- USS Fly (1776)
USS "Fly" was an eight gun
sloop of war built into theContinental Navy . She was part of a squadron that was beaten back by the 20 gun HMS "Glasgow"."Fly", one of the eight former merchant ships fitted out by the Naval Committee between November
1775 and January1776 , was purchased inBaltimore, Maryland under Congressional authorization of a small tender or despatch vessel for the fleet. Aschooner , often referred to as asloop , she was first commanded byLieutenant Hoystead Hacker .Early in 1776, "Fly" joined the squadron of
Commodore Esek Hopkins offReedy Island at the head ofDelaware Bay , and on17 February sailed with this force for its historic cruise toNew Providence , America's first amphibious operation. Two nights out, "Fly" fouled the sloop HMS "Hornet", who was forced to return to port. "Fly", however, was able to rejoin the squadron off New Providence11 March , finding that the operation had been a great success, and that a large quantity of military stores sorely needed by theContinental Army had been taken. Heavily laden with the valuable supplies, the fleet departed New Providence17 March , and on4 April arrived offLong Island where it took two small British ships of war and two merchantmen. Two days later the squadron engaged the British sloop-of-war HMS "Glasgow", damaging her so badly that she fled intoNewport Rhode Island , leaving her tender to be captured. On8 April the fleet arrived atNew London, Connecticut to land the captured military stores."Fly" patrolled off New London to learn the strength of the British Fleet until June, when she was detached to carry cannon from Newport to
Amboy, New Jersey , where she was blockaded briefly by the British. Later in 1776, she cruised the New Jersey coast to intercept enemy ships bound forNew York City . In an encounter with one of these in November, a number of "Fly"'s men were wounded, and she was damaged to the extent that she had to put in toPhiladelphia to repair and refit.Ready for active service early in 1777, "Fly" convoyed merchantmen to sea, carried despatches, and protected American ships in
Cape May Channel . During the later part of the year, she was one of the Continental ships working with thePennsylvania Navy to defend theDelaware River . In November when the British Fleet and powerful shore batteries forced the evacuation ofFort Mifflin andFort Mercer , giving the British control of the river, "Fly" and the other Continental ships were burned to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy.References
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f3/fly.htm
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