GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) — You may not recognize a Gadsden flag by name, but you've probably seen one — a banner with a coiled rattlesnake and the warning "Don't tread on me" that was flown by colonists rebelling against British rule.

In recent years, the flag has been adopted by conservative Republicans and Tea Party protesters, which has led one battlefield enthusiast to question the decision by the Gettysburg Museum & Visitor Center bookstore to sell items bearing the emblem....

Paul Gioni, of Mahwah, N.J., said he contacted the National Park Service and the newspaper about the issue after a recent visit to the park.

"It isn't sold in a historically relevant context," he said. "This is blatantly political merchandise."...