Washington's Position or Headquarters FlagThis was Washington's personal flag and most likely dates back to 1775. and it remained with him for the duration of the war. It still exists today and can only be displayed once a year because of it's fragile state. A painting by James Peale in 1782 shows a large blue standard with a linear arrangement of stars at the Battle of Princeton.
"The time is now at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be free men, or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army -- Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die. Our own country's honor, all call upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion, and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the cause, and the aid of the supreme being, in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions. The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny mediated against them. Let us, therefore, animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a free man, contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth. Liberty, property, life, and honor are all at stake; upon your courage and conduct rest the hopes of our bleeding and insulted country. Our wives, children, and parents expect safety from us alone, and they have every reason to believe that Heaven will crown with success so just a cause. The enemy will endeavor to intimidate by show and appearance; but, remember, they have been repulsed on various occasions by a few brave Americans. Every good soldier will be silent and attentive – wait for orders and reserve his fire until he is sure of doing execution.”
– George Washington, General Orders, to his troops, July 2, 1776 |
"Dr. Benjamin Rush was the only signer to travel with the Continental Army as a doctor. Rush experienced first hand the real war while engaged in battle and treating the horrible wounds inflicted on the soldiers. He was with the army at Trenton on December 24, 1776 and spent time with General George Washington"
- Gerald M. Carbone-2011 Rush wrote: “I spent a night at a farmhouse near to him and the next morning passed near an hour with him in private. He appeared much depressed, and lamented the ragged and dissolving state of his army in affecting terms. I gave him assurance of the disposition of Congress to support him, and while I was talking to him, I observed him to play with his pen and ink upon several small pieces of paper. One fell upon the floor near my feet. I was struck with the inscription upon it; it was ‘Victory or Death’. " This was the passcode and passkey that Washington had chosen to distribute among his troops prior to the Battle of Trenton. 
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