Bonnie Blue Flag
Don D
9,834 Posts
Changing the subject a bit, my Texas friend Randy wrote this on another board. If you've wondered about the Bonnie Blue, called The Lone Star flag by some, consider:
"The first recorded use of the lone star flag dates to 1810. On September 11, 1810 a troop of West Florida dragoons set out for the provincial capitol at Baton Rouge (Indian for Red Stick) under this flag. They were joined by other republican forces and captured Baton Rouge, imprisoned the Governor and on September 23, 1810 raised their Bonnie Blue flag over the Fort of Baton Rouge. Three days later the president of the West Florida Convention, signed a Declaration of Independence and the flag became the emblem of a new republic. By December 10, the flag of the United States replaced the Bonnie Blue after President Madison issued a proclamation declaring West Florida under the jurisdiction of the Governor of the Louisiana Territory. With this rebellion in mind, this flag was used by the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1839. On January 9, 1861 the convention of the People of Mississippi adopted an Ordinance of Secession. With this announcement the Bonnie Blue flag was raised over the capitol building in Jackson. Harry McCarthy was so inspired that he wrote a song entitled "The Bonnie Blue Flag" which became the second most popular patriotic song of the Confederacy. The Confederate government did not adopt this flag but the people did and the lone star flags were adopted in some form in five of the southern States that adopted new flags in 1861."
"The first recorded use of the lone star flag dates to 1810. On September 11, 1810 a troop of West Florida dragoons set out for the provincial capitol at Baton Rouge (Indian for Red Stick) under this flag. They were joined by other republican forces and captured Baton Rouge, imprisoned the Governor and on September 23, 1810 raised their Bonnie Blue flag over the Fort of Baton Rouge. Three days later the president of the West Florida Convention, signed a Declaration of Independence and the flag became the emblem of a new republic. By December 10, the flag of the United States replaced the Bonnie Blue after President Madison issued a proclamation declaring West Florida under the jurisdiction of the Governor of the Louisiana Territory. With this rebellion in mind, this flag was used by the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1839. On January 9, 1861 the convention of the People of Mississippi adopted an Ordinance of Secession. With this announcement the Bonnie Blue flag was raised over the capitol building in Jackson. Harry McCarthy was so inspired that he wrote a song entitled "The Bonnie Blue Flag" which became the second most popular patriotic song of the Confederacy. The Confederate government did not adopt this flag but the people did and the lone star flags were adopted in some form in five of the southern States that adopted new flags in 1861."
Comments
If you claim to be a Texan or a Southerner, or both, I would never admit that. In that ride of 1810, at the head of the column rode a color sergeant carrying a blue flag with a single, white five-pointed star. The flag had been made a few days before by Mrs. Melissa Johnson. This flag, called 'The Bonnie Blue', was the Flag of the Republic of Texas from December 10, 1836 to January 25, 1839 and is the forerunner of the Texas Flag, January 1839 to present. The flag served as the national flag of Texas and as a national ensign for merchant ships belonging to Texans as well. Texas is one of the few states to have a distinct civil ensign and the Flag Law of 1839 has never been amended. Therefore, it would still be appropriate for Texans wishing to display a state flag to fly the civil ensign of 1839.
As a Texan, you owe it to your friends and family to ensure that they have this knowledge.