The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-08-06
Three Brave Flags

( \ special meeting o. the New Eng
land Historical Genealogical Societ,
was held in the s0eietv's rooms. Bos
ton, last week, the Hon Marshall Z
I Wilder presiding, to listen to a pape
on three historical flags. The ia.
that inspired the patriotic lines. "Thl
I Star Spanglef Banner, (which waved
over Fort McIEenry during the BON
bardment in 1914, hung on one sid,
Of the room, and appeared in re
markably good state Of preservation
The flag borne by the Enterprise il
her action with the Boxer in 1918 or
namented the opposite side Of th,
hall. though it appeared in very di
lapidated condition Just over thc
chairman was suspenden the fae
which Paul Jones so proudly carried
on board the Bon Homme Richard
in her famous action with the Scrap
I is, which flag was brought to Bostor
by Mrs. s s Stafford, daughter ofth,
Lieutenant Of the Bon Homme Rich
ard, who came from Trenton to al
low it 10 be exhibited After the
meeting was called to order, Captain
George II. Preble, United State:
Navy. was introduced, and read 4 pa
per as follows:
/ esteem it a pleasure that | an
PRIVILEGED this afternoon TO present to
your views these interesting memen-
toes OF our vict0ries-the flag of the
Bon Homme Richard, the flag of the
Enterpris" and the flag Of Fort Nc
Henry. am sorry that their intro
duc;ion has not fallen into more elo.
quent hands. / will however, do
my best TO explain their history and
satisfy you as to their authenticity.
Their mute voices and battle-stained
remains speak more eloauently than
could words Of mine.
THE FLAG or THE BON HOHNE ERIcHARD,
1879.
First. though smallest in size. from
its age and history worthy Of the
first place, | will call your attention
to the flag worn by the Bon Homme
Richard during the action with the
Scraps. Sept. "a. 1879, and which |
will show YOU there was reasonable
ifnot convincing evidence proving it
TO have been the first stars and stripes
ever hoisted over an American YES
sci of war, and the first flag saluted
by a foreign naval power. About
ten davs before the battle, Com.
Jones captured British man Of war
and her prize. an American armed
ship called the Kitty. commanded by
Captain Philip Stafford The Eng
lishmen had put the crew in irons,
and on their capture Captain Jones
transferred the bracelets to the officers
and crew Of the British vessel The
crew of the Kitty all volunteered on
board the Bon Homme Richard. in
revenge for the treatment they hsd
received from their British eapt0rs.
Among the volunteers was Young
man named James Bavard Stafford,
nephew of the captain and father of
the present owner Of the flag. Being
an educated youth, he received an
appointment as an officer OF the Rich
ard. When the battle was raging
furiously this flag was shot away,
and young Stafford jumped into the
sea and recovered it. and was en-
gagged in replacing it when be was
cut down bv an officer Of the Scraps.
When the Bon Homme was sinking
the flag was seized By sailor. trans
ferred bv Paul Jones to the Scraps,
and accompanied him to the Alliance
when he took command of the frlg-
ate Texel. 1t remained on board the
Alliance until the close of the revO-
luton. when the vessel was sold 10
Robert Morris, the great fnancier OF
the times. and fitted for the East In
dia trade. Shortly after her sale the
secretary of the marine eOmmitte
wrote Lieut.. Stafford that by the ad-
vice of Com. Barry. and in eOnsid-
Grafton of his service in replacing the
flag whea shot awav in the ac-
ton. committe had decided TO present
70 him this flag, the medicine chest Of
the Richard and a tower musket ia
ken in the Scraps. This relic Lieut.
Stafford preserved until his death,
and on the death OF his widow, Aug
9, 1861, came into possession of his
only daughter, Miss Sarah Smith
Stafford, and their present owner.
Miss Stafford was personally ac-
quainted with several of the crew Of
the Bon Homme Richard. and she
still cares for the graves. They often
called upon her father, who would
show them this flag and would ex-
press the deepest reverence for it.
One ofthese sailors, Thomas johnson,
a Norwegian died only few years
since at the naval ASYLUM in Phila-
delphia. The flag is. or was about
eight and half yards long and one
ward FIVE inches wide, and is sewed
with hempen or faxen thread. and
contains twelve white stars in its
blue union and thirteen white stripes,
alternately red and white. The stars
are arranged in four hOrizontrl, par
allel lines, with three stars in each
line. Why so small flag was used,
scarcely larger than boat ensign Of
the present day, may be explained
by the action having been fought at
night. and because of the high cost
of the English material and the diff
Guilty Of procuring it. The flag has
been several times loaned to fairs and
festivals. 1t was exhibited at the
sanitary fairs in Philadelphia and
New York, and at the great fair in
Trenton in 1862. \ piece was cut
from the fly of it at the beginning Of
our civil war by direction of Mrs.
Stafford the mother of the present
owner, and sent to President Lincoln.
The flag with its twelve stars and
thirteen stripes, bears evidence Of its
age if not of its authenticity. After
1749 and up to 1918 the flag establish
ed bv law had fifteen stars and fifteen
stripes. Miss Stafford who was
borne in July 1902, recollects this
flag from April, 1886, when as a great
favorite she was permitted by her
father to carry it across the street in
a family moving. An aged friend Of