Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Establishing the Continental Navy

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Hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Christmas.  We missed an anniversary of note the other day.  Saturday, December 22 marked the 243rd year since the Continental Congress created a Continental Navy.  This was way back in 1775, also naming Esek Hopkins, Esq., as Commander in Chief of the fleet.  

What's that you say?  Something about October 13th 1775?  Ok, yes, that's what's known as the Navy's actual birthday, and it is, because on that date Congress cracked open the checkbook and authorized the Navy via funding and administration of the force.  That took a little time though and in December it officially created the Navy by establishing a Fleet hierarchy.

The Continental Captains                                         Britannica


Congress also named four captains to the new service: Dudley Saltonstall, Abraham Whipple, Nicholas Biddle and John Burrows Hopkins, pictured above in order. Their respective vessels, the Alfred, Columbus, Andrew Doria and Cabot, along with schooners Hornet, Wasp, and Fly, were the first ships of the Navy’s fleet.  Several of these were originally merchant vessels, purchased and outfitted with guns.  Five first lieutenants, five second lieutenants, and three third lieutenants also received their commissions on Dec 22nd.  One of those first lieutenants included future American hero John Paul Jones.
 

John Paul Jones Picture
IMDB
No, not that JPJ (he's from Led Zepplin), this one!


Portrait of John Paul Jones
Navy.mil

Eighteen Officers commissioned all on the same day.  I heard that 
it was an epic Wetting Down, but the history books don't seem to have much on that party.  Interesting note about JPJ, he had his first command at the age of 21, a Brigantine named John, but this was during his nautical service as a merchant skip in the West Indies.  His naval service didn't begin until he was commissioned at age 28.  He served aboard the new Flagship, Alfred, as Esek Hopkins' first lieutenant.  

The new Admiral Hopkins, as he was dubbed by George Washington, was a Rhode Islander of some standing. His brother was Stephen Hopkins, the state’s governor.  So essentially it was a political appointment.  Esek Hopkins had married well and used his wife’s fortune to buy a ship. Talk about marrying up!  It proved a wise investment. He added to his wealth working as a privateer during the Seven Years’ War. In his new position, Congress promised to pay him $125 per calendar month plus commissions. He was told that he could also look forward to some share of the prizes allotted to the captors.  Now that's what I call incentive pay!  Notice that one of his Captains was also named Hopkins?  That was his son.  By the way, Christopher Gadsden of South Carolina designed Hopkins’ personal standard, which flew from the first navy fleet.  You might recognize it.

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Hopkins’ first assignment was to assess the feasibility of an attack on British naval forces in the Chesapeake Bay. After sailing south with his meager force of eight ships, Hopkins decided that victory in such an encounter was impossible. He sailed to the Bahamas instead, where he attacked the British port of Nassau, a decision for which he was eventually relieved of his command upon returning to the continent.

900 miles.  That's how far Hopkins sailed after being ordered to sail down the Chesapeake to essentially conduct a fact-finding mission.  Ok, it wasn't just to find out if they could do it, but "take or destroy all the naval force of our enemies that you may find there."  The answer to the feasibility question was no, but Admiral Hopkins wanted some tropical liberty, joyriding his fleet down to the Bahamas.   


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Actually, Hopkins was authorized to continue on to North or South Carolina and "to follow such courses as your best Judgment shall suggest to you... to distress the Enemy by all means in your power."  He did the Esek Hopkins version of "Run Forrest, Run!" though, and didn't stop until he approached the Caribbean.  Hopkins knew the Brits stored gunpowder and weapons down in Nassau and he thought their capture would be better for public relations.  Like he'd be a hero for making a supply run vice actually fighting.  "I have not yet begun to fight" was JPJ's quote, but it didn't mean the same to Hopkins.  

Hopkins was formally censored for his actions down in the Bahamas, and after then sailing to Newport RI and getting his fleet trapped in Narraganset Bay by the British blockade, he was relieved, then officially dismissed in January of 1778 by Congress.*  I think the problem was that Congress put an Army guy in charge of the Navy.  At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Hopkins was appointed Brigadier General of Rhode Island's militia.  Due to his political connections, being the brother of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Lil Rhodie, he was given command over the Continental Navy and the rank of Admiral, making him the equal of George Washington.  Even after being fired though, like many slimy politicians, he continued in R.I. politics, serving for over 10 years in the Assembly.

I probably shouldn't put our history in the context of today's ethics though.  I'm sure Hopkins was one of many rich and powerful men put into other positions of power.  The fledgling county was probably not in a position to put the man-on-the street into leadership posts.  It would have been nice to have a professional sailor in charge of the Navy, but they were all most likely busy serving the King.


USS Constitution Departs.jpg
USS Constitution, one of the original six frigates of the new U.S. Navy.                          Source

Due to some serious federal debt, the naval force was disbanded after the war and didn't become the U.S. Navy until 1794 when the building of six frigates was authorized by Congress.  The Naval Act of 1794 was signed into law by Adm. Hopkins former "equal" - President George Washington.  That's probably a post for another day though.  


Those of you Chanters familiar with U.S. Navy history might be familiar with the names of those first four captains.  We've had three ships named Whipple- two destroyers and most recently, a Knox Class frigate.  Biddle gave his name to a guided missile cruiser in service for over 30 years.  John Paul Jones has lent his name to two destroyers, one of which is still active- DDG-53, the third in the Arleigh Burke Class.  Surprisingly, we've had three ships named after Hopkins, but probably because he was our first Admiral, and not due to his prowess in battle on the sea. 

Full disclosure: I lifted heavily from History.com for much of this post, as well as a piece on the Revolutionary War about Esek Hopkins.  Merry Christmas and Happiest of New Years to Sarge, Juvat, Beans, Lush, and all the Chanters out there.



*Saltonshall was given Hopkins' command and didn't fare much better.  An uncoordinated attack on the Brits up in Maine failed miserably and forced the burning of the Continental Navy ships to prevent them from falling into British hands.  Commodore Saltonshall was court martialed and drummed out of the service.

28 comments:

  1. Don't forget the three USS PAUL JONES. a sidewheeler, in the Civil War, DD-10, a BAINBRIDGE class DD, and DD-230, a CLEMSON. Six ships isn't too bad.

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    1. Thanks. I had no ideer we'd named other ships after him, albeit only part of his name. I researched the full name and only found the two.

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  2. The navy was disbanded, then reestablished in 1794? I guess that does make the Coast Guard (August 4th 1790) the longest 'continuous' US Navel service... I won't tell anyone... :-)

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    1. Well, the Coast Guard does do a lot of meditating on their collective belly buttons......

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    2. Well Capt'n Steve, I was in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and we didn't do any meditating on anything except on how to accomplish our mission better.

      Paul L. Quandt

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    3. Er, I was being (too) clever about the use of "Navel" versus "Naval".

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    4. "Er, I was being (too) clever about the use of "Navel" versus "Naval"." Well, as a punster myself, I should have thought of that. I didn't notice Rob's "...US Navel service..." until I started this comment. Sorry about being snippy.

      Paul

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  3. Early Naval hierarchy was less than stellar and considering the money pits of the LCS and Zumwalt classes seems to this landlubber to be continuing that trend. Good post, a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and yours Tuna.

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    1. It started early, that's for sure. In fact, the government "spreading money around" for defense started with those six ships. Another post perhaps.

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  4. Full marks from this old salt. Plus my very favorite recruiting poster!

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    1. I've always loved it too. Remember those futuristic ones that showed ships as being like space ships, but still on water? They were like something from the cover of a science fiction novel. I tried finding an image or link to show you here, but no luck.

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    2. Never mind. I found it here: https://johnberkeyart.com/ Scroll down about a third of the way, or search for "Berkey’s NAVY Textbook Cover"

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    3. Even better: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=John%20Berkey%20Navy%20Poster&rs=typed&term_meta[]=John%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=Berkey%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=Navy%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=Poster%7Ctyped

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    4. Thanks! Maybe that's what the LCS was supposed too look like?

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  5. Great post, Tuna!

    Ian Toll's Six Frigates is highly recommended, by me, for those interested in our Navy when it was young.

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    1. The story of the frigate USS Philadelphia makes a very interesting read. Full of great seamanship, vast stupidity, derring-do straight out of Hollyweird, well, old school Hollywood.

      The Chesapeake had an unfortunate history, being captured in 1813. It only took almost 140 years for Lt. Cox to get his court-martial set aside and his rank returned, by President Truman in 1952. Though the action is the one that gave us the fighting slogan "Don't Give Up the Ship!"

      And, well, the USS Constitution. The only warship currently in US commission that's fired upon an enemy warship.

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    2. Haven't read it, but everyone recommends it.

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  6. For those who have an interest in things nautical, I am currently finishing NELSON'S TRAFALGAR, by Roy Adkins, https://smile.amazon.com/Nelsons-Trafalgar-Battle-Changed-World/dp/0143037951/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545840855&sr=8-1&keywords=Nelson%27s+Trafalgar, an absolutely superlative study not just of one of the most important naval battles in history, but a first rate primer on life in the Royal Navy in 1805.

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  7. I also recommend "Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the American Navy" by Ian Toll. Politics and budgets and the trials and tribulations of standing up the Navy. A most excellent read. - Barry

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    1. I second this recommendation. It's a great read. From a aquisitions point of view really reinforces the concept that's there's nothing new about the Navy's new build issues.

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    2. Roger that Jay. (Your comment went in the moderation bin, of course I pulled you out, older posts do that.)

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  8. Thanks for this great post. As one would say, "I had no ideer" about the whole authorized in October, made in December thing. I do remember that the original 'navy' did not do too well at all. Though JPJ did rather a good job, later on in the war.

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    1. Thanks. Somebody emailed me the original story from the source and I did some more research to create this post after I found it interesting. Always a story behind the story, and branch histories as well.

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  9. Ok, color me dense, but how does the photo of the ( American ) football player(s) relate to the post.

    As to the rest of the post, thanks for the information and the link.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. I was wondering that myself.
      Also, at the risk of being pedantic, when you wrote "Hopkins was formally censored", should that be "censured "?
      Glad it seems everyone enjoyed Christmas - Happy New Year to all!

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    2. That photo is from Forrest Gump when he was playing for Alabama. The other guy in the photo handed him the football and told him to run. Pedantic aye! Sorry.

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