tary topics where matters pertaining to the United States Army are discussed. For militia, see section under the various States.
Navy. The first definite provision for a naval establishment was the act of Congress of October 13, 1775, which authorized the building of one vessel of 10 guns and another of 14 guns to be equipped as national cruisers. At the same time a law was passed establishing a marine committee consisting of John Adams (later replaced by Christopher Gadsden), John Langdon, and Silas Deane. This Congressional committee was later enlarged to thirteen and given charge of all matters pertaining to the navy.
On October 30th two more vessels were authorized, one of 20 and the other of 36 guns; while on December 13th the construction of thirteen ships was provided for. On November 10th an act for the ‘public defense’ authorized the raising of two battalions of marines and established rules for the “government of the American Navy.” The marines authorized were in reality sailors, for the act provided “that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to offices, or enlisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required.” It is probable, therefore, that Congress designed by the act to provide crews for such vessels as they were able to equip and to enlist and keep the men together until their services could be made available.
As the vessels authorized to be built could not be completed for some time, a number of merchantmen were purchased and armed. These improvised men-of-war, hastily and poorly equipped and armed, and in many cases very badly officered and manned, constituted the first American naval force, of which, by act of Congress of December 22, 1775, Esek Hopkins was made commander-in-chief.
The vessels of the improvised navy were directed to cruise along the coast and intercept transports laden with munitions of war for the British army and navy. On February 17, 1776, a squadron under Commander-in-Chief Hopkins consisting of the Alfred, Columbus, Cabot, Andrea Doria, Providence, Wasp, Fly, and Hornet put to sea bound for the West Indies. The Fly and Hornet parted company with the fleet on the night of the 18th, but the remainder kept together, and in March captured the British naval station on the island of New Providence, Bahamas, obtaining a quantity of military and naval stores, including nearly 100 cannon, which were much needed for arming the new ships. The squadron left on March 17th, having on board the royal Governor and some other prisoners. When off Long Island, Hopkins captured a British bomb-brig of 8 guns and a tender of 6 guns and had a running fight with H. B. M. S. Glasgow of 20 tons, which made a very good defense and eventually, by good management, escaped. In October, 1776, Congress passed a vote of censure upon Commodore Hopkins for not performing the duties upon which he was sent. He was dropped from the service on January 2, 1777, and no other officer has since been given the title of commander-in-chief of the Navy.
On March 23, 1776, letters of marque and reprisal were granted against Great Britain, and numerous privateers were fitted out. On June 25th a marine corps (q.v.) was established consisting of one major, nine captains, ten first lieutenants, and seven second lieutenants.
After the Declaration of Independence Congress began the building up of the navy with increased vigor, and on October 3d it ordered another frigate and two cutters, and on November 9th an act was passed authorizing the construction of three 74-gun ships, five more frigates, a sloop-of-war, and a packet; and these were to be supplemented by another frigate and another sloop-of-war ordered in January, 1777. But the plans of Congress were quite beyond the capacity of the Colonies either to build, equip, or man. One 74 was laid down at Portsmouth, N. H., and completed in 1781—too late to be of service. Her armament was reduced to 56 guns, and during the next year she was presented to the King of France to replace the 74-gun ship Magnifique, which was lost in Boston Harbor. Many of the vessels built never got to sea, and the real work performed by the navy during the Revolution was done by a dozen vessels, most of which were small.
On November 15, 1776, Congress established the relative rank between officers of the army and navy as follows: Admirals to rank with generals, vice-admirals with lieutenant-generals, rear-admirals with major-generals, commodores with brigadier-generals, captains of ships of 40 guns and upward with colonels, captains of ships of 20 to 40 guns with lieutenant-colonels, captains of ships of 10 to 20 guns with majors, lieutenants with captains, and officers of marines with officers holding similar commissions in the land service. Notwithstanding this act, no rank higher than that of captain was created by law until 1862, though the title of admiral (q.v.) was given to John Paul Jones in the official correspondence of the State Department in 1792, a short time previous to his death.
From the close of the Revolution until 1795 the country was practically without a navy, largely from lack of money to support one. The cause of its reëstablishment was the depredations of the Barbary pirates. On March 3, 1794, President Washington sent a message to Congress communicating the facts in regard to the Algerian outrages, and Congress promptly passed an act, which was approved on March 27th, authorizing the purchase or construction of six frigates. It was provided that no vessel should mount less than 32 guns. An additional provision was that all proceedings under the act should cease in case the Algerian difficulty should be settled. Measures were immediately taken for the construction of the vessels, which consisted of the Constitution (q.v.), President, and United States of 44 guns, and the Chesapeake (q.v.), Constellation, and Congress of 38.
In November, 1795, a treaty was signed with the Dey of Algiers, and all work on the vessels was suspended. The President immediately called the attention of Congress to the subject, and an act was passed without delay ordering the completion and equipment of two of the 44's and one of the 38's. The treaty of peace with the Dey of Algiers cost nearly a million dollars, the price of three frigates, and the President, in
