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The Gadsden Flag: Don’t Tread On Me
It’s hard to miss the Gadsden Flag these days. Although it sprung back into popular American consciousness when the Tea Party first got its legs, this is a flag with a long and storied history. In fact, the flag is older than the United States itself.
Back in 1751, Benjamin Franklin designed and published America’s first political cartoon. Called “Join Or Die,” it featured a generic snake cut into 13 parts. The imagery was clear: join together or be destroyed by British power. But why a snake? Around this time, Great Britain was sending criminals over to the colonies. Franklin once quipped that the colonists should thank them by sending over shipments of rattlesnakes. As American identity grew, so did an affinity for American (as opposed to British) symbols. Bald eagles, Native Americans, and the American timber rattlesnake – the snake depicted on the flag.
A Popular Symbol of America
By the time 1775 rolled around, the rattlesnake was an immensely popular symbol of America. It could be found throughout the 13 colonies on everything from buttons and badges to paper money and flags. No longer was the snake cut into pieces. It was now recognizably the American timber rattlesnake, coiled into an attack position with 13 rattles on its tail.
The flag takes on a special historical significance at the Battle of Bunker Hill. This battle still celebrated in Boston, is where Colonel William Prescott famously gave the order not to fire “until you see the whites of their eyes.” One thing the battle underscored was that the Continental forces were woefully low on ammunition. In October of that year, the Continentals learned that two ships filled with weapons and gunpowder were headed for Boston. Four ships were commissioned into the Continental Navy, led by Commodore Esek Hopkins, ordered to get those cargo ships as their first mission.
In addition to sailors, the ships carried marines, enlisted in Philadelphia. Their drummers had drums featuring the yellow of the Gadsden Flag with the now well-known snake emblazoned on top. It included the words “Don’t Tread On Me” – a now-famous motto with an uncertain origin.
In December of 1775, “An Anonymous Guesser” wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania Journal. While the letter is anonymous, most scholars now agree that it was written by Benjamin Franklin. This letter suggested, “As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America.”
Anonymous Franklin’s reasons for such were as follows:
- The rattlesnake is only found in North America.
- The creature has “sharp eyes” and “may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.”
- The snake isn’t known for unprovoked attacks. However, once it does attack, it doesn’t stop until it wins.
- What’s more, even before attacking, the rattlesnake gives ample warning in the form of its rattle.
- Franklin claimed in the letter that the snake’s tail had 13 rattles, none of which would work independently of one another.
The First Flag of the American Navy and Marines
While Franklin didn’t get his wish, the Gadsden Flag did find a place as the personal standard of Commodore Hopkins. No one is sure if his flag inspired the drums or if the drums inspired Hopkins. However, one thing is certain: the Gadsden Flag, by virtue of being Hopkins’ standard, was effectively the first flag of the American Navy and Marines. He later presented another copy of the flag to the South Carolina legislature.
But what of the man himself? Who was Gadsden? Christopher Gadsden was the designer of the flag. He’s known as “the Sam Adams of the South.” Both a soldier and a statesman, Gadsden was a founding member of South Carolina’s Sons of Liberty chapter. He served as a delegate to both the First and Second Continental Congresses. He left the Continental Congress in 1776 to serve as commander of the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. His legislative service continued in the Provincial Congress of South Carolina. And during the war, he was captured and served 42 weeks in solitary confinement after refusing to cut a deal with British expeditionary forces.
After the war, his health was in poor shape, primarily due to his time spent in an old Spanish prison. Gadsden was elected to the position of governor for South Carolina but declined the position due to his health. He remained in the state legislature until 1788 and voted to ratify the United States Constitution. He died in 1805 and is buried in Charlestown. The Gadsden Purchase in Arizona is named for his grandson, who was a diplomat.
The Gadsden Flag Today
Today you can find the Gadsden Flag and its variations throughout the conservative, libertarian and patriotic movements. The Tea Party waved it during their Obamacare protests in 2009. This is what caught the government’s attention. A 2009 report from Missouri law enforcement called the Gadsden Flag “the most common symbol displayed by right-wing terrorist organizations.” That same year in Louisiana, a man was detained by police simply for having a “Don’t Tread on Me” bumper sticker on his vehicle. Christopher Cantwell and other libertarians have added the rattlesnake and “Don’t Tread On Me” legend to the distinctive black-and-yellow anarcho-capitalist flag.
Over 250 years after its creation, the Gadsden Flag resonates because of its stark imagery and simple message. “Don’t Tread On Me” with a rattlesnake poised to attack says all that needs to be said. It is not an aggressive posture, but rather a defensive one. It says to anyone who would tread on the liberties of free people to think twice. While free people are peaceful, their patience is not endless. Next time you hoist this flag up, don a hat with its image or throw a Gadsden Flag sticker on your car – remember that you’re standing in a fine tradition that includes the first American Navy and Marines and the patriot after whom the flag is named.
The Gadsden Flag: Don’t Tread On Me originally appeared in The Resistance Library at Ammo.com.
Published in History
Wonderful post. Thanks much for that. I love that flag and what it represents.
A fine post. Thanks.
I have mine.
Bet the flag will be cancelled before the Biden Administration is finished.
In the Obama Administration, the EEOC remanded a case in which someone complained that the repeated wearing of a Gadsden Flag insignia on a hat in the workplace was racist for factfinding.
I get all tingly inside when I see the Gadsden flag.
-sniffle-
Such a beautiful and simple message.
If you were to come to my house you will see 3 flags. Coming up my driveway you will see the Gonzalez Flag (Come and Take It) hanging from my barn. You will then walk under an American Flag hanging from its pole off the end of my house. Lastly upon entering the house you will come face to face with a Gadsen Flag hanging on the wall. Anyone who doesn’t like the messages of those 3 flags shouldn’t be there anyways.
I live on a river. I used to fly the US flag, the Gadsen, the Rebel, and a skull and cross bones. Now I fly none. Don’t want my stuff destroyed. It used to be we tolerated people and opinions even if we disagreed. Now the Left destroys anything it can vaguely take offense at and the government ignores or backs their play.
ANd if we fight back, people on our side will attack us
I live on a lake….or more specifically across the road from the lake. Ain’t nobody gonna destroy anything on my or my neighbor’s property without risking life and limb I promise you. If your stuff is in that kind of danger from the “left” you need to move brother.
Before Obama no issue but now I live on the same rive as a major city. Gangs have figured they can steal boats on one side of state lines and rob house on the other side of the state line. Our new openminded world has decided that arresting gang members or homeless is racist so the problem is now is best handled by insurance companies. My small town would be improved if the police force hired Barney Fife, but then the shrews that always get elected would have a competent cop instead of their normal corrupt ones.
I predict they’ll push to ban the American flag before too long. They must really hate so public a reminder that states exist.
The thing is the change of attitude. River folk were very independent, mind your own business types. Nowadays everybody wants to mind everybody’s else business but their own. Not sure when we became a world of nosy busybodies but we did.
A world of Karens.
For what its worth the people where I live are still that way., both on the lake or in the small town.