NAVY, 'UNITED STATES. In the last months of 1775, the Continental Congress passed a number of acts creat ing a "Marine Committee" and provid ing for the building and manning of a fleet of 17 small vessels carrying from 10 to 32 guns each. At the head of the list of officers commissioned was Com modore Esek Hopkins, of Rhode Island. John Paul Jones was at the head of a list of 13 lieutenants and is said to have had the honor of hoisting the first American ensign over a duly commis sioned American man-of-war. The man of-war was the "Alfred," and the en sign was the so-called "Pine-tree" flag, bearing the device of a pine-tree with a rattlesnake coiled at its roots, and the motto: "Don't Tread on Me." The services of the little fleet thus called into existence were creditable and very helpful to the cause of the colonies. A number of supply ships were captured carrying cargoes destined for the Brit ish armies at New York and Philadel phia; and in several engagements with armed ships of the Royal Navy the American vessels held their own, and in at least two cases had distinctly the advantage.
Three of the largest of the vessels ex tended their cruises to British waters and operated with such success against the enemy's commerce that the rate of marine insurance was enormously in creased and great pressure was brought to bear upon the government by ship ping interests to put an end to the war even at a cost of granting independence to the colonies.
The most brilliant exploit of the naval war was the capture on Sept. 23, 1779, of the British frigate "Serapis" by the "Bon Homme Richard," commanded by John Paul Jones, now a commodore. The "Serapis" was a well-appointed frigate, manned by experienced British seamen. The "Bon Homme Richard" was a dilapi dated merchant vessel, hastily fitted out as a man-of-war and manned by a mot ley crew hurriedly gathered together, strange to the ship and to each other. The ships met in the late afternoon and the engagement which ensued lasted throughout the night; the ships being lashed together for the last three hours of the time. The guns of the "Serapis" tore great holes through the rotten sides of the "Richard," so that the moonlight shone through from side to side of the lower decks. But the indomitable spirit
of the commander was '.ommunicated to the crew and they fought on, with their ship burning and all but sinking under them, until a hand-grenade, dropped from the yardarm of the "Richard," and exploding in a pile of ammunition in the hold of the "Serapis," created such a panic among the crew that, without waiting for orders, they hauled down their colors and surrendered to the sink ing and burning ship that they had al ready practically destroyed.
With the end of the Revolution came the end of the navy for the time being. During Washington's first administra tion, prompted by the intolerable out rages of the Barbary States (Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli), Congress author ized the building of six frigates, for which an unexpected use was found in 1798, when what amounted to a war with France was forced by the high handed edicts issued by Napoleon for the purpose of preventing commerce by neutrals, and especially by America, with the European enemies of France. A number of engagements took place, in all of which the Americans were suc cessful, the most important capture made being that of the French frigate "l'In surgante" by the "Constellation," com manded by Commodore Truxton.
In 1798 a law was passed by Congress creating a navy department, and Ben jamin Stoddard, of Georgetown, D. C., was made Secretary of the Navy, with a seat in the Cabinet. Previous to this time the navy had been under the ad ministration of the Secretary of War.
In 1801, the outrages of the Barbary States having been renewed, the navy was called upon to put an end to them and succeeded after four years of alter nate fighting and diplomacy. The names of Richard Somers and Stephen Decatur are associated with especially gallant enterprises during this war. Apart from its results in putting an end to the depredations of the piratical govern ments, which for years had levied tribute on all commerce through the Straits of Gibraltar, the war served as a train ing school for the young American navy, the value of which was to be made parent at a later date.