American Navy Comic (Revolutionary War) PDF

The United states barely The british had the most powerful had any navy. navy in the world…. but failed to use it effectively. The entry of the french navy The Spanish & Dutch got involved in into the war became "The"...

The United states barely The british had the most powerful had any navy. navy in the world…. but failed to use it effectively. The entry of the french navy The Spanish & Dutch got involved in into the war became "The" naval battles that occupied the major advantage for british naval resources. americans against the british. down with the brits! October 13, 1775: congress authorized the Profit & creation of the Patriotism is a continental navy. fine they made plans to build combination. warships. (…..but good luck to anyone trying to get states to cough up $) Congress did turn eight merchant vessels into combat ready naval ships by february 1776. …but…most of all … americans relied on privateers. "Privateers" a.K.A. (legalized) Pirates. A privateer is a private individual or or ship that is authorized by the government with a "letter of marque (and reprisal)" to attack foreign ships during wartime. privateers were authorized uhh. what's the by the government to difference attack the enemy. Seen as between a pirate pirates by the british, they and a privateer? attacked british ships to capture cargo for profit. The government did not have to build a big navy, because wealthy men invested in creating bands of privateers. Nothing but a piece of paper. a "letter Profits from stolen of marque." goods were split it turns out that between the investor, What's good for the ship's officers and our wallet is the crew. good for the country. Privateers were very effective at harassing british shipping and redistributing the goods for americans to use. They helped scatter the british navy as they were urgently needed to protect british merchants. the british had 131 ships when the war began. yet, they june 2, 1775: in were in poor shape the first naval and had been built in battle of the a hurry for the 7 war, local years war. less than americans 40 ships would be from machias battle ready by the seized a british end of the first year schooner. of war. * machias is currently in Maine… but it was part of Massachusetts back then. Privateers and foreign allies kept the british ships very, very busy ….. and very spread out!  john paul Jones was officially named 1st lieutenant on December 7, 1776 (the same day JOhn Barry was named Captain.) When the french entered the war in 1778, they gave John Paul Jones a fleet of 7 ships to command. he named his flagship the "Bonhomme Richard" in honor of Poor Richard's Almanac, written by his friend ….. Benjamin franklin. -April 24, 1778: John paul jones gave Americans their first big naval victory by capturing the H.m,S Drake. -he even led a surprise attack in England on the british port of whitehaven. It scared Britain into fortifying their ports in fear that france or spain might try the same thing. september 23rd, 1779: while in command of the USS bonhomie Richard, he captured the HMS Serapis. The event is the origin of the phrase……. ………………………… "i have not yet begun to fight" early in the battle the british blasted apart the artillery on the bonhomie Richard with cannon shot. the boat was in bad shape. British captain richard pearson asked, "has your ship struck?" (that is when you lower a flag to signal your surrender. ) Jones supposedly replied with the famous quote. But did he? many Historians agree that jones, who kind of had a potty mouth, probably said something more like "!?$* !+%" instead. (the phrase just makes it a better story for kids!) Regardless, the fight continued for several hours. the more nimble Serapis became tangled with the bonhomie Richard. then… An american grenade landed inside a hatch… blew up the british ammunition and Pearson surrendered. Jones sailed off with the Serapis and The bonhomme Richard sunk to the depths.  De Grasse is best know in America as the Admiral who commanded the french fleet at the battle of the Chesapeake. (& then blocked the Yorktown peninsula) don't forget about me. i hooked americans up with the big guns… & $500,000 in silver cuban pesos. september 5th, 1781 There was no clear winner of the battle of the chesapeake. Yet the outcome was certain. The british were unable to bring supplies to Lord Cornwallis at the Yorktown Peninsula in Virginia. The french naval blockade amplified the siege of Yorktown. The british army was completely trapped…. ……with out food & supplies it was only a matter of time…… -black sailors were much more common than black soldiers. the navy had recruited free and enslaved black men from the very beginning of the war. -Commodore Barry recalled black sailors as "courageous patriots who… in justice to their merits should not be forgotten." -James forsten is one example… who served as a powder boy. He was held captive by the british, got released & went on to be a successful businessman and leader in Philadelphia.