MARYLAND STATE FLAG.

The flag of the State bears the escutcheon of the great seal—
the Calvert and Crossland arms quartered. This device seems
to have been adopted by common consent, as there is no
record of the formal adoption of any design as the official
flag of the State. That the colony had a distinct flag or
standard we know. The first recorded instance of the use of
a Maryland flag occurs in Leonard Calvert's report of the
reduction of Kent Island (February, 1638), in which he says
that he and his force marched with Baltimore's banner dis-
played. At the battle of the Severn, in 1655, where the sup-
porters of the proprietary government, under William Stone,
the Governor, were defeated by the Parliamentary party,
under Captain William Fuller, Stone's forces marched under
the flag of Maryland, borne by William Nugent, "standard
bearer of the Province," while Fuller's party displayed the
flag of the Commonwealth, charged with the crosses of St.
George and St. Andrew. It is also said that a Maryland
flag was carried by the Marylanders who accompanied Brad-
dock's expedition against Fort Du Quesne in 1756.

THE GREAT SEAL OF MARYLAND.

The Great Seal of Maryland presents a marked contrast to
those of the other States of the American Union, in that its
device consists of armorial bearings of a strictly heraldic char-
acter, being in fact the family arms of the Lords Baltimore,
which were placed by the first Proprietary upon the Seal of
the Province.
THE FIRST SEAL.

The First Great Seal of Maryland was lost or stolen in 1644
during the rebellion of Richard Ingle. No description of this
seal remains.
THE SECOND SEAL.

The Second Great Seal was sent to the Province by Lord
Baltimore to replace the lost or stolen first, and was
described by Lord Baltimore as differing but little from the
first one. A minute description of the second seal is found
in Lord Baltimore's letter of commission to Gov. Stone,
August 12, 1648. On the obverse of this seal was the
equestrian figure of the Lord Proprietary, symbolizing his
personal authority. He was represented arrayed in com-
plete armor, and bearing a drawn sword in his hand. The
caparisons of his horse were adorned with the family coat-
of-arms. On the ground below were represented some