One of the Greatest Freedoms

The original star spangled banner - on display at the
Smithsonian’s National Museum of American
History in Washington, D.C.
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/starflag.htm

Recently, many of us exercised one of the greatest freedoms known to mankind - the freedom to cast a vote. We also honored Veteran's Day, where we celebrate the countless men and women who have served our country to ensure this basic freedom, knowing the great importance of maintaining a democracy.

With the tip of a pen, we possess the ability to rise to power men and women who will make decisions that not only affect us, but future generations to come. We shouldn't, for one moment, take that responsibility lightly.

When we cast our educated vote, our end goal should not be the hope of who fills the Oval Office, or a seat in the House or Senate. We should vote with the knowledge that it is but one step toward making America the kind of home we want a generation not yet created to inherit.

With the election so recently held, I think of our Founding Fathers and the nation they envisioned for us. Many of them didn't simply cast a ballot, they cast their lives for a dream - a dream of one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.... If the next centennial does not find us a great nation ... it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces."

James Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States, 1877

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature."

Benjamin Franklin

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

Abraham Lincoln

"We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."

Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation

"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, some say, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above."

Thomas Paine

"Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants."

William Penn

"If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper; but if we and our posterity neglect its instruction and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity."

Daniel Webster

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

Patrick Henry

What about you? Did you exercise your freedom to vote? Who did you honor on Veteran's Day?

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people and events.

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OLD GLORY

History of the United States of America Flag

by Martha Rogers

With Flag Day coming on June 14, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about our flag. The actual beginnings of our flag as we know it, are surrounded by controversy and differing opinions. Although Betsy Ross is the name most associated with the origin of the flag, a congressman named Francis Hopkinson is most likely the one to have designed it. In fact, one historian said the flag was not the design of any one person, but the compilation of many. Betsy Ross is claimed to have been the producer of flag, but evidence for and against her family claims exists.

Reasons for doubt:

·         No records show any one person or committee assigned to design the flag.

·         No evidence George Washington and Betsy Ross knew each other

·         No mention ever made any diaries or letters of Washington

·         Flag Resolution of 1777 first documented meeting with discussion or debate about a flag.

Support:

·         George Washington was in Philadelphia in the spring of 1776 where he served on a committee that approved money for acquisition of tents and other sundry articles for the Continental Army.

·         On May 29, 1777, Betsy Ross was a paid a large sum of money from the Pennsylvania State Navy Board for making flags.

·         Rachel Fletcher, Betsy’s daughter gave an affidavit of the story.

·         Paintings depicting Betsy with George and sewing on the flag lend support to the story.

Before the official new flag was commissioned, the very first flag flown for the Revolutionary troops was the Union Flag carried the first year.

After that, the “Betsy Ross” flag is seen in most depictions.

However, until 1912 there were no stipulations for the order of the stars or the proportions of the flag. The only two requirements were that the stars be on the blue background, and there were to be 13 red and white alternating stripes, except for the years 1795 to 1818 when the flag had 15 stripes. At that time, the flag went back to 13 stripes and one star for each state, with new states to be added on the 4^th of July following the states admission.

Here are a few of the various forms displayed before the standard was adopted.

In 1912, Taft established the proportions for the flag and provided the arrangement of stars to be six rows of eight each with a single point of the five-pointed star be upward. The staggered rows came into being with an Executive Order by President Eisenhower in 1959. Later that year, the star arrangement become nine rows staggered horizontally and eleven rows staggered vertically.

In the early years of the flag, it was seen only with army troops and at special celebrations of our country. It flew over forts, federal buildings, and at other government functions. It flew at Ft. McHenry during the famous battle when Francis Scott Key penned the words to the song, The Star Spangled Banner, which became our National Anthem. That flag rests in the Smithsonian Institute today.

As the years progressed and people became more patriotic, the flag was flown at more and more events and especially at Flag Day exercises and celebrations. 

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day.

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

President Wilson established a Flag Day and it was celebrated for years, but June 14^th became the official date in an Act of Congress signed by President Truman in 1949.

Certain rules of etiquette surround the use, display, and retirement of the American flag fondly known as Old Glory. These are the rules in general:

The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.

The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.

The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.

The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.

The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.

The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.

The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.

The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.

The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.

When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

There are others, but these are the main ones to be followed by American citizens. It is flown at half-mast on the occasion of deaths of prominent leaders such as the President or military/government leaders. 

One of the most famous pictures of our flag in war times is the one of it being raised on Iwo Jima. I was a young girl when I saw it in the newsreels and then on a magazine cover. It is a picture I'll never forget.

This week as we celebrate Flag Day and honor Old Glory, remember the battles she has seen, the many coffins of military heroes she has covered, and the ones commemorated by flying her at half-mast.

If, like me, you learned something new about the flag today, tell me what you learned or some other fact not mentioned here.

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.  A former English and Home Economics teacher, Martha loves to cook and experimenting with recipes and loves scrapbooking when she has time. She is the Director of the Houston Christian Writers Conference held in August each year. She has written three historical series, Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart and The Homeward Journey. Her new contemporary series, Love in the Bayou City of Houston and novellas, Christmas Blessing, Love Comes to Bluebonnet Inn, and Garden of Love are now available on Amazon.  

Find Martha at:  www.marthawrogers.com

The Miraculous Defeat of the British at Fort McHenry and a Book Giveaway!

AND THE WINNER IS KAYM!!!!!  Congratulations to Kay! And thank you all for entering!!!

I had the privilege of traveling to Baltimore, Maryland while doing research for my series, Surrender to Destiny, a romantic War of 1812 trilogy set in that fair city. Having already read so much about it, I walked around the port district in complete awe, imagining my characters walking

down those same cobblestone streets! For those of you who don't know much about this war, believe me, it's fascinating. In particular, the miracles that occurred over and over again. Against all odds, this fledgling American nation with a ragtag army and barely a navy defeated the most powerful military and navy forces of the day and sent them running for home! Only God could preform such a feat.

Another miracle occurred while I was in Baltimore. It so happened that on the EXACT day I was there, they were having a War of 1812 reenactment at Fort McHenry. This was not planned. I had no idea it was happening until I got there!  Cool huh?  Here are some pictures I took and if you don't know what happened that night, here's a summary of how this tiny fort, along with Baltimore's militia, defeated the British troops on land and sea and sent them packing for home.

At noon on September 11, 1814, the British fleet sailed to the mouth of the Patapsco River and anchored off North Point, just fourteen miles from Baltimore. Arrogantly spurred on by their successful march into Washington DC three weeks earlier, the British planned to attack the “Nest of Pirates,” as they called the city, from both land and sea. Early in the morning on September 13, while British troops advanced on land from North Point toward Baltimore, five bomb ships and several other war ships maneuvered into a semi-circle two miles from Fort McHenry. Just after dawn, the bombing commenced.

Major Armistead, commander of the fort, would later estimate that in the next twenty-five hours, the British would hurl between 1500 and 1800 exploding shells at them. A few never hit their mark, but most exploded directly over the fort, showering destruction on the defenders. One bomb exploded on the southwest bastion, destroying a twenty-four-pounder, killing Lieutenant Levi Claggett, and wounding several men. Soon after, another shell crashed through the roof of the gunpowder

magazine. By the grace of God, it did not ignite. Major Armistead soon ordered the barrels of powder removed and stored elsewhere.

While the British land invasion was failing due to the courage and preparation of Baltimore’s militia, the bombardment of Fort McHenry continued throughout the long night. Finally at 7:00 a.m. on September 14, the shelling ceased, and the British fleet withdrew. Major Armistead immediately brought down the dripping storm flag that flew over the fort and hoisted in its place the forty-two by thirty foot flag sewn by Mary Pickersgill, the action accompanied by the fort’s band playing Yankee Doodle.

Eight miles away, aboard an American truce ship, Sir Francis Scott Key, overcome with emotion 

at the sight of the flag, penned what would become our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner Miraculously, Baltimore successfully defended itself against an attack by the greatest military and naval power on earth. The humiliating defeat suffered by the British changed the course of the war, and three months later, on Christmas eve, Britain made peace with the United States at Ghent. In Baltimore, the Niles Weekly Register announced the news with the headline: “Long live the Republic! All hail! Last asylum of oppressed humanity!”

May it ever be so!

You  also might be interested in reading the last stanza of the Star Spangled Banner.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I'm GIVING AWAY a copy of SURRENDER THE DAWN,  the last book in my Surrender to Destiny Trilogy, aromantic adventurous tale of privateers that ends with the victory at Fort McHenry. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address.