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Carrot-Top is now Freedom and Glory — different name, same people, same commitment to you.
Presidents’ Day gives us a reason to pause. It’s a moment not only to remember who led our nation, but to reflect on the moments that asked the most of it in the U.S.A.
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln stand at two defining edges of American history. One helped bring the country into being. The other held it together when it nearly came apart. They lived in different centuries. They faced different threats. But both understood something essential. Leadership isn’t carried forward by words alone, but by action.
Washington commissioned flags for his naval fleet, so that colonist could fight together under a unified banner. Lincoln refused to remove stars from the Union flag when states seceded, turning a piece of cloth into a political statement: the Union still stands, whether you're in it or not.
These weren't decorations. They were decisions made visible. And on the battlefield, they were tools for survival.
Symbols of Leadership: How Flags Shaped Our Nation
In the earliest days of the United States, flags served a practical purpose. In an era before mass communication—before radio or telegrams—a flag told you who stood where and what they were willing to defend. On a battlefield thick with gunpowder smoke, that information could mean the difference between life and death.
During Washington's leadership, flags rallied soldiers who didn't yet know whether independence would survive. The American experiment was fragile. Nothing about its success was guaranteed. But every banner flown during the Revolutionary War served a tactical purpose: it marked positions, identified friendly forces, and gave scattered troops a place to regroup when formations broke.
By the time Lincoln became president, the role of the flag had evolved. It no longer represented a nation trying to be born. It represented a nation struggling not to break apart.
Union flags flew above battlefields soaked in loss. They were carried by soldiers who understood the cost of keeping the country whole. Lincoln's refusal to remove stars from the Union flag wasn't just symbolic. It was strategic. It told Union soldiers they were fighting to restore the whole country, not defend what was left. And it told the world that becoming united again was still possible.
What Is the Legend Behind the Lincoln Flag?
Among the many flags tied to American history, few carry the quiet weight of what’s now known as the Abraham Lincoln flag, often referred to simply as the Lincoln flag.
April 14, 1865, hours before Lincoln arrived at the Ford’s Theatre, proprietor John Ford hung three 36-star and two treasury guard flags in the Presidential Box. The 36-star flag wouldn't be official for another three months, but the theater hung them anyway to honor the President.
Later that night, John Wilkes booth famously shot the president. As he jumped down to the stage, his feet caught on one of the flags and broke his legs, but he was still able to escape. Amidst the chaos, two actors fled to attend to the President. As Lincoln was dying, Thomas Gourlay, grabbed one of the American flags to cushion the President’s head. That flag would later be known as the Lincoln flag.
In the days that followed, Lincoln lay in state. His casket was draped with a U.S. flag, establishing a tradition later observed for presidents, vice presidents, and national leaders. As the funeral train traveled through New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and beyond, crowds gathered silently along the tracks. Hats were removed. Heads bowed. Flags were lowered.
The flag used to cushion the President’s head is believed to have retained blood stains, a somber reminder of the violence that ended his life. Today, artifacts connected to Lincoln, including flags and funeral materials, are preserved in institutions such as the Smithsonian and regional archives, including the Pike County Historical Society, near Milford and other historically connected routes.
That Abraham Lincoln flag no longer flies. It was never meant to. Its purpose had already been fulfilled. It reminds us that the United States flag isn’t only raised in celebration. Sometimes, it is folded in sorrow so the nation can carry on together.
What Other Flags Are Associated with Washington and Lincoln?
The story of presidential flags isn’t confined to one moment or one design. It unfolds across several banners. Each reflects the pressures of its time, and the values leaders chose to stand behind.
Washington’s Cruiser Flag
Often called the Appeal to Heaven flag, this banner is also known as Washington’s Cruiser Flag. It was flown by colonial naval vessels authorized by George Washington during the Revolutionary War.
The flag features a single pine tree and the words Appeal to Heaven, a phrase rooted in the belief that when earthly justice fails, moral judgment still matters. The design was intentionally restrained. No portraits. No excess ornamentation. White stripes, natural tones, and simple symbolism carried the message.
This Washington’s Cruiser flag wasn’t meant to impress. It was meant to endure.
When the Civil War began in 1861, the official flag had 33 stars, even though several states had seceded. Lincoln made a decision: those stars stayed.
During the war, the Union kept adding stars as new states joined. Kansas came in at the start of the war, making it 34 stars. West Virginia split from Virginia in 1863, bringing it to 35. Nevada became a state in October 1864, though its star wouldn't be added to the flag until July 1865—after the war ended.
Lincoln refused to remove stars for the Confederate states, but he kept adding them for new ones. The message was clear: the Union wasn't shrinking. It was growing.
This wasn't just symbolic. On the battlefield, that flag told Union soldiers what they were fighting for—not to hold what was left, but to restore the whole country. And it told the Confederacy that their states still had a place if they'd come back.
Officially adopted in 1865, the 36-star flag marked the marked the admission of Nevada into the Union during the Civil War. The timing alone gave the flag unusual significance. Even as the nation fought to survive, it was still expanding. The number of stars had increased but so had the cost.
Notably, the flag draped over Lincoln’s casket featured 37 stars, anticipating Nebraska’s statehood. Though not yet official, the added star reflected forward momentum. The Union wasn’t shrinking. It was continuing. That detail mattered. It showed how the American flag has often pointed not just to where the nation stands, but to where it intends to go.
The Washington State Flag
Washington remains the only state to feature a president’s portrait on its flag. The Washington state flag, set against a deep green field, bears the image of George Washington himself. It’s a straightforward design. Clear. Recognizable. Purposeful.
Much like the leadership it honours. The Washington flag reflects how place, memory, and national identity can come together in a single symbol, one that’s flown daily, not just on holidays.
Carry Forward American History with Freedom and Glory
At Freedom and Glory, we see flags as more than historical artifacts or seasonal displays. They are symbols that bring us together. Our flags are American-made, built with durable materials, reinforced stitching, and quality details like canvas headers and brass grommets. This focus on craftsmanship ensures every flag is made to last, whether it’s a national flag, a historical reproduction, or a commemorative display.
When you choose a Lincoln flag, a Washington flag, or any of our American flags, you’re choosing more than fabric. You’re choosing a symbol built where it flies, designed to endure, and worthy of the story it represents. That’s how history stays alive.
Not by standing still. But by being carried forward.
