[Illustration: THE FIRST U.S. FLAG AND SEAL. MRS. BETSY ROSS THE AUTHOR.] THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST UNITED STATES FLAG, AND THE PATRIOTISM OF BETSY ROSS, THE IMMORTAL HEROINE THAT ORIGINATED THE FIRST FLAG OF THE UNION. DEDICATED TO THE LADIES OF THE UNITED STATES. BY COL. J. FRANKLIN REIGART, Author of the “Life of Robert Fulton.” HARRISBURG, PA. LANE S. HART, PRINTER AND BINDER. 1878. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by LANE S. HART, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. PREFACE. IN 1824, when General Lafayette arrived at Philadelphia, and was nobly welcomed as “The Nation’s Guest,” the writer of this book was staying several weeks at the hospitable home of his amiable and kind relative, Mrs. BETSY ROSS. The arrival of Lafayette excited and brightened her extraordinary memory, as she very cheerfully entertained all her friends, by relating the most interesting facts of the Revolution, and its FLAG of Victory. Her words we well remember. She objected, as a member of the society of “Friends,” to sit for her portrait, nevertheless, a miniature of her in crayon was made, and is now highly prized; and at this late day, we deem it our duty to publish the true history of the origin of the first FLAG of our Country, and the patriotism of America’s most illustrious Heroine. The BRAVEST of the brave demands our song, Who made the FLAG so firm and strong, Of all earth’s emblems the brightest diadem, The FREEMEN’S shield, the PATRIOT’S gem. Listen to her thrilling, cheering voice, her soul-inspiring, martial song, whilst a dozen of the ladies of her household joined in the chorus, as she handed over each Flag to the gallant troops, on their way to camp, and roused their enthusiasm to the highest pitch. The ladies of the Revolution loved her for her magnanimous and modest Quaker deportment, and the army of Washington applauded her dignified admonitions, so full of patriotism and power of song. Quakers very seldom sing, but BETSY ROSS always said, “_My voice shall be devoted to God and my country, and whenever the spirit moves me, I’ll sing and shout for liberty!_”—and with an enthusiasm for INDEPENDENCE, exhibiting a spirit power, only to be equalled by absolute phrensy, she waved her Flag aloft, and she did sing to the gallant volunteers, the “WAR SONG OF INDEPENDENCE.” “Come on, my hearts of temper’d steel, Away! away! to arms!! No foreign slaves shall give us law, No British tyrants reign; ’Tis INDEPENDENCE makes us free, And FREEDOM we’ll maintain. And to conquest we will go! will go! will go! With the red, white and blue, To conquest we will go.