Knowledge (XXG)

USS Spitfire (1776)

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47: 435: 560:
Letter from Major General John Sullivan, Continental Army, to Henry Laurens, President of the Continental Congress, 26 May 1778, transcribed in "Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 12", p.
346:, early in October 1776 "to strengthen the naval force as much as possible." On 6 April 1778 her boats burned a stripped sloop that was under the protection of a fort at Bristol Ferry, Rhode Island. 674: 619: 594: 467: 182:, and was placed in service in 1776 in the Rhode Island Navy. During this age of sail, row galleys were highly maneuverable compared to sailing ships whose movements were dependent on the wind. 318:
three large cables and two large anchors, which late belonged to the British Ship-of-War, called the Scarborough; which … were captured … by … the Row-Galley called the Spitfire.
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They cruised in defense of American shipping, acted as transports, and assisted landing parties seeking forage and supplies. On 11 April 1776, they recaptured the
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Diary of Frederick Mackenzie, British Army, Continental Army, 25 May 1778, transcribed in "Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 12", p. 442-445
445: 492: 542:, Captain William P. Williams, 25 May 1778 (dated 24 May in original), transcribed in "Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 12", p. 440-441 208:. In January 1776, the General Assembly appointed John Grimes Commodore of the galleys and, presumably soon thereafter, they were placed in service in 494:
Naval Documents of the American Revolution Volume 12, American Theater, April 1, 1778-May 31, 1778; European Theater, April 1, 1778- May 31, 1778
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had a reportedly successful career, helping to capture British cargo ships and engaging in the fight against British warships.
374:, pass from Col Carary Brought Two Charles Church, in a small Ceader Boat, his pass sign by Joseph Durfee.Cap at Fall River. 195: 72: 450: 24: 280: 526: 363: 311: 518: 343: 421: 413:
by surprise. The crew of 13 to 16 men, including the captain, did not resist and were taken as prisoners.
371: 235: 573:"Copy of a letter from Major-general Pigot to General Sir Henry Clinton, dated Newport, May 27, 1778" 387: 118: 645: 711: 342:. Few records have survived to fill out the galley's subsequent career. She was apparently sent to 179: 403: 290: 521:) places the galley at Gardners Neck, while one British account has the ship in the vicinity of 498: 264: 572: 366:, under the command of Capt. Joseph Crandall of the Rhode Island Navy, with the log stating: 522: 395: 209: 107: 323: 297: 399: 690: 441: 383: 339: 252: 390:
by the British on that day, a group of British vessels under the command of Captain
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This article is about the galley built in 1776. For the gundalow built in 1776, see
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was killed and two were badly wounded. Her hull and rigging sustained much damage.
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galley may have been used (under the same name) by the British in the subsequent
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May 1778 Thursday 7th Remarks at, Lees River 1778 " ... at the Mount , bound for
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and engaged the British warships for over two hours before retiring. One man on
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Little is known about the curious action which resulted in this litigation in
221: 424:(H. M. Galley Spitfire participated in the Raid that captured USS Spitfire). 259:, and they reached New York harbor on 1 August. There they cooperated with a 402:
via Bristol Ferry. Lieutenant Kempthorn then led a group of six boats from
260: 314:, late in the month. In mid-September, libels were filed in court on 171: 228: 241:
had captured and brought into the bay, braving the fire of
676:
Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 12
248:
s guns as they took the prizes from under her stern.
646:"The Forgotten Ships of the Battle of Rhode Island" 651:. The Rhode Island Historical Society. p. 28 338:, on at least one more occasion, continued her 316: 8: 717:Vessels captured from the United States Navy 620:"NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution" 595:"NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution" 468:"NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution" 446:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships 251:In July 1776, the galleys were ordered to 198:ordered the construction of two galleys, 440:This article incorporates text from the 16:For other ships with the same name, see 707:Ships built in Providence, Rhode Island 459: 382:was anchored near the entrance to the 334:The quotation above does suggest that 31: 43: 7: 702:Row galleys of the Continental Navy 14: 433: 196:General Assembly of Rhode Island 73:General Assembly of Rhode Island 45: 378:On the morning of 25 May 1778, 117:25 May 1778 (by British during 275:On the afternoon of 3 August, 174:authorized and constructed by 1: 697:Ships of the Continental Navy 449:. The entry can be found 386:or at Fall River. During the 216:Capturing British cargo ships 326:-not even when it occurred. 310:The two galleys returned to 519:Major General John Sullivan 517:The American account (from 25:USS Spitfire (1776 gunboat) 733: 271:Attacking British warships 22: 15: 527:Fall River, Massachusetts 125: 38: 34: 312:Providence, Rhode Island 571:Pigot, Robert (1779) . 344:New London, Connecticut 190:Ordered by Rhode Island 126:General characteristics 644:Abbass, D. K. (2009). 538:Journal of HM frigate 422:Battle of Rhode Island 409:, to seize control of 376: 320: 106:Circa January 1776 in 368: 388:Mount Hope Bay raids 255:to help protect the 119:Mount Hope Bay raids 180:American Revolution 625:. history.navy.mil 600:. history.navy.mil 473:. history.navy.mil 350:Capture by British 194:Late in 1775, the 158:One 18-pounder gun 265:George Washington 162: 161: 724: 683: 681: 661: 660: 658: 656: 650: 641: 635: 634: 632: 630: 624: 616: 610: 609: 607: 605: 599: 591: 585: 584: 577:The Remembrancer 568: 562: 558: 552: 549: 543: 536: 530: 515: 509: 508: 497:. 14 July 2014. 489: 483: 482: 480: 478: 472: 464: 437: 436: 396:Aquidneck Island 289:in an attack on 247: 210:Narragansett Bay 108:Narragansett Bay 53: 50: 49: 48: 32: 732: 731: 727: 726: 725: 723: 722: 721: 687: 686: 679: 673: 670: 665: 664: 654: 652: 648: 643: 642: 638: 628: 626: 622: 618: 617: 613: 603: 601: 597: 593: 592: 588: 570: 569: 565: 559: 555: 550: 546: 537: 533: 516: 512: 505: 491: 490: 486: 476: 474: 470: 466: 465: 461: 434: 430: 394:proceeded from 354:By 7 May 1778, 352: 332: 324:Admiralty court 282:Lady Washington 273: 245: 218: 192: 51: 46: 44: 28: 21: 12: 11: 5: 730: 728: 720: 719: 714: 709: 704: 699: 689: 688: 685: 684: 669: 666: 663: 662: 636: 611: 586: 563: 553: 544: 531: 510: 503: 484: 458: 457: 456: 455: 429: 426: 400:Mount Hope Bay 351: 348: 331: 328: 272: 269: 225:Georgia Packet 217: 214: 191: 188: 160: 159: 156: 152: 151: 148: 144: 143: 140: 136: 135: 132: 128: 127: 123: 122: 115: 111: 110: 104: 100: 99: 96: 92: 91: 88: 84: 83: 80: 76: 75: 70: 66: 65: 59: 55: 54: 41: 40: 36: 35: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 729: 718: 715: 713: 710: 708: 705: 703: 700: 698: 695: 694: 692: 678: 677: 672: 671: 667: 647: 640: 637: 621: 615: 612: 596: 590: 587: 582: 578: 574: 567: 564: 557: 554: 548: 545: 541: 535: 532: 528: 524: 520: 514: 511: 506: 504:9780945274728 500: 496: 495: 488: 485: 469: 463: 460: 454: 452: 447: 444: 443: 442:public domain 432: 431: 427: 425: 423: 419: 416:The captured 414: 412: 408: 407: 401: 397: 393: 389: 385: 384:Taunton River 381: 375: 373: 367: 365: 361: 357: 349: 347: 345: 341: 340:swashbuckling 337: 330:Swashbuckling 329: 327: 325: 319: 315: 313: 308: 306: 302: 301: 295: 294: 288: 284: 283: 278: 270: 268: 266: 262: 258: 254: 253:New York City 249: 244: 240: 239: 233: 230: 226: 223: 215: 213: 211: 207: 203: 202: 197: 189: 187: 185: 181: 177: 173: 169: 168: 157: 154: 153: 149: 146: 145: 141: 138: 137: 133: 130: 129: 124: 120: 116: 113: 112: 109: 105: 102: 101: 97: 94: 93: 89: 86: 85: 81: 78: 77: 74: 71: 68: 67: 64: 60: 57: 56: 52:United States 42: 37: 33: 30: 26: 19: 675: 653:. Retrieved 639: 627:. Retrieved 614: 602:. Retrieved 589: 580: 576: 566: 556: 547: 539: 534: 523:"Fall River" 513: 493: 487: 477:20 September 475:. Retrieved 462: 448: 439: 417: 415: 410: 405: 392:Samuel Reeve 379: 377: 369: 355: 353: 335: 333: 321: 317: 309: 304: 299: 292: 286: 281: 276: 274: 257:Hudson River 250: 242: 237: 231: 224: 219: 205: 200: 193: 183: 176:Rhode Island 166: 164: 163: 82:Late in 1775 62: 29: 18:USS Spitfire 263:created by 243:Scarborough 238:Scarborough 178:during the 712:1776 ships 691:Categories 668:References 629:30 October 604:30 October 364:Mount Hope 360:Lees River 287:Washington 222:brigantine 201:Washington 172:row galley 147:Complement 139:Propulsion 134:Row galley 103:In service 428:Citations 404:HMS  232:Speedwell 95:Completed 87:Laid down 583:: 23–25. 418:Spitfire 411:Spitfire 380:Spitfire 356:Spitfire 336:Spitfire 305:Spitfire 277:Spitfire 261:flotilla 206:Spitfire 184:Spitfire 167:Spitfire 155:Armament 114:Captured 63:Spitfire 682:. 2013. 655:31 July 561:456-457 406:Nonsuch 358:was in 293:Phoenix 279:joined 150:60 crew 90:unknown 79:Ordered 39:History 501:  438:  234:which 170:was a 680:(PDF) 649:(PDF) 623:(PDF) 598:(PDF) 540:Venus 471:(PDF) 372:Diton 362:near 246:' 229:sloop 69:Owner 657:2017 631:2021 606:2021 499:ISBN 479:2021 451:here 300:Rose 298:HMS 296:and 291:HMS 285:and 236:HMS 227:and 204:and 165:USS 142:Oars 131:Type 98:1776 61:USS 58:Name 398:to 693:: 579:. 575:. 529:). 267:. 212:. 659:. 633:. 608:. 581:7 525:( 507:. 481:. 453:. 121:) 27:. 20:.

Index

USS Spitfire
USS Spitfire (1776 gunboat)
General Assembly of Rhode Island
Narragansett Bay
Mount Hope Bay raids
row galley
Rhode Island
American Revolution
General Assembly of Rhode Island
Washington
Narragansett Bay
brigantine
sloop
HMS Scarborough
New York City
Hudson River
flotilla
George Washington
Lady Washington
HMS Phoenix
HMS Rose
Providence, Rhode Island
Admiralty court
swashbuckling
New London, Connecticut
Lees River
Mount Hope
Diton
Taunton River
Mount Hope Bay raids

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