PRIOR to July 4th, 1776, various kinds of Flags were used. Mr. Endicott, Puritan Governor, aided in a religious crusade against the cross of St. George; he cut the cross from the Flag flying at Salem, and was tried for treason, but escaped on the ground that his act was not actuated by treasonable motives, but religious zeal. About the first of January, 1776, the immortal Washington unfurled his Flag in compliment to the United Colonies, but it was so nearly like the British Flag, that the Bunker Hill patriots objected to it, because it was a blue Flag with the St. George and St. Andrew’s crosses combined; too much like the Flag of the Britons. Nearly every regiment had its own colony Flag. All sorts of devices, corresponding with the variegated coats of the Continental troops, or militia, scarcely two alike. They were styled “Colony Rebel Flags;” still, the “Colony Rebel Flags” were all used as rallying Flags, until they were eclipsed by the starry Flag, called “The Appeal to Heaven,”—“The Star Spangled Banner.” WASHINGTON’S ORDER, FOR “THE FLAG OF THE UNION.” TO General Putnam, desiring him in the most pressing terms, to give _positive orders_ to all the Colonels to have “Union Colors” immediately completed for their respective regiments; and Colonel Kitzema received the two first regimental silk “stars and stripes” from the secret committee of Congress, through General Putnam, and Colonel Curtenieus; whilst the brilliant Banner of the Union floated from the top of Washington’s headquarters in New York City. The real truth was, that previous to the “Declaration of Independence,” the leaders of our armies, the Governors of the thirteen colonies, and the Continental Congress were afraid to publicly unfurl an INDEPENDENT UNION FLAG; even Washington’s combined crosses were discountenanced, disapproved of, and treated with indifference; but, the boldness of Colonel George Ross and John Ross, with the dashing, daring seamanship of PAUL JONES, the firm patriotism, industry, and energy of that devoted friend of Independence, the IMMORTAL BETSY ROSS, who forced the “Flag of Liberty” forward, as true patriots of America, bid defiance to all Tory opposition, and flaunted the Stars and Stripes from the highest pinnacles of our land, the “UNION STANDARD,” that was never styled a “REBEL FLAG,” or Flag of any single Colony or State, but was styled “THE APPEAL TO HEAVEN,” made the cherished Flag of Independence, the triumphant Flag of Earth! THE RATTLESNAKE FLAG, OF 1775, THAT CHARMED AND INCITED THE TROOPS OF VIRGINIA TO ACTION.