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USF Providence (II)
Frigate:
Built in 1775-76 by Silvester Bowes at Providence, R.I., by order of the Continental Congress
Launched in May 1776
Commissioned in May 1776, CAPT. Abraham Whipple in command
Blockaded in Providence River for more than a year, she ran the British blockade on the night of 30 April 1778
Providence returned the heavy fire of the British frigate HMS Lark, damaging that vessel, then fought a running battle with another vessel of the British
blockading force
Once free of the blockade she sailed directly for France, arriving at Paimboeuf 30 May to procure guns and supplies for Continental Navy vessels under construction
She sailed from Paimboeuf 8 August and six days later, joined frigate USF Boston at Brest, France
The two ships sailed back to America 22 August. They took 3 prizes on the return voyage and Providence arrived Portsmouth, N.H., 15 October.
Transferred to Boston to seek a crew, Providence sailed from Boston 18 June 1779 as flagship of Commodore Abraham Whipple, cruising eastward in company with
Continental Navy Sloop Ranger and USF Queen of France
In the early morning of mid-July, the squadron was in a dense fog off the banks of Newfoundland and fell in with a Jamaican fleet of some 150 sails
They remained with the enemy fleet all day without causing alarm They took 11 prizes, many by quietly sending boats to take possession
The squadron slipped away with their prizes during the night. They sent 8 of the prizes, valued together with their cargo at over a million dollars, into Boston and Cape Ann
The Squadron returned to Boston and 23 November sailed from Nantasket Roads, first cruising eastward of Bermuda, arriving at Charleston 23 December to defend that city
Providence, with other ships of Commodore Whipple's Squadron remained for the defense of Charleston and was one of the ships taken by British when that city fell,
12 May 1780
She subsequently served in the British Navy until sold in March 1783
Specifications:
Displacement 632 t.
Length 126'6"
Beam 33'8"
Depth of Hold 10'5"
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 170
Armament
twenty-six 12-pdr guns
six 4-pdr guns
Propulsionsail
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Providence (II)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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Last Updated 24 June 2022