Rhode Island

Date: 1776

White field with blue anchor, fouled (that is, a rope was artistically snaked from the top around the anchor) in the center beneath the word "Hope". Canton of blue with 13 white stars. [R30]

The First Rhode Island Regiment introduced the earliest American flag displaying thirteen white stars in the canton of blue, arranged in a 3-2-3-2-3 pattern forming the combined crosses of St. George (+) and St. Andrew (X). The is significant because it shows an old attachment to the motherland of England.

The flag was designed by John Manly of Massachusetts. The flag was flown at the burning of the British ship Gaspee and at the battles of Brandywine, Trenton, and Yorktown. The flag was originally the flag of the 1st and 2nd Newport Artillery.

Most historians agree that the original flag had white stars. Later the stars were changed to gold.

The letter to the right from the Postmaster General's Office reinforces the claim that the stars are gold.