VA STATE NAVY

The Virginia State Navy

Objectives

The student will be able to explain the geographic reasons which required Virginia to form a state navy during the American War for Independence.

The student will be able to identify the types of vessels utilized by the Virginia State Navy.

The student will be able to identify the types of weapons used by the Virginia State Navy.

The Need for a Navy

• Need to Protect the Coast and Inland Waterways.

• Protect and Secure Foreign Trade.

• Provide Intrastate and Interstate Transportation.

• Washington’s Schooner Navy• Continental Navy• State Navy’s 1. Massachusetts 2. Virginia 3. Pennsylvania 4. Maryland 5. South Carolina 6. Connecticut 7. Rhode Island 8. New York 9. Georgia 10. North Carolina 11. New Hampshire• Privateers

Virginia’s Situation

The Chesapeake Bay

• 195 miles in length

• 22 miles across at its widest point

• 3 to 10 miles wide at its narrowest.

Virginia’s Situation

Potomac River

• Navigable for 140 miles inland from the Bay.

Virginia’s Situation

Rappahannock River

• Navigable for 100 miles to

Fredericksburg

Virginia’s Situation

York River

• Wide and Deep for 40 miles from the Bay

• Splits into the Pamunkey and Mattaponi, each navigable for an additional 20 miles

Virginia’s Situation

James River

• Navigable for 100 miles to Richmond

The Key to Virginia’s Defense was the ability to control her

Waterways.

Virginia Convention ResolutionDecember of 1775“…And for the greater security of the inhabitants

of this colony from the depredations of the enemy by water Be it Ordained That the committee of safety shall and they are hereby empowered and required to provide from time to time such and so many armed vessels as they may judge necessary for the protection of the several rivers in this colony, in the best manner the circumstances of the country will admit: and, to that end, to raise and take into pay a sufficient number of officers and men, as well sailors and marines…”

VSN Organization

Each District was to have its own fleet.

A naval magazine was to be created within each district.

• James River at Chippokes Creek

• York River at the Mattaponi River

• Rappahannock River at Piscataway Creek

• Potomac River at Potomac Creek

Virginia State Navy Ship Actions

VSN Ship Actions

The schooner Liberty was the only ship to make it through the entire war without being captured by the British. The Liberty was described as having taken part in twenty “sharp actions”. Such as,

• The capture of the merchant-men Oliver, Lark, Susannah, and Speedwell in the Rappahannock.

• The capture of the transport ship Oxford, from Glasgow, having on board 217 members of the 42nd Regiment.

• The capture of the Fortunatus in Hampton Roads, following a two hour battle in which all but four of the Fortunatus’ crew were either killed or wounded.

• The Liberty ran dispatches from General Washington to Admiral DeGrasse during the siege of Yorktown.

VSN Ship Actions

• The schooner Patriot was credited with capturing the brig Fanny and a Providence bound sloop.

• The Patriot was tasked with suppressing loyalist privateers operating in the bay.

• The Patriot fought the privateer Lord Howe to a draw.• The Patriot was captured when she attempted to board a

decoy ship.• The Patriot was taken into the British flotilla at

Yorktown, and became a prize to France upon conclusion of the siege.

VSN Ship Actions

• The brig Dolphin, armament unknown, Captain John Cowper, commanding.

• In 1778 the Dolphin encountered a force of four armed barges off Tangier Island. The Dolphin inflicted heavy casualties upon the British vessels before retiring.

• In the spring of 1779, the Dolphin went in search of privateers outside the Capes. Cowper nailed his flag to the mast and stated he would not surrender, no matter what the odds. Off the Capes the Dolphin encountered 3 unknown ships. After a long engagement, the unknown ships were seen to withdraw eastwards, with no sign of the Dolphin remaining.

VSN Ship Actions

The brig Tempest, 16 6-pounder guns, Celey Saunders, commanding.

• In 1777 the Tempest captured a British brig off Hog Island.

• Assigned to the James River to hunt privateers.• Was named the flagship for the “Emergency

Flotilla” at the battle of Osbourne’s Landing, Edward Travis, commanding. The Tempest was captured at the conclusion of the two hour battle.

VSN Ship Actions

The Washington and Caswell row galleys.• Both of these vessels were constructed at South

Quay, on the Meherrin River. They were assigned to assist North Carolina with the defense of Ocracoke Sound.

• The defense of Ocracoke Sound provided an overland route for sending supplies to Norfolk, in case of a blockade of the Chesapeake.

• During Jefferson’s time as Governor these galleys would be sold to North Carolina.

VSN Ship Actions

The galley, Dragon, armament unknown, Eleazer Callender, commanding.• Initially fitted out to cruise against the loyalist privateer, John Goodrich.• Sent to the Eastern Shore to survey every channel and determine a safe

station for other vessels.• Sent in convoy with the Tartar, Tempest, Northampton, a tender, and

two ships from Philadelphia to conduct an offensive against Bermuda. Intercepted by the British frigates Roebuck and Emerald, and a sloop. The flotilla evades and returns to the Capes.

• During the summer of 1778, the Dragon recaptures two British prizes.• In March 1780 the Dragon is modified into a fireship, with the purpose

of being deployed against Benedict Arnold’s fleet at Portsmouth. On the eve of the attack, Governor Nelson revokes permission, stating that the plan had become common knowledge and possessed no chance of success.

Virginia State Navy Vessels

VSN VESSELS

Row Galley• A low flat-built

vessel, furnished with one deck, and navigated with sails and oars.

• Shallow draft, typically armed with heavy guns.

• Usual crew size was 50 men.

VSN VESSELS

Row Galley

• Manley, two 18-pounders• Hero, one 18-pounder, one 24-

pounder• Lewis, armament unknown• Protector, armament unknown• Washington, armament

unknown• Gloucester, armament

unknown• Diligence, armament unknown

• Norfolk Revenge, two 18-pounders

• Henry, armament unknown• Page, armament unknown• Safeguard, armament unknown• Caswell, armament unknown• Accomack, armament unknown• Dragon, armament unknown

VSN VESSELS

Schooner• The schooner has

two or more masts of equal height (or the aft mast is taller).

• Usually carried a crew of 20-32.

• Usually 60-100 tons of displacement.

VSN VESSELS

Schooners• Liberty, ten 2-pounder

swivel guns• Speedwell, armament

unknown• Hornet, armament

unknown• Dasher, armament

unknown

• Patriot, eight 2-pounder swivel guns

• Hannah, armament unknown

• Revenge, armament unknown

VSN VESSELS

Sloop• The sloop has a

single mast with one foresail forward of the mast.

• Comparable to schooners in tonnage.

• Carried a larger crew and armament.

VSN VESSELS

Sloops

• Defiance, armament unknown

• Liberty, eight 3 & 4-pounders

• Congress, armament unknown

• Patsey, armament unknown

• Scorpion, fourteen 4 & 6 pounders

VSN VESSELS

Brig• The brig has two

masts with square sails on both masts.

• These were generally the largest ships in the state navy. They were at a disadvantage when performing river duty.

• Their need for larger crews made manning difficult.

VSN VESSEL

Brigs• Musquetto, two 6-pounders• Liberty, armament unknown• American Congress, fourteen 4

& 6-pounders• Greyhound, armament

unknown• Tempest, sixteen 6-pounders• Thetis, armament unkown• Dolphin, armament unkown• Willing Lass, twelve 4-

pounders• Mars, eight 4 & 6-pounders• American Fabius, 18 guns

• Raleigh, six 4-pounders• Adventure, 16 guns• Northampton, armament

unknown• Tartar, armament unknown• Jefferson, 14 guns• Oliver Cromwell, armament

unknown• Renown, 16 guns• Wilkes, twelve 4-pounders• Apollo, eighteen 6-pounders• Morning Star, 12 guns

VSN VESSELS

Frigate• These were full

rigged ships and carried all of their main guns on a single deck.

• Frigates had good sailing qualities due to a combination of long hulls and low upperworks.

VSN VESSELS

Frigates

• Virginia, armament unknown

*Burned at Gosport Shipyard during

Commodore Sir George Collier’s raid,

1779

CutlassCutlass - period correct naval cutlass.

English / American Cutlass, Circa 1770-1790. Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, George C. Neumann

Boarding PikePeriod correct pikes of proper length, 6 - 8’

American Pike, Circa 1775-1780. 1 1/8” shaft, total length of 81 5/8”. Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, George C. Neumann

Boarding PistolThe British sea service or “boarding” pistol, .69 caliber.

Fig. 9: English Sea Service Pistol. Circa 1730-1740. Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, George C. Neumann

BlunderbussBrass or steel barrel flintlock blunderbuss musket, .75 caliber.

English Swivel-Mounted Blunderbuss, Circa 1779. Brass Barrel. Swivel optional for use aboard Virginia State Navy vessel. Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, George C. Neumann

Musket

Though numerous forms of documentation establish that boats and ships of the Virginia State Navy possessed muskets, a particular model was not

specified. This musket is a reproduction of an English Sea Service musket, which would have been found

within the colonies at this time. .75 caliber.

Swivel Gun

These were generally mounted upon ship’s boats and in the tops of the larger ships.

They mostly fired a 2-pound ball or buckshot.

Naval Guns

Virginia State Navy ship’s were generally armed with 3 and 6-pounder cannons. These guns had between a quarter and a half mile effective range.