By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield
Our National Anthem spanned countless decades in its creation. Is it any wonder why, considering the rocky road Americans traversed in our nation’s quest for liberty?
George Thacher Balch was known for his
patriotism and strong work ethic. Nothing got in the way of his objective. His
drive for excellence would become a beacon of light for those who served alongside
him during the dark days of the Civil War.
Born on October 2, 1828, in Biddeford,
Maine, George dreamt of attending West Point Military Academy someday. That day
did arrive and he proudly walked forward to receive his honors, graduating in
1852, and he he was commissioned as a lieutenant of artillery.
In 1859, he married Harriet, daughter
of the Honorable John P. Cushman, who was a judge at the time in the New York State
Supreme Court.
Then
in April 1861, George was given his orders to go to Fort Pickens, Florida. He
served under Colonel Harvey Brown. George felt the civil unrest in this
Southern state immediately. He heard the voices raised in anger over Lincoln’s thoughts
on slavery and freedom for all, nor could he ignore the picket signs of discontent
and threats of secession.
With Lincoln’s inauguration, the unrest in the Southern States reached a boiling point. As I tell in Swept into Destiny, Lincoln emphasized in his address, “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.” Lincoln went on to say, “The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to ‘preserve, protect and defend it.’” President Lincoln never wanted succession, only unity. But his words fell upon deaf ears.
On April 12, the Confederate soldiers opened fire upon Fort Sumter, a Union-held Fort in Charleston Harbor. The skirmish lasted for thirty-four hours. Fort Sumter surrendered on April 13th. Union troops evacuated Fort Sumter on April 14th.
Chaos exploded like an unwanted cyclone
in Washington D.C., especially in the War Department. Recognizing George’s cool head and exceptional
organizational and executive skills, he was transferred to the Ordnance Bureau
in Washington.
George rose to the ranks of Captain.
The Civil War reached a critical stage after the Battle of Gettysburg. The Army
Ordnance Department was having a tough time. The men on the lines needed
equipment and the best possible support given to every combat branch.
Balch stepped in as Chief of Ordnance, and he was given substantive control over its operations. He engineered virtually all essential decisions. Under his leadership, urgently needed weapons, munitions, and equipment flowed to the front lines.
Upon
the completion of the Civil War, he left the affairs of the Ordinance
Department in excellent shape.
George
then served as an instructor at West Point Academy and after he retired from
the Army, he served on the New York Board of Education. This became his
mission, his shining achievement.
He threw himself fully into promoting
the teaching of patriotism in schools. He encountered large numbers of foreign-born
students and George immediately saw a need for teaching them about American principles
and the development of integrity and practices that could foster a sense of
American identity in these students.
He
developed a way of instilling the patriotic values of the American dream that embodied
the feeling of the American flag along with a pledge and salute that predated
today’s Pledge of Allegiance. “I give my heart and my hand to my country—one
country, one language, one flag.”
George Balch spent the rest of his
life dedicated to this cause of inspiring patriotism in children. He died on
Sunday, April 15, 1894.
In
1892, a Christian socialist, a former Baptist minister, named Francis Bellamy,
put together a pledge. However, historians have seriously questioned whether
Bellamy wrote this version of the Pledge of Allegiance. He worked for the
family magazine Youth’s Companion and many believe the words were stolen
from a boy who submitted it to the magazine for the marketing of the Columbian
Exposition in October 1892, marking the 400th anniversary of
Christopher Columbus’ arrival in Americas.
The pledge was written thusly: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and
the Republic for which it stands—one Nation indivisible—with liberty and
justice for all.”
Flag Day was proclaimed by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and President Coolidge in 1927 to be June 14. The formal, permanent establishment of the observance came with the passage of the Act of Congress.
The
wording was changed in 1923 and 1924, by the national Flag Conference. Then in
1942, upon America’s entrance into World War II, Congress officially adopted the
pledge, decreeing it should be recited while holding the right hand over the
heart.
Before
then, the pledge included a Bellam salute by extending the right arm toward the
flag with the hand outstretched. Then with the rise of fascism in Europe,
people did not like that because it resembled the Nazi salute.
The final revision came in 1954 when a grateful nation gave their praise and homage to its Founder and Maker. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Congress passed a new bill that added the words “under God” to the National Anthem.
My Country Tis of Thee…” Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King.”
The Battle Hymn of the Republic… ”In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you
and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make
men free, While God is marching on.”
Strong willed, patriotic men like
George Balch and President Dwight D. Eisenhower made the voice of America heard.
Because it was the citizens and patriots of America who made up the backbone of
this nation. Fighting against unprecedented odds and beating those foes that
would destroy our love—in their solid belief in one God and His Son, and our
Savior, Jesus Christ. This is what the United States of America represents.
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
It took four wars, countless lives,
and a grateful nation to create the words of our beloved National Anthem. Like
the stars and stripes changed with each annexation of the states, so did the
words of the anthem, with each war adding to the anthem’s fruition. As it states in the Declaration of Independence, America continues to depend upon the firm reliance and the protection of Divine Providence. Their strength as a people, and a nation lay—under God, indivisible. Our quest for liberty complete.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV)
Swept into Destiny: Ben McConnell is a proud Irish immigrant who is determined not to give up despite hunger and deprivation. He clings to his mustard seed faith believing—nothing is impossible.
Maggie Gatlan is a rebel disguised as a
Southern belle. Ben and Maggie’s journeys delve deeply into the truth about
faith and devotion.
“…
Brakefield’s flowing descriptions pull you into
Swept into Destiny and keep immersed in the world of the Antebellum south…This isn’t just a world of beaus, belles, and balls,
but of moral ambiguity and searches for truth…” L.H. Reader
Catherine is the award-winning author of Wilted Dandelions, Swept into Destiny, Destiny’s Whirlwind, Destiny of Heart, Waltz with Destiny and Love's Final Sunrise. She has written two pictorial history books, The Lapeer Area and Eastern Lapeer, and short stories for Guideposts Books, CrossRiver Media Group, Revell Books, Bethany House Publishers. Catherine and her husband of fifty-two years live on a ranch in Michigan and have two adult children, five grandchildren, four Arabian horses, three dogs, three cats, six chickens, and three bunnies. See CatherineUlrichBrakefield.com for more information.
https://goordnance.army.mil/HallOfFame/2000/2001/balch.htm
http://balchipedia.wikidot.com/georgethatcherbalch
https://www.history.com/articles/who-created-the-pledge-of-allegiance
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