Charles West Stewart

Charles West Stewart served in American naval institutions as an officer, historian, and librarian whose research concentrated on maritime history, naval biography, and national symbols. The Stars and Stripes From Washington to Wilson 1777-1914 was published in Washington by the Navy Publishing Company in 1914 after appearing in an earlier form in The Navy. Stewart expanded the text with additional material and illustrations, tracing changes in America’s national flag from the Revolutionary era through Woodrow Wilson's presidency. The volume includes historical commentary, visual examples, references to songs and bugle calls, and guidance related to the flag's construction and display. Stewart also wrote on John Paul Jones and other naval subjects, work suited to his professional connection with naval records and libraries. The Stars and Stripes From Washington to Wilson 1777-1914 combines documentary history with civic instruction. Its chronological span and illustrated format show Stewart translating specialized archival knowledge into a compact account for a broad early twentieth-century audience.