During the Revolutionary War, U.S. Navy Captain John Paul Jones captured British frigate Serapis and sailed to the neutral Dutch port of Texel. Britain said Jones was a pirate since he sailed a captured vessel flying no known national ensign. Ben Franklin responded with a description of an American flag and a sketch was made as well as an actual flag to fly on the Serapis. The Dutch officially recognized the flag, and the piracy charges were dropped. The Serapis flag can be seen in the crest of Bath-built USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53).
