Georgia State Navy
Encyclopedia
During the American Revolutionary War
, the Georgia State Navy consisted of only a few ships, most of which were destroyed in 1778 and 1779.
to engage a ship for its own naval purposes. In June 1775, not long after the American Revolutionary War
broke out, it commissioned an armed sloop
for the purpose of seizing a British transport carrying munitions that was destined for the Georgia port of Savannah
. Funds were authorized in 1776 for expeditions by Captains Oliver Bowen and Job Pray to acquire and arm ships in the West Indies; whether these were actually successful is unknown. In November 1776 the state established an admiralty court
for adjudicating the distribution of prize
s captured at sea.
The state also authorized the construction of row galley
s in 1776. A total of four were put into service: Washington, Lee, Bulloch, and Congress. These ships, unsuited for use on the high seas, served along the state's coast and on its rivers. They were used in some of the failed attempts to attack East Florida
, and in the successful naval action
in April 1778 that disabled and captured several British ships off St. Simons Island.
The four galleys were used in the 1779 Siege of Savannah
, a failed Franco-American attempt to retake the city from the British. The continued British occupation of the state (the only state in which the royal governor returned to take control), made the construction of further ships impossible.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the Georgia State Navy consisted of only a few ships, most of which were destroyed in 1778 and 1779.
History
Georgia was one of the first of the Thirteen ColoniesThirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
to engage a ship for its own naval purposes. In June 1775, not long after the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
broke out, it commissioned an armed sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
for the purpose of seizing a British transport carrying munitions that was destined for the Georgia port of Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. Funds were authorized in 1776 for expeditions by Captains Oliver Bowen and Job Pray to acquire and arm ships in the West Indies; whether these were actually successful is unknown. In November 1776 the state established an admiralty court
Admiralty court
Admiralty courts, also known as maritime courts, are courts exercising jurisdiction over all maritime contracts, torts, injuries and offences.- Admiralty Courts in England and Wales :...
for adjudicating the distribution of prize
Prize (law)
Prize is a term used in admiralty law to refer to equipment, vehicles, vessels, and cargo captured during armed conflict. The most common use of prize in this sense is the capture of an enemy ship and its cargo as a prize of war. In the past, it was common that the capturing force would be allotted...
s captured at sea.
The state also authorized the construction of row galley
Row galley
The row galley was an armed naval craft that used oars rather than sail as a means of propulsion. During the "age of sail" row galleys had the advantage of propulsion while ships of sail might be stopped or running at slow speed because of lack of wind for their sails.Even row galleys were...
s in 1776. A total of four were put into service: Washington, Lee, Bulloch, and Congress. These ships, unsuited for use on the high seas, served along the state's coast and on its rivers. They were used in some of the failed attempts to attack East Florida
East Florida
East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...
, and in the successful naval action
Frederica naval action
The Frederica naval action was a naval battle during the American Revolutionary War in which three galleys of the Georgia State Navy defeated a British raiding party off the coast of Georgia. The action occurred on April 19, 1778.-Background:...
in April 1778 that disabled and captured several British ships off St. Simons Island.
The four galleys were used in the 1779 Siege of Savannah
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
, a failed Franco-American attempt to retake the city from the British. The continued British occupation of the state (the only state in which the royal governor returned to take control), made the construction of further ships impossible.