This book is written from the point of view of the naval administrators; hitherto, historians have written from the point of view of the naval officers. Their narratives treat almost exclusively of the doings at sea, the movements of armed vessels, and the details of sea fights. They have the advantage of dealing primarily with picturesque, and sometimes dramatic, events. Their accounts, however, lack unity, since they consist of a series of detached incidents.

In the first place an attempt has been here made to restore the naval administrative machinery of the Revolution. The center of this narrative is the origin, organization, and work of naval committees, secretaries of marine, navy boards, and naval agents. Next, inasmuch as the men who served as naval executives administered the laws relating to naval affairs, and indeed often prepared these laws before their adoption by the legislative authorities, it was thought best to give a fairly complete resume of the naval legislation of the Revolution. Those laws with which the naval administrators were chiefly concerned have received most attention. The legislation with reference to prize courts and privateering has been treated more briefly. As the privateers do not, properly speaking, form a part of the Revolutionary navy, no attempt to write their history has been made. In order that the subject may be seen in its true relations, some statistics and other interesting facts concerning this industry have, however, been introduced. An account of the State Navies is now given for the first time.

Since naval committees, navy boards, and naval agents issued written orders to the naval commanders prescribing the time, place, and manner of their cruises, it has seemed logical and proper to consider the naval policy of the administrators, and the movements of the armed vessels. So detailed an account of naval movements, as would be given by those writers who proceed from the point of view of the doings of the naval officers, would obviously not be expected in this book. My plan has been to describe the various classes of naval movements, to present the sum total of their results, and to give briefly the details of a few typical cruises and sea fights. The cruises of the American vessels were much alike; they were minor affairs, and many of them scarcely merit individual treatment.

It is evident that one who proposes to write the history of the navy of the American Revolution from the point of view which I have described, will not only avoid excessive detail in respect to individual naval achievements, but will be particularly determined not to allow their brilliancy or their dramatic quality to fix the amount of detail with which each shall be narrated. For instance, several historians have been inclined to dwell at some length upon the brilliant and picturesque achievements of John Paul Jones. Sometimes they have devoted more than one-third of their narratives of the Continental navy to this hero, undoubtedly the greatest naval officer of the Revolution. As a result, the pictures which they have presented are somewhat distorted, and many brave sea officers have had scant justice done their gallant services. An attempt is made in this book to present a better balanced narrative, and to make a juster estimate of the work of the Revolutionary navy. The scope and method of treatment adopted by the author has compelled a certain economy of phrase, precision of statement, and sharpness of outline.

I am very grateful to the many persons who have assisted me. Space does not permit me to thank each of them by name. I am under special obligations to the librarians and officials of the Library of Congress, the Library of the Department of the Navy, the Bureau of Rolls and Library of the Department of State, the State Library of Massachusetts, the Office of the Massachusetts State Archives, the Boston Public Library, the Boston Athenaeum, the library of Harvard University, the State Library of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Historical Society, the State Library of Connecticut, the Connecticut Historical Society, the Pennsylvania Historical Society, the State Library of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society, the Office of the Secretary of State of South Carolina, the Charleston (South Carolina) Public Library, and the Library of the University of Chicago. Far more than to any one else, I am indebted to Professor John Franklin Jameson, Director of the Department of Historical Research in the Carnegie Institution of Washington. I have had the advantage of Professor Jameson’s extensive knowledge of bibliography, his fruitful suggestions as to treatment, and his painstaking care in reading and criticising my manuscript. Parts of the narrative, somewhat popularized, have appeared in the Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute and the Sewanee Review.

C. O. P.

Washington, D. C.
March 1, 1906.

CONTENTS

THE CONTINENTAL NAVY
Chapter I.—The Naval Committee.
The need in 1775 for an army and for a navy[31]
Agitation for a navy outside of Congress[32]
Agitation for a navy in Congress[34]
The first naval legislation[35]
Appointment of the Naval Committee[38]
First work of the Naval Committee[38]
Reconstitution of the Naval Committee[38]
John Adams’s description of the Naval Committee[39]
The organization and decline of the Naval Committee[40]
Growth in Congress of naval sentiment[41]
Naval legislation under the Naval Committee[42]
The procuring of a fleet[51]
The appointment of officers[52]
The first naval expedition[55]
Résumé of the work of the Naval Committee[60]
Chapter II.—The Fleets of Washington and Arnold.
Fitting out of the “Hannah”[61]
Fitting out of Washington’s “Boston fleet”[62]
Washington’s opinion of his commanders[64]
Services rendered by Washington’s “Boston fleet”[65]
Broughton and Selman’s raid on Prince Edward island[66]
The disposition of Washington’s prizes[67]
The delay in bringing them to trial[68]
History of the fleet after the evacuation of Boston[69]
Washington’s “New York fleet”[70]
Beginning of the fleet on lakes Champlain and George[71]
Its increase in the summer of 1776[72]
The work of Benedict Arnold[73]
The British fleet on the Lakes[76]
The battle of Lake Champlain, October 11-13, 1776[77]
Results of the naval campaign on the Lakes[77]
Chapter III.—The Organization of the Marine Committee.
The maritime interests of New England[79]
Naval enterprise in Rhode Island[80]
The naval situation in Congress, 1775-76[81]
The Rhode Island instructions[81]
The debate in Congress thereon[82]
Postponement of action on instructions[83]
Favorable action by Congress, December 11, 1775[85]
Decision of Congress to build thirteen frigates[85]
Appointment of the Marine Committee[86]
The Marine Committee absorbs the Naval Committee[87]
The organization and pay of the Marine Committee[87]
Its chairmen[88]
Other valuable members[90]
Naval agents for building the Continental frigates[90]
Prize agents[93]
Continental agents[95]
Aid rendered the Marine Committee[95]
Navy Board at Philadelphia[96]
Navy Board at Boston[97]
Designations of the boards[99]
The organization of the boards[100]
The personnel of the boards[101]
Salaries[102]
Enumeration of the principal agents of the Marine Committee[103]
Minor agents[103]
Chapter IV.—The Work of the Navy Boards and the Marine Committee.
Lack of system in the Naval Department of the Revolution[104]
Examples[105]
Work and duties of the navy boards[107]
Men and materials needed in building a ship[110]
Provisions needed in fitting out a ship[112]
Division of labor among the naval commissioners[112]
The heavy work of the Boston Board[113]
Two-fold duties of the Marine Committee[115]
Administrative duties of the Marine Committee[116]
Naval uniform[117]
Communications of the Marine Committee[118]
Reports of the Marine Committee[120]
Naval legislation under the Marine Committee[121]
Naval increases[121]
Naval appointments and promotions[123]
Relative rank[125]
Captures and the sharing of prizes[126]
Privateers[127]
Naval pay[128]
Naval pensions[129]
Courts-martial and courts of enquiry[131]
Important naval trials[133]
The case of Commodore Esek Hopkins[134]
Provision for the fleet of Count D’Estaing[139]
The Marine Committee as a consular bureau[139]
Chapter V.—The Conditions of the Continental Naval Service.
The recent revolution in navies and naval conditions[141]
Constancy of the principles of naval strategy[143]
Maritime conditions in America in 1775, and in 1900[144]
Difficulties in procuring seamen during the Revolution[144]
The privateers of the Revolution[147]
State navies[152]
The naval defence of America[153]
Naval stations of the Americans[154]
Naval stations of the British[155]
Comparison of the British and American navies[156]
Weakness of the American navies[159]
Diffusion of authority in naval administration[160]
Chapter VI.—Movements of the Continental Fleet under the Marine Committee.
Work of the fleet of a non-military character[161]
Classification of military operations[162]
Primary naval operations[163]
Enumeration of secondary operations[164]
Defence of American commerce[164]
Coöperation with the army[166]
The striking of the enemy’s lines of communication[167]
Commerce-destroying[169]
The threatening and attacking of the enemy’s coasts[173]
A naval plan of Robert Morris[174]
The Marine Committee and its plans[176]
Success and failure of the navy[177]
The navy of the Revolution and of the Spanish-American war[179]
Chapter VII.—The Board of Admiralty.
Defects of the Marine Committee[181]
Criticism of the administration of Congress[182]
A new system of Executives[184]
Criticism of the Naval Department by Washington and Jay[184]
Establishment of a Board of Admiralty, October, 1779[187]
Powers and duties of the Board of Admiralty[188]
Salaries[189]
Selection of commissioners of Admiralty[190]
Francis Lewis and William Ellery[193]
Congress and the Board of Admiralty[194]
Work of the Board of Admiralty[195]
Decrease in naval machinery[195]
Reports of the Board of Admiralty[196]
Naval legislation under the Board of Admiralty[197]
The granting of naval commissions by the states[201]
The American navy and British models[202]
Court of appeals for prize cases[203]
The fleet under the Board of Admiralty[203]
Embarrassments of the Board of Admiralty[204]
Success and failure of the fleet[205]
Discontinuance of the Board of Admiralty[208]
Defects of the Board of Admiralty[209]
Chapter VIII.—The Secretary of Marine and the Agent of Marine.
The two factions during the Revolution[210]
Supremacy of the “dispersive school”[211]
The “concentrative school” in 1780[212]
Agitation for administrative reform[213]
The success of the “concentrative school”[214]
Establishment of the office of Secretary of Marine, February, 1781[216]
Duties of the Secretary of Marine[216]
Appointment of McDougall as Secretary of Marine[217]
Failure to obtain a Secretary of Marine[218]
Robert Morris and the naval business[218]
Reorganization of the Naval Department[220]
The Agent of Marine[223]
Robert Morris as Agent of Marine[226]
The organization of the Naval Department under Morris[227]
Reports of the Agent of Marine[228]
Naval legislation under the Agent of Marine[228]
The court-martialing of three seamen[230]
Morris and the control of the fleet[234]
The strength of the navy[235]
Success and failure of the fleet[235]
The cruise of the “Alliance,” 1782-1783[236]
The capture of the “Trumbull” by the “Iris”[238]
Attempts of Morris to increase the navy[239]
Morris’s views after the treaty of peace[244]
Congress goes out of the naval business[245]
Settling of the naval accounts[245]
Disposing of the naval vessels[247]
Retirement of the Agent of Marine[250]
The end of the naval business[250]
Chapter IX.—Naval Duties of American Representatives in Foreign Countries.
Mutual interests of the United States and France[252]
Duties of the Naval Office at Paris[252]
Personnel of the Naval Office[254]
Communication with the Naval Office[255]
Agents of the Naval Office[256]
Appointment and recommendation of officers[257]
Privateers[260]
The purchase and construction of vessels[261]
The fitting out of vessels[265]
The trial of prize cases[266]
American prisoners[267]
Breaches of neutrality[273]
Miscellaneous duties[274]
The Naval Office a channel of naval intelligence[276]
Naval plans of the Naval Office[276]
Plan of the Committee of Foreign Affairs[278]
Chapter X.—Naval Duties of American Representatives in Foreign Countries. Continued.
Work of the Naval Office in 1777[281]
Attempts to obtain the freedom of French ports[282]
The first prizes of the “Reprisal”[283]
Difficulties between the English and the French governments[284]
The American Commissioners and the French government[285]
The cruise of the “Reprisal,” February, 1777[286]
The cruise of Conyngham in the “Surprise”[287]
The cruise of the “Reprisal,” “Lexington,” and “Dolphin”[287]
Strained relations between the Commissioners and the French Court[289]
The cruise of Conyngham in the “Revenge”[290]
Departure of the “Reprisal” and the “Lexington”[291]
Naval movements in 1778[292]
The cruise of Captain Jones in the “Ranger”[293]
The Naval Office at Paris, 1779-1780[294]
John Paul Jones and Peter Landais[294]
Plan for an expedition against England[295]
The cruise of Captain Jones in the “Bon Homme Richard”[295]
Dispute between Jones and Landais[298]
Their departure for America[300]
The trials of Franklin[300]
Work of the Naval Office, 1781-1783[301]
Thomas Barclay, consul and commissioner[302]
John Paul Jones, agent for settling accounts[303]
Naval stations in the West Indies[305]
Duties and work of the commercial agent at Martinique[305]
Naval affairs on the Mississippi[307]
Oliver Pollock and Galvez[307]
Pollock and privateers[308]
Pollock and the “Rebecca”[308]
The “West Florida”[310]
THE STATE NAVIES
Chapter XI.—The Navy of Massachusetts.
The state craft[315]
Naval administration in the states[316]
The problems of naval warfare[317]
Military situation in Massachusetts, 1775[318]
Action of the Provincial Congress[318]
Massachusetts seaports ask for naval aid[319]
Act establishing privateering and prize courts, November 1, 1775[320]
Subsequent naval activities of the General court, 1775[323]
The fitting out of a fleet, 1776[324]
Naval legislation, 1776[325]
Remodelling of the law of November 1, 1775[327]
Orders to naval officers—a sample[328]
Establishment of a Board of War, October, 1776[329]
Duties of the Board of War[330]
A new naval establishment[333]
Naval rules and regulations[334]
Naval increases, 1777-1779[335]
Launching of the “Protector”[336]
Naval administration, 1779-1783[337]
Naval increases, 1780-1783[338]
Massachusetts privateers[339]
The cruises of the state fleet[341]
Coöperation of state vessels and privateers[344]
The engagements of the state vessels—a sample[345]
The Penobscot expedition[347]
Losses of the state fleet[352]
The end of the navy[353]
Chapter XII.—The Navy of Connecticut.
The Revolutionary government of Connecticut[354]
Fitting out of the “Minerva” and the “Spy”[355]
Failure and discharge of the “Minerva”[357]
The “Defence” and the “Oliver Cromwell”[358]
The building of three row-galleys[360]
Naval duties of the Governor and the Council of Safety[360]
Naval agents[361]
New London and Nathaniel Shaw, jr.[362]
Bushnell’s submarine boat[363]
Privateers and prize courts[364]
Naval pensions[366]
Naval rules and regulations[366]
A new naval establishment, 1779[366]
Cruises of the navy[367]
Losses of the navy[369]
Warfare of whale-boats on Long Island Sound[370]
Chapter XIII.—The Navy of Pennsylvania.
Objects of naval enterprise in Pennsylvania[373]
The fleet of galleys[373]
Rules and regulations[375]
The “Montgomery”[375]
Strength of the navy, August, 1776[376]
Naval uniforms and flag[377]
Organs of naval administration[377]
Commodores of the navy[378]
Naval pay and the sharing of prizes[380]
The Pennsylvania Navy Board[381]
Work of the Navy Board[382]
The navy in 1777[383]
Services rendered by the fleet[383]
The campaign on the Delaware, 1777-1778[384]
Trials for desertion[386]
The Navy Board, 1777-1778[387]
The fleet, April-July, 1778[388]
Sale of the fleet and dismissal of the Navy Board[388]
The “General Greene,” 1779[390]
Naval legislation[391]
Privateers[392]
Commissioners for the defence of the Delaware[393]
The “Hyder Ally” and “Washington”[394]
The end of the navy[395]
Chapter XIV.—The Navy of Virginia.
Lord Dunmore’s movements in Virginia, 1775[396]
Authorization of a navy, December, 1775[396]
Work of the Committee of Safety[397]
The “Potomac River fleet”[398]
The Virginia Navy Board[398]
Duties of the Navy Board[399]
The location of shipyards[400]
Naval manufactories and magazines[401]
James Maxwell, naval agent[401]
Naval officers[401]
Naval increases, 1776[402]
Courts of Admiralty[403]
Privateers[405]
The vessels of the Virginia navy[405]
Condition and services of the navy, 1775-1779[407]
Losses of the navy, 1775-1779[408]
The Board of War and the Naval Commissioner[408]
The Commissioner of the Navy[409]
Military situation in the South in 1780[410]
Naval legislation, 1780[411]
The raid of Arnold and Phillips, 1781[413]
The navy at Yorktown[415]
Dismissal of the officers, seamen, and Commissioner[415]
Virginia’s defence of Chesapeake Bay, 1782-1783[415]
The end of the navy[416]
Chapter XV.—The Navy of South Carolina.
First naval enterprises of South Carolina[418]
Events of September, 1775[419]
The “Defence”[420]
Work of the Provincial Congress, November, 1775[420]
Work of the Committee of Safety, December, 1775[421]
The mission of Cochran[421]
Naval legislation, February-March, 1776[422]
The Constitution of 1776[423]
Naval legislation, April, 1776[423]
South Carolina Navy Board[424]
Work and organization of the Navy Board[424]
Naval legislation, 1777-1778[427]
Naval increases, 1776-1779[428]
Privateers[429]
Services rendered by the South Carolina navy, 1776-1779[429]
The “Randolph” and the State fleet[430]
The campaign against Charleston, 1779-1780[431]
The navy in 1781 and 1783[434]
Commodore Gillon and the “South Carolina”[435]
Gillon in Europe[436]
The “South Carolina” in European waters[436]
The expedition against the Bahamas[438]
The “South Carolina” at Philadelphia[439]
Capture of the “South Carolina”[439]
Settlement of the Luxembourg claims[439]
Chapter XVI.—The Minor Navies of the Southern States.
Organs of naval administration in Maryland[441]
Work of the Maryland Provincial Convention, 1776[441]
Work of the Maryland Committee of Safety, 1776[441]
Maryland vessels[442]
Recruiting of the navy[443]
Naval officers[443]
Court of Admiralty[444]
Maryland privateers[444]
Sale of naval vessels, 1779[444]
Naval conditions, 1779-1783[445]
Acts for the defence of the Chesapeake[445]
Transporting of the Continental army[446]
British depredations, 1782-1783[446]
Commissioners for the defence of the Bay[447]
Services rendered by the Maryland navy[448]
The Battle of the Barges[449]
End of the Maryland navy[451]
The navy of North Carolina, December, 1775-May, 1776[451]
The “Washington,” “Pennsylvania Farmer,” and “King Tammany”[452]
The defence of Ocracoke Inlet[454]
Services of the “Caswell”[456]
North Carolina admiralty courts and privateers[459]
Georgia’s first naval enterprise[459]
Naval preparations[460]
Georgia’s galleys[460]
Georgia’s prize court[462]
Chapter XVII.—The Minor Navies of the Northern States.
British depredations in Rhode Island, 1775[463]
Naval operations[463]
The “Katy” and “Washington”[464]
The “Washington” and “Spitfire” galleys[465]
Organs of naval administration[466]
Prize court and privateers[467]
An attempted naval increase, 1777[468]
Coöperation of Rhode Island with Congress, 1778-1779[468]
The “Pigot” and the “Argo”[469]
The “Rover”[470]
Naval preparations in New York[471]
New York’s naval establishment[472]
Washington and the New York vessels[473]
Services of the New York fleet[474]
Additional facts about naval affairs in New York[475]
New Hampshire and the Penobscot expedition[476]
New Hampshire privateers and prize court[476]
Naval suggestions of New Jersey[477]
APPENDICES
A bibliography[481]
A list of commissioned officers in the Continental Navy[506]
A list of commissioned officers in the Continental Marine Corps[512]
A list of armed vessels[516]