Continental Navy Born: Congress Authorizes Fleet

The Continental Congress authorized the purchase of two armed vessels on October 13, 1775, creating what would become the United States Navy from almost nothing. The fledgling American colonies were taking on the most powerful maritime force the world had ever seen, and they were starting with a handful of converted merchant ships and a prayer. The decision came after months of debate. Many delegates were reluctant to challenge British naval supremacy, arguing that building a navy was prohibitively expensive and strategically futile. John Adams of Massachusetts became the fleet's most forceful advocate, arguing that even a small naval force could disrupt British supply lines, capture enemy provisions, and protect American merchant shipping. A Naval Committee of seven delegates was appointed to oversee the effort. The first ships acquired were modest vessels — nothing like the ships of the line that formed the backbone of the Royal Navy. Captain Esek Hopkins was appointed as commander-in-chief of the nascent fleet, and the first Marines were recruited at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. The Continental Navy's earliest operations focused on raiding British supply ships and harassing commerce, with captains like John Paul Jones becoming folk heroes for their daring attacks on British shipping and even coastal towns in Britain itself. The Continental Navy never came close to matching British naval power in conventional terms. At its peak it had fewer than 65 ships, compared to the Royal Navy's hundreds. Yet its strategic impact was considerable, particularly in capturing British supply vessels that provided desperately needed arms and provisions to the Continental Army. After the Revolutionary War ended, the navy was disbanded and its ships sold. Congress would not authorize a permanent naval force until 1794, when the threat of Barbary pirates demanded it, creating the United States Navy that exists today.