11-12 OCTOBER 1776 250th ANNIVERSARY VALCOUR ISLAND (cont.) Arnold boldly hoisted sail on his flagship row galley CONGRESS and in company with three other row galleys and the 12-gun schooner ROYAL SAVAGE, charged at the enemy. His goading had the Read More
11-12 OCTOBER 1776 250th ANNIVERSARY VALCOUR ISLAND Upstate New York’s Lake George drains northward into Lake Champlain, and from there via the Richelieu River north again to the St. Lawrence. In the opposite direction, the headwaters of the south-flowing Hudson Read More
7-12 OCTOBER 1780 THE TEMPEST AND JOHN PAUL JONES On this date in 1780, John Paul Jones took the Continental Navy corvette ARIEL, 26, out of Groix Roads, France, and headed south. Though he would have preferred more exciting orders, he Read More
4 OCTOBER 1797 XYZ AFFAIR AND THE QUASI-WAR WITH FRANCE England and France, the naval superpowers of the 18th century, were at each other’s throats again in the 1790s. Spain and the Netherlands were soon drawn in, creating a true “world Read More
20 SEPTEMBER 1776 250th ANNIVERSARY PROVIDENCE vs. MILFORD On 10 May 1776, temporary CAPT John Paul Jones assumed command of the Continental Navy sloop PROVIDENCE, armed with twelve 4-pounders. Jones received his permanent commission on 8 August and departed the Read More
13 SEPTEMBER 1803 PREBLE’S BOYS On this date, CDORE Edward A. Preble reached the Mediterranean in his flagship CONSTITUTION, 44, with PHILADELPHIA, 36; ARGUS, 16; SYREN, 16; ENTERPRISE, 12; NAUTILUS, 12; VIXEN, 12. He assumed command of our Mediterranean Squadron and Read More
250th ANNIVERSARY 5 SEPTEMBER 1776 THE FRIGATE TRUMBULL With the sentiment of independence from Britain growing, the 1st Continental Congress in 1775 addressed the issue of seapower. Were we to declare independence (July the following year) we would need a naval force to Read More
12 AUGUST 1814 BRITISH NIGHT RAID As Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry built his Lake Erie squadron at Presque Isle during the Summer of 1814, we and the British had but a few brigs and schooners for patrols. Even so, American Read More
27 JULY 1776 250th ANNIVERSARY REPRISAL vs. HMS SHARK GEN George Washington had chased the British from Boston only to have them reestablish headquarters in New York. News of the conflict in America had only just reached England. At sea, Read More