Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-02-13
NAVAL TROPHY FLAGS.
Information as to Eight Of Them Asked
TO Catalogue.

to Catalogue.
Writing to the New York Sun. un-
der date of February 6, Mr.. H. C.
Washburn, instructor at the Naval
Academy, 70 whom has been delegated
the work Of cataloging the recently
renovated trophy flags at that insti-
tuition, says:
ask your cooperation in my
attempt TO ascertain the exact his.
tory OF certain trophy flags captured
in war by the United States Navy.
You are aware that the entire coIlee-
tion of our naval trophies is being
preserved under the direction Of an
expert needlewoman and that the
work is being done with an appro-
priation of $50, 600 by Congress.
I'VE have collection of some IFS
flags, many of them of priceless his
torie Interest. | have the task Of
compiling the official catalogue of
these flags. Those which / discuss
below are Of vsgue or unknown his
tory:
81. A British naval ensign marked
Avon on an attached card in almost
illegible script. can only surmise
that it was captured by the Ameri-
can sloop Wasp, Captain BIakely. on
September /, 1Sl4,in British waters.
1t is not certain that Blakely sue
ceeded IN capturing the ensign of the
Avon. However, can find no evil
dence of any action other than this
fought between an American ship and
British vessel named Avon. The
Avon surrendered to the Wasp, and
as Blakely was about to take possess
son the British brig Castilian came
to the AvonJ rescue. Can any Of
your readers tell me where | can find
the log Of the Wasp?
-. British ensign marked 'Beres-
ford bears the cross Of ST. George.
| ca find no evidence of any British
warship, privateer or merchantmen
of that name, which ! surmise must
be an English name. There is slight
chance that the Beresford was a Brit
ish blockade runner to Confederate
ports. The appearance of the trophy
flags gives but little clue to their
age, as the oldest flags are sometimes
better preserved than the more re-
cent ones.
"3. Confederate flag supposed to
have been taken in 1863 off Whining
ton, N. c., from a blockade runner;
no evidence of the name of the block
ade runner. This is rather a hope
less case, 10 doubt, yet / include il
on the chance that some one may
know of the captures made off Will
nington
"A A silk flag taken from the Brit
ish brig Epervier, Captain Wales, by
Captain Warrington, of the American
sIoop Peacock, April 90, 1914, off
the southeast coast of Florida. We
have the ensign of the Epevier, cap
tured in this action; the silk flag,
however, is a mystery. II is made
of alternate yellow and white
stripes six inches broad running
leDgthwise; il bears no Insignia. It's
history is at present unknown to
me.
IS A white burgee, with black
letters along the middle spelling the
name 'Ondiaka' l believe the name
is Indian, Senaca, IN origin, though
| am not sure This flag may have
been captured from some Confedec-
ate vessel, though it was taken, more
probably, from some British craft in
our lake skirmishes in the War of j
1912.
sc. A Mexican ensign, marked
San Juan. can only surmise that
it was captured by American naval
forces during the attacks on Vera
Cruz during the Mexican war. The
nam of the citadel of Vera Cruz was
San Juad de Uloa. This is the only
clue have to the identity of the flag.
q. A blue flag with red border,
white figure in centre of flag 514.
History unknown.
8. Mexican national ensign a guidon,
a magnificent srecimen of silver bull
lion work, silk Iettered, Escuadro
Active de Vera Cruz Nothing is
known of the person or of the naval
force that captured this guidon, ex-
cept that ii was taken, very probably,
by a landing force from Mexican cav
airy in the operations about Vera
CrIz in the Mexican war"