Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Continental Navy captain. For his nephew, the last president of the Second Bank of the United States, see Nicholas Biddle.
Nicholas Biddle (September 10, 1750 – March 7, 1778) was one of the first five captains of the Continental Navy, which was raised by the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War. Biddle was born in Philadelphia in 1750. He began sailing at the age of 13 and joined the Royal Navy when he was 20. In 1773, he sailed the Arctic with Constantine Phipps and Horatio Nelson. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Biddle joined the Continental Navy and commanded several ships. In 1778 off the coast of Barbados, Biddle confronted HMS Yarmouth, a 64-gun British warship. After a twenty-minute battle, Biddle's ship Randolph suddenly exploded, killing him and most of his men. Four ships of the U.S. Navy have been named in his honor.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2014) |
Quick Facts Born, Died ...
Nicholas Biddle | |
---|---|
Born | September 10, 1750 Philadelphia |
Died | March 7, 1778(1778-03-07) (aged 27) Atlantic Ocean |
Allegiance | Great Britain United States |
Service/ | Royal Navy Continental Navy |
Years of service | 1770–1773 (GB) 1775–1778 (US) |
Rank | Midshipman (GB) Captain (US) |
Commands held | USS Randolph |
Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War |
Close