Yesterday we visited Annapolis, Maryland to visit the Naval Academy with all of its water venues near the Chesapeake.
OLIVER HAZARD PERRY
On display was the flag Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry designed to inspire his men.
Since my son portrayed Perry in our dialectic War of 1812 Becoming History presentation, I recreated this flag.
Had to get a photo of my former “Oliver Hazard Perry” with this inspirational flag.
Then we saw a reproduction of it flying in Boston two years ago!
MASTHEADS
Here are some familiar faces, once mastheads for ships.
CAPTAIN JOHN PAUL JONES
Then we walked to the crypt of Captain John Paul Jones, whom we recently studied in homeschool.
The Houdon of Capt John Paul Jones made from a life mask.
The Society of Cincinnatus medal awarded to John Paul Jones.
Later when Jones died, he was buried in France.
In the 20th century, someone searched for his grave since record of its location was lost during the French Revolution.
When the grave was found, his body was brought back to America and buried in this crypt.
When John Paul Jones captured the British ship, Serapis, this American flag flew in victory from the mast.
The blues are out of sequence from the 1777 Congressional order.
COMTE DE GRASSE
My son found the French ship, La Ville de Paris, which was part of Admiral de Grasse’s fleet at the Battle of the Capes in 1781. (see header photo)
This battle defeated the British navy fleet and effectively blocked entry of any more British ships into the Chesapeake.
Cornwallis, waiting for supplies at Yorktown, was doomed.
Victory for the French American Alliance was certain.
Each of those dark squares is a window with a cannon peeking through the massive 119-gun ship.
This only magnified for me a great short story we read last year by Victor Hugo, called “A Fight With a Cannon,” which is terrifyingly gripping!
