In 1775 thirteen American colonies began an armed struggle to assert their rights within the British Empire. The following year their goal became independence from that empire. During this conflict the Continental Congress created a small navy for defense and taking the fight to the enemy. Its persistent attacks and occasional successes helped encourage foreign powers to recognize the young nation, and then to ally with it against Great Britain.
Supported by the French, the Continental Navy raided British home waters, leading to a September 1779 battle that inspired the future U.S. Navy's traditions of professionalism, courage and determination. Two years later, the French Navy demonstrated the importance of command of the sea with a victory off the Virginia Capes that trapped an enemy army, whose surrender doomed Great Britain's fight to prevent America's independence.
This page features a selection of iconic naval images from the American Revolution of 1775-1783.
Click the small photographs to prompt a medium resolution view of the same image, the words "Picture Data" to access the Picture Data Sheet for that image, and the words "HI-RES" to bring up a high-resolution JPG reproduction.
In late 1775, Congress established the Continental Navy: commissioning officers, raising crews, outfitting merchant ships for war and beginning construction of new warships. Attacking the enemy where he was weak, the new Navy seized vitally needed supplies from British shipping and weakly defended positions ashore. |
3 December 1775: ![]() Photo # NH 85212-KN Picture Data HI-RES |
3 March 1776 ![]() Photo # NH 79419-KN Picture Data HI-RES |
16 November 1776: ![]() Photo # NH 85510-KN Picture Data HI-RES |
![]() Photo # 80-G-K-21225 Picture Data HI-RES |
Continental Navy ships were frequent visitors in foreign ports. Late in 1776 a Dutch West Indies fort fired the first official salute to the American flag. In February 1778 France formally recognized the United States. The new nation was now allied with Europe's most powerful state. |
23 September 1779: ![]() Photo # KN-10855 Picture Data HI-RES |
The Continental Navy took the war into British home waters. A hard-fought September 1779 battle there, between Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis, is the war's best-known naval action. The conflict's most important sea fight, a strategically decisive action between French and British ships of the line off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, was a dramatic example of sea power's influence on events ashore. |
![]() Photo # NH 73927-KN Picture Data HI-RES |
Scottish-born John Paul Jones fought in many of the Continental
Navy's actions. His impressive professional skill, aggressiveness
and great personal bravery inspire traditions that thrive in
today's United States Navy. |
![]() Photo # NH 93584-KN Picture Data HI-RES |
For more Iconic Naval Images, see:
NOTES:
If you want other reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 2 March 2009
Text and layout revised 19 March 2009