Grand Union Flag Rises: America's First Navy

John Paul Jones raised the Grand Union Flag on the USS Alfred in Philadelphia on December 3, 1775, making it the first ship to display this early symbol of American unity. The Grand Union Flag, also known as the Continental Colors, featured thirteen alternating red and white stripes representing the rebelling colonies, with the British Union Jack in the canton, a design that signaled defiance of Parliament while retaining a symbolic connection to the Crown that many colonists were not yet ready to sever. Jones, born John Paul in Scotland in 1747, had adopted the surname Jones after fleeing the Caribbean following the death of a mutinous sailor aboard his merchant ship. He arrived in America in 1773 and offered his services to the Continental Navy at the outbreak of the Revolution. The flag-raising ceremony on the Alfred took place months before the Declaration of Independence, at a moment when the Continental Congress was still debating whether reconciliation with Britain was possible. The flag gave the nascent Continental Navy a visible declaration of collective purpose, distinguishing American vessels from British ships and pirate vessels alike. Jones went on to become the most famous naval officer of the Revolution, commanding raids on the British coast and winning the legendary engagement between his ship Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis in 1779, during which he allegedly declared "I have not yet begun to fight." The Grand Union Flag served as the unofficial national flag until June 1777, when Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes, replacing the Union Jack in the canton with thirteen stars in a blue field.