Stars and stripes

[Scylax]

I seem to recall reading that the 'stars' on
the flag of the USA were not representations
of stars, but of rowels as affixed to spurs.
Any truth, and if so, why ?

[VHG]

Lots about the flag here, no mention of why they chose stars as far as I can see (did a quick scan so did not read every word)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Unite d_States

[VHG]

More here about the flag, with more details of why they chose stars.

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/forum/history-of- the-american-flag-1890.html

[VHG]

I notice the site above (my second link) says

3b) WHY 5-POINTED STARS?

Though The Life Guards flag stars had 6 points (as true heraldic stars should); on the Rhode Island "Hope" troops� flag the �stars� were 5-pointed � perhaps indicating its military use. Washington's �stars� must have originally meant spur-rowels because at the time the family were granted arms, stars (called estoilles) were depicted with six wavy arms (one of the many symbols of Christianity) whereas rowels (usually called mullets) were 5-pointed and pierced (a symbol of knighthood), though these distinctions were later forgotten.