The Broad Pennant

The Flagship is always the center of interest in a squadron; and of consequence the most frequented of any ship in the fleet. To her all letters for the different ships of the squadron are first conveyed. To her letters are sent, which are to be dispatched homeward. To her the officers, on their first arrival on the station, report. From her, the orders to all the fleet are issued. And to her, are all the reports made from the blockading ships, and from all other ships, or expeditions, on various and varied duty. The consequence is, that the ward room mess of the Flagship has a larger number of visitors than that of any other vessel of the fleet. Their dinner table is usually favored by the presence of some friend of the mess.   This always gives pleasure, for hospitality and cordial feelings among Navy officers of the different ships of the squadron, show themselves and all things, and becomingly, excepting, sometimes, in that false hospitality of drinking brandy together. Thus has the ward room table of the Cumberland generally been favored by the officers of the different vessels of the Home Squadron. And thus are new acquaintances formed -- various subjects discussed, connected with the professions and other subjects, military and civil, governmental and private, as well as the general topics and occurrences, in the fleet and of the day. It is consequently, I believe, a general wish of officers, to be on-board the Flagship, thus designated, from the circumstance of her being the ship of the Commander-in-Chief of the squadron or fleet, and wearing at her main-royal-head The Broad Pennant, which a Commodore is alone entitled to display.

In the service of the United States, Commodores being of the same rank, but entitled to precedence and command according to the dates of their commissions, display, when in company, Broad Pennants designating this precedence, by virtue of the date of their commissions. The Blue Pennant takes precedence of the Red Pennant, and the Red Pennant ranks the White Pennant; and sometimes when different squadron's meet, Pennants of all three colors are seen, flying at the main-royal-head of the Flagship of each command.

The Broad Pennant.  A Cruise in the United States Flag Ship of the Gulf Squadron, During the Mexican Difficulties Together With Sketches of the Mexican War. Rev. Fitch W. Taylor, A. M., USN.    Leavitt, Tron & Co., New York.  1848.

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