FLAG, NATIONAL
| Accession #: | H.1914.246.1 |
| Agency: | Museum of History |
| Date Made: | 1781-1795 |
| Dimensions (English): | [Lt] [Wdt] [Ht]4' 5/8" |
| Dimensions (Metric): | [Lt] [Wdt] [Ht]123.5 cm |
| Category: | COMMUNICATION ARTIFACTS |
| Class: | CEREMONIAL ARTIFACT |
| Alternate Name: | ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTS |
| Signature/Marks: | |
| Description: | WHITE CANTON W/ 13 REVERSE APPLIQUE 8-POINTED STARS, STRIPES ARE RED & BLUE, HAND-SEWN. |
| Vessel Name: | |
| Title: | |
| Associations: | BULLOCK, MICAJAH __ASSOCIATED WITH ||AMERICAN REVOLUTION __ASSOCIATED WITH ||BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURTHOUSE __ASSOCIATED WITH |
| Place Made: | |
| Place Used: | USA NORTH CAROLINA GUILFORD |
| Use History: | THIS FLAG, SUPPOSEDLY CARRIED BY MICAJAH BULLOCK AT THE BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURTHOUSE, WAS GIVEN TO THE GRAND LODGE OF NORTH CAROLINA (FREEMASONS) BY THE BULLOCK FAMILY OF GRANVILLE COUNTY. MICAJAH BULLOCK WAS A MEMBER OF HIRAM LODGE NO. 24 IN WILLIAMSBURG, NC (NOW WILLIAMSBORO, NC) CHARTERED DECEMBER 17,1783. THE GRAND LODGE GAVE THE FLAG TO THE HALL OF HISTORY, ORIGINALLY AS A LOAN, IN 1914. FAMILY TRADITION HAS IT THAT THIS FLAG WAS CARRIED AT THE BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURTHOUSE. IN 1970 GRACE ROGERS COOPER OF THE SMITHSONIAN CONCLUDED THAT SHE SERIOUSLY DOUBTED THAT IT WAS CARRIED AT THAT BATTLE, BUT THAT IT MIGHT BE MADE BEFORE THE 1790S (SEE ITEM HISTORY FOR HER LETTER). |
| Style: | |
| Maker: | |
| How Made: | |
| Materials: | WOOL --COTTON |
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION:
THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE FLAG IS 8.5 FEET, AND THE PRESENT WIDTH IS 3 FEET, 3.5 INCHES. THE FLAG HAS 13 BLUE STARS AVERAGING 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER IN A WHITE FIELD. EACH STAR HAS 8 POINTS. THE FIELD MEASURES 6.5 FEET BY 2 FEET, 1 INCH. THERE ARE 6 BLUE STRINGS AND 6 RED STRIPES SHOWING. THE FLAG IS HAND SEWN OF HEAVY COTTON MATERIAL, WHICH THE RED STRIPES HAVING A DIAPERED WEAVE. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF AGE, AS THE FLAG IS FADED, STRETCHED, AND SLIGHTLY DIRTY, WITH SMALL TEARS.
A=FLAG; B=FLAG STAVE.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS FLAG REPRESENTS THE NEW AMERICAN FLAGS THAT WERE CREATED FOLLOWING THE END OF THE REVOLUTION, SHOWING A REAL SPLIT FROM THE FLAGS THAT WERE UNDER THE ENGLISH CROWN.
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