2. What is Old Glory?
Old Glory is an american flag with 24 stars.
3. Old Glory’s Backstory
Captain William Driver was a
shipmaster in Salem Massachusetts.
He was preparing to leave on a
voyage aboard the Charles Doggett,
when his friends gifted him with a
flag of twenty four stars. As the flag
rustled in the wind for the first time
he shouted “Old Glory!” Then the
name stuck.
4. Driver’s Retirement to Nashville
Driver retired to Nashville in
1837, taking the flag from his days
at sea with him. By the time the
Civil war began, almost everyone in
Nashville knew of Old Glory. When
Tennessee seceded from the US,
southern rebels were determined to
destroy his flag, but searchers could
not find the flag anywhere.
Driver’s Home.
5. The Flag Rises Again
On February 25, 1862 the Union
stormed into Nashville and gained
control. Soldiers marched Driver to
his house, the Captain finally felt
safe enough to pull the flag from
hiding. He grabbed his bed cover
and began ripping at the seams, Old
Glory had been inside his quilt the
whole time. Even in his old age,
Captain Driver climbed the tower
and raised the beloved flag.
Old Glory in the quilt.
6. Old Glory Today
In January 1923, Old Glory was
donated to the Smithsonian
Institution by William Driver’s
granddaughter or niece. The old
flag is still there today. Here is one
display on the right.
