Sea Power and Maritime Affairs Lesson 2: The American Revolution, 1775-1783.

Sea Power and MaritimeSea Power and Maritime Affairs Affairs

Lesson 2: The American Revolution,

1775-1783

Learning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesComprehend the American Revolution in the

context of European politics and the regeneration of the struggle between Great Britain and France.

Know and be able to identify the causes of the American Revolution.

Comprehend the uses of sea power by the Americans, British and French.

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Know the course of the war and representative campaigns.

Comprehend the relationship of military and naval policy, diplomacy, and strategy as demonstrated during the war.

Remember our Themes!Remember our Themes!

The Navy as an Instrument of Foreign Policy

Interaction between Congress and the NavyInterservice RelationsTechnologyLeadershipStrategy and TacticsEvolution of Naval Doctrine

Two DoctrinesTwo Doctrines

Guerre de course: commerce raiding– predominant in 19th century

Guerre d’escadre: squadron, ie., naval warfare (line formations)– predominant in 20th century

Since the Revolution both traditions have competed with one another

The State of the NaviesThe State of the NaviesGreat Britain

– Permanent Fighting Instructions -- Formal Tactics Limits ability of Admirals to concentrate fleet’s

firepower. French Navy is rebuilt.

– Superior construction, numbers, tactics, and training.– Defensive tactics of a land power versus a sea power.– Decline in number and condition of ships.

Desire lee gage. Targeting of British sails and masts.

European Political ContextEuropean Political Context Results of the Seven Years’ War

– The Peace of Paris, 1763, was a “truce”, in effect, not a peace.– G.B. (sea power) and France (land power) potential enemies– Rivalry for Empire- N. America, W. Indies, Indian Ocean– G.B. wants colonials to:

Pay costs of Seven Years’ War- G.B. finances seriously depleted Garrison soldiers Proclamation of 1763 Oppressive acts

Resulting Rebellion becomes a renewed Anglo-French War

The Colonies RevoltThe Colonies RevoltAmerican maritime heritage result of colonial

status– Resources: Ships, crews, raw materials, British

merchant fleet.– Advantages: Protection, Ready market for goods,

benefit of imperial trade.– Disadvantages: All trade supported Britain, different

national interests, no voice in policy, no trade outside of empire.

– Causes: resentment of empire policies, taxation to pay British debt, curtailment of W. expansion, no representation.

Advantages of Being a ColonyAdvantages of Being a Colony

– Protection– Ready market for goods– Benefit of imperial trade.

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

– All trade supported Britain Less money for US!

– Different national interests Americans would trade with anyone

– No voice in policy No say in Parliament

– No trade outside of empire. British set who colonies traded with

War of RevolutionWar of Revolution Great Britain

– AdvantagesLarge economy based on world empire.Well established government - Constitutional Monarchy.Professional ArmyLarge Royal Navy (Although challenged for supremacy by French Navy.)

– DisadvantagesLong Lines of CommunicationFighting on “Foreign” Soil

American Colonies– Advantages

Fighting on “Home Turf”Ready market of resources

– DisadvantagesWeak government: Continental Congress.Economy designed to support Britain in mercantilist system.Disunity - Loyalists or Tories make up one third of population.

British– Command of the Sea

Blockade American ports.Transport troops to areas of rebellion.

– Hudson River ValleyCut off New England from middle and southern colonies.

American– War of Attrition

Wear down British forces.– Diplomacy

Gain European allies with large navies - France.– Commerce Raiding

Privateering

Naval StrategiesNaval Strategies

Going It Alone (Prior to 1778)Going It Alone (Prior to 1778)

The Need for an American The Need for an American NavyNavy

British control of sea lines of communication.– Americans unable to oppose British troop movements.– British blockades of American ports restricts commerce.

States authorize navies:– Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Privateering commences against British shipping and commerce.– Definition of Privateering: Privately-owned vessels sanctioned by

a government to seize enemy ships. Washington’s Navy

– Seizure of gunpowder on British supply ships enroute to Boston.– Ships commanded by Army officers with maritime experience.

Continental Navy and Marine CorpsContinental Navy and Marine Corps Authorized by the Continental Congress.

13 October 1775 - Navy Birthday Continental Congress approves purchase of two armed vessels.

10 November 1775 - Marine Corps Birthday Continental Congress authorizes two battalions of Marines. Samuel Nicholas - “First Commandant” of the Marine Corps

– Tun Tavern, Philadelphia

28 November 1775 - Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies established.December 1775 - Marine Committee appointed by Continental Congress to oversee naval affairs.

Authorizes construction of 13 frigates.

Debate continues over the need for naval forces:Samuel Chase of Maryland: “Maddest idea in the world.”

ContinentalContinentalMarinesMarines

MIDN Fincher on Summer Cruise?

Early Military OperationsEarly Military Operations American Siege of Boston - 1775

– George Washington commands America’s Continental Army.

Battle of Bunker Hill

– Royal Navy evacuates British forces to Halifax in 1776.

American Invasion of Canada - 1775– Ethan Allen takes Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain.

– Siege of Quebec fails.

General Benedict Arnold retreats to Lake Champlain - 1776.

Small fleet of shallow-draft vessels built to stop British counter-attack.

First Navy First Navy JackJack

Hoisted at the main mast by Continental Navy Commander in Chief Esek Hopkins

• 3 December 1775

American Raid on the BahamasAmerican Raid on the Bahamas

Esek Hopkins

– Commander in Chief of the Fleet -- converted merchantmen.

– Eventually dismissed in 1777.

Ordered to break British blockade of the Virginia coast.

– Discretionary clause in orders allows Hopkins to change plans.

Raid on New Providence Island, Bahamas - March 1776

– Storage area for British supplies of gunpowder and cannon.

– Sailors and Marines under Samuel Nicholas capture supplies and transport back to colonies.

Continental Continental NavyNavy

Raid on Bahamas

Many frigates captured in port by British.

Continental NavyContinental Navy

Inferior naval power.

Unable to build enough ships to challenge British command of the sea.

– Had to rely on French Navy for command of the sea.

Commerce Raiding against British shipping.

– Effectiveness improved after French Navy forced Royal Navy to concentrate their ships into fleets.

. New York City

. Quebec

Montreal .

Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain

- Main invasion route between Canada and New York

. Boston

General Washington - 1776General Washington - 1776

Defense of New York from British invasion.

– Prevent British from dividing the colonies.

– Continental Army defeated and forced to retreat toward Philadelphia.

Washington crosses the Delaware.

– Trenton

– Princeton

Continental Army remains a threat to the British.

Battle of Valcour IslandBattle of Valcour Island

British counter-attack across Lake Champlain to reach New York.

– British required to construct a fleet to counter Benedict Arnold’s fleet and secure lines of communication on the lake.

Benedict Arnold loses all 15 of his ships.

– Tactical — Failure

Battle delays British invasion - forces their withdrawal to Canada for winter months.

– Strategic — Victory

BattleBattleofof

Valcour Valcour IslandIsland

11 October 1776

Battle of SaratogaBattle of Saratoga

Battle of SaratogaBattle of Saratoga Americans defeat and capture General “Gentleman Johnny”

Burgoyne in upstate New York. Turning point of the war.

– French enter the war as America’s ally. French Navy: 80 ships of the line.

– Small American rebellion becomes a major world war. Great Britain faces multiple enemies:

– 1775 American Colonies– 1778 France and Spain– 1780 Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, Austria, and Portugal

form an Armed Neutrality.

The Surrender of General The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, New Burgoyne at Saratoga, New

York. 17 October 1777York. 17 October 1777

A French Ally and a Global A French Ally and a Global War (1778-1783)War (1778-1783)

Fleet ActionsFleet Actions “General Chase” melee tactics used unsuccessfully by Royal

Navy against the French.– Battle of Ushant – Battle of Grenada– Moonlight Battle off Cape St Vincent

New view of some British admirals:– No need to strictly adhere to the formal tactics found in the Permanent

Fighting Instructions.– Admirals now allowed more freedom of action.

Franco-Spanish invasion of Britain planned.– Admiral Rodney develops copper sheathing to prevent fouling of ships’

hulls.

Commerce RaidingCommerce Raiding Capture enemy shipping using Navy ships or Privateers.

– Privateering very profitable - easy to find sailors.– Difficult to man Continental Navy ships.

Gustavus Conyngham - Irish American– Captured 60 British vessels in 18 months.– Successfully dug way out of prison on 3rd attempt after capture

in 1779.

Lambert Wickes and Reprisal– 1st American ship in European Waters (1777) captures 23 ships.– Transports Benjamin Franklin to France.

John Paul Jones– Receives first salute to an American ship from French Navy.

John PaulJohn PaulJonesJones

“Men mean more than guns in the rating of a ship.”

“I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm’s way.”

- 16 November 1778

Battle of Flamborough HeadBattle of Flamborough Head- 4 Sept 1778- 4 Sept 1778 Bonhomme RichardBonhomme Richard vs. vs. SerapisSerapisJohn Paul Jones: “I have not yet begun toJohn Paul Jones: “I have not yet begun to fight.”fight.”

Battle of Battle of Flamborough Flamborough

HeadHead

Battle of Battle of Flamborough Flamborough HeadHead

John Paul John Paul JonesJones

“Without a respectable Navy - alas America!”

Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Francois J. P. Francois J. P.

Comte de Comte de GrasseGrasse

- Commander, - Commander, French West French West Indies Fleet - Indies Fleet -

1781 1781 USS Comte de Grasse

(DD 974)

Yorktown Yorktown CampaignCampaign

August-October

1781

Battle of the Virginia CapesBattle of the Virginia Capes Initially poor cooperation between Continental Army and

French Navy.– General Washington - need a combined operation for victory.

1781 Lord Cornwallis leads British Army to Yorktown.– Washington marches south with Continental and French troops.

French West Indies fleet sails north under de Grasse.– British fleet under Graves: Reinforce or evacuate Cornwallis.

de Grasse anchors inside the Chesapeake then sorties and defeats British fleet.– Hood rigidly adheres to Permanent Fighting Instructions.

Lord Cornwallis forced to surrender forces at Yorktown.

BattleBattleof theof the

VirginiaVirginiaCapesCapes

5 September 5 September 18711871

Battle of the SaintsBattle of the Saints

Battle of the Saints - 1782– French fleets combines with Spanish ships in an

attempt to capture British colonies in the West Indies.

– British fleet “Breaks the Line” of the French but fails to continue the battle.

British Technological British Technological ImprovementsImprovements

CannonadesSir Charles Douglas

– “wedges”– Better recoil– no more “worming”

BattleBattleof theof theSaintsSaints

12 April 178212 April 1782

Naval Naval PolicyPolicy

British Naval PolicyBritish Naval Policy Superiority over Continental Navy.

– Royal Navy used to transport Army troops in America.– Blockade of American ports established.

Challenged by French Navy after 1778. Improvements in gunnery made after defeat at the Battle of

the Virginia Capes. Permanent Fighting Instructions finally abandoned.

– New system of signals allows more freedom for admirals to maneuver fleet to concentrate firepower.

– Change in tactics from Formal to Melee. Maintained naval power at the end of the war.

Colonial Naval PolicyColonial Naval PolicySectionalism

– Continental Navy– State Navies– Privateers

New Providence ExpeditionPenobscot expeditionCommerce RaidersFrench Contribution

Conclusion of the WarConclusion of the WarCombined French/Spanish attack on

Gibraltar defeated in 1782.French and British fleets battle for control of

India.Treaty of Paris - 1783

– Independence of American colonies.– France restores most of Great Britain’s West

Indian colonies.

Learning ObjectivesLearning ObjectivesThe student will comprehend the American

Revolution in the context of European politics and the regeneration of the struggle between Great Britain and France.

The student will know (identify) the causes of the American Revolution

Comprehend the uses of sea power in the American Revolution by the British and Americans.

Discussion

Next time:The U.S. Navy in the Napoleonic Era, 1783-1815