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USS Randolph (1776)
Encyclopedia
The first USS Randolph was a 32-gun frigate
in the Continental Navy
named for Peyton Randolph
.
Construction of the first Randolph was authorized by the Continental Congress
on 13 December 1775. The frigate, designed by Joshua Humphreys
, was launched on 10 July 1776, by Wharton and Humphreys at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Captain Nicholas Biddle
was appointed commander of the Randolph on 11 July, and he took charge of the frigate in mid-October.
Seamen were scarce and recruiting was slow, delaying the ship's maiden voyage; but Randolph, manned largely by captured British
seamen taken from jail in Philadelphia, finally dropped down the Delaware River
on 3 February, 1777 and three days later rounded Cape Henlopen
escorting a large group of American merchantmen to sea. On the 15th, the convoy separated, with some of Randolph's charges heading for France
and the rest setting course for the West Indies.
The frigate herself turned northward hoping to encounter Milford
, a British frigate which had been preying upon New England
shipping. Before long, she boarded a ship which proved to be French and was set free. Then, as she continued the search, Randolph sprung her foremast. While the crew labored to rig a spar as a jury mast, the ship's mainmast broke and toppled into the sea.
Continuing the hunt was out of the question. Now seeking to avoid the Royal Navy
's warships, Biddle ordered the ship south toward the Carolina coast.
Fever broke out as the Randolph painfully made her way, and many members of the crew were buried at sea. Even a mutiny of the English sailors had to be put down before the ship reached Charleston, South Carolina
on the afternoon of 11 March.
Twice, after her repairs had been completed and as she was about to get underway, the frigate was kept in port by lightning-splintered mainmasts. Meanwhile, the ship, undermanned when she left Philadelphia, was losing more of her men from sickness, death, and desertion.
Recruiting was stimulated by bounty, and Randolph was finally readied for sea - this time with her masts protected by lightning rods. She departed Charleston on 16 August and entered Rebellion Road to await favorable winds to put to sea. Two days later, a party from the frigate boarded merchantman, Fair American, and impressed two seamen who earlier had been lured away from Biddle's ship.
Inshore winds kept Randolph in the roadstead until the breeze shifted on 1 September, wafting the frigate across Charleston Bar
. At dusk, on the 3rd, a lookout spotted five vessels: two ships, two brigs, and a sloop
. After a nightlong chase, she caught up with her quarry the next morning and took four prizes: a 20-gun privateer
, True Briton, laden with rum, for the British troops at New York; Severn, the second prize, had been recaptured by True Briton from a North Carolina
privateer while sailing from Jamaica
to London
with a cargo of sugar, rum, ginger, and logwood; the two brigs, Charming Peggy, a French privateer, and L’Assomption, laden with salt, had also been captured by True Briton while plying their way from Martinique
to Charleston.
Randolph and her rich prizes reached Charleston on the morning of 6 September. While the frigate was in port having her hull scraped, the president of South Carolina
's General Assembly, John Rutledge
, suggested to Biddle that Randolph, aided by a number of State Navy
ships, might be able to break the blockade which was then bottling up a goodly number of American merchantmen in Charleston Harbor. Biddle accepted command of the task force, which, besides Randolph, included General Moultrie, Notre Dame, Fair American, and Polly.
The American ships sailed on 14 February 1778. When they crossed the bar, Biddle's ships found no British cruisers. After seeing a number of merchantmen to a good offing, the ships proceeded to the West Indies hoping to intercept British merchantmen. After two days, they took and burned a dismasted New England ship which had been captured by a British privateer while headed for St. Augustine, Florida
. Thereafter, game was scarce. They encountered only neutral ships until Polly took a small schooner
on 4 March bound from New York to Grenada
. Biddle manned the prize as a tender.
On the afternoon of 7 March, Randolph's lookouts spotted sail on the horizon which proved to be the British, 64-gun ship of the line
, Yarmouth. That evening, as Randolph engaged the British warship, the American frigate seemed to be on the verge of victory when some unknown cause, perhaps a chance spark in the chaos of battle, ignited her magazine and Biddle's plucky ship disintegrated in one blinding flash. Flaming debris from Randolph showered down on Yarmouth preventing her from pursuing the South Carolina ships which slipped away in the darkness.
The tragic loss of the Randolph resulted in the deaths of 301 of her crew, with 4 survivors. This is comparable to the epic loss of British battlecruiser during the Battle of Denmark Strait in May 1941, in which only 3 out of a crew of 1,418 survived a similar catastrophic magazine explosion. The United States Navy would not experience such a high level of death in a single combat action for over 163 years, until December 7, 1941 when the blew up during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
in the Continental Navy
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...
named for Peyton Randolph
Peyton Randolph
Peyton Randolph was a planter and public official from the Colony of Virginia. He served as speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses, chairman of the Virginia Conventions, and the first President of the Continental Congress.-Early life:Randolph was born in Tazewell Hall, Williamsburg, Virginia...
.
Construction of the first Randolph was authorized by the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
on 13 December 1775. The frigate, designed by Joshua Humphreys
Joshua Humphreys
Joshua Humphreys was an influential and successful ship builder in the United States.Humphreys was born in Haverford, Pennsylvania and died in the same place. He is the son of Daniel Humphreys and Hannah Wynne . He was brother to Charles Humphreys...
, was launched on 10 July 1776, by Wharton and Humphreys at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. Captain Nicholas Biddle
Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)
Nicholas Biddle was one of the first five captains of the Continental Navy, which was raised by the Americans during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:Nicholas Biddle was born in Philadelphia....
was appointed commander of the Randolph on 11 July, and he took charge of the frigate in mid-October.
Seamen were scarce and recruiting was slow, delaying the ship's maiden voyage; but Randolph, manned largely by captured British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
seamen taken from jail in Philadelphia, finally dropped down the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
on 3 February, 1777 and three days later rounded Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen
Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, Delaware...
escorting a large group of American merchantmen to sea. On the 15th, the convoy separated, with some of Randolph's charges heading for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the rest setting course for the West Indies.
The frigate herself turned northward hoping to encounter Milford
HMS Milford (1759)
HMS Milford was a 28-gun Coventry-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.-References:* Robert Gardiner, The First Frigates, Conway Maritime Press, London 1992. ISBN 0-85177-601-9....
, a British frigate which had been preying upon New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
shipping. Before long, she boarded a ship which proved to be French and was set free. Then, as she continued the search, Randolph sprung her foremast. While the crew labored to rig a spar as a jury mast, the ship's mainmast broke and toppled into the sea.
Continuing the hunt was out of the question. Now seeking to avoid the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's warships, Biddle ordered the ship south toward the Carolina coast.
Fever broke out as the Randolph painfully made her way, and many members of the crew were buried at sea. Even a mutiny of the English sailors had to be put down before the ship reached Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
on the afternoon of 11 March.
Twice, after her repairs had been completed and as she was about to get underway, the frigate was kept in port by lightning-splintered mainmasts. Meanwhile, the ship, undermanned when she left Philadelphia, was losing more of her men from sickness, death, and desertion.
Recruiting was stimulated by bounty, and Randolph was finally readied for sea - this time with her masts protected by lightning rods. She departed Charleston on 16 August and entered Rebellion Road to await favorable winds to put to sea. Two days later, a party from the frigate boarded merchantman, Fair American, and impressed two seamen who earlier had been lured away from Biddle's ship.
Inshore winds kept Randolph in the roadstead until the breeze shifted on 1 September, wafting the frigate across Charleston Bar
Charleston Bar
Charleston Bar is a series of submerged shoals lying about eight miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, United States.-See also:* Battle of Sullivan's Island...
. At dusk, on the 3rd, a lookout spotted five vessels: two ships, two brigs, and a sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
. After a nightlong chase, she caught up with her quarry the next morning and took four prizes: a 20-gun privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
, True Briton, laden with rum, for the British troops at New York; Severn, the second prize, had been recaptured by True Briton from a North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
privateer while sailing from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with a cargo of sugar, rum, ginger, and logwood; the two brigs, Charming Peggy, a French privateer, and L’Assomption, laden with salt, had also been captured by True Briton while plying their way from Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
to Charleston.
Randolph and her rich prizes reached Charleston on the morning of 6 September. While the frigate was in port having her hull scraped, the president of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
's General Assembly, John Rutledge
John Rutledge
John Rutledge was an American statesman and judge. He was the first Governor of South Carolina following the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the 31st overall...
, suggested to Biddle that Randolph, aided by a number of State Navy
South Carolina Navy
A South Carolina Navy has been formed twice by the State of South Carolina. The first time was during the American Revolutionary War, in which the state purchased and outfitted armed vessels independent of the Continental Navy....
ships, might be able to break the blockade which was then bottling up a goodly number of American merchantmen in Charleston Harbor. Biddle accepted command of the task force, which, besides Randolph, included General Moultrie, Notre Dame, Fair American, and Polly.
The American ships sailed on 14 February 1778. When they crossed the bar, Biddle's ships found no British cruisers. After seeing a number of merchantmen to a good offing, the ships proceeded to the West Indies hoping to intercept British merchantmen. After two days, they took and burned a dismasted New England ship which had been captured by a British privateer while headed for St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United...
. Thereafter, game was scarce. They encountered only neutral ships until Polly took a small schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
on 4 March bound from New York to Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. Biddle manned the prize as a tender.
On the afternoon of 7 March, Randolph's lookouts spotted sail on the horizon which proved to be the British, 64-gun ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
, Yarmouth. That evening, as Randolph engaged the British warship, the American frigate seemed to be on the verge of victory when some unknown cause, perhaps a chance spark in the chaos of battle, ignited her magazine and Biddle's plucky ship disintegrated in one blinding flash. Flaming debris from Randolph showered down on Yarmouth preventing her from pursuing the South Carolina ships which slipped away in the darkness.
The tragic loss of the Randolph resulted in the deaths of 301 of her crew, with 4 survivors. This is comparable to the epic loss of British battlecruiser during the Battle of Denmark Strait in May 1941, in which only 3 out of a crew of 1,418 survived a similar catastrophic magazine explosion. The United States Navy would not experience such a high level of death in a single combat action for over 163 years, until December 7, 1941 when the blew up during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.