U.S. Navy Jack: History and Origin

The U.S. Navy's Jack

• A jack is a flag that corresponds in appearance to the union or canton of the national ensign.
• In the United States Navy, the jack is a blue flag containing a star for each state.
• For countries whose colors have no canton, the jack is simply a small national ensign.
• On a sailing vessel, the jack is hoisted at the jack-staff shipped at the bowsprit cap when at anchor or in port.

Origin of the U.S. Navy

• The United States Navy originated as the Continental Navy.
• It was established early in the American Revolution by the Continental Congress via a resolution on 13 October 1775.
• There is a belief that ships of the Continental Navy flew a jack of alternating red and white stripes with a rattlesnake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me".
• The rattlesnake and "Don't Tread on Me" motto were used together on several flags during the War of Independence.
• The Continental Navy jack may have been simply a red and white striped flag.

Rattlesnake as a Symbol

• The rattlesnake emerged as a symbol of the English colonies of North America around the time of the Seven Years War.
• It appeared in newspaper prints with the motto "Join or Die."
• By the War of Independence, the rattlesnake, often with the motto "Don't Tread on Me," was a symbol of the United States, its independent spirit, and resistance to tyranny.
• Two American military units of the Revolution used the rattlesnake and the "Don't Tread on Me" motto: Proctor's Independent Battalion and Sullivan's Life Guard.
• The rattlesnake and motto appeared on military items and state paper currency during the Revolution.

Continental Navy Flags

• On 27 February 1777, Continental Navy officers proposed a uniform including "the figure of a Rattle Snake Embroider'd on the Strap... with the Motto don't tread on me."
• In early 1776, Commodore Esek Hopkins used a personal standard with a coiled snake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me," known as "the Gadsden flag."
• A written description of the Continental Navy jack from January 1776 describes it without a rattlesnake or motto, only as "the strip'd jack."
• Some argue an 18th-century print showing a striped flag with a rattlesnake represents the "strip'd jack," but this is not conclusive.

The Pine Tree Flag

• In October 1775, a flag with a white ground, a tree in the middle, and the motto "Appeal to Heaven" was considered for Washington's fleet.
• In January 1776, a captured brig Washington flew a white flag with a green pine tree and "Appeal to Heaven".
• The Massachusetts General Court established a flag for the state navy on 26 July 1776, featuring a white flag, a green pine tree, and the inscription "Appeal to Heaven."

Pine Tree and Rattlesnake Combination

• A journal from January 1778 describes the Cumberland's colors as a white flag with a green pine tree, a black snake in thirteen coils, cut into pieces, and the motto "Join or Die."

State and Merchant Flags

• In October 1778, it was noted that Massachusetts vessels had a pine tree, and South Carolina vessels had a rattlesnake in the middle of thirteen stripes.
• Merchant ships often had only thirteen stripes.

The Gadsden Flag

• In February 1776, Col. Gadsden presented a yellow standard with a rattlesnake in the middle and the words "DON'T TREAD ON ME!"

Documented Mentions of Rattlesnake Flags

• May 1776, a Virginia Gazette described the American Fleet's colors with a snake with thirteen rattles and the motto "Don't Tread on Me!"
• May 1776, a London Ladies' Magazine described the American fleet's colors as striped under the Union, with a rattlesnake and the motto "Don't Tread on Me!"
• March 1776, John Jay mentioned seeing a flag with a rattlesnake, but it was uncertain if it was generally adopted by the fleet.

Striped Jack and Union Jack

• January 1776, Esek Hopkins mentioned the "strip'd Jack" and Ensign.
• June 14, 1777, the union jack was first adopted, comprising the national ensign's blue field and white stars.
• The union jack's stars were periodically updated as the United States expanded.

Rattlesnake Jack and the Modern Navy

• August 1975, the Secretary of the Navy directed the use of the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack during the period 13 October 1975 and 31 December 1976.
• August 1980, ships with longest active status displayed the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive status.
• May 2002, the Secretary of the Navy directed the use of the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack for the duration of the Global War on Terrorism.
• February 2019, the fleet was directed to return to flying the union jack effective 4 June 2019.

Today's Navy Flags

• The national ensign is the most honored flag in the Navy.
• Personal flags represent senior officials.
• The commissioning pennant is the mark of a commissioned Navy ship.

Explore the history and origin of the U.S. Navy jack, a flag representing the union or canton of the national ensign. Learn about its evolution from the Continental Navy and the significance of symbols like the rattlesnake and "Don't Tread on Me" motto.