f a
pine tree and ready to strike. The Culpeper Minute Men of Virginia had
a coiled snake on their flag. In the winter of 1775 there appeared in
the _Pennsylvania Journal_ an article setting forth the propriety of
choosing the rattlesnake to represent America. The style of the
article and its keenness are like Franklin, but there is no proof that
he was its author. Whoever did write it notes that the "rattler" is
peculiar to America; that the brightness of its eyes and their lack of
lids fit it to be an emblem of vigilance. It never begins an attack
and never surrenders, never wounds till it has given warning. The
writer had counted the rattles on the naval flag, and found them to be
exactly thirteen, the number of the colonies. He had also noted that
the rattles were independent of one another, and yet most firmly
united; and that while one rattle alone is incapable of producing any
sound, the ringing of the thirteen together is sufficient to alarm the
boldest man living. Whether Franklin wrote this or not, let us at
least be thankful that these arguments did not prevail, and that on
the flag of the United States there are stars and not serpents.

CHAPTER V

WHEN WASHINGTON WENT TO CAMBRIDGE

Washington, chosen commander-in-chief, set out on June 21, 1775, on
his eleven-days' ride to Boston. From Philadelphia to New York he was
escorted by the Philadelphia Light Horse Troop. It was an escort worth
having. Their uniform was "a dark brown short coat, faced and lined
with white; high-topped boots; round black hat, bound with silver
cord; a buck's tail, saddlecloths brown edged with white, and the
letters 'L.H.' worked on them. Their arms were a carbine, a pair of
pistols and holsters; a horseman's sword; white belts for the sword
and carbine." Officers of the militia, the Massachusetts members of
the Continental Congress, and many others were also of the company.
The horses pranced, the music played, and the cavalcade started from
the Quaker City for the war that was to make the country free. The
flag that was borne before them is now carefully preserved between two
heavy plates of glass, and is kept in the Troop's armory, in a
fireproof safe made expressly for that purpose. The banner is only
forty inches long, but its richness makes up for its lack of size. It
is of yellow silk with heavy silver fringe. Around the flag is a
graceful running vine. The crest is a horse's head. In the center are
figures represe