RARE 16-STAR AMERICAN FLAG, IDENTIFIED TO THE USS SCORPION, FROM THE WAR OF 1812.

Revised: 2/2/2010

IMPORTANT NOTE: In our original catalog description we indicated that family notes had indicated that this flag came from the U.S.S. Scorpion built in 1813 and used by the U.S. Navy from 1813-1814 on the Great Lakes in the War of 1812. We also noted that at least one flag expert had indicated that there were a couple of construction techniques present in the flag that implied that it could have been made a little bit later in the 19th century. Further research by our flag consultant, John Sexton, has discovered that in the history of the U.S. Navy, there have been six different vessels carrying the name of “Scorpion”; the first built in 1812 which was a block sloop used in the War of 1812 to 1814 as part of Joshua Barney’s Chesapeake Bay flotilla. The second “Scorpion” is the same one referenced in our catalog description. The third “Scorpion” was built in 1847, a bark-rigged steamer of the Mexican-American War and in commission from 1847-1848.

There were future “Scorpions”, all of which definitely are not applicable here; one was a patrol yacht and gunboat commissioned in 1898-1899 which was built far too late to have used this flag. Also a Gato-class submarine commissioned from 1942 until it was lost in 1944 – again too late to have used this flag. Finally, a skip-jack class submarine commissioned in 1960 and lost in the Cold War accident in 1968 – again too late. So of the various “Scorpion” vessels that could be considered, the only ones that could be considered are the “Scorpions” built in 1812, in 1813 (which we reference in our catalog) and in 1847.

If in fact it is the “Scorpion” built in 1847, this ship has a reasonably interesting and important history. It took part in the Mexican War; it was built in 1846 as a commercial steam ship, “S. S. Aurora” by Bishop and Simonson at New York City. The Navy purchased the Aurora” in January of 1847 for use in the Mexican War and commissioned her as the “U.S.S. Scorpion”. She saw one year of service and then in August of 1848 she was decommissioned and sold at auction. The “Scorpion” itself played an important part in helping to shape the development of the U.S. Naval fleet.

At the outbreak of the Mexican War, there was a movement within the Naval Department to transition from sailing vessels to steam vessels; one of the greatest advocates was Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858), he was the younger brother of the famous Oliver Hazard Perry and Matthew, like his older brother, was an important and instrumental figure in the Navy. He had a distinguished service but also, his tremendous advocacy for steam vessels and their benefit to the Navy eventually resulted in his being referred to as the “Father of Steam Powered Fleet”. The “Scorpion”, after being acquired was immediately sent to Mexico to take part in the war. At the time of her arrival, Perry transitioned from the “U.S.S. Mississippi” which he captained to the “U.S.S. Scorpion”, which became the flagship of his squadron. He captured the Mexican city of Frontera, demonstrated against Tabasco and took part in the Tampico expedition. The primary reason for his transition from the “Mississippi” to the “Scorpion” was that the “Scorpion”, a totally steam-powered vessel was capable of doing things that a normal sailing vessel could not. In addition, its draft was very shallow and thus allowed him to travel well up the river to accomplish the various military goals that were set. The usage and ability of the steam-powered vessels by Perry and other Naval officers during the Mexican War, helped to convince the U.S. Navy to transition fully to steam power.

Commodore Perry’s distinguished career did not end with the Mexican War, however, in 1852 he embarked from Norfolk, Virginia for Japan in command of a squadron whose goal was to develop a trade treaty with Japan.

As pointed out in our earlier catalog description, because of the construction techniques it is possible that the flag was made for the “Scorpion” vessel from the War of 1812 but it also, because of a couple of characteristics in the construction of the flag, it also could possibly have been used on the third “Scorpion” built in 1847 which took part in the Mexican War. In either case, this is a most important flag and the history of the vessels that it could have come off each are distinguished and of historical significance. A truly important American Naval flag!

RARE 16-STAR AMERICAN FLAG, IDENTIFIED TO THE USS SCORPION, FROM THE WAR OF 1812. The 16-star American flag was first introduced in 1796 when Tennessee became a state. Precious few of these early flags with this star count are known today in any collections. Consists of four rows with four stars in the canton. The stars are cotton with double appliqué. The flag is totally hand sewn and made of loose wool bunting. On the hoist is inked in very old period script, “SCORPION”. A note accompanying this flag from one of the family members refers to this as the famous USS Scorpion a schooner built in 1813 in Presque Isle Lake Eerie, New York. It was launched in the spring of 1813 for service on the upper Great Lakes during the War of 1812. It was originally commanded by sailing master Stephen Champlin, first cousin of Oliver Hazard Perry. It operated with commodore Perry’s squadron on Lake Erie during the summer and fall of 1813. It participated in various notable engagements. One was in the Battle of “Put-In-Bay”, Lake Erie on September 10th, 1813, which resulted in the defeat and capture of the British fleet. Prior to that on August 14th, the Scorpion together with the Niagara and Tigress blockaded and demolished the British schooner Nancy at the mouth of Mattawasata River. The Scorpion had the distinction of firing the first and last shot in the battle. At the close of the action, she and the sloop Trippe pursued and captured the fleeing British schooner Chippeway and the sloop Little Belt. After Perry’s historic victory, the schooner assisted General William Henry Harrison’s forces operating in the Thames River area. On September 6th, 1814, the Scorpion was surprised by the British sailing the former American schooner Tigress and was captured and consequently taken into the British Navy as a four-gun schooner, the “Confiance” and supposedly was later sunk in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. A paper note accompanies the flag, from one of the ancestors of the Decatur family which further implies that the flag came off the ship Scorpion. Judging by nearly all the facts involved here, this is indeed an important early 19th century, War of 1812 flag. The period ink inscription on the hoist “SCORPION”; the fact that it has descended through one of America’s greatest Naval families; the short note of information passed on down through by the family; the type of material used and the fact that it is entirely of handmade construction all seems to point to a conclusive assumption that this indeed was on the USS Scorpion. One flag expert however, has indicated that the manner by which it was stitched together is typical of US flags that were made a little later in the 19th century. However, since the Scorpion was captured by the British in 1814 and its name changed, and the fact that this has the name Scorpion on the hoist in period inscription would imply that this indeed was originally on the Scorpion during the War of 1812? SIZE: 34” h x 49” l. CONDITION: Flag will display very well. It does show considerable use and wear. The blue canton shows much wear and losses including one or more early repairs to holes in the canton. There is “mothing” and staining; there are a couple of splotches of what appears to be blood being of deep reddish-brown coloration. The selvage edge of the canton is totally missing. The imperfections, however are a reflection more of what one would anticipate a flag of this purported vintage might look like, having been used during a time of war. A most unusual opportunity for an early American flag with such intriguing pedigree. 9-97956 (5,000-50,000)

Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - Winter 2010

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2087	$21,850.00	Revised: 2/2/2010 IMPORTANT NOTE: In our original catalog description we indicated that family notes had indicated that this flag came from the U.S.S. Scorpion built in 1813 and used by the U.S. Navy from 1813-1814 on the Great Lakes in the War of 1812. We also noted that at least one flag expert had indicated that there were a couple of construction techniques present in the flag that implied that it could have been made a little bit later in the 19th century. Further research by our flag consultant, John Sexton, has discovered that in the history of the U.S. Navy, there have been six different vessels carrying the name of “Scorpion”; the first built in 1812 which was a block sloop used in the War of 1812 to 1814 as part of Joshua Barney’s Chesapeake Bay flotilla. The second “Scorpion” is the same one referenced in our catalog description. The third “Scorpion” was built in 1847, a bark-rigged steamer of the Mexican-American War and in commission from 1847-1848. There were future “Scorpions”, all of which definitely are not applicable here; one was a patrol yacht and gunboat commissioned in 1898-1899 which was built far too late to have used this flag. Also a Gato-class submarine commissioned from 1942 until it was lost in 1944 – again too late to have used this flag. Finally, a skip-jack class submarine commissioned in 1960 and lost in the Cold War accident in 1968 – again too late. So of the various “Scorpion” vessels that could be considered, the only ones that could be considered are the “Scorpions” built in 1812, in 1813 (which we reference in our catalog) and in 1847. If in fact it is the “Scorpion” built in 1847, this ship has a reasonably interesting and important history. It took part in the Mexican War; it was built in 1846 as a commercial steam ship, “S. S. Aurora” by Bishop and Simonson at New York City. The Navy purchased the Aurora” in January of 1847 for use in the Mexican War and commissioned her as the “U.S.S. Scorpion”. She saw one year of service and then in August of 1848 she was decommissioned and sold at auction. The “Scorpion” itself played an important part in helping to shape the development of the U.S. Naval fleet. At the outbreak of the Mexican War, there was a movement within the Naval Department to transition from sailing vessels to steam vessels; one of the greatest advocates was Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858), he was the younger brother of the famous Oliver Hazard Perry and Matthew, like his older brother, was an important and instrumental figure in the Navy. He had a distinguished service but also, his tremendous advocacy for steam vessels and their benefit to the Navy eventually resulted in his being referred to as the “Father of Steam Powered Fleet”. The “Scorpion”, after being acquired was immediately sent to Mexico to take part in the war. At the time of her arrival, Perry transitioned from the “U.S.S. Mississippi” which he captained to the “U.S.S. Scorpion”, which became the flagship of his squadron. He captured the Mexican city of Frontera, demonstrated against Tabasco and took part in the Tampico expedition. The primary reason for his transition from the “Mississippi” to the “Scorpion” was that the “Scorpion”, a totally steam-powered vessel was capable of doing things that a normal sailing vessel could not. In addition, its draft was very shallow and thus allowed him to travel well up the river to accomplish the various military goals that were set. The usage and ability of the steam-powered vessels by Perry and other Naval officers during the Mexican War, helped to convince the U.S. Navy to transition fully to steam power. Commodore Perry’s distinguished career did not end with the Mexican War, however, in 1852 he embarked from Norfolk, Virginia for Japan in command of a squadron whose goal was to develop a trade treaty with Japan. As pointed out in our earlier catalog description, because of the construction techniques it is possible that the flag was made for the “Scorpion” vessel from the War of 1812 but it also, because of a couple of characteristics in the construction of the flag, it also could possibly have been used on the third “Scorpion” built in 1847 which took part in the Mexican War. In either case, this is a most important flag and the history of the vessels that it could have come off each are distinguished and of historical significance. A truly important American Naval flag! RARE 16-STAR AMERICAN FLAG, IDENTIFIED TO THE USS SCORPION, FROM THE WAR OF 1812. The 16-star American flag was first introduced in 1796 when Tennessee became a state. Precious few of these early flags with this star count are known today in any collections. Consists of four rows with four stars in the canton. The stars are cotton with double appliqué. The flag is totally hand sewn and made of loose wool bunting. On the hoist is inked in very old period script, “SCORPION”. A note accompanying this flag from one of the family members refers to this as the famous USS Scorpion a schooner built in 1813 in Presque Isle Lake Eerie, New York. It was launched in the spring of 1813 for service on the upper Great Lakes during the War of 1812. It was originally commanded by sailing master Stephen Champlin, first cousin of Oliver Hazard Perry. It operated with commodore Perry’s squadron on Lake Erie during the summer and fall of 1813. It participated in various notable engagements. One was in the Battle of “Put-In-Bay”, Lake Erie on September 10th, 1813, which resulted in the defeat and capture of the British fleet. Prior to that on August 14th, the Scorpion together with the Niagara and Tigress blockaded and demolished the British schooner Nancy at the mouth of Mattawasata River. The Scorpion had the distinction of firing the first and last shot in the battle. At the close of the action, she and the sloop Trippe pursued and captured the fleeing British schooner Chippeway and the sloop Little Belt. After Perry’s historic victory, the schooner assisted General William Henry Harrison’s forces operating in the Thames River area. On September 6th, 1814, the Scorpion was surprised by the British sailing the former American schooner Tigress and was captured and consequently taken into the British Navy as a four-gun schooner, the “Confiance” and supposedly was later sunk in Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. A paper note accompanies the flag, from one of the ancestors of the Decatur family which further implies that the flag came off the ship Scorpion. Judging by nearly all the facts involved here, this is indeed an important early 19th century, War of 1812 flag. The period ink inscription on the hoist “SCORPION”; the fact that it has descended through one of America’s greatest Naval families; the short note of information passed on down through by the family; the type of material used and the fact that it is entirely of handmade construction all seems to point to a conclusive assumption that this indeed was on the USS Scorpion. One flag expert however, has indicated that the manner by which it was stitched together is typical of US flags that were made a little later in the 19th century. However, since the Scorpion was captured by the British in 1814 and its name changed, and the fact that this has the name Scorpion on the hoist in period inscription would imply that this indeed was originally on the Scorpion during the War of 1812? SIZE: 34” h x 49” l. CONDITION: Flag will display very well. It does show considerable use and wear. The blue canton shows much wear and losses including one or more early repairs to holes in the canton. There is “mothing” and staining; there are a couple of splotches of what appears to be blood being of deep reddish-brown coloration. The selvage edge of the canton is totally missing. The imperfections, however are a reflection more of what one would anticipate a flag of this purported vintage might look like, having been used during a time of war. A most unusual opportunity for an early American flag with such intriguing pedigree. 9-97956 (5,000-50,000) Auction: Fine Art, Antiques & Asian - Winter 2010 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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