The 250th Birthday of the U.S. Navy
This October 13th the U.S. Navy will celebrate its 250th birthday!
Established in 1775 by the Continental Congress, the Continental Navy was created to protect shipping vessels against the British Royal Navy and defend the colonies’ vast coastline. At that time, the Continental Navy only consisted of two vessels, tasked with disrupting munition ships supplying British troops stationed in the colonies. One of these vessels, the 42-gun Continental Frigate "Bonhomme Richard", was sunk in September of 1779 during the Battle of Flamborough Head off the coast of Scotland.
One soldier from Morris County, John Richardson, spent part of his service as a Midshipman on the "Bonhomme Richard". He served as a Private in both the Militia and Continental Army under Capt. Bond’s Company, 4th Battalion. Private Richardson is reported to have died of wounds received in combat and most likely perished during the Battle of Flamborough.
To learn more about the Continental Frigate “Bonhomme Richard” and the Battle of Flamborough, visit the ‘Battles’ section of our StoryMap: Morris County in the American Revolution.
Image: Battle between Continental Navy ship Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis, 23 September 1779 by Thomas Mitchell (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command)