1780. June 2 - One of the most obstinate naval battles of the Revolution fought between 28-gun frigate Trumbull, Capt. James Nicholson, and English privateer Watt, The Trumbull was dismasted and the Watt escaped. The American loss was 39; that of the enemy, 92.
1780. July 9 - Massachusetts State cruiser, Protector, Capt. J. F. Williams, blew up the English privateer Admiral Duff. Only 55 of the Englishmen were saved. Ameri cans lost 6 killed or wounded.
1780. Aug. 13 - A large American naval and military force was captured on this day at the mouth of the Penobscot River, Me., by the British under Sir George Collier. Three of our government cruisers and a number of privateers were lost 1780. Oct. 8 - United States ship Saratoga captured English armed ship Charming Molly. A few days after ward the Saratoga was lost at sea with all hands.
1781. May 28 - Our 28-gun frigate Trumbull captured by British squadron in a night attack; many of the Ameri can crew being in a state of mutiny.
1781. June 22 - United States 32-gun frigate Confederacy captured at sea by two English frigates while return ing from France with military supplies.
1781. Aug. - - Our 28-gun frigate Trumbull, Capt. James Nicholson, captured off Halifax by two British frigates.
1782. April 8-The Pennsylvania State cruiser Ryder Ally, Capt. Joshua Barney, in a desperate battle defeated English cruiser General Monk in Cape May Roads. Our casualties were 15i that of the English, 53.
1783. In the Revolution the British had 202 warships cap tured or destroyed. In all there were about 800 veu..ls taken from the British by our sea forces.
1785. July 25 - American schooner Maria of Boston seized by Algerian corsairs and her crew thrown into captivity. This resulted in a naval war against all the States of Barbary.
1794. March 27 - On the close of the Revolution the navy was disbanded and it was not until this day that Con gress took steps to create a new navy. By this act six frigates were authorized. They were the famous group to which the Constitution, etc., belonged.
1798. April 30 - Secretary of the navy added to the Presi dent's Cabinet, Benjamin Stoddart being the first Secretary.
1798. July 9 - Congress declared naval war upon France because of the persistent depredations on our commerce by French cruisers and privateers.
1798. Nov. 16 - Our 20-gun warship Baltimore, Capt. Isaac Phillips, boarded by the British 74-gun ship Carnatic, while at sea, and several of the Amencan crew were impressed out of her. This was one of the outrages that led to the War of 1812.
1799. Feb. 9 - Our 36-gun frigate Constellation, Capt. Thomas Truxtun, fought and captured French 40-gun frigate Insurgent, Captain Barraeut, after an action of over one hour. Our losses were S killed or wounded. while that of the French was 70.
1800. Feb. 2 - Constellation had a running fight with the French 40-gun frigate Vengeance, Capt. A. M. Picot, which lasted five hours. Owing to the damages in his rigging, Captain Truxtun was unable to capture his opponent, who finall:' escaped. American casualties, 39 killed or wounded; Frencn, 160.
1800. July 14 - The captured French frigate Insurgent, Capt. Patrick Fletcher, sailed on a cruise in the West Indies and was never heard from. This was one of the first great disasters in the United States navy.
1800. Oct. 12 - The 28-gun frigate Boston, Capt. George Little, in a two-day fight with the French corvet Berceau, Capt. Andre Senez, finally captured her.
1801. Feb. 3 - Treaty of peace with France ratified. In this war 84 armed vessels were captured from the French, while the French captured only one of our warships, the Retaliation.
1801. May 14 - The Bashaw of Tripoli declared war against the United States because we did not pay our " tribute " promptly. About the same time other poten tates of the semi-piratical states of Barbary began hostile measures against the United States.
1801. July 1 - First coesiderable squadron of American warships crossed the Atlantic and arrived at Gibraltar. It consisted of the frigates President Philadelphia and Essex, under the command of Capt. Richard Dal% and was sent to make war on the states of Barbary.
1801. Aug. 1 - Our 12-gun schooner Enterprise, Lieut. Andrew Sterrett, in a three-hour fight with the Tripolitan war polacre Tripoli, captured her. There were no American casualties, but the Tripolitans had SO killed or wounded.