USS Wasp (1775)

History

The short-lived eight-gun schooner USS Wasp was born as a two-masted merchant ship called the Scorpion. The Continental Congress purchased the Scorpion in June 1775 and commissioned the ship as a warship in December of that year. The ship is equipped with 8 x 2-pounder guns and 6 x "rotary" guns. Due to their shallow draft structure, schooner-type boats are intentionally designed to travel fast in the water, and their sails are mounted on several masts with the fore-mast no higher than the aft-mast.

Caravans were so popular at the time that almost every country with a viable navy used the ship. In fact, the Royal Navy's caravan HMS Pickle was one such ship that brought news of Lord Nelson's victory (and death) at Trafalgar to England, largely because of her excellent speed and windward ability. As a result, caravans found a large number of homes in the American colonies, more than any other navy at the time. Additionally, they have proven popular with all professional seafarers - merchants, slave traders, privateers, blockade runners - and can be used in more traditional roles such as fishing.

The original USS Wasp, the first of nine U.S. ships to carry the "Wasp" name, would begin a proud lineage for the fledgling Continental Navy.

On January 14, 1776, USS Wasp was assigned to escort with USS Hornet. They were assigned to guard a small fleet of ships sailing from Baltimore Harbor to Cape Delaware. It was this voyage of the US warship that became the first sortie ordered by the Continental Navy. They then joined Brigadier General Essek Hopkins' squadron at Delaware Point, which sailed to the squadron on February 13.

This special operation was the first sailing of a U.S. Navy squadron during the war (the American Revolutionary War was in full swing, officially beginning on April 19, 1775, and ending on September 3, 1783).

The fleet sailed along the coast of the United States to the Bahamas, arriving in Abaco on March 1. The U.S. plan calls for U.S. Marines to conduct a sudden amphibious assault on British-held New Providence.

The aircraft carriers USS Wasp and USS Providence were ordered - if necessary - to use their guns to secure the landing, which surprisingly did not resist. Fort Montagu collapsed on the same day with no casualties, before the landing forces attacked Nassau and its associated fort - both fell the next day. However, two days of fighting gave the enemy plenty of time to hide a valuable supply of black powder from the attackers. The American invaders found only 24 barrels of gunpowder, of which about 150 had been removed before arrival. Although logistically disappointing, some 90 iron guns and 15 brass mortars were confiscated and returned to the nascent U.S.

Navy. The seizure of these military weapons and supplies became one of the first successful raids by the U.S. Navy in its short history. The American fleet then set sail for New England on March 17, and the fleet arrived heroically.

The Wasp was then retired from the squadron and returned to Philadelphia for minor repairs. She got there on April 4, 1776.

On April 23, USS Wasp began active patrols in the Delaware River and Delaware Bay. On 5 May, two British warships entered the bay - the 44-gun HMS Roebuck and the 28-gun HMS Liverpool. These ships and their crews proved themselves in previous battles and captured several American ships as prizes. Unseen by British lookouts, the Wasp made a deliberate effort to sail towards the shelter provided by Christiana Creek.

The shallow waters of the creek could be used by the United States, as larger, deeper British ships would run aground if they followed them.

Fortunately, HMS Roebuck himself ran aground in the bay. The Wasp and 13 Allied galley ships engaged them and HMS Liverpool. The fighting continued for two days until American ships forced British warships to retreat downstream. Some of the ex-British loot present was liberated by the Americans, while the USS Wasp captured the British brig "Betsy". Wasp continued to occupy rivers, bays, and coasts, bringing three more captured enemy ships into the net by the end of the year.

In December, the Wasp liberated the USS Success, and the ship was taken over by HMS Roebuck in May 1776.

In late 1777, the USS Wasp was active at Cape Delaware. She was then assigned to the fleet that protected Philadelphia from the British fleet commanded by Sir Richard "Black Dick" Howe. When Philadelphia fell in late September, the American fleet was driven back. The Wasp and other American ships sailed along the Delaware River to maintain control of this vital waterway. During this "combat retreat," the Wasp ran aground on the east coast of Maryland and caught fire during the battle.

The fire spread to the powder room, and her powder magazine exploded, completely destroying the ship. Wasp Commander, Lt. John Baldwin was responsible for the loss and was subsequently court-martialed for the loss of the ship. After further scrutiny of the fight, Baldwin was rightly acquitted.

Thus ended the tenure of the first Wasp in service with the US Navy.

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