USS Wasp ( 1775 ) USS " Wasp " was originally a merchant schooner named " Scorpion " , built at Baltimore , and purchased by the Continental Navy late in 1775 , the first US naval ship to be given that name . She was outfitted at Baltimore during the winter of 1775 – 1776 ; and commissioned in December 1775 or January 1776 , Capt . William Hallock in command . " Wasp " set sail from Baltimore on 14 January 1776 in company with and a convoy of ships bound for the Delaware Capes . By virtue of their voyage to meet Commodore Esek Hopkins ' squadron at the Delaware Capes , " Wasp " and " Hornet " appear to be the first ships of the Continental Navy to get to sea . They joined Hopkins ' squadron on 13 February ; and , four days later , the first American squadron to put to sea began its maiden voyage . Interpreting his orders rather liberally , by ignoring those portions which related to operations in the Chesapeake Bay and along the southern coast of the colonies , Hopkins led his fleet directly to the Bahamas . The ships , minus " Hornet " and , arrived at Abaco in the Bahamas on 1 March , and Hopkins began laying plans for the raid on New Providence . The fleet ran in to attempt a landing at the port of Nassau but failed to achieve surprise . The landing , therefore , went forward several miles to the east of the town . " Wasp " and covered the Marines as they went ashore , but their guns never fired because the landing was not opposed . That afternoon , the landing force took Fort Montague and the following day captured the town of Nassau and Fort Nassau . They took a large quantity of cannon — close to 90 pieces , and 15 brass mortars — but the governor had managed to foil the mission in its primary objective by spiriting away the bulk of the gunpowder which had been stored there . Hopkins had to settle for 24 casks of powder out of the 174 originally stored there . The cannon and other military stores captured , however , more than justified the enterprise . The fleet remained at Nassau for about two weeks loading the booty of war . So large was the take that several local ships had to be pressed into service to carry the materiel back to North America . Hopkins ' squadron finally hoisted sail on 17 March and set course for New England . " Wasp " , however , parted with the main fleet and made her way independently back to the Delaware capes and thence into port at Philadelphia , where she arrived on 4 April . After repairs at Philadelphia , " Wasp " returned to duty in the Delaware River and Bay . On 5 May , two British men - of - war , the 44 - gun and the 28 - gun , entered the bay with several prizes . In the face of these two formidable enemies , " Wasp " retreated into Christiana Creek , but came out again on the 8th to join a force of galleys in attacking " Roebuck " after she had run aground . During the ensuing engagement , the Continental schooner captured the British brig " Betsey " and took her into Philadelphia where the British officers were placed in jail . The schooner continued to operate on the Delaware River and $ 3 and along the nearby Atlantic coast for the remainder of her career . On 28 June , she engaged in the Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet to salvage the cargo of " Nancy " . Near the end of the year , she took three more prizes — " Leghorn Galley " late in October , " Two Brothers " in December , and an unnamed sloop that same month . She also recaptured " Success " , an American ship previously taken by HMS " Roebuck " . Into the fall of 1777 , " Wasp " continued her operations in the vicinity of the Delaware Capes until November when she and four other ships unsuccessfully engaged the British force under Admiral Sir Richard ( " Black Dick " ) Howe . Philadelphia had already fallen to Admiral Howe ' s brother , General Sir William Howe , late in September , but American forces retained control of the river below the city until losing that engagement . Following the clash , " Wasp " was run aground , set afire , and destroyed when her gunpowder exploded .