The Naval History of the United States. Volume 1

by Willis J. Abbot

Copyright, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890
BY
Dodd, Mead and Company

All rights reserved

CONTENTS.
THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

PART I.
BLUE JACKETS OF '76.

• CHAPTER I.
• [Early Exploits upon the Water.—Gallop's Battle With the Indians.—Buccaneers And Pirates.—Morgan and Blackbeard.—Capt. Kidd turns Pirate.—Downfall Of the Buccaneers' Power.]
• CHAPTER II.
• [Expeditions against Neighboring Colonies.—Romantic Career of Sir William Phipps.—Quelling a Mutiny.—Expeditions against Quebec.]
• CHAPTER III.
• [Opening of the American Revolution.—The Affair of the Schooner "St. John."—The Press-gang and its Work.—The Sloop "Liberty."—Destruction Of The "Gaspee."—The Boston Tea-party.]
• CHAPTER IV.
• [The Beginning of the Navy.—Lexington and Concord.—A Blow Struck in Maine.—Capture of the "Margaretta."—Gen. Washington and the Navy.—Work Of Capt. Manly.]
• CHAPTER V.
• [Events of 1776.—The First Cruise of the Regular Navy.—The "Lexington" And the "Edward."—Mugford's Brave Fight.—Loss of the "Yankee Hero."—Capt. Manly, and the "Defence."—American Vessels in European Waters.—Good Work of the "Lexington" and the "Reprisal."—the British defeated at Charleston.]
• CHAPTER VI.
• [The Career of Paul Jones.—In Command of the "Providence."—Capture of The "Mellish."—Exploits With the "Alfred."—In Command of the "Ranger."—Sweeping the English Channel.—The Descent upon Whitehaven.]
• CHAPTER VII.
• [Career of Paul Jones Continued.—His Descent upon the Castle of Lord Selkirk.—The Affair of the Plate.—The Descent upon Whitehaven.—The Battle with the "Drake."—Lieut. Simpson's Perfidy.]
• CHAPTER VIII.
• [Career of Paul Jones Continued.—His Search for a Ship.—Given Command of the "Bon Homme Richard."—Landais and his Character.—The Frustrated Mutiny.—Landais quarrels with Jones.—Edinburgh and Leith threatened.—The Dominie's Prayer.]
• CHAPTER IX.
• [Career of Paul Jones Concluded.—The Battle Between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis."—Treachery of Landais.—Jones's Great Victory.—Landais steals the "Alliance."—Jones in Command of the "Ariel."—The "Ariel" in the Storm.—Arrival in America.]
• CHAPTER X.
• [Career of Nicholas Biddle.—His Exploit at Lewiston Jail.—Cruise in the "Randolph."—Battle with the "Yarmouth."—The Fatal Explosion.—Samuel Tucker.—His Boyhood.—Encounter with Corsairs.—Cruising in The "Franklin."—In Command of the "Boston."—Anecdotes of Capt. Tucker.]
• CHAPTER XI.
• [Hostilities in 1777.—American Reverses.—The British in Philadelphia.—The Attack upon Fort Mifflin.—Cruise of the "Raleigh" and the "Alfred."—Torpedo Warfare.—The Battle of the Kegs.]
• CHAPTER XII.
• [Naval Events of 1778.—Recruiting for the Navy.—The Descent upon New Providence.—Operations on the Delaware.—Capt. Barry's Exploits.—Destruction of the American Frigates.—American Reverses.—The Capture of the "Pigot."—French Naval Exploits.]
• CHAPTER XIII.
• [Last Years of the War.—Disastrous Expedition To the Penobscot.—Wholesale Captures on the Newfoundland Banks.—French Ships in American Waters.—Taking Of Charleston.—The "Trumbull's" Victory and Defeat.—Capt. Barry and the "Alliance."—Close of the War.]
• CHAPTER XIV.
• [Work of the Privateers.—The "Gen. Hancock" and the "Levant."—Exploits of the "Pickering"—the "Revenge."—the "Holkar."—The "Congress" and the "Savage."—The "Hyder Ali" and the "Gen. Monk."—The Whale-Boat Hostilities.—The "Old Jersey" Prison-Ship.]
• CHAPTER XV.
• [The Navy Disbanded.—Aggressions of Barbary Corsairs.—A Disgraceful Tribute.—Bainbridge and the Dey.—Gen. Eaton at Tunis.—A Squadron sent to the Mediterranean.—Decatur and the Spaniards.—The "Enterprise" and the "Tripoli."—American Slaves in Algiers.]
• CHAPTER XVI.
• [More Vigorous Policy.—Commodore Morris sent to the Mediterranean.—Porter's Cutting-Out Expedition.—Commodore Preble sent to the Mediterranean.—His Encounter with a British Man-of-War.—The Loss of the "Philadelphia."—Decatur's Daring Adventure.]
• CHAPTER XVII.
• [A Stirring Year.—The Bombardment of Tripoli.—Decatur's Hand-to-Hand Fight.—Lieut. Trippe's Bravery.—Lieut. Spence's Bold Deed.—Somers's Narrow Escape.—The Floating Mine.—The Fatal Explosion.—Close Of the War.—The End.]

PART II.
BLUE JACKETS OF 1812.

• CHAPTER I.
• [The Gathering of the War-Cloud.—The Revolution ended, but the War for Independence yet unfought.—Outrages upon American Sailors.—The Right of Search.—Impressment.—Boyhood of Commodore Porter.—Early Days of Commodores Perry and Barney.—Burning a Privateer.—The Embargo.—War Inevitable]
• CHAPTER II.
• [War with France.—The Building of a Navy.—First Success for the Americans.—Cutting out the "Sandwich."—The "Constellation" and "L'Insurgente."—The "Constellation" and "La Vengeance"]
• CHAPTER III.
• [Proposed Reduction of the Navy.—Renewal of British Outrages.—The Affair of the "Baltimore."—Attack on the "Leander."—Encounter between the "Chesapeake" and "Leopard."—The "President" and "Little Belt"]
• CHAPTER IV.
• [The War on the Ocean.—Commodore Rodgers's Cruise.—The Loss of the "Nautilus."—First Success for the British.—The Escape of the "Constitution."—The "Essex" takes the "Alert."—The "Constitution" and the "Guerriere"]
• CHAPTER V.
• [An International Debate.—The "Wasp" and the "Frolic."—The "United States" and the "Macedonian."—Ovations to the Victors]
• CHAPTER VI.
• [Bainbridge takes Command of the "Constitution."—The Defeat of the "Java."—Close of the Year's Hostilities on the Ocean.]
• CHAPTER VII.
• [The War on the Lakes.—The Attack on Sackett's Harbor.—Oliver Hazard Perry ordered To Lake Erie.—The Battle of Put-in-Bay.]
• CHAPTER VIII.
• [On the Ocean.—The "Hornet" sinks the "Peacock."—The Blockade.—Adventures of the "Sally."—Hostilities on Chesapeake Bay.—The Cruise of the "President".]
• CHAPTER IX.
• [Decatur blockaded at New York.—Attempts to escape through Long Island Sound.—The Flag-Ship struck by Lightning.—Torpedoes.—Fulton's Steam-Frigate.—Action between the "Chesapeake" and "Shannon".]
• CHAPTER X.
• [Cruise of the "Essex."—A Rich Prize.—The Mysterious Letter.—Cape Horn rounded.—Capture of a Peruvian Privateer.—Among the British Whalers.—Porter in Command of a Squadron.—A Boy Commander.—The Squadron lays up at Nookaheevah.]
• CHAPTER XI.
• [War with the Savages.—The Campaign against the Typees.—Departure from Nookaheevah.—The "Essex" anchors at Valparaiso.—Arrival of the "Phœbe" and "Cherub."—They capture the "Essex."—Porter's Encounter with the "Saturn."—The Mutiny at Nookaheevah.]
• CHAPTER XII.
• Capture of the "Surveyor."—Work of the Gunboat Flotilla.—Operations on Chesapeake Bay.—Cockburn's Depredations.—Cruise of the "Argus."—Her Capture by the "Pelican."—Battle Between the "Enterprise" and "Boxer."—End of the Year 1813 on the Ocean.
• CHAPTER XIII.
• On the Lakes.—Close of Hostilities on Lakes Erie and Huron.—Desultory Warfare on Lake Ontario in 1813.—Hostilities on Lake Ontario in 1814.—The Battle of Lake Champlain.—End of the War upon the Lakes.
• CHAPTER XIV.
• On the Ocean.—The Work of the Sloops-of-War.—Loss of the "Frolic."—Fruitless Cruise of the "Adams."—The "Peacock" Takes the "Épervier."—The Cruise of the "wasp."—She Captures the "Reindeer."—Sinks the "Avon."—Mysterious End of the "Wasp".
• CHAPTER XV.
• Operations on the New England Coast.—The Bombardment of Stonington.—Destruction Of the United States Corvette "Adams."—Operations on Chesapeake Bay.—Work of Barney's Barge Flotilla.—Advance of the British Upon Washington.—Destruction of the Capitol.—Operations Against Baltimore.—Bombardment of Fort McHenry.
• CHAPTER XVI.
• Desultory Hostilities on the Ocean.—Attack Upon Fort Bowyer.—Lafitte the Pirate.—British Expedition Against New Orleans.—Battle of the Rigolets.—Attack On New Orleans, and Defeat of the British.—Work of the Blue-jackets.—Capture Of the Frigate "President."—The "Constitution" takes The "Cyane" and "Levant."—The "Hornet" Takes the "Penguin."—End of the War.
• CHAPTER XVII.
• Privateers and Prisons of the War.—The "Rossie."—Salem Privateers.—The "Gen. Armstrong" Gives Battle To a British Squadron, and Saves New Orleans.—Narrative of a British Officer.—The "Prince de Neufchatel."—Experiences Of American Prisoners of War.—The End.
• CHAPTER XVIII.
• The Long Peace Broken by the War With Mexico.—Activity of the Navy.—Captain Stockton's Stratagem.—The Battle at San Jose.—The Blockade.—Instances of Personal Bravery.—The Loss of the "Truxton."—Yellow Fever in the Squadron.—The Navy at Vera Cruz.—Capture of Alvarado.
• CHAPTER XIX.
• The Navy in Peace.—Surveying the Dead Sea.—Suppressing the Slave Trade.—The Franklin Relief Expedition.—Commodore Perry in Japan.—Signing of the Treaty.—Trouble in Chinese Waters.—The Koszta Case.—The Second Franklin Relief Expedition.—Foote at Canton.—"Blood is Thicker Than Water".

PART III.
BLUE JACKETS OF '61.

• CHAPTER I.
• The Opening of the Conflict.—The Navies of the Contestants.—Dix's Famous Despatch.—The River-gunboats.
• CHAPTER II.
• Fort Sumter Bombarded.—Attempt of the "Star of the West" to Re-enforce Anderson.—The Naval Expedition to Fort Sumter.—The Rescue of the Frigate "Constitution."—Burning the Norfolk Navy-Yard.
• CHAPTER III.
• Difficulties of the Confederates in Getting a Navy.—Exploit of the "French Lady."—Naval Skirmishing on the Potomac.—The Cruise of the "Sumter"
• CHAPTER IV.
• The Potomac Flotilla.—Capture of Alexandria.—Actions at Matthias Point.—Bombardment of the Hatteras Forts.
• CHAPTER V.
• The "Trent" Affair.—Operations in Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.—Destruction of the Confederate Fleet.
• CHAPTER VI.
• Reduction of Newbern.—Exploits of Lieut. Cushing.—Destruction of the Ram "Albemarle".
• CHAPTER VII.
• The Blockade-runners.—Nassau and Wilmington.—Work of the Cruisers.
• CHAPTER VIII.
• Du Pont's Expedition to Hilton Head and Port Royal.—The Fiery Circle.
• CHAPTER IX.
• The First Ironclad Vessels in History.—The "Merrimac" Sinks the "Cumberland," and Destroys the "Congress."—Duel between the "Monitor" and "Merrimac".
• CHAPTER X.
• The Navy in the Inland Waters.—The Mississippi Squadron.—Sweeping the Tennessee River.
• CHAPTER XI.
• Famous Confederate Privateers,—The "Alabama," the "Shenandoah," the "Nashville".
• CHAPTER XII.
• Work of the Gulf Squadron.—The Fight at the Passes of the Mississippi.—Destruction of the Schooner "Judah."—The Blockade of Galveston, and Capture of the "Harriet Lane".
• CHAPTER XIII.
• The Capture of New Orleans.—Farragut's Fleet passes Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson.
• CHAPTER XIV.
• Along the Mississippi.—Forts Jackson and St. Philip Surrender.—The Battle at St. Charles.—The Ram "Arkansas."—Bombardment and Capture of Port Hudson.
• CHAPTER XV.
• On To Vicksburg.—Bombardment of the Confederate Stronghold.—Porter's Cruise in the Forests.
• CHAPTER XVI.
• Vicksburg Surrenders, and the Mississippi is opened.—Naval Events along the Gulf Coast.
• CHAPTER XVII.
• Operations About Charleston.—The Bombardment, the Siege, and the Capture.
• CHAPTER XVIII.
• The Battle of Mobile Bay.
• CHAPTER XIX.
• The Fall of Fort Fisher.—The Navy ends its Work.