The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Flag Day In Hoosick Falls

By

 by Bea Peterson

In 1775 the Continental Congress appointed a committee to consider a single Flag for the thirteen colonies. That committee recommended a design of thirteen alternate stripes of red and white, with an azure field in the upper corner bearing the red cross of St. George and the white cross of St. Andrew. John Paul Jones. [private]The senior lieutenant of the flag ship, Alfred, hoisted this flag to the masthead on December 3, 1775, and one month later it was raised over the headquarters of General Washington at Cambridge, MA, The flag, called “The Continental Colors” and “The Grand Union,” was never carried in the field by the Continental land forces, but it was used by the Navy as its exclusive ensign and was the first American Flag to receive a salute of honor of eleven guns from the Fort of Orange in the Dutch West Indies.

Don’t Tread on Me was the flag used by the Southern colonies and the Continental Navy in 1776 and 1777. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the American Legion, the Community Band and community members joined in Flag Day ceremonies at the Post 40 American Legion headquarters on Main Street in Hoosick Falls on June 14. (Bea Peterson photo)
Terri Burdick, an Elks Club member, described the history of the American flag during Flag Day ceremonies at the Post 40 American Legion headquarters on Main Street in Hoosick Falls on June 14. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the American Legion, the Community Band and community members participated in the event. The flag shown is the Pine Flag, carried at Bunker Hill in 1775. (Bea Peterson photo)
The Betsy Ross flag was introduced in 1777, Elks member Terri Burdick told the group as she relayed the history of the American flag. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the American Legion, the Community Band and community members joined in the ceremonies at the Post 40 American Legion headquarters on Main Street in Hoosick Falls on June 14. (Bea Peterson photo)

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