Appeal to Heaven FlagDefiance and Grace A proud evergreen pine, its needles etched against a crisp white field, stands resolute at the center a sentinel of liberty rooted in the rugged soil of early American resolve. Above it, the bold black words "An Appeal to Heaven" invoke divine justice against tyranny. Born in the crucible of the American Revolution, the Appeal to Heaven flag was first flown in 1775 by the fledgling American navy under George Washingtons command.