Bedford Flag facts for kids
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The Bedford Flag is a very old and important flag in the United States. It is thought to be the oldest flag still around in the country! This special flag is connected to the Minutemen from Bedford, Massachusetts. These were brave citizen soldiers who were ready to fight at a moment's notice. The flag was supposedly carried during the first battles of the American Revolution, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, in 1775.
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What Does the Bedford Flag Look Like?
The Bedford Flag is made from a fancy red silk fabric called damask. It's about 27 inches (69 cm) tall and 29 inches (74 cm) wide.
The flag has a painted design on it. You can see an arm wearing armor, reaching out from a cloud. This arm is holding a straight sword. The design is a bit different on each side of the flag. On one side, the sword looks like it's behind the words, and on the other side, it looks like it's in front.
The flag also has a Latin saying on it: VINCE AUT MORIRE. This means "Conquer Or Die." On one side, the words read from top to bottom, and on the other side, they read from bottom to top.
How Old is the Bedford Flag?
No one knows the exact age of the Bedford Flag, but experts think it was made in the early 1700s. For a while, people thought it might be an even older flag from the 1660s. That's because its design is similar to flags used by cavalry (soldiers on horseback) units back then.
However, scientists looked closely at the paint on the flag. They found a special blue color called "Prussian blue." This color wasn't invented until after 1704. So, the flag must have been made after that year.
Records from 1737 mention a man named John Page as the "Cornett of the Troop of horse." A Cornett was the officer who carried the flag for a military unit. John Page's son, Nathaniel Page, and other family members were also called "Cornet Page" in town records. This suggests that the Page family might have been carrying a flag for the local militia (citizen soldiers) as early as 1720.
The Flag at Concord in 1775
The Page family has a long-standing story that the Bedford militia's flag was with them during the American Revolution. They say that Nathaniel Page carried it into battle at Concord on April 19, 1775.
However, there are no written records from that time – no diaries, letters, or official reports – that mention any flag being flown by either side at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A British officer did see a "liberty pole" with an unknown flag on it near Concord. British soldiers later cut down this pole and destroyed the flag.
A Symbol of Freedom
In the 1700s, flags were very important in battles. They helped soldiers know where their unit was and gave them a place to gather. Over time, the Bedford Flag became a strong symbol of the early American Revolution. It especially represents the brave stand the militia made at Concord.
Because tradition says it was the only militia flag at the battle, the Bedford Flag is believed to have inspired the famous poem Concord Hymn by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The poem starts with these lines:
- By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
- Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
- Here once the embattled farmers stood,
- And fired the shot heard round the world.
The flag wasn't called the "Bedford Flag" until 1875. That year, Cyrus Page, a descendant of Nathaniel Page, sent the flag to a big celebration in Concord. He also flew it at his family home for Bedford's 150th anniversary in 1879. In 1885, Cyrus Page gave the flag to the Bedford Free Public Library, where it is still proudly displayed today.
The Bedford Flag Today
The Bedford Flag is so important that it is the official flag of the town of Bedford, Massachusetts. You can visit the Bedford Free Public Library to see this amazing piece of American history.
Images for kids
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A flag similar to the Bedford Flag seen in a painting from 1651. The image of an arm holding a sword was common in old European designs.
