George Washington's Schooners: The First American Navy

the long version

Though never an overpowering force, Washington's flotilla of eight fast, lightly armed ships harassed British supply lines along the New England coast for twenty-six months beginning in the fall of 1775. Manned by seamen from his army who longed to show King George who owned the colonial coast, the schooners captured fifty-five prizes and accelerated the British decision to evacuate Boston. Chester Hearn's analyses of Washington's naval leadership show that Washington, though the man least likely to appreciate the importance of seapower, was the very person who seemed to understand it best. He had his little squadron at sea months before the Continental Congress finally agreed to pass an appropriation to finance the first Continental fleet, and much of the early naval policy that followed had its foundation in Washington's instructions to his captains. In telling the story of Washington's schooners, Hearn brings to life the early days of America's war for independence with tales of perseverance, courage, and sacrifice. He describes a motley collection of captains, sailors, marines, and naval agents, recounts the fledgling navy's successes and failures, and examines the reactions of both the Royal Navy and the emerging American nation. It is at once an exciting tale of adventure and authentic, little-known history.