Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23

HISTORY OF AMERICAN NAVY
is TRACED TO DECEMBER. IT'S
Records Also Show First Flag of Fleet Was British
Union With Thirteen Stripes in Field.
Hoisted by John Paul Jones.

seal at Providence, this 21st day of No
vember, In the year Of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and seventy
five. Nich's Cooke. Providence, Mo-
vember 81, 1875. acknowledge the
above and afore written to be a true
copy Of my orders from his honor the
governor, which I promise to observe
and follow. Abraham Whipple
Gov. Cooke, in a letter to s. Hopkins
and s. Ward at Philadelphia. dated
from Providence, November 81, ITS,
said: Capt. Whipple, who sailed last
night for Philadelphia, took a schooner
OF 80 tons, from Boston, addressed to
@. Rome, for fresh provisions.
Committees Reply.
The committee referred to by Gov
Cooke in the orders to, Whipple wrote
philadelphia, December 2, IT'S
Sir: We wrote you few days since, and
acquainted you that We were to wait
on the committee of claims the next
morning. We did so, and on opening
the accounts there Immediately arose
a doubt whether any allowance should
be made us for the arms which were
charged, and also for the bounty, and
removing the stock from the islands
all Of which they concluded must be
laid before Congress, which is not yet
done. We have attended every day
Gov. Ward to whom we applied about
this matter, tells us 1t cannot be
brought on till Monday next, so that
we have spent one whole week here and
done nothing. AS Capt. Whipple /.
not yet arrived. we can say nothing re-
speeding his being taken into Cont
mental service. Gen. Hopkins, this
txa1p - ~
that It's yet O. matter of doubt whether
he engages in the service here or not
He seems to think the encouragement
given to the seamen so small that q
Sufiicient number cannot be raised In
time to do anything to purpose this
season, and that IL he does not engage
in this service, he will set out for home
as soon as his son and young Mr.
Jenckes are well of the smallpox
They were inoculated last Wednesday
and are still about the streets. We wish
we could acquaint your honor Of the
time when we shall set out. Nathl
Mumford, Tho. Greene, Gideon Mum.
ford"
These two boys who were inoculated
on 90 November. ITS wednesday,
became midshipmen in the feet. In
the Journals of Congress for Saturday
2 December, We see there was much
naval activity. Amongst others are
these items:
Resolved, That the committee fol
fitting out armed vessels be directed to
by Capt. Whipple, now on a voyage
to this port. and despatch her forth
with to aid the marine business to the
southwark"
Resolved, That the committee fol-
fitting out armed vessels be directed tc
prepare a proper commission for the
captains or commanders of the ships
of war in the service OF the United
Colonies"
THE committee appointed to prepare
the form of commission, etc, exported
the same, which was read and agreed
to. Ordered that 800 be Immediately
printed, with proper blanks"
Jones' Commission.
John Paul Jones, writing on Decem.
Der, 1779, said: 1T is four years ago this
date / received my commission as the
senior of the first lieutenants Of the
Navy" The actual commission of Alb.
raham Whipple to command the Co.
lumbus Is in the Burton collection o.
the Detroit Public Library. and is dated
the Alfred were all dated the 7th, those
Of the Columbus the 9th, etc. The
sloop belonging to the Navy of Rho IL
Island and commanded by Whipple
although not arrived on Saturday
December, had arrived by the 9th, fol
in the Journals of Congress there is
Upon motion made, Resolved, That the
three prisoners taken by Capt. A
Whipple, and in his passage to Phila-
delphia. who are now on board hi:
vessel, be delivered to the Committee
OF Safety OF the Colony Of Pennsyl-
vania, who are directed to secure then,
In safe custody In some gaols in said
colony"
This sloop, the Katy, was taken into
the Continental service and named
Providence. In q letter Of October 10
1888, to Robert Morris draft in Lii
brary of Congress) Jones wrote: ~
was offered captains commission al
first to command the Providence" but
declined it. Jones was the senior OF
the first lieutenants, and had fitted out
the flagship, the Alfred. Saltonstall
who had been appointed to command
the Alfred, had not arrived, and Jones
was the commanding officer when Hop
kins took command Of the feet as COM
mander-in- chief. In the same letter
to Morris of 10 October Jones wrote
1T was my fortune as the senior oil
the first lieutenants to hoist tmyself)
the nag or America Il chose to do II
with my own hands, the first time II
was displayed. Though this was but q
light circumstance, yet feel for it,
honor more than think should have
done II 1t had not ha-1ened." The
word myself has been inserted, anc
the line IT chose to do it with my OWE
hands" has the pen drawn through 1t.
In q letter to the Earl Of Dartmouth
from Maryland. December 20, ITS, a
correspondent writes: IAN admiral 1.
appointed, q court established, and the
Sd instant the Continental nag on
board the Black Prince, opposite Phila-
delphia, was hoisted." The Black
Prince was renamed the Alfred by the
naval committee.
| That Washington at Cambridge knew
about the fleet. probably told by Adams
on his way home, is evidenced by hi:
| general Headquarters, Cam
| bridge. December ~, 1775. Parole
Alfred (Countersign, Hopkins)"
Sails From Philadelphia.
| The feet sailed from Philadelphia
on January 4, as shown by "A Journa,
of a Cruise In the Brig Andrew Doris
Nicholas Biddle Esqr. Commander from
| ye. Port Of Philadelphia, Begun January
4th 1776. Thursday January 9Th. Al
| 2 PM. Cast OF from We. Wary In Com
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