Flags at Sea

Flags at Sea. . , Ships use flags to communicate and to identify each other. These five flags are replicas of historic flags and ensigns (national flags flown at sea) used during the Barbary War and the War of 18 12., Star Spangled Banner , USS Constitution flew the 15-star, 15 stripe flag in the War of 18 12. Watching a battle in this war, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem, "The Star Spangled Banner," about this flag. Later set to music, it became our national anthem in 1931., British Red Naval Ensign , British ships carried red, white, or blue naval ensigns according to each ship's assigned squadron. The British ships Java and Levant flew the red ensign when Constitution met and defeated them in the War of 18 12., Tripolitan Ensign , As flagship of the third Mediterranean squadron, USS Constitution took part in the Barbary War (1801-1805) against Tripoli, whose ships flew this ensign., Free Trade And Sailors Rights , USS Chesapeake flew this flag in 1813. Its motto became a rallying cry for Americans, who demanded the right to free trade at sea and opposed the British practice of impressment - boarding American vessels and forcing certain American sailors to serve in the Royal Navy., Don't Give Up The Ship , These were the dying words of Captain James Lawrence when USS Chesapeake was captured outside of Boston Harbor by HMS Shannon. Later that year, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry named his new flagship USS Lawrence. Perry signaled the beginning of his most famous victory, the Battle of Lake Erie, by raising this flag.