New Hampshire State Navy

Hampden engaging the East Indiaman Bridgewater (Francis Holman, 1779)

The New Hampshire State Navy was the state navy of New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War. It consisted of a single ship, the 20-gun privateer Hampden, which was owned by politician and ship-owner John Langdon. Hampden was commissioned into the state navy in August 1779 for use in the disastrous Penobscot Expedition, during which it was captured by the Royal Navy. Patriot authorities in New Hampshire also issued letters of marque to privateers and established an admiralty court to deal with naval matters, including the disposition of prizes brought in by privateers.

References

• Paullin, Charles Oscar (1906). The navy of the American Revolution: its administration, its policy and its achievements. The Burrows Brothers Co. p. 315. paullin massachusetts navy. This work contains summary information on each of the various state navies.