© Underwood & Underwood 



THE FRENCH ARM^S FIRST SALUTE TO THE STARS AND STRIPES ON FRENCH SOIL 



Section V-14 of the American Ambulance Corps, a team of Leland Stanford Jr. Uni- 

 versity students, had the honor of bearing the first American flag officially sent from the 

 United States to the French front. 



this vessel was a poor sailer and the wind 

 had changed, the Raleigh went in alone, 

 passing many merchant ships of the 

 convoy. When within pistol-shot of the 

 commodore's ship, recognized by means 

 of the signal book, Thompson records: 



"We up sails, out guns, hoisted Con- 

 tinental colours and bid them strike to the 

 Thirteen United States. Sudden surprise 

 threw them into confusion and their sails 

 flew all aback, upon which we compli- 

 mented them with a gun for each State, 

 a whole broadside into their hull. Our 

 second broadside was aimed at their rig- 

 ging, which had its desired effect. In 



about a quarter of an hour all hands 

 quitted quarters on board the British 

 man-of-war ; we cleared the decks totally. 

 . . Had not the wind favored him 

 and we drifted leeward, he could not have 

 fetched us and I should certainly have 

 sunk the ship." 



Thus occurred the baptism of fire at 

 sea of the new flag, at the hour of sunset 

 on September 4, 1777. 



THE IMPROVISED OLD GLORY OF FORT 

 STANWIX 



Just one month previously (August 3) 

 the new flasr had been under fire on land, 



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