RW15: The Revolutionary War at Sea (Part Two)

SPEAKER_1 (0:06)

War has played a key role in the history of the United States, from the nation's founding right down to the present. War made the US independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America's wars is essential for understanding American history.

Welcome to Key Battles of American History, a podcast in which we discuss American history through the lens of the most important battles of America's wars. Here is your host, James Early.

James Early (0:43)

Hello, and welcome back to the Revolutionary War, 10,000 foot survey of the struggle for liberty that reshaped the world. I'm your host, James Early, as always.

As always, I am joined by my co-host, Audrey Rogers.

Last week, Audrey and I kicked off a three-part series of the Revolutionary War at sea. In that first installment, we explored the harsh realities of life aboard British and American warships, the rise of privateering, and the birth of the Continental Navy under leaders like John Adams, George Washington, and E. Hopkins. And that's right, you heard me correctly, John Adams. Not that he ever got on a naval ship himself, at least not as a crew member. He did ride on a ship from time to time.

Many trips to Europe, but he was one of the intellectual fathers of the Navy. He was a big proponent of naval power. Anyway, we also examined the first American naval operations, including Washington's so-called Secret Navy. We talked about the raid on Nassau, and the creation of a force that dared to challenge the greatest maritime power on Earth. This week, my lovely and talented co-host and I will continue to guide you on the remarkable story of the Revolutionary War at Sea, and the development of the fledgling United States Navy. So, we'll start by checking in with our old friends, the Privateers. And maybe we'll do a little review on what that is, and we'll talk about what they were doing in the years 1777 to 78 By 1777, it had become increasingly clear that the Continental Navy would never be able to challenge the Royal Navy in a traditional fleet engagement.

Britain simply possessed too many ships, too many train sailors, and too much experience. The Americans therefore adopted a strategy that played to their strengths while exploiting Britain's vulnerabilities. Instead of seeking decisive naval battles, more and more American warships and privateers concentrated on commerce raiding, the systematic attack on Britain's merchant shipping. The objective was not to destroy the Royal Navy itself, but to undermine Britain's economy, to interrupt the flow of military supplies and force the British government to divert valuable warships away from military operations in order to protect commercial convoys. As we mentioned last time, it was a strategy of economic warfare and over time it proved surprisingly effective. Now following the capture of New York City by the British in late 1776, the Royal Navy transformed the city into its principal North American naval base. From New York, British warships could rapidly sail north toward New England or south toward Chesapeake and the Carolinas. Throughout 1777, the British steadily tightened their blockade of American ports. The blockade was not airtight. There simply were not enough ships to patrol every inlet and harbor. But it became increasingly difficult for American merchant vessels to enter or leave port without risking capture. Now the blockade had several important objectives. First, it restricted American trade with Europe, depriving Congress of desperately needed revenue.

Second, it prevented the importation of weapons, ammunition, uniforms, and military supplies. Finally, it protected British troop transports, ensuring that reinforcements and supplies could move safely along the coast. Despite these efforts, the coastline of the United States stretched for thousands of miles, dotted with countless bays, rivers, and small harbors. Fast American vessels often slipped through the blockade under cover of darkness or bad weather, carrying valuable cargoes to and from France, Spain, and the Caribbean. And it's only going to expand, right, Audrey?

Audrey Rogers (4:18)

Yes. While the blockade created hardships for the Americans, British merchant shipping faced growing dangers of its own. You know, Britain might have controlled the seas militarily, but that didn't mean that every British merchant vessel could be protected at all times. You know, the ocean is just too large for that. Continental Navy cruisers and hundreds of privateers roamed the Atlantic in search of merchant men. Their preferred targets were lightly armed cargo ships carrying manufactured goods to North America or returning to Britain, with valuable colonial products like sugar, tobacco, rice, indigo, and naval stores. For the Americans, these merchant ships were much more attractive targets than Royal Navy warships. You know, they're easier to capture and potentially extremely profitable depending on what's on board. Capturing a merchant ship required skill rather than brute force. Privateers generally relied upon speed to overtake their prey. Once within range, they fired a warning shot or a brief cannonade before sending an armed boarding party across. Since most merchant captains realized that resistance was futile, many just surrendered without prolonged fighting.