Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Christine P. Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all other inconsistencies are as in the original. Author's spelling has been maintained. Every chapter heading had an illustration; the corresponding tag has been removed.] [Illustration: Spilling Grog on the "Constitution" before Going into Action.] THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES BY WILLIS J. ABBOT With Many Illustrations _VOLUME ONE_ NEW YORK: PETER FENELON COLLIER, PUBLISHER. Copyright, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890 By Dodd, Mead and Company _All rights reserved_ CONTENTS. THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. _PART I._ BLUE JACKETS OF '76. CHAPTER I. Early Exploits upon the Water. -- Gallop's Battle with the Indians. -- Buccaneers and Pirates. -- Morgan and Blackbeard. -- Capt. Kidd turns Pirate. -- Downfall of the Buccaneers' Power. CHAPTER II. Expeditions against Neighboring Colonies. -- Romantic Career of Sir William Phipps. -- Quelling a Mutiny. -- Expeditions against Quebec. CHAPTER III. Opening of the American Revolution. -- The Affair of the Schooner "St. John." -- The Press-gang and its Work. -- The Sloop "Liberty." -- Destruction of the "Gaspee." -- The Boston Tea-party. CHAPTER IV. The Beginning of the Navy. -- Lexington and Concord. -- A Blow Struck in Maine. -- Capture of the "Margaretta." -- Gen. Washington and the Navy. -- Work of Capt. Manly. CHAPTER V. Events of 1776. -- The First Cruise of the Regular Navy. -- The "Lexington" and the "Edward." -- Mugford's Brave Fight. -- Loss of the "Yankee Hero." -- Capt. Manly, and the "Defence." -- American Vessels in European Waters. -- Good Work of the "Lexington" and the "Reprisal." -- the British defeated at Charleston. CHAPTER VI. The Career of Paul Jones. -- In Command of the "Providence." -- Capture of the "Mellish." -- Exploits with the "Alfred." -- In Command of the "Ranger." -- Sweeping the English Channel. -- The Descent upon Whitehaven. CHAPTER VII. Career of Paul Jones Continued. -- His Descent upon the Castle of Lord Selkirk. -- The Affair of the Plate. -- The Descent upon Whitehaven. -- The Battle with the "Drake." -- Lieut. Simpson's Perfidy. CHAPTER VIII.