HOPKINS, Esek, first commodore of the American navy: b. Scituate, R. I., 1718; d. North Providence, R. I., 26 Feb. 1802. In No vember 1775 he received a commission from the Continental Congress as commodore and acorn mander-in-chiefp of the navy, soon after which he put to sea with the first squadron sent out by the colonies. The fleet sailed for the Bahama Islands, and captured the forts at New Provi dence, and with them 80 cannon and a large quantity of ordnance, stores and ammunition. On his return; when off Block Island, the com modore took the British schooner Hawke and the bomb brig Bolton. For this act the presi dent of Congress complimented Hopkins offi cially. Commodore, or Admiral Hopkins, as he was generally called (even by Washington, who so addressed him in his official letters), performed other remarkable exploits, though he had great difficulties to contend with. His name became a synonym for heroism and for American patriotism. In June 1776, Hopkins
was ordered by Congress to appear before the naval committee in Philadelphia to reply to charges which had been preferred against him for not annoying the enemy's ships on the southern coast. He was defended by John Adams, and was acquitted. The unavoidable delays at a later period in getting his ships ready for sea gave another chance for his ene mies to complain; and neglecting a citation to appear at Philadelphia, because no specific charges were made against him, and on ac count of his general disgust at the conduct of his opponents, he was dismissed the service 2 Jan. 1777. He resided near Providence anti exerted during a long life a great political in fluence in Rhode Island, being often elected to the general assembly of that State. Consult Field, Hopkins' (1898).