He knew that the men placed above him in the navy had had less experience than he. But he took the position given him without complaint.
When the commander of the Alfred came on board, Paul Jones hoisted the American flag. This was the first time a flag of our own had ever been raised.
THE PINE TREE FLAG.
We do not know just what this flag was like, but some of the earliest naval flags bore the picture of a pine tree; others had a rattlesnake stretched across the stripes, and the words, "Don't tread on me." Our present flag was not adopted until two years later.
On the 17th of February, 1776, the first American squadron sailed for the Bahama Islands.
On the way, two British sloops were captured. The English sailors told the Americans that on the island of New Providence were forts, which contained a large amount of military supplies. They said that these forts could easily be taken.
The soldiers on a vessel are called marines. A plan was made to hide the American marines in the British sloops. In that way it was thought they could go safely into the harbor of New Providence. Then they could land and take possession of the forts.
THE RATTLESNAKE FLAG.