The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-01-08
FIRST COMMANDER
OF AMERICAN NAVY


these days Of naval warfare in which
the United States is actively en-
gagged, it is not without interest to
recall the fast that the year now be
gun will mark the two hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Esek
Hopkins, who occupies "a conspicu-
Gus niche in naval history as COM
mander-in-chief of the first Anaerl-
can fleet of war vessels.
There are no records of the boy
hood, youth OF early manhood of
Esek Hopkins beyond the bare fact
that he was born at Scituate, r. l..
in 171S. But he must have been
man Of ability, and had an interest in
public affairs, for when he was "a
he was placed in charge of the Provi-
dence school house, and had the ap-
pointing of the school master. Gov
ernor Stephen Hopkins of Rhode
Island, who was a signer of the Dec
laration Of independence, was his
Rhode Island took active measures
TO protect herself when the Revolu-
tionary war began. Among the works
for defense was the erection of a
powerful battery at Fox Point. in
| Narragansett Bay, and Esek Hop
kins was placed in command of this
on April %, 1775. The British
forces had intended to attack Provi-
dence, but the plan was abandoned on
account of the excellent plans made
to defend the city.
Hopkins was one of the men APP
pointed to build floating battery, to
organize a fleet of fire ships. and to
stretch a heavy chain across the
channel, When it became evident
the coast towns of New England
must be protected from the British
was fitted out and Esek Hopkins
was appointed by Congress the conf
rnander-in-cfief. He was to have
the naval rank that correspondent to
Washington's in the command of the
land forces, and in the naval records
of those days, he was STYLED "Ad-
miral"
As the earliest section of the
United States navy, a great interest
attaches to the movements of~this
flee. There were four vessels: The
Allied, the Columbus. the Andrea
Doria-named for the famous Gen
oese admiral-and- the Cabot, which
was commanded by the son of Esek
Hopkins,
Admiral Hopkins-more generally
hHoWH as the 'ComnodOre"-tOo
his vessels to Philadelphia. where the
Lexington and the Hornet and the
Wasp were added to the fleet. On
February II, 1875, Commodore Hop
kins sailed for Bermuda and vigor-
ously attacked Fort Providence.
This was the first real action of
the American navy, and it was a
brilliant and successful one. Three
hundred men We're landed, their
movements protected by the guns of
the fleet. The men were known as
marines, which fact has given title
to the Marine Corps as beina the
oldest branch of the United States
military establishment. The men
captured the Governor of the Ber-
mudas, together with other high of
flials, took one hundred guns. a
large quantity of military stores. and
then started back for New London,
Conn.
On this homeward voyage two
British vessels were captured and
upon his arrival, Congress gave Of
flcIal thanks to. Commodore Hop
kins But disaster was in store for
this officer He attacked the large
British ship Glasgow. and after a
stiff battle of some hours, she got
away under cover of night.
Bitter feeling was manifested to-
ward Hopkins, and charges were pre-
ferred against him. At his trial
John Adams defended him, and he
was declared innocent. One of the
letters of congratulation he received
after his acquittal was from Paul
Jones. When sent back to COM
mand his fleet, he was so long in
getting to sea that Congress dis
missed him from the service, Jan. >,
1777.
Subsequent events in the life of
Esek Hopkins proved that he was a
brave and devoted patriot His
death occurred in Providence in 1902.