Research

Flags & Symbols

Flags marked the shifting loyalties of Islip Precinct, from the British Red Ensign to the Liberty flag raised in nearby Huntington, and back again under occupation. This page reserves space for those flags. The Town Historian is careful: because Islip's militia was closely tied to Huntington, Islip militiamen likely marched under the Huntington Liberty Flag, but the project does not claim Islip had its own.

The flags

Image coming soon

The Red Ensign (the “Red Duster”)The civil flag used in the colonies, flown over Islip in colonial times and during the British occupation.

Image coming soon

The Union FlagThe Crown flag of Great Britain, in the canton of the Red Ensign.

Image coming soon

The Huntington Liberty FlagA red flag marked “Liberty,” likely carried by Islip militiamen because of their close tie to Huntington.

Primary sources

Regional context1776Under review

Reading of the Declaration and the Huntington Liberty Flag

Although this concerns Huntington, it helps explain what was happening nearby in 1776. Because Islip's militia was closely tied to Huntington, the Town Historian suggests Islip militiamen may have marched under the same flag. The wording is deliberately careful: it says “likely,” not certain.

›Read the source text

On September 1, 1776 British troops occupied Huntington, where they would remain until March 1783. In 1975, almost 200 years after it was created, the Huntington Liberty Flag was designated as the official flag of the Town of Huntington.

Why this matters

Islip was part of a larger Long Island occupation story. Huntington's Revolutionary records and commemorations provide regional context for what Islip residents likely experienced. This project does not claim Islip definitely had its own Liberty Flag.

Reginald Metcalf Sr., “Reading of the Declaration of Independence and Creation of the Huntington Liberty Flag,” Town of Huntington Historian's Office, excerpted in Town of Islip Revolutionary War Resource Guide.

Essays & articles

The Colonial Flags of Islip Precinct, Part One

George J. Munkenbeck

Uses flags to explain political change before the Revolution, connecting Dutch and English colonial authority, the Nicoll family, Islip's “middle ground” status, and the Red Ensign flown in colonial times.

›Key excerpts

“Islip was still a middle ground, and contemporary maps show it as “Indian Territory.” When in 1683 the East Riding (original name for Suffolk) was formed into a county… it was not shown to be part of any town.”

“The Red Ensign also called the Red Duster that became the Civil Flag used in the colonies be flown over Islip during colonial times and during the time of British occupation.”

Why this matters

It turns abstract colonial history into visual history, and supports an illustrated flag resource with image slots for the Union Flag, St. George's Cross, and the Red Ensign.

George J. Munkenbeck, “The Colonial Flags of Islip Precinct: Part One,” in Town of Islip Revolutionary War Resource Guide, Part Six.

The Colonial Flags of Islip Precinct, Part Two: The Revolution

George J. Munkenbeck

Follows the flag story into the Revolution, from the British Red Ensign to the Huntington Liberty Flag and back to the Red Ensign during occupation. It is careful to say Islip militiamen “likely” marched under Huntington's flag.

›Key excerpts

“So, what flag flew over today's Town of Islip and was carried by its militia into battle? That is not an easy question. With the militia of Islip closely tied to Huntington it is likely that the flag that Huntington used was the one the members of the militia marched under.”

“At a reading of the Decoration of Independence in July 1776, a flag was raised in Huntington that had the Union Flag removed from the canton and the words “George III” removed, leaving a red flag emblazed with the word “Liberty.” … With the defeat at Brooklyn the flag over Islip would once again be the Red Ensign for six more years until 1783.”

Why this matters

A strong candidate for the visual side of the site. It connects political change to something visitors can see, while keeping the flag claim appropriately cautious.

George J. Munkenbeck, “The Colonial Flags of Islip Precinct: Part Two, The American Revolution,” in Town of Islip Revolutionary War Resource Guide, Part Six.