Why did George Washington send a Rhode Island naval ship to Bermuda in 1775?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Seal of the U.S. Department of the Navy — United States Navy The seal of the United States Department of the Navy.

When George Washington assumed command of the Continental Army in July 1775, he discovered that his troops were critically undersupplied and lacked ammunition. To address this urgent shortage, he arranged for a ship from the Rhode Island navy to sail to Bermuda specifically to secure a supply of gunpowder.1