Continental Navy

… authorized the creation of the Continental Navy and established the Marine Corps in November. The navy, taking its direction from the naval and marine committees of the Congress, was only occasionally effective. In 1776 it had 27 ships against Britain’s 270. By the end of the war, the British total…

Although a Continental Navy was created in 1775, the American sea effort lapsed largely into privateering, and after 1780 the war at sea was fought chiefly between Britain and America’s European allies. Still, American privateers swarmed around the British Isles, and by the end of the war…

The first ship in the Continental Navy, in 1775, was the Providence, formerly known as the Katy, a Rhode Island Navy vessel. Rhode Islander Esek Hopkins was the first commander in chief of the Continental Navy. During the Civil War the U.S. Naval Academy was moved to Newport from Annapolis,…

In the aggregate, this new Continental Navy comprised about 60 ships and made an impressive showing. John Paul Jones had spectacular successes in British home waters. In addition to cruising against enemy merchantmen and British blockaders, the Continental vessels were required to make many voyages carrying diplomatic representatives and essential…