James Nicholson (naval officer)
Encyclopedia
James Nicholson was an officer in the Continental Navy
during the American Revolutionary War
.
The son of Joseph and Hannah Scott Nicholson, he was born in Chestertown, Maryland
. James Nicholson served in the colonial Navy with the British
in the assault on Havana
in 1762, and was commissioned Captain in the Continental Navy 10 October 1776. He commanded Defense, Trumbull
, and Virginia
, and when blockaded at Baltimore, Maryland, took his men to join George Washington
at the Battle of Trenton
to aid in that key victory.
Made the senior captain in the Continental Navy due to political influence, he nevertheless had an undistinguished career, never winning a victory or capturing a prize. He lost his first command, the frigate Virginia, while trying to run past the British squadron blockading the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. He ran the ship aground and rather than fight the approaching British ships, fled to shore in a boat, leaving the Virginia and her crew to be captured. The next day he approached the captured ship under a flag of truce and asked for his personal effects.
Nicholson styled his flight as an "escape" in his report to Congress, and with the only witnesses confined to British prisons, he was eventually given command of Trumbull. That command he lost to HMS Iris when his crew refused to fight.
Nicholson had one son and five daughters, one of whom married Albert Gallatin
. He died at his home in New York City
.
The ships named USS Nicholson
were named for him, his younger brothers, John Nicholson
and Samuel Nicholson
, his nephew, William Nicholson
and his grandnephew, James W. Nicholson
.
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War, and was formed in 1775. Through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron, John Adams and vigorous Congressional support in the face of stiff opposition, the fleet cumulatively became relatively...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
The son of Joseph and Hannah Scott Nicholson, he was born in Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
. James Nicholson served in the colonial Navy with the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the assault on Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in 1762, and was commissioned Captain in the Continental Navy 10 October 1776. He commanded Defense, Trumbull
USS Trumbull (1776)
The second Trumbull was a three-masted, wooden-hulled sailing frigate and was one of the first 13 frigates authorized by the Continental Congress on 13 December 1775 and were superior in design and construction to the same class of European vessels in their day...
, and Virginia
USS Virginia (1776)
The first USS Virginia was a 28-gun sailing frigate of the Continental Navy, a ship with a short and unfortunate career.She was one of 13 frigates authorized by the Continental Congress on 13 December 1775, laid down in 1776 at Fells Point, Maryland, by George Wells, launched that August, and...
, and when blockaded at Baltimore, Maryland, took his men to join George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
at the Battle of Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
to aid in that key victory.
Made the senior captain in the Continental Navy due to political influence, he nevertheless had an undistinguished career, never winning a victory or capturing a prize. He lost his first command, the frigate Virginia, while trying to run past the British squadron blockading the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. He ran the ship aground and rather than fight the approaching British ships, fled to shore in a boat, leaving the Virginia and her crew to be captured. The next day he approached the captured ship under a flag of truce and asked for his personal effects.
Nicholson styled his flight as an "escape" in his report to Congress, and with the only witnesses confined to British prisons, he was eventually given command of Trumbull. That command he lost to HMS Iris when his crew refused to fight.
Nicholson had one son and five daughters, one of whom married Albert Gallatin
Albert Gallatin
Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin was a Swiss-American ethnologist, linguist, politician, diplomat, congressman, and the longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury. In 1831, he founded the University of the City of New York...
. He died at his home in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The ships named USS Nicholson
USS Nicholson
Four ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Nicholson, named in honor of the Nicholson family, James; Samuel; John; William; and James W.., was a Blakely-class torpedo boat, launched in 1901 and struck in 1909...
were named for him, his younger brothers, John Nicholson
John Nicholson (naval officer)
John Nicholson was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War.The son of Joseph and Hannah Scott Nicholson, he was born in Chestertown, Maryland. John Nicholson entered the Continental Navy as Lieutenant in October 1776 and the next month was promoted to Captain to...
and Samuel Nicholson
Samuel Nicholson
Samuel Nicholson was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. -Early life:...
, his nephew, William Nicholson
William Nicholson (naval officer)
William Carmichael Nicholson was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812 and the Civil War.A native of Maryland, Nicholson was the son of naval officer John Nicholson...
and his grandnephew, James W. Nicholson
James W. Nicholson
Rear Admiral James William Augustus Nicholson was an officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.-Biography:...
.