USS ''Raleigh'' was one of thirteen ships that the Continental Congress authorized for the Continental Navy in 1775. Following her capture in 1778, she served in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

as HMS ''Raleigh''. The ship is featured on the

flag and seal of New Hampshire The state of New Hampshire has held two seals since it declared its independence from Great Britain on January 5, 1776. While both seals have been retained, most people are only familiar with the Great Seal due to its corporate use. Great Se ...

As USS ''Raleigh''

''Raleigh'', a 32-gun frigate, was authorized by Continental Congress on 13 December 1775. Built by Messrs. James Hackett, Hill, and Paul under supervision of Thomas Thompson, the

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

was laid on March 21, 1776, at the shipyard of

John Langdon John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

on what is now Badger's Island in Kittery,

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...

. She was launched on May 21, 1776. With a full-length figure of Sir Walter Raleigh as figurehead, ''Raleigh'' put to sea under Captain Thomas Thompson, who also supervised her construction, on August 12, 1777. Shortly thereafter, she joined ''Alfred'' and sailed for

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. Three days out they captured a schooner carrying counterfeit

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

money. Burning the schooner and her cargo, except for samples, the frigates continued their transatlantic passage. On September 2 they captured the British brig, ''Nancy'', and from her they obtained the signals of the convoy which the brig had been escorting from the rear. Giving chase, the Americans closed with the convoy on September 4, 1777. ''Raleigh'', making use of the captured signals, intercepted the convoy and engaged . In the ensuing battle she damaged ''Druid'', but the approach of the other British escorts, and forced her to retire. On 28 September she and

USS Alfred ''Alfred'' was the merchant vessel ''Black Prince'', named for Edward, the Black Prince, and launched in 1774. The Continental Navy of what would become the United States Navy acquired her in 1775, renamed her ''Alfred'' after 9th century Eng ...

captured brig Sally. On December 29, 1777, ''Raleigh'' and ''Alfred'', having taken on military stores, set sail from L'Orient,

, following a course that took them along the coast of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. After capturing British vessel "Granville" off the Bar of the Senegal River, ''Raleigh'' crossed the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

to the West Indies. On March 9, 1778, in the

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc be ...

, ''Alfred'', some distance from ''Raleigh'', was captured by the British ships and . ''Raleigh'', unable to reach ''Alfred'' in time to assist her, continued north and returned to New England early in April 1778. Accused of cowardice and dereliction of duty for not aiding ''Alfred'', Captain Thompson was suspended soon after reaching port. On May 30, 1778, the

Marine Committee The United States Department of the Navy (DoN) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, at the urging of Secretary o ...

appointed John Barry to replace him as captain. Barry arrived in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to assume command on June 24 only to find his ship without crew or stores and the Navy Board not wholly in support of the manner of his appointment. His reputation and character, however neutralized the ill-will of the Marine Committee, drew enlistments, and helped to obtain the stores. On September 25, ''Raleigh'' sailed for

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most d ...

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with a brig and a sloop under convoy. Six hours later two strange sails were sighted. After identification of the ships as British the merchant vessels were ordered back to port. ''Raleigh'' drew off the enemy. Through that day and the next the enemy ships and pursued ''Raleigh''. In late afternoon on the 27th, the leading British ship closed with her. A 7-hour running battle followed, much of the time in close action. About midnight, the enemy hauled off and Barry prepared to conceal his ship among the islands of Penobscot Bay. The British, however, again pressed the battle. As ''Raleigh'' opened fire, Barry ordered a course toward the land. ''Raleigh'' soon grounded on

Wooden Ball Island Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

, part of Matinicus. The British hauled off but continued the fight for a while, then anchored. Barry ordered the crew ashore to continue the fight and to burn ''Raleigh''. A large party, including Barry, made it to shore. One boat was ordered back to ''Raleigh'' to take off the remainder of the crew, and destroy her, however the British again fired on the ship, striking the

Continental colors The "Grand Union Flag" (also known as the "Continental Colours", the "Congress Flag", the "Cambridge Flag", and the "First Navy Ensign") is considered to be the first national flag of the United States of America. Similar to the current U.S. f ...

. The battle was over. All three ships had been damaged, ''Unicorn'' particularly so. Of the Americans ashore, a few were captured on the island, but the remainder, including Barry, made it back to Boston, Massachusetts, arriving on October 7.

As HMS ''Raleigh''

The British refloated ''Raleigh'' at high tide on the 28th, and after repairs, commissioned her into the Royal Navy as HMS ''Raleigh''. They admired her design, and applied it in their new ships. She continued to fight during the War for Independence as a British vessel and took part in the capture of Charleston, South Carolina. In May 1780, she was decommissioned at Portsmouth, England, on June 10, 1781, and was sold in July 1783.

Legacy

''Raleigh'' is depicted on the

References

Bibliography

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External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raleigh (1776), USS Ships of the Continental Navy Ships built in Kittery, Maine 1776 ships Captured ships Maritime incidents in 1778 Sailing frigates of the United States Navy