On 05 October 1779, John Paul Jones flew this ensign on the captured ship, H.M.S. Serapis in the harbor of the Texel, Holland. As a result of the Battle of Flamborough Head, between Jones' ship, Bonhomme Richard and the H.M.S. Serapis, the Bonhomme Richard sank, and Jones took possession of the H.M.S. Serapis. Jones anchored in the harbor of the Texel, Holland while repairs could be made to the damaged H.M.S. Serapis.
As noted on a previous page with regard to the Alliance, it is not known if John Paul Jones or a Dutch artist sketched/painted the flags then being flown on the H.M.S. Serapis and the newly arrived Alliance. What is known is that the renderings would have been accurate as to the designs of the flags, being an eyewitness illustration.
This flag is unique among all the flags bearing stripes because there is no repitition in the colors from top to bottom. Whereas the three-color stripe patterns of other flags tend to be repeated (from top to bottom) red / white / blue or red / blue / white or whatever patterns, this flag's stripes are (from top to bottom): blue / red / white / red / white / blue / red / white / red / blue / white / blue / red.
