The Birth of the United States Navy: From Colonial Waters to a Permanent Fleet

Before independence, the American colonies relied on the sea for their survival. Ships brought manufactured goods from Britain and carried out exports of tobacco, rice, lumber, fish, and furs. New England had developed a robust maritime tradition of shipbuilding, whaling, and fishing, while the middle and southern colonies depended on coastal shipping for their agricultural economies.

Yet the colonies were defenseless against the Royal Navy, which patrolled the Atlantic and enforced Britain’s trade regulations. Colonial ships could be stopped, searched, or seized under laws such as the Navigation Acts, and during periods of tension, the British navy could impose blockades that strangled commerce.

As resistance to British policies mounted in the 1760s and 1770s, the ocean became a stage for conflict. Colonial merchants armed their vessels for protection, and some colonies maintained small fleets of armed ships for coastal defense. But there was no unified American navy, and the balance of power at sea remained overwhelmingly in Britain’s favor.

The Revolutionary Crisis and a Call for Ships

When fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, most leaders of the Continental Congress were still cautious about challenging Britain at sea. Naval conflict with the Royal Navy seemed hopeless, and Congress initially focused on organizing an army under George Washington.

That changed by the autumn of 1775. Reports reached Philadelphia that British supply ships carrying arms and reinforcements were sailing for America. Some delegates argued that intercepting those ships would be both a strategic and symbolic necessity. Without naval resistance, Britain would always control the flow of war.

On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress voted to outfit two armed vessels to cruise against British transports and bring their cargoes back for the use of the colonies. This modest step marked the official beginning of the Continental Navy, and October 13 is now recognized as the birthday of the United States Navy.

The First Fleet

In the months that followed, Congress authorized more ships and created a committee,  the Marine Committee, to oversee naval affairs. Merchant vessels were purchased and converted into warships, equipped with cannons, and crewed by sailors drawn from the colonies’ seafaring communities.

The first official warships included the USS Alfred, USS Columbus, and USS Andrew Doria. These vessels were small compared to British ships of the line, but they gave the new nation a symbolic presence at sea. The navy’s mission was not to defeat the Royal Navy directly but to harass British supply lines, disrupt commerce, and provide psychological victories that would boost morale.

Leadership and Strategy

Congress appointed Esek Hopkins of Rhode Island as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Navy. His fleet’s most notable early expedition was a raid on Nassau in the Bahamas in March 1776, which successfully captured much-needed gunpowder and supplies. Although criticized for not fully following Congress’s orders, the mission demonstrated that American naval forces could project power beyond the continent.

Shortages plagued the Continental Navy. Cannons, gunpowder, rigging, and sails were all scarce, and Congress struggled to provide steady funding. Ships frequently fell into disrepair, and desertions were common. Yet despite these limitations, the navy managed to carry out dozens of raids, capturing British merchantmen and diverting their cargoes to American forces.

John Paul Jones and Naval Legend

The most celebrated figure of the early navy was John Paul Jones, a Scottish-born sailor who brought experience, ambition, and daring to the American cause. Commissioned as a Continental Navy officer in 1775, he soon earned a reputation for boldness.

In 1779, commanding the Bonhomme Richard, Jones engaged the British frigate HMS Serapis off Flamborough Head on the English coast. In one of the most famous naval battles of the Revolutionary War, Jones’s battered ship began to sink, but he refused to surrender. His alleged retort, “I have not yet begun to fight,” entered American lore. Ultimately, Jones compelled the British vessel to raise its flag, thereby capturing the Serapis in a stunning reversal.

His exploits electrified supporters of independence and demonstrated that even the Royal Navy could face challenges in the right circumstances.

Privateers and the Wider War at Sea

While the Continental Navy fought bravely, it remained small, never more than about 50 ships at its peak. Much of America’s naval war was carried out by privateers: privately owned vessels licensed by Congress or state governments to attack British shipping.

The enterprise of privateering grew significantly. By some estimates, more than 1,500 British ships were captured by American privateers during the war, inflicting economic damage and forcing the Royal Navy to divert vessels to protect convoys. Privateers weakened Britain’s war effort and brought vital supplies, such as weapons and clothing, back to American ports.

The Navy’s Postwar Demise

When the Revolution ended in 1783, the Continental Navy was almost entirely dismantled. Only a handful of ships remained, and Congress, wary of the costs of maintaining a standing navy, sold them off. Despite achieving independence, the young republic found itself vulnerable on the seas.

Harassment soon beset American merchant ships. Barbary pirates in North Africa seized U.S. vessels and demanded tribute. Britain and France, locked in wars of their own, interfered with American commerce. Calls grew louder for the United States to establish a permanent navy capable of defending its trade.

The Naval Act of 1794 and the Six Frigates

Responding to these threats, Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794, authorizing the construction of six frigates: the United States, Constellation, Constitution, Chesapeake, Congress, and President. These ships were designed to outmatch any comparable vessel of their size, built of resilient live oak and heavily armed.

The most famous of them, the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), would later achieve glory in the War of 1812, earning its nickname when enemy cannonballs bounced off its strong hull.

The Naval Act marked the true institutional beginning of the modern United States Navy. By 1798, the Department of the Navy had been established as a cabinet-level office, ensuring the service’s permanence.

Legacy of October 13, 1775

Although the Continental Navy was small and short-lived, its creation on October 13, 1775, was a declaration of maritime independence. It symbolized the colonies’ determination to contest Britain not only on land but also on the sea.

Today, the U.S. Navy celebrates that date as its official birthday. From its beginnings with two hastily outfitted merchantmen, the Navy has grown into one of the most potent maritime forces in history. The early struggles of the Continental Navy, the shortages, the daring raids, the victories of John Paul Jones, and the enterprise of privateers laid the foundation for a tradition of sea power that remains central to American identity.