The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
THE FLAG OF THE ADMIRAL
EToLUTIoS or THIs HUNTING ~ our
NAYAL HISTORY.

Raised by Hopkins In 17T6-ChRnGes In
Design Ind Positions in Flying It-Dewey
Hns the Emblem FnrrsEut Loved.
The Admrals nag has been revived for
Admiral Dewey, and II 10 OF interest to
know something about Its beginning and
its evolution in the service OF our country.
1t has been generally believed that Far
rngut was the first officer In :he United
States navy TO win the title OF Admiral, but
such Is not the fact. The rank was ninety
one years older In the record Of the service.
On December 20. l77b, the Continental Con-
gross commissioned Essex Hopkins. an old
and experienced seaman, Commander i'm
Chief OF the navy, and George Washington
officially addressed him as Admiral Hop
kins."
In the following year Admiral Hopkins
put to sea from Philadelphia with his
squadron Of four ships and three sloops
and the Alfred. the flagship. carried Hop
kins's flag. It was a square yellow SILK
affair. bearing the p.uc tree, the rattle
snake In the act Of striking. and the ia
vorite motto. Don't Tread On Me-" This
flag was sent aloft by Lieut. John Paul
Jones. The insignia OF flag rank was really
more akin to the colonial flags than to any
previous symbol OF naval dignity, and was
merely a personal fancy OF Hopkns's for
the righteousness OF his cause. Just how
long this flag remained in the service Is
questionable but as no one succeeded Hop
kins In the solitary dignity Of Commander
In Chief, 1t is highly probable that the flag
went with him when he left the navy Ia
1777.
The union Jack Of the British ensign had
long before become the recognized insignia
OF flag rank in the Kings navy-being car
red at the main, the fore, or the mizzen-
mast accordingly as the squadron COM
mander was an admiral. q vice admiral, or
q rear ADMIRAL, and with the statutory
adoption Of our national ensign on June IA,
I'LL. we had something other than personal
oh osng upon which to base our own
m. rklngs OF naval seniority. That resolu-
ton declared that the flag Of the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes alternate
red and white; that the union be thirteen
stars, white. In a blue field, representing
new constellation"
That act at once gave us a blue nag, with
thirteen stars, to be carried by our flag
officers, but the democratic spirit of the
Americans was too strong for repetition
OF SO arstocratic sounding q title as Ad-
miral. The ranking officers Of the service
were captains, and agreeably to CONT
mental practice, the senior captain present
could carry only simple triangular pen
nant. Custom Is pretty strong. even though
set by your enemy, and In the shape OF our
flag followed the example Of the British.
while gave to our captains commanding
squadrons the temporary title Of Commo-
dore. Up at their main trucks. these COM
modores hoisted their blue triangular flags
ill., t.I
OF European navies-with their single big
white star encircled by ring Of twelve
smaller ones.
In 1918, with the presence Of twenty
states in the Union. the old formation OF
single large star, surrounded by It's circle of
smaller ones. made 1t difficult to keep the
flag within reasonable limits and still pre-
serve the circlet OF fair sized stars, and, con-
sequently. IN 1887. when the Union had dou-
bled its original strength, the stars were re-
arranged In 1874, however. though There
were still but twenty six states In the Union,
the broad pennant was changed to the legiti-
mate burgee or swallow-tail OF a Commo dore.
That was significant that the Commodore,
even though the rank was only brevet. in
tended to assume all of the privileges that he
knew he ought to have, even while Congress
had failed to make his title legal one. Long
before this, the custom had become set to dis
tinguish between ofiicers OF the same rank
carrying broad pennants. The senior COM
..
the next commodore Junior to him carried q
red flag with white stars; while, should q
third be present Junior to both Of the others,
his flag, for the time. became white with
blue stars. When apart on their separate
commands, each carried the blue pennant OF
seniority. 1t was an unsual occurrence for
three officers Of flag rank 30 to meet, but a
copy OF the Ne,o York Gazette Of 1881, says:
at Is worthy Of record that there are now
three broad pennants flying in our harbor-
ha rod no nj ha
navy-yard. under Commodore Chauncey; the
red on board the Potomac. Commodore
Downes; and the latter on board the Hudson,
Commodore Cassin, Just returned from the
Brazils"
In 1857, the title of flag -ofiicer was legally
introduced in our service, Congress directing
that Captains in command of squadrons''
should be styled flag officers; and Preble
rays: "Ofhcers SO appointed. for want Of re-
gulation on the subject continued to wear
the broad pennant Of Commodore. or hoisted
the square flag of an Admiral as they deemed
proper"
The lack Of harmony among the flags car
ried by flag officers led Secretary Isaac Tou-
cey In 1858 to prescribe: 1T Is hereby or
dered that in lieu Of the broad pennant now
worn by fag-oficers in command Of squad
rons. they shall wear plain blue flag, OF
dimensions proportionate to the different
classes OF vessels prescribed for the Jack. .
Flag officers whose date OF commission as
Captain Is over twenty years shall wear 1t at
the fo'is all others at the mizzen"
In effect. although not otherwise. this or
der introduced the grades or flags Of the
vice and Rear-Admiral, while the officers
themselves. remained merely captains, but
for the modest additional allowance Of ca
bin furniture. Their flags were mistakenly
saluted by foreigners az those Of vice and
rear admirals. instead Of as only brevet Com
modores
Next, in 1859, Secretary Toucey. who seems
to have taken pretty lively interest in such
naval details. ordered that Captains in com
mand Of navy-yards. who by order OF the
department have commanded a squadron will
be allowed to wear the flag authorized by the
general order Of May 49, 1858. on the receiv-
ing ship attached to the station. Should there
be no receiving ship attached to the station,
then at any suitable place in the yard under
his command. The senior flag officer OF the
navy Will wear his flag at tho main"
All this time We had had Commodores in
name and by departmental regulation, but no
such rank existed legally prior to the act OF
1852, which also provided for nine Rear Admit
rails to be selected because OF their profess
sional skill and gallantry, That act pre-