The Naval History, Vol. 1

Volume One

Contents — The Naval History of the United States

Part I Blue Jackets of ’76

CHAPTER I. Early Exploits upon the Water.—Gallop’s Battle With the Indians.—Buccaneers And Pirates.—Morgan and Blackbeard.—Capt. Kidd turns Pirate.—Downfall Of the Buccaneers’ Power.

CHAPTER II. Expeditions against Neighboring Colonies.—Romantic Career of Sir William Phipps.—Quelling a Mutiny.—Expeditions against Quebec.

CHAPTER III. Opening of the American Revolution.—The Affair of the Schooner “St. John.”—The Press-gang and its Work.—The Sloop “Liberty.”—Destruction Of The “Gaspee.”—The Boston Tea-party.

CHAPTER IV. The Beginning of the Navy.—Lexington and Concord.—A Blow Struck in Maine.—Capture of the “Margaretta.”—Gen. Washington and the Navy.—Work Of Capt. Manly.

CHAPTER V. Events of 1776.—The First Cruise of the Regular Navy.—The “Lexington” And the “Edward.”—Mugford’s Brave Fight.—Loss of the “Yankee Hero.”—Capt. Manly, and the “Defence.”—American Vessels in European Waters.—Good Work of the “Lexington” and the “Reprisal.”—the British defeated at Charleston.

CHAPTER VI. The Career of Paul Jones.—In Command of the “Providence.”—Capture of The “Mellish.”—Exploits With the “Alfred.”—In Command of the “Ranger.”—Sweeping the English Channel.—The Descent upon Whitehaven.

CHAPTER VII. Career of Paul Jones Continued.—His Descent upon the Castle of Lord Selkirk.—The Affair of the Plate.—The Descent upon Whitehaven.—The Battle with the “Drake.”—Lieut. Simpson’s Perfidy.

CHAPTER VIII. Career of Paul Jones Continued.—His Search for a Ship.—Given Command of the “Bon Homme Richard.”—Landais and his Character.—The Frustrated Mutiny.—Landais quarrels with Jones.—Edinburgh and Leith threatened.—The Dominie’s Prayer.

CHAPTER IX. Career of Paul Jones Concluded.—The Battle Between the “Bon Homme Richard” and the “Serapis.”—Treachery of Landais.—Jones’s Great Victory.—Landais steals the “Alliance.”—Jones in Command of the “Ariel.”—The “Ariel” in the Storm.—Arrival in America.

CHAPTER X. Career of Nicholas Biddle.—His Exploit at Lewiston Jail.—Cruise in the “Randolph.”—Battle with the “Yarmouth.”—The Fatal Explosion.—Samuel Tucker.—His Boyhood.—Encounter with Corsairs.—Cruising in The “Franklin.”—In Command of the “Boston.”—Anecdotes of Capt. Tucker.

CHAPTER XI. Hostilities in 1777.—American Reverses.—The British in Philadelphia.—The Attack upon Fort Mifflin.—Cruise of the “Raleigh” and the “Alfred.”—Torpedo Warfare.—The Battle of the Kegs.

CHAPTER XII. Naval Events of 1778.—Recruiting for the Navy.—The Descent upon New Providence.—Operations on the Delaware.—Capt. Barry’s Exploits.—Destruction of the American Frigates.—American Reverses.—The Capture of the “Pigot.”—French Naval Exploits.

CHAPTER XIII. Last Years of the War.—Disastrous Expedition To the Penobscot.—Wholesale Captures on the Newfoundland Banks.—French Ships in American Waters.—Taking Of Charleston.—The “Trumbull’s” Victory and Defeat.—Capt. Barry and the “Alliance.”—Close of the War.

CHAPTER XIV. Work of the Privateers.—The “Gen. Hancock” and the “Levant.”—Exploits of the “Pickering”—the “Revenge.”—the “Holkar.”—The “Congress” and the “Savage.”—The “Hyder Ali” and the “Gen. Monk.”—The Whale-Boat Hostilities.—The “Old Jersey” Prison-Ship.

CHAPTER XV. The Navy Disbanded.—Aggressions of Barbary Corsairs.—A Disgraceful Tribute.—Bainbridge and the Dey.—Gen. Eaton at Tunis.—A Squadron sent to the Mediterranean.—Decatur and the Spaniards.—The “Enterprise” and the “Tripoli.”—American Slaves in Algiers.

CHAPTER XVI. More Vigorous Policy.—Commodore Morris sent to the Mediterranean.—Porter’s Cutting-Out Expedition.—Commodore Preble sent to the Mediterranean.—His Encounter with a British Man-of-War.—The Loss of the “Philadelphia.”—Decatur’s Daring Adventure.

CHAPTER XVII. A Stirring Year.—The Bombardment of Tripoli.—Decatur’s Hand-to-Hand Fight.—Lieut. Trippe’s Bravery.—Lieut. Spence’s Bold Deed.—Somers’s Narrow Escape.—The Floating Mine.—The Fatal Explosion.—Close Of the War.—The End.