The second ''Providence'', a 28-gun frigate, built by Silvester Bowes at

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts ...

, by order of the Continental Congress, was launched in May 1776. After being blockaded in the

Providence River The Providence River is a tidal river in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It flows approximately 8 miles (13 km). There are no dams along the river's length, although the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is located south of downtown to protect t ...

for more than a year, the new frigate, under command of Captain

Abraham Whipple Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews ...

, ran the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

blockade on the night of 30 April 1778, returning the heavy fire of the British frigate HMS and damaging that vessel, killing 3 of her crew and wounding 17, firing on frigate HMS and damaging a tender that was sent to dock in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...

where it sank. She sailed directly for

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, arriving at Paimboeuf 30 May to procure guns and supplies for Continental Navy vessels under construction. During the voyage she captured brigantine "Lord Grossvenor" at (). Three days later Grossvenor was recaptured by Letter of Marque "Nancy" and then retaken by Providence. She sailed from Paimboeuf 8 August and six days later, joined frigate at

Brest, France Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French m ...

. The two ships sailed back to America 22 August. They took 3 prizes on the return voyage and Providence arrived Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 15 October. Transferred to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

to seek a crew, ''Providence'' sailed from Boston 18 June 1779 as flagship of Commodore Abraham Whipple, cruising eastward in company with and . In the early morning of mid-July, the squadron was in a dense fog off the banks of Newfoundland and fell in with a

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

n fleet of some 150 sails. The vessels 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 Cape Ann is a rocky peninsula in northeastern Massachusetts, United States on the Atlantic Ocean. It is about northeast of Boston and marks the northern limit of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester and the towns of ...

. The Squadron returned to Boston and 23 November sailed from Nantasket Roads, first cruising eastward of

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

, arriving at Charleston, South Carolina 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 The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

until sold in March 1783.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Providence (1776 Frigate) Ships of the Continental Navy Ships built in Providence, Rhode Island 1776 ships Captured ships Sailing frigates of the United States Navy

See also

References