Bennington Flag

The Bennington Flag was one of the earliest flags to have 13 stars and 13 stripes. It flew over the Battle of Bennington, Vermont in August of 1777 where Ethan Allen's “Green Mountain Boys” defeated the British. This was two months after the resolution on the 14th of June that flags have 13 stripes of alternate red and white and 13 white stars in the blue canton. The resolution did not specify exact colors, proportions or star arrangement. The flag was carried again at the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga.

The flag had seven white stripes with white at the top and bottom. Its canton bore the numerals “76” surrounded by eleven seven pointed stars in a horseshoe shape with two more in the upper left and right corners, making a total of 13. The 76 numerals in the canton referred to 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed.