The First Salute to the Flag of the American Colonies Nov. 16, 1776

In the upcoming months Americans will experience the anniversary of many firsts as the nation celebrates 250 years of Independence  from Great Britain. The following essay written by Anne R. Edwards recounts the first time this initially-designed flag was saluted with a volley of cannonfire, recognizing it as the flag of a new nation.

Nov. 16, 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the largest event of the Eighteenth century on Nov. 16, 1776.

The First Salute to the American Navy took place at Fort Orange on the small Dutch Island, Eustatius, in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean. On entry into the harbor the Andrew Doria fired 13 canons that were answered by 11 canons from Ft. Orange.

It marked the first time the continental flag of the United States of America was saluted and destined a change in governments in the New World and Europe.  British subjects witnessed the salute from nearby British St. Kitts and British ships. They were greatly upset by recognition of the colonies as a nation. 

Although not yet a fact, what was being witnessed was the transfer of powers from monarchs and nobles to power in a constitution and representation of the people.

Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a plaque to St. Eustatius in 1939 that reads:  “In Commemoration of the salute of the flag of the United States fired in this fort Nov. 16, 1776, by order of Johannes de Graaff, Governor of St. Eustatius, in reply to a national gun salute fired by the U.S. Brig-of-War Andrew Doria … Here the sovereignty of the United States of America was first formally acknowledged to a national vessel by a foreign official.”

The Andrew Doria, one of the first four converted merchantmen, was commissioned into the Continental Navy created by act of the Continental Congress on Oct. 13, 1775. A year later it left Gloucestershire, New Jersey, on Oct. 23, 1776, to take on military supplies and deliver a copy of the Declaration of Independence to Governor de Graaff. With limited sail area, the ship made it to St. Eustatius in a little over three weeks to arrive on Nov. 16, 1776. 

The flag flown by the Andrew Doria was thirteen red and white stripes with a canon containing the St. Andrew and St. George crosses of the British flag. The stars and stripes would later be commissioned on June 14, 1777, with a canon of 13 stars.

The salute intentionally encouraged continuance of shipments of military armaments from St. Eustatius to the colonies by multiple countries, a critical factor in saving the American Revolution from starvation of firepower in its frail beginnings. The salute was in defiance of the home government of Holland. 

Credit for this information is given to historian Barbara W. Tuchman and expanded in her book The First Salute (1988). A video of a Nov. 12, 2024, lecture on the book is available on YouTube by entering “First Salute Laurens County Museum”.

Future events celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary will be hosted by the Laurens County Museum.