Betsy Ross and the First American Flag

The colors and emblems on cockades have always signified great meaning. The same is true with flags. The Betsy Ross flag is no exception! Both the meaning of the flag and the story of the woman who made it are an inspiration to every American who loves his country.

The Woman
Betsy Ross's story is that of a true American who works hard, asks no favors and is a blessing to society. Betsy was no stranger to hardship. Twice widowed by age 30, she had also lost a child by her second husband. Her third marriage survived many years but she lost another child. But Betsy had the resilient American spirit that keeps going through struggle.

She was an entrepreneur and talented upholsterer and seamstress. She supported herself with these skills through the loss of two husbands and made a name for herself as a woman of skill. She worked on uniforms, tents and flags for the Continental Army, and reportedly even made bed hangings for George Washington. As her business succeeded, she became a blessing to extended family, taking in widowed or orphaned relatives who needed help.

Historical tradition says that in the summer of 1776, George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross visited her upholstery shop and brought a sketch of an American flag for her to make. It is said that Betsy then made the first flag shortly thereafter.

The Flag
On January 1, 1776, Washington ordered the Grand Union Flag to be raised during the Continental Army siege of Boston.  This flag had thirteen stripes which alternated red and white. The British Union Jack was in the upper left corner of the flag. "Ceremony staged on Prospect Hill, in Somerville, where a seventy-six foot flagstaff had been erected, so lofty that it could be seen even in distant Boston.  On this was hoisted the 'Union Flag in Compliment to the United Colonies.'  This Great or Grand Union Flag was nothing more than the Meteor Flag of Great Britain modified by having six horizontal white stripes imposed in its field....These of course signified the thirteen original colonies, while retention of the British Union in the first canton testified continued loyalty, as Americans saw it, to the constitution of the government against which they fought." (The History of the United States Flag)

On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed the First Flag Act, creating the new country’s first official flag.  "That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." (First Flag Act)

George Washington is credited with saying: "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty." In speaking of the new Great Seal, more meaning was given to the colors chosen for the fledgling United States. "White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

In recent days, the story of Betsy Ross and the First Flag of the United States have been under attack. Therefore I thought it only fitting to create a special Betsy Ross Cockade to celebrate this amazing woman and the flag that symbolize our American heritage!

Carolina Day: Palmetto Trees & Cannon Balls

America celebrates the Independence Day on July 4, but South Carolina's Independence Day is actually June 28! That's because of an important battle that occurred on June 28, 1776. The events of "Carolina Day" had an effect on Southern cockades that lasted nearly a century - and an effect on American history that has lasted over 240 years!

1776

Things weren't going very well for the Patriots in the early days of the American Revolution. Though there were some victories - such as the British being forced to evacuate Boston in March 1776 - there were some heavy losses as well. The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the bloodiest battles in the entire war and the campaign to bring Canada over to the Patriots' side was a complete disaster.

However, the Patriots were gaining enough ground to worry the British. So the Brits decided to start a Southern campaign, beginning with the conquering of a Southern port.

Portal to the South

The South was a goldmine to whichever side could hold it. Southern commodities like tobacco, rice, indigo, and pine tree products made the South the richest area of the country.

Furthermore, the British felt that they had much stronger support from the Loyalists in the South than in the North. They didn't reckon on the strong Patriot contingent in the South as well.

As it turned out, the people of the Southern states were so deeply divided between Patriots and Loyalists that some of the hardest and bloodiest fighting of the war would occur there.

But General Henry Clinton and Admiral Parker knew nothing of what was to come. They initially headed for Cape Fear, NC to establish a port of entry for the British. This did not work out so the next stop was Charleston. Earlier reconnaissance had shown that the fortifications around Charleston were incomplete, making it an easy target - or so the British thought.

Spongy Wood and Cannon Balls (and Cockades)

In early June, nine British warships sailed into Charleston's harbor and troops were landed on Long Island. The idea was that the soldiers could wade ashore from there to the city while the ships bombarded into oblivion the half-complete fort on Sullivan's Island. The British miscalculated on both counts.

The water turned out to be too deep to wade. And the fort - well, the sand and palmetto logs used for constructing the walls simply absorbed the cannon balls! Because of this battle, palmettos have ever since been the symbol of South Carolina, and her patriotic cockades have often included palmetto fronds.

Meanwhile, the Patriots were low on ammunition so they made every shot count. They managed to significantly damage a number of the ships, plus the British accidentally grounded one ship.

The British had 220 killed and wounded; the Patriots had 12 killed and 25 wounded.

Oh, and the ship that was grounded? The Brits finally despaired of recovering her so they set her on fire. But the resourceful Patriots swam over and managed to turn the ship's guns on the British themselves - and then escape before the ship blew up!

Heroes of the Battle

Sergeant Jasper holding up the flag - painting by John Blake White, 1826

Colonel William Moultrie of the South Carolina militia commanded the Patriots on Sullivan's Island. As a result of his victory against overwhelming odds, the fort (which was finally finished) was named Fort Moultrie in his honor.

During the battle, the Patriots' spirits reportedly were flagging when the British shot down their flag. Sergeant William Jasper heroically grabbed the flag and held it up until a new flag staff could be mounted. His action brought new life to the fort's defenders and he has been immortalized throughout American history as a hero. (If you check your family tree, you may even have an ancestor named after him, like I have!)

Carolina Day

The Patriot victory on June 28 ensured that Charleston's port would be closed to the British until its eventual fall in 1780 - too late to turn the tide of the war. The Battle of Sullivan's Island was one of the first major victories for the American Patriots. And it provided an exclamation point to the Declaration of Independence, which would be signed less than a week later.

Carolina Day has been celebrated by lovers of freedom and American history ever since.

240 Years of Independence Cockades

There's been a lot of excitement over "Brexit" the last few days - Great Britain exiting the European Union. Today we get to celebrate a different "exit" - the 240th anniversary of the American Colonies' "exit" from Great Britain!

A quick look at American history - and American cockades - shows that Americans love independence. I've spent five years researching the cockades of the past and I've gotten to know quite a bit about some of these independence cockades and the movements they represented.

Here are a few vignettes of American independence cockades - and a peek at the cockades I recreated!

Alliance for Independence

America became an independent nation when we seceded from Great Britain on July 4, 1776.

Already involved in a war with the mother country, we needed allies. The United States signed the Treaty of Alliance with France on February 6, 1778 and French troops entered the American War for Independence. At first their participation was mostly on the seas but by 1779 they were landing troops on American soil.

The national cockade of France was white. Traditionally, Americans had worn British black cockades. In 1780, as a symbol of the two nations’ alliance, General George Washington established that the American military cockade would be an Alliance Cockade – black with a white center. Many of the French troops likewise wore an Alliance Cockade of white with a black center.

Either way, the cockades said: Independence for the new United States!

Exporting Independence

Just a few years after we gained our independence, our ally France had an independence revolution too.

Shortly after the Bastille fell, the tri-color cockade became the symbol of the French Revolution and later of the Republic. It combined red and blue, the colors of Paris, with the French royal color of white.

James Monroe was America's ambassador to France in the 1790s, when the American patriotic cockade was still black. However, to show his support for the French Revolution, Monroe wore a star-shaped tricolor cockade.

Eventually the tricolor came to America and took the place of the American black cockade.

Now both countries celebrate independence with red, white and blue!

Defending Independence

In 1812, the British decided to see if we really meant it when we seceded. As the old song says, "We fired our guns but the British kept a-comin'...."

American troops of the 1800s were much advanced from the ragtag colonial army that George Washington had to contend with. Uniforms, rank, and pay were far more standardized - and so were the cockades.

An eagle had been added to the original black cockade to "Americanize" the design. Regulations from Secretary of War James McHenry said: "All persons belonging to the army, to wear a black cockade, with a Small white Eagle in the centre. The cockade of non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, to be of leather, with Eagles of tin."

The 1812 eagle holds both arrows and an olive branch. The message: We're ready for war or peace.

Nullify for Independence

As the fledgling nation grew, so did the factions and tensions between regions. Accusations flew between North, South and West, each insisting the other was taking advantage of the rest of the country.

When the "Tariff of Abominations" was passed in 1828, a movement grew in South Carolina to nullify the law which imposed such harsh regulations on South Carolinians.

In 1832, South Carolina nullified the tariff. Congress promptly passed the Force Bill authorizing the president to send troops. But um, they also passed a compromise tariff. So South Carolina withdrew their nullification of the 1828 tariff. But they nullified the Force Bill - just to make their point clear.

The symbol of nullification in 1828-1833 was a blue cockade inherited from the Gordon Riots in England a few years earlier. It was usually adorned with a South Carolina militia button.

The point was clear and concise: No government tyranny or we fight!

Second War of Independence

An uneasy peace reigned for several decades after the Nullification Crisis, but the tensions were still there. They finally boiled to the surface with the election of President Abraham Lincoln, who didn't even get the majority of the people's vote.

South Carolina was once again the leader and seceded from the Union in December 1860. Two of the first flags associated with the newly independent state were red and white. Thus, red and white came to be known as the colors of the Confederacy.

One source states that the white symbolized truth and purity and the red symbolized sacrifice. Many secession cockades across the South were made from red and white colors.

Though the South eventually lost the war, they made their point: We will sacrifice everything for independence.

Preserving Independence

As the now-united USA proceeded into the 20th century, turmoil churned around the globe. When it finally exploded into the first World War, America was ready with support for nations fighting for their independence.

A second World War pulled us even further into global affairs. Our money, men and munitions poured into the effort to push back tyranny and oppression.

Across the globe, the American red, white and blue symbolized the nation that fights for freedom - for everyone.

American Cockades: Our Heritage of Independence

Americans have a right to feel proud of our heritage. Not only did we fight for our own liberation from tyranny, we have liberated thousands of others around the world.

As we celebrate this 240th Independence Day (hopefully with a cockade!) let's remember our history and uphold the tradition of freedom for future generations!

Click here to see my patriotic cockades!

THREE CHEERS FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE!

Cockades & Eagles in the Army

The United States Army turns 240 on June 14, 2015. In honor of that occasion, I thought I'd look at a symbol that has been linked with the Army almost from the beginning: The eagle. I bet you didn't know that there is amazing significance - and history - in the American eagle!

After some brief experimentation in the 1780s, George Washington settled on black cockades for the army's headgear. (You can read more background about that decision here. But in the 1790s, America in general, and the Army in particular, had a problem with those black cockades.

They were British. We inherited our black cockades from the British house of Hanover (the Kings George were Hanoverians). People pointed out the incongruity - We had just fought for our independence from Great Britain, and here we were wearing their national cockade! Of course, a natural color choice instead could have been the colors of our flag - red, white and blue. But there was a problem with that too.

The tricolor was French. And as the French Revolution devolved into murderous excesses, the French tricolor was not viewed favorably in the Federalist-run, American government of the 1790s.

What to do?

While the government muddled, American citizens came up with a simple solution:

Put an American eagle in the center of the black cockade!

1799 Pattern
When George Washington heard of this idea, he thought it was a good one. He asked Secretary of War, James McHenry, to send him some samples of eagles that could be used for the American Army. It is believed that this silver eagle is one of those original samples.


So a design was chosen and the American military cockade for the next 100 years established. All persons belonging to the army, to wear a black cockade, with a Small white Eagle in the centre. The cockade of non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, to be of leather, with Eagles of tin. ~ James McHenry, Jan. 9, 1799

Of course, not all military eagles looked exactly the same since different manufacturers made them. Not only that, but militia units often had their own suppliers separate from the regular Army contractors.


But most cockades from this time period follow the 1799 pattern of an eagle with down-swept wings sitting on a bank of clouds. You can see the same design in this early naval cockade eagle.

The War of 1812 Pattern
Then, about the time of the War of 1812, the eagle was notably redesigned.

Though he continued to rest in the clouds, the new eagle included two more symbols that were significant to American politics: arrows and an olive branch.

In the early 1800s, America was still establishing her independent existence. Enemies - and dubious friends - surrounded her on all sides. The United States was arguing with Britain about trade and territory rights in the North and West. We were squabbling over trade with France, even as we doubled our land size with the Louisiana Purchase from the French. Spanish influence in the nearby Latin American countries unsettled our nation as well. And of course, there were always rumblings about skirmishes with the Indians on the frontiers.

In this atmosphere, our cockade eagle was refurbished with a new design based on the Great Seal. The eagle now held arrows in its right claw and an olive branch in its left. Ready for war or for peace, was the message. And significantly, the eagle's head is facing the arrows. (Well, it IS the Army, after all!)

The 1821 Pattern
A final change was instituted in 1821 and this would be the standard for all future American military cockade eagles. Once again, the differences were full of symbolism.

The clouds were now gone and the American shield appeared on the eagle's breast. (Historians can date cockade eagles by minute differences in the angle of the shield and the presence or absence of tail-feathers.)

The biggest difference was in the eagle's wings - they were now spread open. In heraldic terms, they were "displayed." An eagle with wings displayed symbolizes protection. In 1821, America was now an established nation, having proved in war and peace that she was able to protect herself and her people.

Significantly, the eagle now turns its head towards the olive branch, not the arrows. America was ready - and strong enough - for peace.

As time went on, cockade eagles became more fancy and sometimes also included an arch with "E pluribus unum" ("Out of many, one") the de facto motto of the United States. Here are some examples of the "1821 Pattern" cockade eagles.

If you want to enjoy looking at more American cockade eagles from history, check out my Pinterest board here.
Follow Creative Cockades's board American Military Cockade Eagles on Pinterest.

If you're interested in a more in-depth look at dating the eagle styles, the article starting on page 72 of this document is very helpful.

I make reproductions of several early American black cockades so check out the ones in my shop or contact me for a custom order!

Shop Here:
https://creativecockades.ecwid.com/