Adopting these general principles, we find ourselves, in attempting to
give a satisfactory account of the origin, adoption, and meaning of the
devices embodied in the National Flag of the United States, obliged to
describe the principal flags displayed during the Revolution, which
resulted in the independence of those States; to give some account of
the flags used by the colonists prior to that Revolution; and to
notice, though in a cursory manner, the national flag of the mother
country.
To facilitate the consideration of our subject, we shall arrange the
flags, mention of which we have met with, as displayed during our
Revolution, in a table, chronologically; and shall number them,
according to the date of the notice of them, 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., beginning
in 1774.
In this Table, we shall give their distinguishing devices; noticing
them, when necessary, more at length as we proceed.