Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

1799

Text

Treasury Secretary Oliver Wolcott designs the CUSTOM ENSIGN and PENNANT, and Congress declares these are to be flown on all Customs revenue cutters to indicate the authority of the United States government. This is the first flag designed specifically for an agency of the federal government.

Dates
Media Image
U.S. Customs Ensign & Pennant - Type of 1799. The 15 stars represent the number of states in the Union in 1799.
Credit Text
From manuscript: "Early American Maritime Flags & Signals" © 1999 Ray S. Morton
Caption Text
U.S. Customs Ensign & Pennant - Type of 1799. The 15 stars represent the number of states in the Union in 1799.
Last Modified: Nov 09, 2015