Esek Hopkins

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Esek Hopkins

Esek Hopkins 1718-1802, American Revolutionary naval hero, b. Scituate, R.I.; brother of Stephen Hopkins . He commanded a privateer in the French and Indian War, and in Dec., 1775, he was appointed commander in chief of the newly established Continental navy. In 1776 he made a successful raid on New Providence in the Bahamas. After a dispute with the Continental Congress, he was suspended from command in 1777 and then dismissed from the service in 1778. Hopkins is known as the "first admiral of the American Navy."

Bibliography: See biography by E. Field (1898, repr. 1972).

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Hopkins, Esek

The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military | 2001 | Â© The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military 2001, originally published by Oxford University Press 2001. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Hopkins, Esek (1718–1802) Revolutionary naval officer, born in Providence (now Scituate), Rhode Island. Hopkins was commander in chief of the Continental fleet, with the title of commodore. His refusal to follow congressional orders (to sail into the Chesapeake Bay for an encounter with the British there) and a subsequent embarrassing engagement with the British frigate Glasgow led to his censure (1776). He was removed in early 1778, following a formal complaint from all the officers aboard his flagship.

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"Hopkins, Esek." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Hopkins, Esek." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (December 26, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-HopkinsEsek.html

"Hopkins, Esek." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved December 26, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-HopkinsEsek.html

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