The Irish standard., 1900-05-12
BITS OF FAMOUS FLAGS.
Historic Collection of Naval Banners
Added to the Washington
Exhibits.

has been discovered among the mass
of material belonging to the Library
of Congress and just transferred from
the capitol to the new Library build
ing. 1t consists of remnants of flags
which were flown from the vessels that
are famous in the history of the coun-
/ try. This collection was found among
the possessions, which included all
sorts of old literary oddities and a val
liable collection of autographs, left by
the late Peter Force, a native of New
Jersey whose father was veteran of
the revolution. Force held many mill
tary and civil offices in Washington.
He died in Washington in 1868.
The bits of flags, says the New York
Sun, have been carefully preserved in
n large album between brown paper
leaves, each leaf bearing the record and
something of the history of the patch
of bunting attached to it. The most
striking part of the exhibit is that de-
voted to Perry's captures on Lake Erie
in September, 1913. There is piece
of the flag which was flown from Per-
rvs flagship in the contest made mem
orable by his warming: Don't give
up the ship" There are also pieces of
the flags Of the ships Of the enemy, cap
turcd on that occasion - the Queen
Charlotte, Little Belt, Lady Provost,
Manton and Chippeway.
Another interesting remnant is that
of the flag Of the Alliance, the ship
which was of the fleet John Paul Jones
formed in France with the Bon Iommc
Richard as flagship, he purpose of
which was the attacking of British
ships during the revolution. 1t was
the Alliance which took an insgnifi-
can't part, to the discredit of her &C.
centric commander, a Frcnchman
named Landais. in the fight with the
Scraps. The bit of flag is of that car
ried during the fight.
Another interesting flag represented
is that of L'lnsurgente. This flag was
captured by TruNtun, who commanded
the Constellation, in an engagement
on February 0, 1890. 1t was the first
opportunity that had occurred since
The close of the revolution for an Amer
lean vessel to get alongside of an en-
envy, and the hopes of the American
officers and men for Il spirited combat
were realized. for the French frigate
under Capt. Barreault promptly re-
| piled to the CONSULTATIONS fire. In this
contest Il young midshipman, David
Porter, performed his first act of gall
lantry. lie was in command of the
forctop of the Constellation. and, act
ing on his own responsibility, prevent
ed the fall of the topmast and all it's
hamper. The victory achieved by
| TruXtun produced great JOY in Amer
lea, and established faith in the navy
which has remained mistaken to this
day.
a bit of flag which is also memorable
is that of lie l;orcca1l. captured by the
| Boston under Capt. Little. The Amcri-
can ship wrought great havoc on board
the French corvette, which had the
reputation of being zone of the fastest
ships in the French marine.
a celebrated shred is that of the flag
nj the Guerrero, taken in the famous
light with the Constitution under Hull.
This was the contest where each side
displayed the supreme art of seaman
ship and navn: strategy, and Dacres,
commander Of the Guerrero, suffered
no loss of professional fame by the
defeat, so signal was his efficient hand
ling of his vessel. 1t was the first scri-
Gus conflict in the war of 1912. The
flag was taken down by Lieut.. George
Campbell Read, who was in command
of the prize crew, and who, on finding
the Guerrero was sinking, set fire to
tn wreck.
The English ship Macedonian, which
was captured by Decatur in October,
1912, is also represented in the collec-
ton. The capture of the Macedonian
added to the glory of Decatur, who
had carried the ship into New York
with another British vessel captured
at the same time. The flag of the
Frolic, captured in November, 1912,
by the sloop Wasp under Jacob Jones.
is also represented. In the exhibit are
also two pieces of flags of the Reindeer
and Avon, captured by the Wasp under
Blakely, the former in July and the
latter in September, 1914.
The Constitution in December, 1912.
cambridge having succeeded Hull, cap
tnred the Java, and the flag of the lat
ter ship contributes a strip to the
Force collection. There is piece of
the flag Of the Peacock, captured in
February, 1919, by Lawrence on the
Hornet. This was the flag which, after
half an hours fighting, was not only
lowered but rehoisted, union down, in
the forerigging as signal of distress.
The Peacock suddenly sank and the
two American prize officers and most
OF the men saved themselves only after
great eXcrtion. The American ship
Peacock, under Capt. Warrington, cap
tured the British frigate Epervier in
April, 1914. and the flag of the defeat
ed ship is represented in the collection.
In September of the same year Bur-
rows, somewhat eccentric but popu-
lar officer of great courage, captured
the Boxer. He forfeited his life in the
engagement, being but 20 years old. A
piece of the flag of the Boxer is in the
exhibit.
Macdonough's victories in Lake Cham
plain, achieved in 1914, are represented
by the remnants of the flags of the Con-
1iance, Linnet and Chubb. The last of
the naval flags in the exhibit is that of
the Levant, which terminated the mar
Vicious exploits of the Constitution,
''Old Ironsides" as she had come to be
cnIno rinr1v tarroo1 Che +l,.,,