Come and take it

Detail of a mural in the museum at Gonzales, Texas featuring the Come and Take It flag.

"Come and take it" is a American patriotic slogan most notably used in the American Revolution in 1778 at Fort Morris in Georgia, and in the Texas Revolution in 1835.

The slogan itself can be considered a modification of the response King Leonidas of Sparta (ancient Greek city-state) gave to the Persians during the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. When he was asked that his men should lay down their weapons, he replied "Come and take [them]" (Μολὼν λαβέ).^[1]

American Revolution

The port town of Sunbury is now a ghost town; but it was once nearly as important a port as Savannah. Fort Morris was constructed there by the authority of the Continental Congress. A contingent of British soldiers attempted to take the fort on November 25, 1778. The American contingent at Fort Morris was led by Colonel John McIntosh (c. 1778-1826).^[2] The Americans numbered only 127 Continental soldiers plus a few militiamen and local citizens. The fort itself was crudely constructed and could not have withstood any concerted attack.

The British Col. Fuser demanded Fort Morris' surrender through a written note to the American rebels. He had 500 men plus artillery. Though clearly outnumbered, Col. McIntosh's defiant written response to the British demand included the following line: "As to surrendering the fort, receive this laconic reply: COME AND TAKE IT!". The British declined to attack, in large part due to their lack of intelligence regarding other forces in the area. Col. Fuser believed a recent skirmish in the area, combined with Col. McIntosh's bravado, might have indicated reinforcements and so the British withdrew

The British returned January 1779 with a larger force. They later conquered and controlled nearly all of Georgia for the next few years.^[3] Col. McIntosh's defiance was one successful and heroic event which inspired the patriots as the War moved to the Carolinas and then north.

The Fort Morris Historical Marker is on Martin Road, Midway, Georgia. It is located at the visitor center for the Fort Morris Historic Site. The center is located off Fort Morris Road, at the end of the Colonels Island Highway (Georgia Route 38). The marker memorializes the battle and notes the "Come and Take It!" response.

In recognition of his valor of defending Fort Morris in Sunbury, McIntosh was awarded a sword by the Georgia Legislature with the words "Come and Take It" engraved on the blade.^[4] McIntosh later served in the War of 1812 as an American General, still protecting the Georgia coast. He served honorably, receiving honors from the City of Savannah for his service.

Texas Revolution

Digital reproduction of the Come and Take It flag.

In March 1831, Juan Gomez, a Lieutenant in the Mexican Army, worked alongside Tadeo Ortiz, a consul at Bordeaux, France, and granted a small cannon to the colony of San Antonio. The small bronze cannon was received by the colony and signed for by Randy Tumlinson. It was then transported to Gonzales, Texas and later was the object of Texas pride. At the minor skirmish known as the Battle of Gonzales—the first battle of the Texas Revolution against Mexico—a small group of Texans successfully resisted the Mexican forces who had orders from Juan Gomez to seize their cannon. As a symbol of defiance, the Texans had fashioned a flag containing the phrase "come and take it" along with a black star and an image of the cannon which they had received six years earlier from Mexican officials—this was the same message that was sent to the Mexican government when they told the Texans that they had to return their cannon—failure to comply with the Mexican's original demands led to the failed attempt by the Mexican military to forcefully take back the cannon.

Detail from the monument in Gonzales, Texas

The replica at the Texas State Capitol

As the cannon was truly the pride of the Texans, the battle cry of the Gonzales Battle is relived every year in Gonzales, Texas during the first weekend in October known as Come & Take It. During this three-day celebration in the town square, there is a parade, food, carnival games and rides, shopping, and other festival activities to celebrate the success of the Texas militia. The event is marked as the single most popular weekend of the year in Gonzales, and many businesses even shut down to take part in the festivities.^{[citation needed]}

Modern versions

In modern times, the "come and take it" flag has been modified and used as a symbol of Freedom. The first-known modified version, from the 1980s, replaces the cannon with an FN-FAL battle rifle and was displayed at a Bill of Rights rally in Arizona following the announcement by President George H. W. Bush that certain types of firearms and firearms parts would be banned. It was shown at a number of later rallies and campaign events through the late 1990s, and now resides in a private collection.

In 2002, a version of the flag was created which depicted a Barrett .50 BMG Rifle. Other versions have depicted various firearms, and even other objects dear to the hearts of the flag makers. During the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals at least one Dallas Stars fan had created a replica of the flag with the Stanley Cup replacing the cannon; the Stars were the defending champions that year. The flag was visible during CBC television coverage of the playoffs.

Replicas of the original flag can be seen in the Texas State Capitol, the University of Texas at El Paso Library, the Marine Military Academy headquarters building and in Perkins Library at Duke University.

See also

• Molon labe (the original version at the Battle of Thermopylae)

External links

• Gonzales "come and take it" cannon from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Detailed History of the Come And Take It flag. Includes the modernized versions.

Notes

1. ^ Plutarch, Apophthegmata Laconica, saying 11
2. ^ GlynnGen.com Coastal Georgia Genealogy Page on John McIntosh
3. ^ North Georgia History
4. ^ Lucien Lamar Knight, Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials, and Legends ...: Under the code duello... pages 500-501