Samuel Chester Reid
Encyclopedia
Samuel Chester Reid was an officer in the United States Navy
who commanded a privateer during the War of 1812
. He is also noted for having helped design the 1818 version of the flag of the United States
, which first established the rule of keeping thirteen stripes and adding one star for each U.S. state.
, to John and Rebecca (Chester) Reid. John Reid, a lieutenant in the British Navy, was captured during the American Revolutionary War
before resigning and joining the American side. Rebecca Chester's father, John Chester, was among the soldiers at Bunker Hill
, and afterward a member of the Connecticut convention which ratified the United States constitution.
with Commodore
Thomas Truxtun
and in 1803 became master of the brig
Merchant. During the War of 1812 he commanded the privateer
General Armstrong. One notable capture was that of the Fanny
because of the legal cases that arose from her capture and recapture. At the Battle of Fayal
Reid inflicted severe casualties boats from a British force en route to Jamaica
and New Orleans, Louisiana
. In the end, Reid had to scuttle his ship and he and his crew made it to shore. Reid was wounded along with one other man, while the British sustained over 100 killed or wounded. Andrew Jackson credited Reid's action with delaying the British squadron and so aiding General Jackson
's defense of New Orleans
. The battle was the subject of many popular prints.
for advice in the design of a new U.S. flag. The flag then in use had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes; it had not been updated to reflect the five new states which had joined the union since that version of the flag was implemented in 1795. Wendover was the head of a congressional committee tasked with investigating possible alterations to the flag. Together, Wendover and Reid decided that the best way to honor all twenty states was to restore the number of stripes to the original thirteen, have twenty stars on the canton, and add a new star each time a new state joined the union.
Reid sketched three flag designs, one for general use which featured the twenty stars arranged in the shape of a larger star, one for use on government vessels and buildings which featured an eagle on the canton instead of stars, and one for use on ceremonial occasions which featured a different element (stars, stripes, the Great Seal
, and the Goddess of Liberty
) on each of the flag's four quarters. Wendover and his congressional committee adopted Reid's general-use flag, but never seriously considered his other two designs. Wendover drafted a bill which stipulated that the thirteen-stripe, twenty-star design become the new official flag of the United States. The bill passed and was signed into law as the Flag Act of 1818 by President James Monroe
on April 4, 1818. The pattern of the stars was later changed from Reid's "great star" design to four rows of five stars each.
Reid was appointed master in the Navy in 1844 and died at New York 28 January 1861. Four ships were given the name USS Reid
in his honor.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
who commanded a privateer during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He is also noted for having helped design the 1818 version of the flag of the United States
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
, which first established the rule of keeping thirteen stripes and adding one star for each U.S. state.
Early life and family
Reid was born in Norwich, ConnecticutNorwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
, to John and Rebecca (Chester) Reid. John Reid, a lieutenant in the British Navy, was captured during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
before resigning and joining the American side. Rebecca Chester's father, John Chester, was among the soldiers at Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
, and afterward a member of the Connecticut convention which ratified the United States constitution.
Naval career
Reid entered the Navy in 1794. He served in ConstellationUSS Constellation (1797)
USS Constellation was a 38-gun frigate, one of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. She was distinguished as the first U.S. Navy vessel to put to sea and the first U.S. Navy vessel to engage and defeat an enemy vessel...
with Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Thomas Truxtun
Thomas Truxtun
Thomas Truxtun was an American naval officer who rose to the rank of commodore.Born near Hempstead, New York on Long Island, Truxtun had little formal education before joining the crew of the British merchant ship Pitt at the age of twelve...
and in 1803 became master of the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Merchant. During the War of 1812 he commanded the privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
General Armstrong. One notable capture was that of the Fanny
Fanny (1812 privateer)
Fanny was an armed merchantman that sailed between Liverpool and South America. Her master was James Laughton, the father of Sir John Knox Laughton. On 5 December 1812, Laughton was granted a Letter of Marque for the ship. On 19 April 1814, the American privateer General Armstrong captured her,...
because of the legal cases that arose from her capture and recapture. At the Battle of Fayal
Battle of Fayal
The Battle of Fayal was an engagement fought in September 1814 during the war between the United States and the United Kingdom at the Portuguese colony of Fayal in the Azores. A British warship and several boats filled with sailors and marines attacked an American privateer in port...
Reid inflicted severe casualties boats from a British force en route to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. In the end, Reid had to scuttle his ship and he and his crew made it to shore. Reid was wounded along with one other man, while the British sustained over 100 killed or wounded. Andrew Jackson credited Reid's action with delaying the British squadron and so aiding General Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
's defense of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
. The battle was the subject of many popular prints.
Flag design
In January 1817, Reid was asked by Representative Peter H. WendoverPeter H. Wendover
Peter Hercules Wendover was a United States Representative from New York.Born in New York City, Wendover received a liberal schooling and held several local offices. He was a member of the volunteer fire department of New York City in 1796...
for advice in the design of a new U.S. flag. The flag then in use had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes; it had not been updated to reflect the five new states which had joined the union since that version of the flag was implemented in 1795. Wendover was the head of a congressional committee tasked with investigating possible alterations to the flag. Together, Wendover and Reid decided that the best way to honor all twenty states was to restore the number of stripes to the original thirteen, have twenty stars on the canton, and add a new star each time a new state joined the union.
Reid sketched three flag designs, one for general use which featured the twenty stars arranged in the shape of a larger star, one for use on government vessels and buildings which featured an eagle on the canton instead of stars, and one for use on ceremonial occasions which featured a different element (stars, stripes, the Great Seal
Great Seal of the United States
The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States federal government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself , and more generally for the design impressed upon it...
, and the Goddess of Liberty
Liberty (goddess)
Goddesses named for and representing the concept Liberty have existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire and some national symbols such as the British "Britannia" or the Irish "Kathleen Ni Houlihan"....
) on each of the flag's four quarters. Wendover and his congressional committee adopted Reid's general-use flag, but never seriously considered his other two designs. Wendover drafted a bill which stipulated that the thirteen-stripe, twenty-star design become the new official flag of the United States. The bill passed and was signed into law as the Flag Act of 1818 by President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
on April 4, 1818. The pattern of the stars was later changed from Reid's "great star" design to four rows of five stars each.
Reid was appointed master in the Navy in 1844 and died at New York 28 January 1861. Four ships were given the name USS Reid
USS Reid
Four ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Reid, after Sailing Master Samuel Chester Reid.* The first was a destroyer in service from 1909 to 1919.* The second was a destroyer in service from 1919 to 1930....
in his honor.
External links
- American Privateers in The War Of 1812: Examines the myths and facts behind Captain Samuel Reid's sea battle in the Azores and whether Reid's action actually delayed the British squadron and aided General Jackson's defense of New Orleans.