Flag of New England

The "Flag of New England" can be any number of banners used to represent Massachusetts or the New England colonies. There are some variations, but common designs include a plain colored field with a tree in either the field or the canton.

The flag is based on the red naval ensign of the Royal Navy, which featured the cross of St. George in the canton. The ensign was used at both the Jamestowne and Plymouth colonies. Puritans in New England objected to the use of a Christian cross on their flag, and for a time flew a red flag with a plain white canton. [Mastai, pg 16]

A red New England flag with a tree filling the canton was used at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and is often used to represent that early battle of the American Revolution.

Another commonly seen flag has a plain blue flag with a canton quartered with cross of St. George (the symbol of England) and a tree in a quarter of the canton. Although possibly inspired by the Blue Ensign of the Royal Navy, the blue field is said to have been due to an error in a wood engraving, causing confusion with painters. [Mastai, pg 16] John Trumbull, known for his historic detail, used a red flag in his painting " prior to the battle. [Lossing, Chapter 23, endnote 19] Regardless of its authenticity, the blue variation of the New England flag has become a symbol of the Battle of Bunker Hill, and was featured on a 1968 US Postage Stamp.

Notes

*Lossing, Benson J. 'Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution' 1850.
*Mastai, Boleslaw and Marie-Louise D'Otrange 'The Stars and the Stripes. The American Flag as Art and as History from the Birth of the Republic to the Present' ©1973. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. ISBN 0-394-47217-9

External links

* [http://www.1847usa.com/identify/1960s/1968.htm 1968 Postage Stamps]
* [http://www.midcoast.com/~martucci/flags/NEFlag.html A History of the New England Flag] with several variations
* [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1/Lossing1/Chap23.html#e019 Lossing's version of the flag]