Project Gutenberg's The True Story of the American Flag, by John H. Fow

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Title: The True Story of the American Flag

Author: John H. Fow

Release Date: January 8, 2009 [EBook #27745]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The True Story of
THE AMERICAN FLAG

JOHN H. FOW

[Illustration: Fig. 8
FLAG CARRIED BY THE FIRST CITY TROOP OF PHILADELPHIA IN ESCORTING
WASHINGTON ACROSS THE JERSEYS ON HIS WAY TO TAKE COMMAND AT CAMBRIDGE]

THE TRUE STORY
OF THE
AMERICAN FLAG

BY
JOHN H. FOW

PHILADELPHIA
WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL
1908

Copyright, 1908
BY
JOHN H. FOW

* * * * *

INTRODUCTION

I was induced to make this research by the late William H. Egle,
Librarian of the State Library at Harrisburg, whose knowledge of the
early history of Pennsylvania was of valuable assistance to me in
preparing the data for a history of the country along the Delaware river
prior to 1682 (yet unfinished). Mr. Egle agreed with me that the claim
of Mr. Canby that BETSY ROSS designed and made the first flag was
legendary and without that foundation which is so necessary to uphold
claims of this character. Statements of such a character, when allowed
to go unrefuted, do harm to the history of any people, inasmuch as they
encourage others to build "air castles" and purchase old portraits to be
palmed off on others as _our_ "grandfather" who "fit" in the Revolution,
or _our_ "grandmother" who carried supplies to the troops at Valley
Forge.

History is the best incentive to make men love their country; it
encourages that patriotism which never falters, even at the cannon's
mouth. The sight of a flag or the music of a band merely enthuses as
long as one is in sight or the other can be heard; but history and its
knowledge are lasting and a source of pride. So, therefore, let it be
true in all its de