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