USS Ranger (1777): Difference between revisions

'''USS ''Ranger''''' was a [[sloop-of-war]] in the [[Continental Navy]], inserving activefrom service1777–1780 in 1777–1780,and the first to bear her name. Built inat [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]] on [[Badger's Island]] in [[Kittery, NewMaine|Kittery]], Hampshire[[Maine]], she is famed for the one-shipsolo guerillaraiding campaign wagedcarried out by her captionfirst captain, Captain [[John Paul Jones]], againstduring thenaval Britishoperations duringof the [[American RevolutionRevolutionary War]].<ref name=jdr>[http://www.seacoastnh.com/the-importance-of-ranger/ The Importance of Ranger, J. Dennis Robinson]</ref> In six months spent primarily in British waters, she captured five prizes (mostly merchantmen), staged a single failed attack on the English mainland at Whitehaven, and sent thecaused [[Royal Navy]] seekingships to runbe dispatched against her down in the Irish Sea.

Jones was detached in [[Brest, France]] to take charge of the {{USS|Bonhomme Richard|1765|2}}, turning over commandresponsibility offor ''Ranger'' to his first officer, Lieutenant Thomas Simpson. Under Simpson, the ''Ranger'' went on to capture an additional twenty-four more prizes abroadacross the Atlantic and along the U.S. coast duringthroughout 1778 and 1779.

SentReceiving tonew the Southorders in late 1779 to aid the U.S.American garrison at Charleston, South Carolina, during the [[Siege of Charleston|British siege]], she continued her predatoryraiding wayscareer until ultimately forced to take stationanchor on the [[Cooper River (South Carolina)|Cooper River]], andresulting wasin capturedher capture on 11 May 111780, 1780 with the fall of the city. Renamed ''Halifax'', she finished her active service as a Royal Navy ship and was [[Ship commissioning|decommissioned]] in 1781. Later that year, she was sold in [[Portsmouth, England]] to private buyers for use as a merchantman.

''Ranger'' (initially called ''Hampshire'') was launched 10on May 10, 1777 by [[James Hackett (shipbuilder)|James Hackett]], master [[shipbuilding|shipbuilder]], at the [[shipyard]] of [[John Langdon (politician)|John Langdon]] on what is now called [[Badger's Island]] in [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]], [[Maine]];. Captain [[John Paul Jones]] inwas named her first commandcommander.<ref name=jdr/>

After fitting out, she sailed for [[France]] on 1 November 1, 1777, carrying dispatches telling of General [[John Burgoyne|Burgoyne]]'s surrender to the commissioners in [[Paris]]. On the voyage over, two [[British people|British]] [[Prize (law)|prizes]] were captured. ''Ranger'' arrived at [[Nantes]], France, 2on December 2, where Jones sold the prizes and delivered the news of the victory at [[SaratogaBattles Springs,of New YorkSaratoga|Saratoga]] to ambassador [[Benjamin Franklin]]. On 14 February 14, 1778, ''Ranger'' received ana officialnine-gun salute to the new [[Flag of the United States|American flag]], the "Stars and Stripes", givenfrom bythe ship of the line [[French fleetship Robuste (1758)|''Robuste'']], under [[Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte|Lamotte-Picquet]], at [[Quiberon Bay]]. This was the first salute from a warship and, the second to an American fighting vessel by a foreign power (the first salute was received by {{USS|Andrew Doria|1775|2}} when on 16 November 16, 1776 she arrived at [[Sint Eustatius|St. Eustatius]] and the [[Dutch peopleRepublic|Dutch]] island returned her 11-gun salute).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/CESMMarine/posts/2886513738065875 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/729680903749180/2886513738065875 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Centre d'études stratégiques de la Marine - CESM|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-15}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

''Ranger'' sailed from [[Brest, France|Brest]] 10 April 10, 1778, for the [[Irish Sea]] and four days later captured athe prizebrigantine "Dolphin" between the [[Isles of Scilly|Scilly Isles]] and [[Cape Clear Island|Cape Clear]] and scuttled it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_8JUN2015.pdf |title=NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution |publisher=history.navy.mil |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> On 1716 April, she took anothership prize"Lord Chatham" 5 leagues from [[Cape Clear Island|Cape Clear]] and sent her back to Brest, France.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_8JUN2015.pdf |title=NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution |publisher=history.navy.mil |access-date=22 November 2021}}</ref> On the 19th sunk a Scottish coastal schooner in the [[Mull of Galloway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_8JUN2015.pdf |title=NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution |publisher=history.navy.mil |access-date=22 November 2021}}</ref> On the 20th sunk a sloop.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_8JUN2015.pdf |title=NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution |publisher=history.navy.mil |access-date=22 November 2021}}</ref> Captain Jones led a raid on the BritishEnglish port of [[Whitehaven]], 23 April 23, spiking the guns of the fortress, but failing in his attempt to burn the ships in the harbor. Sailing across the bay to [[St. Mary's Isle, Scotland|St. Mary's Isle]], [[Scotland]], the American captain planned to seize the [[Earl of Selkirk]] and hold him as a hostage toand obtainuse betterhim treatmentto formake Americanseveral [[prisonerspolitical of war]]demands. However, since the Earl was absent, the plan failed. Several [[Royal Navy]] vessels were searching for ''Ranger'', and Captain Jones sailed across the [[North Channel (BritishGreat IslesBritain and Ireland)|North Channel]] to [[Carrickfergus]], [[Ireland]], to induce {{HMS|Drake|1777|6}} of 14 guns, to come out and fight. ''Drake'' came out slowly against the wind and tide, and, after [[North Channel navalNaval duelDuel|an hour's battle]], the battered ''Drake'' [[Striking the colors|struck her colors]], with threeeight Americanssailors and five Britishbeing killed in action during the combatengagement on the 24th. Later on the same day she captured the brigantine "Patience".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american-revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_8JUN2015.pdf |title=NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution |publisher=history.navy.mil |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> Having made temporary repairs, and with a prize crew on ''Drake'', ''Ranger'' continued around the west coast of Ireland, capturing a storeslone shipstoreship, and arrived at Brest with her prizes on May 8 May.

Captain Jones was detached to command {{USS|Bonhomme Richard|1765|2}}, leaving Lieutenant Simpson, his first officer, in command. ''Ranger'' departed Brest 21on August 21, reaching [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire]] on 15 October 15, in company with {{USS|Providence|1776|2}} and {{USS|Boston|1777|2}}, plus three prizes taken in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]].

The sloop departed Portsmouth on 24 February 24, 1779 joining with the Continental Navy ships {{USS|Queen of France|1777|2}} and {{USS|Warren|1775|2}} in preying on British [[merchantMerchant ship|shipping]] in the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]]. Seven prizes were captured early in April, and brought safely into port for sale. On 18 June, ''Ranger'' was underway again with ''Providence'' and ''Queen of France'', capturing two [[Jamaica]]men in July and nine more vessels off the [[Grand Banks of Newfoundland|Grand Banks]] of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]]. Of the 11 prizes, three were recaptured, but the remaining eight, with their [[cargo]]es, were worth over a million dollars when sold in [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]].

Underway on 23 November 23, ''Ranger'' was ordered to [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Abraham Whipple|Whipple]]'s squadron, arriving at [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]] on 23 December 23, to support the [[garrison]] there under [[Siege of Charleston|siege by the British]]. On 24 January 24, 1780, ''Ranger'' and ''Providence'', in a short cruise down the coast, captured three transports, loaded with supplies, near [[Tybee Island, Georgia|Tybee]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. The British assaultarmy forcetasked with capturing Charleston was also discovered in the area. ''Ranger'' and ''Providence'' sailed back to Charleston with the news. Shortly afterwards the British commenced the final push. Although the channel and harbor configuration made naval operations and support difficult, ''Ranger'' took a station in the [[Cooper River (South Carolina)|Cooper River]], and was captured when Charleston fell on 11 May 1780.

''Ranger'' was taken into the British Royal Navy and commissioned under the name HMS ''Halifax''. She was [[Ship decommissioningcommissioning|decommissioned]] in Portsmouth, England, in 1781, then sold as a merchant vessel for about 3 percent of her original cost.<ref name=jdr/>

*Begun: January 11, 1777

*Launched: May 10, 1777, into the Piscataqua River

*Location: Rising Castle, now Badger's Island, Kittery, Maine

*Departed:Nov November 1, 1777

*Builder: John Langdon

*Designer: James Hackett

*Yard Boss: Tobias Lear IV (father of Tobias Lear V, Secretary to President George Washington)

**Thomas Simpson, Portsmouth, 1st Lt.

**Elijah Hall, Portsmouth, 2nd Lt.

*Crew: 145 men including nearly half from Piscataqua area

*Cost: $65,000 Continental dollars

*Rating: Sloop of war

*Rigging: Square rigged on all three masts with royals, topgallant, and a full set of studding sails

*Arms: 18 nine-pounder guns

*Painting: Topside black with broad yellow stripe and masthead

*Dimensions: (Recorded by Royal Navy after capture)

**97' 2" at gundeck (est. 110' overall)