Flags of Bunker Hill: Banners of Liberty

Oh, may that flag forever wave
Where dwell the patriot and the brave,
Till all the earth be free.

George Henry Preble, author of History of the Flag of the United States, 1880

Sometime after the Battle of Bunker Hill, Americans began to recall stories about four flags relating to the battle. The Provincial militia likely flew two of these flags during the battle. The other two flags appeared during the Siege of Boston, the larger conflict that began with the Battle of Bunker Hill. In-person accounts about these flags are contradictory, but there is agreement among some historians that Provincials flew these four flags either during the battle or in the days that followed.

Bunker Hill Flag

In traditional lore, the Bunker Hill Flag is the flag that the Provincials most likely flew in their redoubt at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Bunker Hill Flag has a red St. George’s Cross in the upper left corner of the flag, symbolizing English identity. The rest of the flag is covered in a blue field.

Provincial soldiers most likely flew this flag, the Bunker Hill Flag, in the redoubt.

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Before the battle, New Englanders knew the Bunker Hill Flag as the New England Flag. Starting in 1703 and until the battle, New Englanders had three similar versions of their New England Flag. Two of these versions had a red St. George's Cross. Flag makers made either a red or blue version of this flag.

Some flag historians claim that this red New England flag was at Bunker Hill instead of the blue version.

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A third New England flag had a red field, but did not include the St. George's Cross. (See below.)

All three flags included a pine tree. New Englanders adopted the pine tree icon to symbolize their independent economic power, which came partly from lumber.

Due to the three variations of their flag, New Englanders unintentionally created confusion when people tried to recall which flags had flown at Bunker Hill.

New England Flag

Provincials might have also flown this flag during the Battle of Bunker Hill alongside the Bunker Hill Flag. This version of the New England Flag had a red field, without a St. George’s Cross. Some New Englanders objected to the political and religious beliefs associated with the St. George’s Cross and favored this New England Flag without it. Some people still call this the New England Flag.

The New England flag, may have also been flown by the Provincials.

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Provincial participants in the battle would have been familiar with all three varieties of the New England flag. They created these flags informally and without government support; when Provincials needed a rallying banner, they simply made one by mostly copying British flags.

Later, colonists also referred to the New England Flag as the "Continental Flag," reflecting that the New England Army became the Continental Army after the Battle of Bunker Hill.

In the months following the Battle of Bunker Hill, two other flags appeared. When General George Washington took command of the Siege of Boston after Bunker Hill, he instructed colonial ships to fly the "An Appeal to Heaven" Flag as an ensign, or identifying flag. This flag is also known as "Washington's Cruisers Flag." Provincials may also have flown this flag during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

An Appeal to Heaven Flag

The British philosopher John Locke coined the phrase "an appeal to heaven" in 1690. Some American colonists embraced the idea that God could be summoned to help them defend their rights.

The "An Appeal to Heaven" flag.

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This flag, like the Bunker Hill Flag and the New England Flag, featured a pine tree, a revered symbol to many Provincials, including George Washington.

General George Washington played a role in another flag associated with the aftermath of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Grand Union Flag.

Grand Union Flag

Washington unfurled this new flag near Cambridge, Massachusetts in early 1776, while in command of the Siege of Boston. It is also known as the "Continental Colors Flag." The design and the naming of this flag emphasized the commitment of all thirteen colonies to act together and remain a part of Great Britain despite their disagreements with the mother country. The designer of the flag is unknown, although the flag resembled an existing British flag at the time. Some historians call the Grand Union Flag the first United States flag.

The Grand Union Flag.

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These four flags connect us to the Battle of Bunker Hill, an early part of American history that proved to be a momentous event. These flags are still popular symbols of identity and liberty. The United States Postal Service has featured three of them on postage stamps.

Sources

"A Brief History of the American Flag." The City University of New York. Accessed August 17, 2024. American Flag History (cuny.edu)

Leepson, Marc. Flag: An American Biography. United States: St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2005. Google Books.

Lossing, Benson, J. The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, in two volumes. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publisher, 1860. Internet Archive.

Martucci, David B. "Flag and Symbol Usage in Early New England" Raven, a Journal of Vexillology. Volume 13, 2006 p. 1-40. North American Vexillological Association (nava.org)

Mays, Terry M. Historical Dictionary of the American Revolution. United States: Scarecrow Press, 2009. Google Books

Preble, George Henry. History of the Flag of the United States of America. Boston: A. Williams and Company, 1880. Google Books

Schmidt, Gloria. "Revolutionary War Early Navy Flags, Pine Tree Flag." Accessed August 16, 2024. portsmouthhistorynotes

Smith, Colonel Nicholas. Our Nation's Flag, In History and Incident. Milwaukee: The Young Churchman Company, 1903.

"The Siege of Boston." The Massachusetts Historical Society. Accessed August 22, 2024. Massachusetts Historical Society

Vance, Mrs. Frank, L., Bletcher, J. Our Nation's Flag. Milwaukee, WI, 1917.