What an interesting book might be written about this little navy!
Nearly all were destined to fall at last into the hands of the enemy;
their crews to languish out the remainder of their days in foul
dungeons, where famine and disease made short work of them. Little
remains to us now except the names of these vessels.
The Virginia was built at Gosport. The Dragon and some others were
built at Fredericksburg. Many were built at Norfolk.
The Hermit was early captured by the British. The gallant little
Mosquito was taken by the Ariadne. Her crew was confined in a
loathsome jail at Barbadoes. But her officers were sent to England,
and confined in Fortune jail at Gosport. They succeeded in escaping
and made their way to France. The names of these officers were Captain
John Harris; Lieutenant Chamberlayne; Midshipman Alexander Moore;
Alexander Dock, Captain of Marines; and George Catlett, Lieutenant of
Marines.
The Raleigh was captured by the British frigate Thames. Her crew was
so shamefully maltreated that upon representations made to the Council
of State upon their condition, it was recommended that by way of
retaliation the crew of the Solebay, a sloop of war which had fallen
into the hands of the Americans, should be visited with the like
severe treatment. To what extent this was carried out we cannot
discover.
The Scorpion was taken by the British in the year 1781, a fatal year
for the navy of Virginia.
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