Raleigh, a 32-gun
frigate, was authorized by Continental Congress on 13 December 1775. Built by Messrs.
James Hackett, Hill, and Paul under supervision of Thomas Thompson, the
keel was laid on March 21, 1776, at the
shipyard of
John Langdon on what is now
Badger's Island in
Kittery, Maine. She was
launched on May 21, 1776. With a full-length figure of
Sir Walter Raleigh as
figurehead,
Raleigh put to sea under Captain Thomas Thompson, who also supervised her construction, on August 12, 1777. Shortly thereafter, she joined and sailed for France. Three days out they captured a
schooner carrying
counterfeit Massachusetts money. Burning the schooner and her cargo, except for samples, the frigates continued their transatlantic passage. On September 2 they captured the British
brig,
Nancy, and from her they obtained the signals of the
convoy which the brig had been escorting from the rear. Giving chase, the Americans closed with the convoy on September 4, 1777.
Raleigh, making use of the captured signals, intercepted the convoy and engaged . In the ensuing battle she damaged
Druid, but the approach of the other British escorts, and forced her to retire. On 28 September she and
Alfred captured brig
Sally. On December 29, 1777,
Raleigh and
Alfred, having taken on military stores, set sail from
L'Orient,
France, following a course that took them along the coast of Africa. After capturing the British vessel
Granville off the
bar of the
Senegal River,
Raleigh crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the
West Indies. On March 9, 1778, in the
Lesser Antilles,
Alfred, some distance from
Raleigh, was captured by the British ships and .
Raleigh, unable to reach
Alfred in time to assist her, continued north and returned to
New England early in April 1778. Accused of
cowardice and
dereliction of duty for not aiding
Alfred, Captain Thompson was suspended soon after reaching port. On May 30, 1778, the
Marine Committee appointed
John Barry to replace him as captain. Barry arrived in
Boston to assume command on June 24 only to find his ship without crew or stores and the Navy Board not wholly in support of the manner of his appointment. His reputation and character, however, neutralized the ill-will of the Marine Committee, drew enlistments, and helped to obtain the stores. On September 25,
Raleigh sailed for
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with a brig and a
sloop under convoy. Six hours later two strange sails were sighted. After identification of the ships as British the merchant vessels were ordered back to port.
Raleigh drew off the pursuing ships. Through that day and the next the British ships and pursued
Raleigh. In late afternoon on the 27th, the leading British ship closed with her. A seven-hour running battle followed, much of the time in close action. About midnight, the British hauled off and Barry prepared to conceal his ship among the islands of
Penobscot Bay. The British, however, again pressed the battle. As
Raleigh opened fire, Barry ordered a course toward the land.
Raleigh soon grounded on
Wooden Ball Island, part of
Matinicus. The British hauled off but continued the fight for a while, then anchored. Barry ordered the crew ashore to continue the fight and to burn
Raleigh. A large party, including Barry, made it to shore. One boat was ordered back to
Raleigh to take off the remainder of the crew, and destroy her, however the British again fired on the ship,
striking the
Continental colours. The battle was over. All three ships had been damaged,
Unicorn particularly so. Of the Americans ashore, a few were captured on the island, but the remainder, including Barry, made it back to
Boston, Massachusetts, arriving on October 7. ==As HMS
Raleigh==