History Lessons

Firemen with flags rallied to nation’s cause

The conclusion of the four-year-long 150th anniversary of the Civil War is a good time to remember how some firemen put down their hoses to pick up flags and firearms. In the spring of 1861, when southern states began to secede, The New York Times reported that “the extreme danger to which the Federal Capital… continue

History Lessons

How Florida fiddled with state flag

One hundred and seventy years ago – in 1845 – Florida entered the United States as its 27th member and designed a state flag that failed almost immediately. Ever since, Florida has been fiddling with its banner. The first flag carried a motto – “Let Us Alone” – that many people found offensive. A Vermont… continue

History Lessons

Lincoln and flags as his death approached

One hundred and fifty years ago, in the closing weeks of his life, Abraham Lincoln was focused on the finale of the Civil War – and on flags. On March 17, 1865, for example, he issued an address to the 140th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which had captured a rebel flag during a battle in North… continue

History Lessons

Coast Guard Academy’s flags multiply

Bedecked with school flags and guidons, the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, is marking the centenary of its 1915 founding. But it’s somewhat confused about its own standard. According to the school’s website, “the origins of the Coast Guard standard are very obscure. It may have evolved from an early jack.” According to… continue