13 Star U.S. Revenue Marine Ensign & Custom House Flag 1894.
The Act of March 2, 1799, known as the Customs Administration Act authorized that "the cutters and boats employed in the service of the revenue shall be distinguished from other vessels by "an ensign and pendant, with such marks thereon as shall be prescribed and directed by the President of the United States."
Oliver Wolcott, Alexander Hamilton's successor as Secretary of the Treasury in 1795, was given the honor of conceiving a new ensign. On June 1, 1799, Wolcott presented his design to President John Adams for approval. Wolcott's concept was an ensign of sixteen vertical stripes, alternating red and white, corresponding to the number of states comprising the Union by 1799. Wolcott was following the stipulations of Congress, which, in 1794, had already modified the national flag to fifteen stars on fifteen stripes, providing for an amendment to the design at the entry of each new state. Wolcott increased the stripes to sixteen, and altered their display to be perpendicular to the horizontal lines of the U.S. Flag.
This new flag was ultimately implemented August 1, 1799, when Secretary of the Treasury, Oliver Wolcott, issued an order announcing that in pursuance of authority from the President, the distinguishing ensign and pennant would consist of, "16 perpendicular stripes, alternate red and white, the union of the ensign to be the arms of the United States in a dark blue on a white field."
Although Secretary Wolcott created a service-wide design it was the responsibility of each collector of customs to make local arrangements for the furnishing revenue cutter ensigns and though conceived as a maritime ensign for revenue cutters and customs vessels, the customs officials began flying it over their customhouses. Because of the locally produced variants there would be no standardization in the manufacture and issue of this flag until the American Civil War.
During the Civil War, the Treasury Department began standardizing Revenue Marine ensigns. In 1874, Treasury Secretary William A. Richardson stipulated that during business hours, the customs ensign would be flown alongside the Stars and Stripes at all customhouses. This particular flag is thought to date from the same period.
This wool bunting and cotton applique flag is machine sewn, utilizing a zigzag stitch not generally found in flag manufacture until after 1893. This flag is believed to date from that period.
Exhibition History:
Special Memorial Day Display
Suspended from ceiling of Moraga Room.
Presidio of San Franciscos Officers Club
Memorial Day 2003
Chicago Meeting December, 2003
(ZFC0671)
13-Star United States Revenue Cutter Ensign
Baltimore Star Spangled Banner Flag House 3/2004
(ZFC0671)
U.S. Revenue Cutter Ensign
American Maritime Flags of the 19th Century
ZFC Significant Flag
Provenance:
• Acquired by Mr. & Mrs. Boleslaw & Marie-Louise D'Otrange Mastai, New York City, and Amagansett, NY, The Mastai Collection, until 2002.
• Sold via Sotheby's Auction in New York City to the Zaricor Flag Collection, 2002.
Sources: