Sea Power and Maritime Affairs Lesson 4 The

Sea Power and Maritime Affairs Lesson 4: The American Revolution, 1775 -1783, Part of a Larger Struggle

Learning Objectives • The 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. • The student will know the course of the war and representative campaigns. • The student will comprehend the relationship of military and naval policy, diplomacy, and strategy as demonstrated during the war.

Remember our Themes! • The Navy as an Instrument of Foreign Policy • Interaction between Congress and the Navy • Interservice Relations • Technology • Leadership • Strategy and Tactics • Evolution of Naval Doctrine

More French Verbiage: • Guerre de course: commerce raiding • predominant in 19 th century • Guerre d’escadre: squadron, ie. , naval warfare (line formations) • Since the revolution both traditions have competed with one another

European 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 Accept Proclamation of 1763 Accept various oppressive acts (e. g. , Townsen Act, Stamp Act, Tea Act, etc. )) • Resulting Rebellion becomes a renewed Anglo-French War

The State of the Navies • • Great 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. • French ship-building reaches its zenith

The Colonies Revolt: • American 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.

Colonial Status: ADVANTAGES: • Protection • Ready market for goods • Benefits of imperial trade. DISADVANTAGES: • 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 Revolution: • Great Britain • Advantages Large economy based on world empire. • Well established government - Constitutional Monarchy. • Professional Army • Large Royal Navy (Although challenged for supremacy by French Navy. ) • • Disadvantages Long Lines of Communication • Fighting on “Foreign” Soil • • American Colonies • Advantages Fighting on “Home Turf” • Ready market of resources • • Disadvantages Weak government: Continental Congress. • Economy designed to support Britain in mercantilist system. • Disunity - Loyalists or Tories make up one third of population. •

Naval Strategies: • British • Command of the Sea Blockade American ports. • Transport troops to areas of rebellion (mobility). • • Hudson River Valley • Cut off New England from middle and southern colonies. • American • War of Attrition • • Diplomacy • • Wear down British forces. Gain European allies with large navies - France. Commerce Raiding • Privateering

Going It Alone (Prior to 1778):

The Need for an American Navy: • 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. • “Letter of Marque” • Washington’s Navy • Seizure of gunpowder on British supply ships enroute to Boston. • Ships commanded by Army officers with maritime experience.

The Navy and Marine Corps are Born: • 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. ”

U. S. Navy Birthday: • 13 October 1775

U. S. Marine Corps Birthday • 10 November 1775

Continental Marines

Naval Stages / Milestones of the Revolutionary War: • Washington’s Navy (April 1775 – March 1776) • The Continental Navy (March 1776 – March 1777) • Benedict Arnold’s Navy (Valcour Island – 11 October 1776) • The States’ Navies (1777 -1779) • In British Waters (February 1778 -September 1779) • Charleston (February-May 1780) • The Yorktown Campaign (August-September 1781) • The Battle of the Capes (September 1781)

Major Naval Campaigns: • 1775: Siege of Boston, Campaign in Canada • 1776: British Invasion of New York City, Lake Champlain campaign (Battle of Valcour Island) • 1777: Turning Point – Saratoga, Disaster at Philadelphia • 1778: Treaty with France / Arrival of Rochambeau • 1779: d’Estaing and abortive attempt on NYC • 1780: British Southern Campaign • 1781: De Grasse to West Indies, Yorktown Campaign, Battle of Virginia Capes • 1782: Battle of Saints • 1783: Treaty of Paris

Early 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 Jack: Hoisted at the main mast by Continental Navy Commander in Chief Esek Hopkins (3 December 1775)

American 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 Navy: • Raid on Bahamas • Many frigates captured in port by British.

Continental 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.

Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain: - Main invasion route between Canada and New York Montreal . . Quebec . . Boston New York City

General 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.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Battle 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

Battle of Valcour Island: (11 October 1776)

Battle 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.

Surrender of General Burgoyne Saratoga, New York – 17 October 1777

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

Fleet 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 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 3 rd attempt after capture in 1779. • Lambert Wickes and Reprisal • 1 st 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 Paul Jones, “Father of the U. S. Navy” “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 Head: - 4 Sept 1778 Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis -John Paul Jones: “I have not yet begun to fight. ”

Battle of Flamborough Head

John Paul Jones “Without a respectable Navy - alas America!”

Yorktown Campaign August-October 1781

Battle 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.

Battle of the Virginia Capes 5 September 1871

Battle 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 Improvements: • Cannonades • Sir Charles Douglas • “wedges” • Better recoil • no more “worming”

Battle of the Saints 12 April 1782

Naval Policy:

British 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 Policy: • Sectionalism • Continental Navy • State Navies • Privateers • • New Providence Expedition Penobscot expedition Commerce Raiders French Contribution

Conclusion of the War: • Combined 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.

AND NOW… We are actually going to USE the learning objectives!

Learning Objectives: • The 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. • The student will know the course of the war and representative campaigns. • The student will comprehend the relationship of military and naval policy, diplomacy, and strategy as demonstrated during the war.

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

Reading for Next Class: • Hagan: • Potter: “If fear is cultivated, it will become stronger. If faith is cultivated, it will achieve mastery. ” -John Paul Jones