With the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary, American flags seem to be flying everywhere. It's wonderful to see. I've always liked flags. Years ago, when I lived alone in my two-story condo, I displayed many flags along the stairway leading to the main floor, including the Lone Star flag of Texas and the iconic Don't Tread on Me flag. Whenever a breeze drifted through, they would gently flutter as if they were flying outdoors.

Growing up, we had a wooden fence in our backyard that resembled a frontier fort. As I mentioned in my October 1, 2023, blog, I shared a childhood memory of creating a homemade American flag to fly above our backyard fort-like fence.  I mounted it on the fence, and every day when I came home from school, I would spot the flag waving before I even walked inside. Seeing it always brought a smile to my face. It flew for years atop the fence until my Dad said, "Enough is enough." Not surprisingly, then, some of my favorite photographs over the years have featured flags.

This image was taken at the Battle of Monmouth reenactment in 2018 and remains one of my favorite photographs because it features a flag. It was later selected by the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh for publication in Tar Heel Junior Historian, Vol. 63, No. 2—quite an honor and a proud moment for me.

Many of the flags actually carried by Continental Army units did not feature the familiar stars and stripes that most people associate with the American Revolution today. In fact, I only rarely see 13-star American flags at a handful of reenactments.

For a Revolutionary War reenactment, the 13-star flag is generally considered period-appropriate as a symbolic representation of the early United States. However, historians cannot say with certainty that soldiers at any specific Revolutionary War battle carried this exact circular-star design. While the "Betsy Ross" pattern is extremely popular at modern reenactments and patriotic celebrations, there is no definitive historical evidence that Betsy Ross created this particular flag. As iconic as it has become, it was probably not among the most common flags seen during much of the war.

This photograph was taken at Fort Lee in 2025. A reenactor happened to be walking by carrying the flag, and fortunately, it was a breezy day. The wind caught it at just the right moment, causing the flag to fully billow.  I also came away with an excellent vertical image of the same reenactor and flag, giving me two memorable photographs from the encounter.

There are so many different Stars and Stripes flag designs at reenactment events, and I don't recall seeing this particular design before. What makes this photograph from the 2024 Fort Roberdeau Revolutionary War Days event especially special to me, however, is not just the flag itself—it is the image's simplicity and clarity. The flagpole and flag stand out in razor-sharp focus against a rich blue sky.

I remember taking this photo vividly. Standing near the fort's entrance, I looked straight up and framed the shot to emphasize the flagpole's height against the open sky. Captured at 70mm and f/5, the settings helped isolate the subject while preserving the striking contrast between the flag and the deep blue background. That simplicity is what makes this image one of my favorites from the event.

At the 2017 Battle of Short Hills reenactment, this flag caught my attention. Unlike many flags typically seen at Revolutionary War events, this design is not a historically authentic flag from the American Revolution. Instead, it is closely associated with the American Bicentennial celebration of 1976, commemorating the nation's founding in 1776.

The most striking feature of this flag is the large "76" displayed in the blue canton, surrounded by a circle of stars. Although reenactors strive for historical authenticity, it's always interesting to encounter flag variations like this one. They offer a glimpse into how different generations have chosen to honor America's heritage.

This photo is similar to my first selection and was also taken at the Battle of Monmouth, this time during the 2017 reenactment. The image captures a column of reenactors moving into position before the battle demonstration began. The flag serves as the focal point of the scene, standing out against the lush green backdrop and symbolizing the group's unity as they prepare for the day's events. This gallery contains many additional photographs featuring this historic flag throughout the reenactment.

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After reviewing all these flags, I was reminded of country music legend Johnny Cash's 1974 spoken-word classic, "Ragged Old Flag." The song is recited as a dramatic narrative that traces the history and resilience of the American flag through the nation's triumphs and struggles. Listening to it again sent chills down my spine. Its powerful storytelling serves as both a tribute to the Stars and Stripes and a memorable history lesson, making it a fitting final note for this collection of historic flag images.

Thank you for reading! Blog #114 will be posted on July 15, 2026. Be safe & well!

Huzzah,

Ken Bohrer