1776 Navy List

American Navy Captains 1776

List of Captains in the Continental Navy in Order of Their Seniority as Established by Congress, October 10, 1776

Displayed here with grateful recognition of its source at Bluejacket.com

While we are all proud of the fact that in 1776 Captain John Paul Jones was the eighteenth Captain of twenty-four on the Continental Congress' Navy List, I humbly submit that it would be interesting to note who is senior to him (by a factor of nine)!

Number	Captain	Ship
1	James Nicholson	frigate Virginia
2	John Manley	frigate Hancock
3	Hector McNeill	frigate Boston
4	Dudley Saltonstall	frigate Trumbull
5	Nicholas Biddle	frigate Randolph
6	Thomas Thompson	frigate Raleigh
7	John Barry	frigate Effingham
8	Thomas Read	frigate Washington
9	Thomas Grinnell	frigate Congress
10	Charles Alexander	frigate Delaware
11	Lambert Wickes	sloop Reprisal
12	Abraham Whipple	frigate Providence
13	John B. Hopkins	frigate Warren
14	John Hodge	frigate Montgomery
15	William Hallock	brig Lexington
16	Hoysted Hacker	brig Hampden
17	Isiah Robinson	brig Andrew Doria
18	John Paul Jones*	sloop Providence
19	James Josiah	no ship assigned
20	Elisha Hinman	ship Alfred
21	Joseph Olney	brig Cabot
22	James Robinson	sloop Sachem
23	John Young	sloop Independence
24	Elisha Warner	schooner Fly
December 7, 1775 Jones received his commission as first lieutenant. With his skill and daring he was appointed to the rank of acting Captain and received a regular commission on August 8, 1776. When reassigned from the Alfred to the Providence, his commission was reissued now dated October 10, 1776 placing him down the seniority list. Jones and his supporters bitterly complained to no avail. Displayed here with grateful recognition of its source at Bluejacket.com* Copyright © 2002 [Bluejacket.com]. All rights reserved.