The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-04-01
OUR NAVAL HISTORY.
The United States Navy In the Revo-
lutionary and Civil War.

DeglnS with the eSplOltS OF prl'aleelS
wko during the revolutionary war
decimated the British merchant ma
rine. Engaged in military and naval
enterprises in all parts of the world.
England at that time could not spare
the ships required to shut our vessels
from the sea. Notable American
successes in this period were gained
by John Paul Jones, Scotchman.
who. happening to be in Virginia in
1875, took service in the colonial
navy. Commanding the Providence,
of IL guns, he cruiscd between the
Bermudas Gut of Canso, and in six
weeks made IL prizes. His subse-
quent captures broke up the fishers
les of Cape Breton. In 1T77, hav-
ing command of the Ranger, he har
assed tae coasting trade of Scotland
and captured the Drake, 4 sloop
superior to the Ranger in force.
Two years later, with squadron of
five vessels, including the Bon
Hommc Richard, of 80 guns, he
captured twenty-six vessels off the
English coast within month. and
on September 13, 1719, off Flam-
boroug gh, the Scraps, of 80 guns.
and Countess Of Scarborough, of
twenty-five guns. after desperate
engagement. The ships Richard
and Scraps were lashed together
and the fight was to Il finish AS
the Richard and nearly all her crew
were obtained in France, the victory
gave Jones as much renown in that
country as in the colonies.
The war of 1912, if not so credit
able to our army, gave great glory
to the American navy, which worstcd
I British ships in nearly every engage,
ment. At the beginning of the war
the American navy was held i'll great
contempt and few British vessels
We're kept on this side of the Allan
tic. British officers, intoxicated by
their comparatively easy victories
over the French, Dutch. Portuguese
and Spanish, attacked American
ships, regardless of disparity in size
and often paid the penalty of their
conceit. In August, 1871. the
American tirigate Essex captured the
British sloop Alert: later in the
same month the frigate Constitution
captured the Guerriere: in October
the sloop Wasp captured the brig
Frolic and the frigate United States
captured the Macedonian. In De
-esmbef rAc -GoHs';ption captured the
frigate Java. During this first year
Of the war American privatccrS took
no less than 800 British prizes. On
Lake Erie, in September, 1913 Com
modore Perry, with a fleet Of nine
vessels, carrying II guns, captured,
after fierce engagement, a British
feet of six vessels, carrying G3 guns,
Earlier in the year the American
sioop Hornet captured the British
brig Peacock. The frigate Chcsa-
peake, however, having attacked the
British frigate Shannon off Boston
harbor, was herself taken, notwith-
standing ta&%;Sseees.s ta&; t-'.1fCt trs o-1o.f to
Don't give up The ship"
In 1914 this loss was made good oy
Macdonough's victory in the battle
of Lake Champlain, when the whole
British squadron was captured. There
were other victories which were kali
anccd by defeats. The Essex. for
example, the Frolic and President
were taken by British vessels, but
the Peacock, the Wasp. the Constitu,
ton aud Hornet effected captures Of
British vessels. The war of lSlc
showed that american vessels, size
for size, were superior TO the British
in discipline, in equipment, in gun
merry and in the spirit of their crews.
The civil war gave rise T. some
notable engagements. such ior cX-
ample, as tie fight in llanp:on Roads
between .hc Virginia and the Mont
tor, the battle in Mobile hay and the
combat between the Alabama and the
kcarsarge in the British channel, the
two latter being in favor oF IL" Union
ships. The victory Of the Virginia,
though not decisive, is famous rs
having been the first engagement
between ironclads. Various Euro
pcan governments had before 1867
begun to place armor upon warshipS,
but the engagement i'll Hampton
Roads specdcl the movement, 50 that
at present all battc>hips and moS'
important cruisers now possesses a
covering of iron or steel to protect
them from hard knocks. AS to the
value Of steel ships, shca'hcl with
A. J.,