AMERICAN FLAG
On the 14th of June 1777 Congress ordained that the flag of the 13 United States should be 13 stripes, alternate red & white, and that the union be 13 white stars on a blue field.
Fort Stanwix was without a flag when Col. St. Leger and the enemy appeared.On Sunday 3 August 1777 the Americans inside Fort Stanwix (near present day Rome, New York) made white stripes from strips cut from shirts.The red was obtained from bits of scarlot cloth. The blue background for the stars came from a cloak belonging to Captain Abraham Swartout of Dutchess County, New York.
The American flag was unfurled on the flagpole at the southern bastion of Fort Stanwix.This American flag was comprised of red stripes and a circle of stars on a blue square.
This was the first flag of the regulation stars & stripes that was raised above a fort in the United States.
This was the first time that the Stars and Stripes ever flew in the face of an enemy.
Here it was baptised in the blood of Battle (Battle of Oriskany).Here it first waved in triumph over a retreating foe.
On 6 August 1777 General Herkimer and approximately 800 local militiamen (farmers) came to the relief of the seige at Fort Stanwix.14 of these brave men were Bellingers of the Mohawk Valley.Many of the 800 lost their lives in the ensuing ambush of that day ... but won the battle (of Oriskany) and helped make possible the birth of our new nation.
An in-depth discussion of the Revolutionary War era Bellingers et al. and the Battle of Oriskany is found in a new book and affiliated CD titled MOHAWK VALLEY BELLINGERS AND RELATED FAMILIES.This document set is available from the Herkimer County Historical Society, 400 North Main Street, Herkimer, New York13350email address: [email protected]: (315)866-6413.
Goodby for now.
More Replies:
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AMERICAN FLAG
David Bellinger 7/09/02
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AMERICAN FLAG
David Bellinger 6/19/02
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Hello David :) and thanks for the info
6/30/01
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Re: Hello David :) and thanks for the info
David Bellinger 7/01/01
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Re: Hello David :) and thanks for the info
KIM SINGH 5/29/08
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Herbert Bellinger & Grace Marie Bolger
David Bellinger 5/31/08
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Herbert Bellinger & Grace Marie Bolger
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Re: Hello David :) and thanks for the info
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Johannes Bellinger (1664-Abt. 1725)
David Bellinger 7/01/01
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Re: Hello David :) and thanks for the info