Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month April 1778
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Stough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR
March of 1778 had come in like a lion but its roaring winds and cold soon subsided, bringing false hopes of spring and relief from many of the rigors of life in the cramped encampment at Valley Forge. It was so warm by month's end that many believed that winter had gone with the passing of the Vernal Equinox (about March 21st).
April arrived deceptively warm, and then suddenly winter returned in a blast of snow and cold that froze the Schuylkill River. Biting winds and cold again confined the soldiers to their cabins, when they were not required to drill and march under the stern tutelage of General Baron von Steuben.
Washington felt that Howe would attack across the iced over river, but an attack never came. The sudden return of winter was short lived. Warm winds soon came again, the ice and snow melted and spring blooms burst forth in all their glory.
Friendly farmers soon spread the word that at months end it would be time for a shad run in the river. What a feast! For the first time at Valley Forge every man had all that he could eat. Not only did they feast on shad, but also they caught and stored salted shad to supply the army in future days.
With a lack of hostilities in the month of April 1778 between the major land forces of Britain and the Continental Army, it is time to look at the Continental Navy, which was authorized October 13th, 1775. It had now become officially the United States Navy [although in historical writings the two names appear to be used interchangeably].
When hostilities first began, privateers were authorized by all thirteen states. In 9 of the 13 original colonies there was also a state navy. Additionally, there was a merchant fleet of long standing and experience in coastal and deep water trade. Trade had required arming of vessels to stand off pirates.
In previous wars, colonial ships supported the Royal Navy in American waters. As economic problems with Britain progressed toward 1775, there was an increased utilization of merchant vessels to supply the colonies with needed goods beyond those available or economically desired from Britain. This gave rise to a strong, armed merchant marine, particularly in the New England colonies.
The entrance of France into the war in February 1778, followed by Spain in 1779 and the Netherlands in 1780, were important factors in the naval aspect of the war. The Spanish and the Dutch were not particularly active, but their role in keeping British naval forces tied down in Europe was significant. The British navy could not maintain an effective blockade of both the American coast and their European enemies' ports.
If action was lacking between the land forces in April of 1778, there was plenty of action at sea by American privateers and the fledgling U.S. Navy. Both were making a name for themselves not only on the high seas, but also on English soil as well. England had long boasted that no enemy could breach its wooden wall of ships and attack the English homeland. During this month of April, not only would the homeland be defiled by the tread of hostile feet, but also the enemy would go unpunished to the embarrassment of the Royal Navy.
Congress had authorized several ships to be built in a shipyard near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. One was the Hampshire; a sloop of war with 20 guns. After the Hampshire was launched, its name was changed to the Ranger and its guns reduced to 18. Command was given to a proven captain of the United States Navy. The captain, previously not generally known by either the American or British public, would within the month of April, 1778 rise from obscurity to instant fame. From this time on, both he and the sloop would be known by every soul in America and Great Britain. Regardless of one's opinion, this captain whatever he might be called, hero, rascal, rebel, pirate, patriot or showman would become a permanent fixture in the annals of the United States Navy.
Slipping out of the French harbor of Brest in early April, the captain was bent on taking prisoners and destroying shipping in the British Isles. Anything that threatened Britain's sea borne commerce threatened the lifeline of the Empire. Britain had always depended on her sea trade to import needed raw materials and to export finished goods. Therefore, captured seamen were considered rebels and/or pirates to be confined in English prisons without benefit of exchange. Conversely, prisoner exchange was common in North America between the two armies. At this time no seaman taken prisoner during the Revolution had ever been released or exchanged by Britain.
The captain proposed through interruption of British commerce and the capture of British seaman to influence Britain to exchange American seaman. On April 14th, the Brigantine Dolphin was captured, it’s crew made prisoner and the ship sunk. The ship and its cargo were not worth the loss of crew members to send it back to port as a prize. Three days later the Lord Chatham was captured. A better ship with a valuable cargo, it was sent back to Brest with a prize crew.
The next morning the armed wherry the Hussar was sighted and given chase. After some maneuvering the Hussar escaped to spread the word that an American raider was in British home waters. The next day a Scots coastal schooner was captured, its crew taken prisoner and the ship sunk.
The following day the Captain sighted the 20 gun Royal Navy Sloop Drake at anchor in a protective cove. The American sloop had left Brest short handed and had further weakened it's crew by sending off prize crews. The Drake was obviously fully manned and in a protected location. Therefore, a surprise night attack would be advantageous to the American ship with its reduced crew. It was decided to wait for darkness to attack the Drake. That night an approach to the ship was made, but the attempt spoiled by the ineptness of the ship's Quartermaster in maneuvering the American vessel. While a disappointment, it would not be the end of encounters with the Drake.
Since the beginning of the Revolution, it had been common practice of both the British army and navy to plunder American towns then put them to the torch. This practice was especially true of the Royal navy, which made a practice of invading coastal towns and burning both the town and it's shipping.
Destroying Britain's commerce, but not the burning of towns, was a mission of the United States Navy. Therefore, the English port of Whitehaven, a town with a large merchant fleet, was a prime target for the sloop and its captain. Burning or scuttling the merchant fleet in its harbor would cause more damage to British shipping in one night than had been done by all the privateers and naval ships since the beginning of the war.
On April 22nd, a night attempt to enter Whitehaven Harbor and set fire to the considerable shipping was delayed by refusal of part of the crew to respond. They had signed on for prize money not to burn ships! Asking for volunteers the captain manned two boats and set out to set fire to ships in the harbor. Two things now occurred. One boat and its crew fell into the nearest pub and proceeded to carouse. Second, David Freeman, an Irishman who apparently had signed on in an attempt to return to Ireland, began to run from house to house warning inhabitants to turn out to save their ships and homes from pirates. Due to the hue and cry caused by Freeman and lack of the second crew, only one ship was set afire.
As a naval attack it was of little value and could have been a disaster; it was far from the potential that could have been realized if it were not for the behavior of Freeman and the second boat's crew. Politically, it was a rousing success! The whole of the British Isles was upset that such a thing could happen. Economically it was also a success as shipping rates and marine insurance rose to prohibitive heights.
Until now the name of John Paul Jones and the sloop "Ranger" weren't known in England. Both instantly became famous, Jones was denounced as a pirate by the deserter David Freeman and the damage to property exaggerated by the press. The result of greatest importance was the shattering of the myth that English seaports could not be raided. It was the first time in over 100 years that an English town had been raided. The last time had been in 1667 when the Dutch raided and burned the town of Sheerness.
John Paul Jones
On the 23rd of April Jones landed on St. Mary's Isle planning to capture the Earl of Selkirk and use him as a bargaining chip for the release of American prisoners in English jails. He invaded the Earl's home, but found he was not there; only the Countess and servants were present. His crew, having had enough of fighting without obtaining anything for prize money, was determined on taking something from the Selkirk house that could be sold.
Jones realized that he could lose control over the crew if he refused the seizure of at least the family silver. Reluctantly, he allowed the crew to take the family silver but had the Countess sign an inventory of the silver taken. Jones bought the silver service from the crew when it was put up for sale upon return to France. He then returned the silver service unharmed to the Countess of Selkirk with his apology.
On April 24th, the day after departing St. Mary’s Isle, the Royal Navy ship Drake of 20 guns was again engaged. The Drake was taken but only after a brutal battle lasting over an hour, ending only when the Drake's captain was killed by a Marine rifleman from Ranger's fighting top. The Drake had lost its mast and many of its crew were dead or wounded.
Unable to sail on it's own, the Drake was taken in tow. By April 28th, the ship was again made seaworthy and sent off with a prize crew. The capture of the Drake, the first British warship to be defeated and captured by Americans, increased the furor over all the dastardly actions of the Americans from Whitehaven to the capture of Drake.
Jones and the crew of the Ranger had not even begun to visit on the people of Britain the devastation which the British army and navy had routinely visited on the American states and its people; nor was the damage that great. It was the psychological shock that such things could happen in England that upset the people and the government.
These deeds were the last straw for both the English people and their government. There was fear and near hysteria by the public and outrage by the government and Royal Navy. Parliament debated if Jones and his crew should be declared pirates to be hanged upon their capture. The entire British Isles were alarmed! Militias were called out! The Royal Navy bombarded with inquiries! Even "Gentlemen" were asked to volunteer to guard the homeland from the pirate Jones and his crew. Whitehaven, St. Mary’s Isle and the capture of the Drake were not the end of Jones exploits, but from that time on, his name was a household word in Britain and America.
References: Christopher Ward's "War of the Revolution",Carl Van Doren's "Benjamin Franklin", Samuel Eliot Morison's "John Paul Jones, A Sailor's Biography".
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