Continental Navy Established
250 Years Ag0
In the fall of 1775, the war for American independence was well underway, although the Continental Congress had not yet voted to declare independence. Lexington and Concord had occurred in April, the Battle of Bunker Hill had happened in June, Boston was besieged, and British warships were patrolling the American coast, enforcing blockades and intercepting colonial trade. In addition, supply ships carrying gunpowder, weapons, and reinforcements from Britain to the besieged forces in Boston were on their way across the Atlantic.
In early October, intelligence reached Congress that two unarmed British supply ships loaded with munitions were en route to Quebec. Several New England colonies urged Congress to authorize vessels to intercept those ships before the supplies could reach British troops. U to this point, private shipowners and individual colonies had already begun outfitting small armed vessels to attack British ships, but it was clear that a centralized naval authority was needed to manage maritime warfare effectively.
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress voted to outfit two armed vessels to intercept British supply ships. The first commissioned fleet was made up entirely of purchased or leased merchant ships converted for combat. These ships were fitted with cannon, reinforced decks, and small crews of sailors and Marines. By December Congress had recognized that refitted ships were too slow and lightly armed to stand up to the Royal Navy. On December 13, Congress authorized the construction of 13 new frigates, one for each of the colonies. These ships were constructed to be warships, marking a major leap forward for the Navy.
Between 1775 and 1783, the Continental Navy commissioned about 65 vessels, although no more than 30 were active at any one time. Throughout the war, most of these ships were converted merchant ships rather than purpose-built warships.
Although the Continental Navy was small and often outgunned by the Royal Navy, it had a symbolic and strategic impact. The fact that American ships captured or destroyed hundreds of British merchant vessels meant that Britain had to divert resources to protect its trade routes. Naval exploits boosted morale and earned American forces’ respect abroad, helping strengthen alliances (notably with France).
The Continental Navy was officially disbanded by Congress in 1785. Most of its ships had been captured, destroyed, or sold off, and there was little money or political will to fund a peacetime navy. For the next eight years, the United States had no national navy, although some state and private vessels served a quasi-military function.
The absence of a navy hurt the new country, as United States trade was threatened by British and French navies, and American ships were attacked by Barbary pirates in the Mediterranean. In response to these threats, Congress passed the Navy Act of 1794, authorizing the construction of six new frigates, including the USS Constitution (which gained the nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812, because during an engagement, British cannonballs bounced off the ship’s thick oak hull.
A great read! Thanks.