America's 1st Flag

History of George Washington's "An Appeal to Heaven" Flag

The "An Appeal to Heaven" flag, also known as the Pine Tree Flag or Washington's Cruisers Flag, is one of the earliest symbols of American independence. It features a white field with a green pine tree in the center and the motto "An Appeal to Heaven"

The design symbolized the colonists' reliance on divine providence amid their fight against British tyranny, drawing from philosopher John Locke's idea of appealing to a higher authority when earthly justice fails. The pine tree represented New England's natural resources and resilience, particularly in defiance of British restrictions on colonial timber use for the Royal Navy.

George Washington, as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, played a direct role in its adoption. In October 1775—months before the Continental Congress officially established the U.S. Navy on October 13—Washington privately commissioned and outfitted a squadron of six schooners (known as Washington's Cruisers) to intercept British supply ships off the Massachusetts coast. These were the first armed naval vessels of the Revolution, funded largely from Washington's own pocket. To distinguish them, his aide-de-camp, Colonel Joseph Reed, proposed the flag in a letter dated October 20, 1775: "What do you think of a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, the motto AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN?" The vessels, including the schooner Hannah (commissioned September 5, 1775), flew this banner during early operations, such as disrupting British reinforcements to Boston. The flag later gained wider use, including by Massachusetts troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill (June 1775) and as the official ensign of the Massachusetts State Navy in 1776.

The motto originates from John Locke's Second Treatise of Government (1690), where he argues: "Where the body of the people... is deprived of their right... there lies an appeal to heaven." This justified revolution as a last resort against oppression, echoing sentiments in Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech and the Continental Congress's 1775 Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. The flag predates the Stars and Stripes and embodies the colonists' blend of faith, defiance, and self-reliance.

In modern times, the flag has been revived as a symbol of liberty and prayer for the nation. Its historical roots remain a point of pride, especially during the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary in 2025.