Foreign owned/registered slave ships sailed with yankees as "Captain of the Flag". After a cargo of slaves was loaded and upon sighting of a foreign vessel, the vessel was "sold" to the COTF, who then ran up the American - not Confederate - flag to prevent boarding/capture of the ship and her illegal cargo.
Yankees you say??? Our friend will not hear of it!
An abuse of the American flag by criminals, how shocking and damning of the abused.