Culpeper Militia Flag

Since colonial days, the rattlesnake has been used to portray the spirit of Americans. In 1751, Benjamin Franklin published a political essay describing the 13 American colonies as a snake divided reminding us of the danger of disunity.

In 1774, Colonel Gadsden of the Revolutionary Army emphasized this by printing the legend "DONT TREAD ON ME" on his flag.

The words swept the nation. The Culpeper Minutemen chose the coiled snake ready to strike and the words from Gadsden's flag, but then raised another defiant fist at the enemy by adding "LIBERTY OR DEATH"

The coiled snake might seem a strange symbol today, but it is effective, as no person who ever sees it forgets,...and thats the kindof message the Revolutionaries wanted to send.

Today's Tea Party has adpoted many of the Revolutionary War Period Flags, because the similarities between having our liberties abridged by the British and having our liberties abridged by the Obama administration.

History of the Culpeper Flag. This flag represented a group of about one hundred minutemen from Culpeper, Virginia. The group formed part of Colonel Patrick Henry's First Virginia Regiment of 1775. In October - November 1775 three hundred such minutemen, led by Colonel Stevens, assembled at Culpeper Court House and marched for Williamsburg. Their unusual dress alarmed the people as they marched through the country. The word "Liberty Or Death" were in large white letters on the breast of their hunting shirts. They had bucks' tails in their hats and in their belts, tomahawks and scalping knives.

You can purchase your own flags and many other historical flags at either one of the below web sites.

Gadsden and Culpeper.com

Unit States Flag Co.