The Moravian sisters of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, gave to Count
Pulaski’s corps, which he had previously organized at Baltimore and
which was called “Pulaski’s Legion,” a beautiful crimson silk banner,
embroidered in yellow silk and sent it with their blessing. Pulaski was
at this time suffering from a wound, and was on a visit to Lafayette,
whose headquarters were at Bethlehem. Count Pulaski was a Polish
patriot, born March 4, 1747. After having bravely fought for Poland
with his father and brothers until the Polish cause became hopeless, he
came to America, arriving in Philadelphia in 1777. He entered the army
as a volunteer, but performing such brave service at Brandywine, he
was promoted to the command of cavalry with rank of brigadier-general.
In 1778 Congress gave him leave to raise a body of men under his own
command. Longfellow has most beautifully described the presentation
of the flag in verse. Pulaski bore this flag to victory through many
battles until he fell mortally wounded at Savannah, October 14, 1779.
The banner was saved by his first lieutenant, who received fourteen
wounds, and delivered it to Captain Bentalon, who on retiring from
the army, took it home to Baltimore. It was carried in the procession
which welcomed Lafayette in 1824, and was then deposited in the Peale
Museum. In 1844 Mr. Edmund Peale presented it to the Historical Society
of Maryland, where it is now preserved in a glass case. These are
interesting historical facts.
Flag of red and blue bars with serpent stretched across and words,
“Don’t Tread on Me.”
Another flag of white, with blue bands top and bottom and a pine tree
in center, with the inscriptions: Liberty Tree and An Appeal to Heaven.