many of the early standards. A 

 common variation shows a mailed hand grasp- 

 ing a bundle of thirteen arrows. 



the rattlesnake flags 



398. Gadsden Flag. 400. South Carolina 

 Navy. 405. CulpEpEr Minute Men. — The 

 rattlesnake device was seen again and again 

 on our early flags. One writer of the time 

 quaintly stated that as the rattlesnake's eye 

 exceeded in brightness that of any other ani- 

 mal, and she had no eyelids, she might there- 

 fore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance; 

 that inasmuch as she never began an attack, 

 nor, when once engaged, ever surrendered, 

 she was therefore an emblem of magnanimity 

 and true courage. We are bound to suspect, 

 however, that it was the deadly bite of the 

 rattler that was foremost in the minds of the 

 revolutionists who used the banners. The 

 ''Don't tread on me," seen on all four of the 

 rattlesnake flags (365, 398, 400, and 405), lends 

 color to this view. 



But it was not only the qualities of the 

 snake itself, but also the ease with which 

 symbolism could be added, illustrated in the 

 use of the distinctive thirteen rattles, that in- 

 creased the number and variety of the rattle- 

 snake flags. " 'Tis curious and amazing," in 

 the words of the writer quoted above, "to ob- 

 serve how distinct and independent of each 

 other the rattles of this animal are, and how 

 firmly they are united together. One of the 

 rattles, singly, is incapable of producing a 

 sound, but the ringing of thirteen together is 

 sufficient to alarm the boldest man living." 



Flag 398 was presented by Colonel Gadsden 

 to Commodore Hopkins to serve as the latter's 

 flag as the commander-in-chief of the fleet con- 

 structed by Congress, and was hoisted at the 

 main mast of the Alfred December 3, 1775. 

 At the same time John Paul Jones hoisted the 

 union striped flag (364) at the stern (see his- 

 tory of Stars and Stripes elsewhere in this 

 number). On the same dav 365 was hoisted 

 as the jack of the navy. Thus 364, 365, and 

 398 are the most historic flags of the U. S. 

 Navy prior to the adoption of the Stars and 

 Stripes. 



The Southern colonies seemed especially 

 fond of the device. South Carolina adopted 

 for her navy the red and blue stripes crossed 

 by the gliding snake, as seen in 400. 



Loyal and energetic enthusiasts in the cause 

 of liberty, the people of the Piedmont region 

 of Virginia rallied to the support of the Con- 



tinental Congress. Culpeper County was a 

 center of organization and her minute men 

 typified on their spirited banner (405) their 

 fearlessness and independence. 



the liberty and pine tree flags 



399. Liberty Tree Flag of 1776. 401. 

 Massachusetts Navy. — In all early accounts 

 of colonial activities, liberty poles and trees 

 bear an important part. A wide-spreading live 

 oak. in Charleston, near the home of Christo- 

 pher Gadsden, made a shelter under which the 

 leading spirits of the day often met to discuss 

 political questions, and there the Declaration 

 of Independence was first read to the people 

 of the city. The Sons of Liberty, meeting 

 under the fine old elm in Hanover Square, 

 gave Boston her Liberty Tree. Under its 

 shade a notable meeting was held just previous 

 to the destruction of the tea, which led Gen- 

 eral Gage to order that it be hewn down. In- 

 asmuch as the felling of a venerable tree al- 

 ways touches tender chords in the thoughtful, 

 it is not surprising that the loss of this one 

 fanned into flame the very embers of discon- 

 tent that Gage had hoped to -stamp out by its 

 destruction. 



On flag 399 appears the well-loved and fa- 

 mous Liberty Tree. This was an emblem often 

 used. The solemn motto, "An Appeal to God," 

 tells us of the quiet firmness with which our 

 forefathers "highly resolved" to claim the 

 birthright of freedom for themselves and their 

 children. The sentiment first appeared in the 

 "Address of the Provincial Congress of Mas- 

 sachusetts" to Great Britain, the closing sen- 

 tence of which began, "Appealing to Heaven 

 for the justice of our cause." Through the 

 long years that have passed since they won 

 their victories, the greater task has developed 

 for us, not only to hold with equal steadiness 

 and firmness the great principles upon which 

 our nation stands, but also to fight with equal 

 fortitude and sacrifice iihat these gifts may be 

 extended to the oppressed of all nations. 



When in 1652 the colony of Massachusetts 

 first established a mint, the . general court or- 

 dained that all pieces of t money should bear 

 jon one side a tree, thus bringing into being the 

 famous pine-tree shillings. In April, 1776, the 

 Massachusetts council passed a resolution as 

 follows : 



"Resolved, That . . . the colors [for the 

 sea service] be a white flag with a green pine 

 tree and the inscription, 'An Appeal to 

 Heaven.' " 



Flag 391 had previously become familiar on 

 the seas-as the ensign of Washington's cruisers. 

 The English newspapers of the time contain 

 many references to this striking ensign. 



In 401 an extra significance is added by the 

 coiled snake at the foot of the tree and the 

 oft-used "Don't tread on me." 



400. (See 398.) 



401. (See 399.) 



402. The Westmoreland County Battalion 

 of Pennsylvania was raised in 1775 by John 

 Proctor and is still preserved in New Alex- 

 andria, Pa. It is a British ensign of red silk, 

 with the addition of the coiled rattlesnake and 

 the. familiar legend, "Don't Tread On Me." 



349 



