--538--

23d Congress.]

No. 549.

[1st Session.

STATEMENT OF THE ARMED VESSELS, THE NUMBER OP THEIR GUNS AND NAMES OF THEIR COMMANDERS, IN THE SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THE SEVERAL STATES, DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

COMMUNICATED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAY 13, 1834.

War Department, May 10, 1834.

Sir:

In obedience to a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 26th ultimo, I have the honor to transmit a report and statement of the commissioners of pensions, relating to the armed national ships employed during the revolutionary war, and the names of their commanders. Very respectfully, your most obedient servant.

LEWIS CASS.

Hon. Andrew Stevenson, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

War Department, Pension Office, May 1, 1834.

Sir:

Conformably to your instructions, and in obedience to a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 26th ultimo, requiring from this Department "a statement of the armed national ships, and the names of their commanders, during the revolutionary war," I have the honor to transmit, herewith, such a statement as I have been able to make from the books and papers in my possession. The principal part of the records and documents of the general government connected with the naval service during the revolution have long since been destroyed. I have, therefore, been obliged to resort to a variety of sources in order to obtain the information sought by the resolution. This statement, it is apprehended, is necessarily incomplete. The remarks in the last column will explain any difficulty which might arise from discovering several vessels of the same name. The description of the vessels is not so particular as is desirable; but the number of guns which each one mounted, and which in many cases is mentioned, sufficiently indicates the size of the vessels. By the words "national armed ships," I understand all the public armed vessels are included, whether they were under the immediate command of the Continental or the State authorities. The maritime forces of the individual States were principally employed in the defence of our coasts, bays, and harbors.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.

Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War.

--539--

A statement containing the names of the armed national ships, and the names of their commanders, during the revolutionary war.

Names of vessels.

Commanders.

No. of guns.

Remarks.

Andrew Doria.

Isaiah Robinson

14

 

Alfred

Elisha Hinman

28

 

Anthony

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Active

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Alliance

----- Landais

do

 

Boston

Hector McNeil

24

 

Beaufort

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Bon Homme Richard

J. Paul Jones

do

 

Congress

Thomas Grennall

28

 

Cabot

Joseph Olney

16

 

Cornet

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Confederacy

S. Harding

do

 

Delaware

Charles Alexander

21

 

Defence

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Defence

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Defence

----- Nicholson

do

 

Defence

S. Harding

do

In the service of the State of Connecticut.

Defiance

Unknown

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Diligent

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Dean (changed to Hague)

----- Inman

do

 

Effingham

John Barry

28

 

Essex

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Fly

Elisha Warner

do

 

Fair American

Unknown

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Freedom

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Franklin

----- Mugford

4

 

General Moultrie

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Guilford

William Nott

do

In the service of the State of Connecticut.

Hancock.

John Manly

32

 

Hamden

Hoysted Hacker

Unknown.

 

Hazard

Unknown

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Hawk

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Hyder Ali

Joshua Barney

16

 

Harrison

Unknown

Unknown.

 

Independence

John Young

10

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Independence, galley

-----Matthews

Unknown.

Chesapeake Bay service.

Lexington

William Hallock

16

 

Liberty

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Lynch

----- Ayres

do

 

Lincoln, galley

Unknown

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Lee

do

do

 

Montgomery

John Hodge

24

 

Musquito

Lieut. Thomas Albertson.

4

 

Mars

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Machias

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Notre Dame

do

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

New Defence, galley

do

do

In the service of the State of Connecticut.

Oliver Cromwell

do

do

In the service of the State of Connecticut.

Providence

Abraham Whipple

28

 

Providence

J. Paul Jones

12

Afterwards commanded by James Josiah.

Providence

Hoysted Hacker

10

 

Putnam

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Prosper

do

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Proctor

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Protector

do

do

 

Queen of France

----- Olney

do

 

Randolph

Nicholas Biddle

32

 

Raleigh

Thomas Thompson

32

 

Reprisal

Lambert Wicks

16

 

Rattlesnake

----- Frisby

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Rising Empire

Unknown

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Republic

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Ranger

J. Paul Jones

18

 

Sachem

James Robinson

10

 

South Carolina

Com. Alexander Gillon

Unknown.

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Trumbull

Dudley Saltonstall

28

 

Tyrannicide

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Tartar

do

do

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Virginia

James Nicholson

28

 

Vengeance

Unknown

Unknown.

 In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

--540--

Statement—Continued.

Names of vessels.

Commanders.

No. of guns.

Remarks.

Washington

Thomas Reed

32

 

Washington

Unknown

Unknown.

 

Warren

John B. Hopkins

32

 

Warren

----- Burk

Unknown.

 

Wasp

Lieutenant John Baldwin.

8

 

Winthrop

Unknown

Unknown.

In the service of the State of Massachusetts.

Unknown

John Joynes

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Unknown

William Robison

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Unknown

John McQueen

do

In the service of the State of South Carolina.

Unknown

Commodore Cook

do

Chesapeake Bay service.

Unknown

----- Slack

do

Chesapeake Bay service.

J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.

War Department, Pension Office, May 7, 1834.