Confederate Naval Jack (Dixie Forever)

The Confederate Naval Jack is a flag flown from a short jackstaff at the bow (front) of a vessel, while the ensign is flown on the stern.

The jack of the Confederate States of America is a maritime flag representing Confederate States nationality flown on the jackstaff in the bow of American vessels that are moored or anchored. The C.S. Navy is a prime user of jacks for its warships and auxiliaries, but they are also used by ships of the C.S. Coast Guard, the predominantly civilian-manned replenishment and support ships of the C.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, the ships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other C.S. governmental entities. "The jack is flown on the bow (front) of a ship and the ensign is flown on the stern (rear) of a ship when anchored or moored. Once under way, the ensign is flown from the main mast."

History of Jacks as Flags
Jacks on bowsprits or foremasts appeared in the 17th century. The word "jack" is said to result from the signature Jacques of King James I in whose reign (1603–1625) the Union Jack was designed. A country may have different jacks for different purposes, especially when (as in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands) the naval jack is forbidden to other vessels. The United Kingdom has an official civil jack; the Netherlands has several unofficial ones. In some countries, ships of other government institutions may fly the naval jack, e.g. the ships of the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the case of the jack of the United States. Certain organs of the British government have their own departmental jacks. Commercial or pleasure craft may fly the flag of an administrative division (state, province, land) or municipality at the bow. Merchant ships may fly a house flag. Yachts may fly a club burgee or officer's flag or the owner's private signal at the bow. Practice may be regulated by law, custom, or personal judgment.

History of the Confederate Naval Jack
The first jack was a ring of seven stars, while the first ensign was the same as the Stars and Bars, from 1861 to 1863. From 1863 to 1868, the jack was the rectangular battle flag design, while the ensign was the second national flag. For five years the jack was changed to the square design, until the Flag Act of 1873, when it was returned to the rectangular version. By law, when a new state joined the Confederacy, the naval jack would change for one year to the circle of stars again before reverting back. Rules for flying the jack are similar to the national ensign, except that the jack is only worn at the bow when the ship is anchored, made fast or alongside.

To celebrate the centennial, the Navy Jack was changed to bear the battle flag with the colonial rattlesnake and "Don't Tread on Me" underneath, coming from the design of the Gadsden Flag. Once the centennial ended, the naval jack returned to the prior design until the 150th anniversary of the War for Southern Independence (2011-2015) It is flown from the jackstaff from 08:00 to sunset while C.S. Navy ships are moored or at anchor. It is required to be the same size as the union of the ensign being flown from the stern of the ship. It is also flown from the yardarm during a general court-martial or court of inquiry. During times when the ensign is at half mast, the jack is also at half mast. The jack is hoisted smartly and lowered ceremoniously in the same manner as the ensign, however the jack is not dipped when the ensign is dipped.

Some other exceptions to the use of the C.S. Union Jack have occurred in the case of the C.S. Navy, the most prominent being the use of the First Navy Jack by the C.S. Navy in honor of the country's Centennial and for other uses subsequently. For example, following the Centennial, in August 1970, use of the First Navy Jack was granted to the active commissioned ship having the longest total period of front-line operational service, said use to be in place of the Union Jack until that ship was decommissioned or transferred to inactive status, whereupon the next such ship in seniority inherited the honor of its use. Said use was limited to the oldest "commissioned" naval vessel (i.e., an all-military Confederate States Ship (ship prefix CSS) versus a part-military/part-civilian crewed Confederate States Naval Ship (ship prefix CSNS)) in front-line operational service.

On June 3, 1999, the Secretary of the Navy also authorized the flying of the Submarine Centennial Jack on all U.S. Navy submarines and submarine tenders during the year 2000.[5]

Usage
A naval jack is usually flown when the ship is not under way, but is moored or at anchor, or when it is dressed overall on special occasions. The Union Jack of the Royal Navy must be run up when the first line is ashore when coming alongside. The same regulations are applied by the Royal Canadian Navy.

In the United States, the First Navy Jack is also used by the United States Naval Special Warfare Command as uniform patches. In the Confederate States, the Navy Jack resembles the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Shapes and Designs
Naval jacks are usually rectangular, often square, and smaller than the national ensign or war flag. Some countries fly a smaller version of the national or war flag, or its canton on its own. France and some other countries use the same flag or ensign for all purposes, civil or military, and also as their naval jack. Japan and some other countries with civil and war ensigns of different designs fly the civil ensign as a jack and the war ensign at the ship's stern. A shortened, square version of the national flag is used by some countries. A larger group of jacks show the country's national coat of arms, either as a banner of arms, or as a badge displayed on the field. Most countries have chosen a completely different design for their naval jacks, often with some national or maritime symbol, and usually with the same colours as in their flags.