Reviving the Naval History of the Revolution
In the tumultuous years leading up to the Revolution, merchants and sailors were among the first to argue for American rights. As the Revolution unfolded, naval leaders sought to protect American ships from attack by foreign powers and to open new opportunities for American trade abroad. However, the Navy lacked the warships to patrol North American waters or to cruise against enemy corsairs. Therefore, Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert decided to focus on the Caribbean, where most of the French cruisers were based. The Revolution grew out of a desire to challenge Britain’s unchallenged claim to sea power. As a result, the American colonies began constructing small navies and authorized privateers. In the era of international law, governments regularly issued documents known as “letters of marque and reprisal.” These allowed private seamen to seize enemy ships. These men-of-war were often referred to as pirates, but they had their own distinct legal status under highly regulated