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War of 1812 Veteran Exempts Flag — 6-Point Stars

Size:  3×5 ft  Standard Polyester

Too Old to Be Called. Too Proud to Stay Home.

In the summer of 1812, a group of old soldiers in New York did something that had no military requirement behind it — they picked up their muskets again.

These were veterans of the American Revolution. They had fought the British once, decades earlier, when the country was an idea rather than a nation. Now the British were back, pressing American sailors into their navy, arming Native American tribes against American settlers, and preparing to invade from the north. The veterans of the Revolution were legally exempt from compulsory military service — their age had earned them that relief. They formed up anyway.

The company became known as the Veteran Exempts. Their flag, featuring six-point stars, flew with them to one of the most consequential battles of the war.

The Six-Point Stars — An Early American Tradition

The six-point star on this flag reflects an early American vexillological tradition that predates the standardization of the five-pointed star in American flag design. The Continental Congress’s Flag Resolution of 1777 established thirteen stars and thirteen stripes as the national design but did not specify the number of points on each star. Early American flags used both five- and six-point stars interchangeably.

Francis Hopkinson, the New Jersey delegate and designer who also claimed credit for the first Stars and Stripes, favored six-pointed stars in his designs. The famous account of Betsy Ross suggesting five-pointed stars — on the grounds that they could be cut in a single snip — reflects the practical transition toward the five-point standard. But in 1812, that standardization was not yet complete, and militia companies across the new nation flew flags that still carried the older six-point tradition.

The Veteran Exempts flag is a genuine artifact of that transitional moment in American flag history.

The Battle of Plattsburgh — The Last Invasion

On September 11, 1814, the Veteran Exempts were present at what became known as the Battle of Plattsburgh — also called the Battle of Lake Champlain — in the northern reaches of New York State.

The British strategic plan was ambitious: a coordinated land and naval assault down the Lake Champlain corridor that, if successful, would drive deep into American territory and dramatically strengthen Britain’s negotiating position in the peace talks then underway in Ghent, Belgium. Governor-General Sir George Prevost commanded a British land force that significantly outnumbered the American defenders under Brigadier General Alexander Macomb.

The naval engagement decided everything. Commodore Thomas Macdonough had positioned his American fleet in Plattsburgh Bay with extraordinary care — rigging his ships with spring lines on their anchor cables so he could rotate them mid-battle to bring fresh broadsides to bear after one side’s guns were exhausted. When the British naval commander Captain George Downie was killed early in the engagement and his fleet systematically dismantled by Macdonough’s tactical preparation, Prevost had no choice. Without naval control of the lake, his supply lines were severed and his position untenable. He ordered a full retreat back into Canada.

The last British attempt to invade the northern United States was over.

The Impact Beyond the Battle

The timing of Plattsburgh could not have been more significant. The peace negotiations at Ghent had stalled, with Britain demanding territorial concessions from the United States. News of the decisive American victory — a smaller force defeating a larger British invasion — arrived at the negotiating table and fundamentally shifted the dynamics. British negotiators, who had hoped for military leverage, found themselves without it.

The Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814, restoring pre-war boundaries and ending the conflict. The Veteran Exempts had helped ensure that the country their generation had founded remained intact.

Flag Details & Construction

Quality Tier: Standard Quality

• Size: 3 feet x 5 feet
• Material: Super-weave polyester — 100% synthetic, waterproof
• Print: Through-printed design visible on both sides
• Edges: Double-stitched throughout
• Header: Reinforced brass grommet rings for easy pole attachment
• Lightweight — flies well in fair-weather breeze

Recommended Uses

• Outdoor fair-weather pole display
• War of 1812 and American military history reenactments
• Museum and historical society display
• Indoor wall display and Americana-themed décor
• Educational and institutional historical exhibits
• Gift for military history enthusiasts and American heritage collectors

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the Veteran Exempts? A New York Militia company formed in July 1812, composed entirely of veterans of the American Revolution who were legally exempt from compulsory military service due to their age. They volunteered regardless and saw service during the War of 1812, including at the Battle of Plattsburgh in September 1814.

Why does this flag have six-point stars instead of five? The six-point star reflects an early American design tradition that was still in use during the War of 1812 era. The Continental Congress’s 1777 Flag Resolution established stars and stripes but did not mandate five-point stars specifically — both five- and six-point designs were used in early American flags before the five-point standard became firmly established.

What was the Battle of Plattsburgh? Fought on September 11, 1814, on Lake Champlain in northern New York, it was the decisive engagement that ended the last major British invasion attempt from the north. American Commodore Thomas Macdonough’s naval victory destroyed the British fleet and forced the British land forces to retreat into Canada. The battle significantly influenced the Treaty of Ghent negotiations that ended the War of 1812.

How did Plattsburgh affect the peace negotiations? British negotiators at Ghent had been demanding territorial concessions, expecting military leverage from planned invasions. The decisive American victory at Plattsburgh — combined with the failed attack on Baltimore — eliminated that leverage. The Treaty of Ghent, signed December 24, 1814, restored pre-war boundaries rather than granting Britain the territorial gains it had sought.

Is this flag a historical reproduction? Yes — this flag reproduces the design attributed to the Veteran Exempts company of New York Militia, featuring the six-point star design authentic to the early American flag tradition of the War of 1812 era.

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