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The rattlesnake flags were the product of the
southern colonies. One of the first of these was the Gadsden Flag, devised
by Colonel Christopher Gadsden, a patriot of South Carolina, and presented
to Congress with the expressed desire that it be designated as the flag of
the Commander of the American Navy. Congress thanked him for the idea and
discussed Benjamin Franklin’s analysis of the Rattlesnake, but declined
to incorporate it into law. It is claimed that the Gadsden Flag was flown
on the “Alfred” as the personal banner of commander Esek Hopkins,
Commander of the American Navy. It was run up by John Paul Jones. The
words “Don’t Tread on Me” were evolved from an incident of the
times. Lord North had declared that he would never relax his coercive
measures until he had brought America to his feet. The sentence is an
answer to his Highness and a warning as well. It said, that should he
accomplish his purpose, it would be as dangerous to tread on America as it
would be to tread on her symbol – the American rattler.
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