u/stiF_staL

In order:

Jone Paul Jones (1747-1791)

John Barry (1745-1803)

John Adams (1797-1801)

"At the urging of General George Washington, the Second Continental Congress created the Continental Navy. In Philadelphia, the Congress commissioned the first Navy officers, including John Barry, regarded as the Father of the U.S. Navy, and John Paul Jones, who went on to fame by raiding the coasts of Britain itself.

On the Philadelphia bank of the Delaware River, the new Navy commissioned its first ship, the USS Alfred. On the Alfred, John Paul Jones was the first to hoist the original American national flag, the Grand Union Flag. Later, Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey signer of the Declaration, designed the first Navy flag, which became the pattern for the Stars and Stripes.

In Philadelphia's historic tavern called The Tun, John Adams wrote the Navy’s organizing document, the Articles of War. From the Delaware the navy’s first flotilla sailed, and escorted the Marines on their first amphibious operation to seize guns and gunpowder from the British in the Bahamas. The Navy’s efforts were organized in Philadelphia through most of the American Revolution, until the war ended and the Continental Navy was dissolved.

The U.S. Navy was reborn in Philadelphia after the Constitution was adopted there. A few years after Philadelphia became the Nation’s Capital, Congress met in Congress Hall and passed the Navy Act of 1794, creating the Department of the Navy. There President Washington nominated the first Secretary of the Navy, and Congress authorized construction of the famed six frigates, which were designed in Philadelphia. The first – USS United States – was launched on the Delaware and was the first U.S. Navy ship."

https://www.homecoming250.org/birthplace-of-the-navy-marine-corps/the-birth-of-the-navy/

The Battle of the Nile (1798)

Le Orient was an Ocean-class ship of the line equipped with 120-gun, a first rate ship. She was the largest ship in the world up until that point, with a complement of 1079 sailors aboard during the battle.

Before its explosion, le Orient and the majority of the French navy set anchor in Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria Egypt, commanded by Admiral Brueys. The Directoire sent Napoleon to Egypt with the intention of disrupting British trade in Egypt, threatening possession of India, in addition to ridding themselves of a burgeoning political adversary. With most of Napoleon’s army landed in Alexandria, the Navy remained near Aboukir Bay, holding a considerable treasury and amount of supplies; they were Napoleon’s lifeline to Egypt.

Meanwhile, at the direction of the British Admiralty, Horatio Nelson was sent to intercept Napoleon. Previously, Nelson reached Alexandria before the French, and left 3 days before Napoleon and Brueys arrived. Once Nelson gained word of the French presence, he sailed without delay.

As the British rounded Abukir island, they found a French line of ships against the shoals. Nelson trusted his subordinates in their initiative, to which Captain Foley showed most exceedingly. Brueys didn’t anticipate the British to put themselves between the shoals and the French line, therefore the landward side of the French vessels were not ready to receive a line of 6 British ships. Meanwhile, Nelson, with HMS Vanguard, led the rest of the British fleet down the seaward side of the French line. Each ship at the head of the French line was outnumbered two to one, while the rear prayed for a change in the wind.

The battle was long, lasting into the evening where it turned in considerable favor for the British. Then flames were seen through the lower deck gunports of le Orient. The fire spread throughout until the entire flagship was ablaze from stem to stern, while its grand magazine held 30-40 tons of gunpowder. Both fleets prepared for the explosion, closing gun ports while soaking the decks, sides, and sails with water from the elm pumps. At 10pm, night turned to a blinding day as Le Orient's magazine exploded. Reports differ, however there are estimations that 90% of Le Orient’s crew was killed or that only 70 sailors survived.

The battle came to halt, as both fleets looked on in horror. Then, in the silence after the blast, debris and bodies fell from the sky. Both British and French ships lowered rescue boats to save the few survivors, after which the battle commenced once again.

With its flag ship gone and having received considerable damage, the French fleet had lost. The French sustained 4700 casualties, two ships-of-the-line and two frigates sunk, nine captured, and what remained entered British service. Only two French vessels escaped, led by Villeneuve.

Meanwhile, the British sustained 896 casualties, yet only three ships were badly damaged. Ultimately, Nelson didn’t lose a single ship.

The Battle of the Nile would come to have major consequences. The British would reign supreme over the Mediterranean and Napoleon’s expedition was cut off from Europe, by which Napoleon's Egyptian campaign would fail. The French defeat rejuvenated Europe in its struggle against France. The Second Coalition was formed in Nelson’s wake at the Nile where he became Baron Nelson of the Nile, saying “victory is not a name strong enough for such a scene.”

The Battle of the Nile (1798)

Le Orient was an Ocean-class ship of the line equipped with 120-gun, a first rate ship. She was the largest ship in the world up until that point, with a complement of 1079 sailors aboard during the battle.

Before its explosion, le Orient and the majority of the French navy set anchor in Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria Egypt, commanded by Admiral Brueys. The Directoire sent Napoleon to Egypt with the intention of disrupting British trade in Egypt, threatening possession of India, in addition to ridding themselves of a burgeoning political adversary. With most of Napoleon’s army landed in Alexandria, the Navy remained near Aboukir Bay, holding a considerable treasury and amount of supplies; they were Napoleon’s lifeline to Egypt.

Meanwhile, at the direction of the British Admiralty, Horatio Nelson was sent to intercept Napoleon. Previously, Nelson reached Alexandria before the French, and left 3 days before Napoleon and Brueys arrived. Once Nelson gained word of the French presence, he sailed without delay.

As the British rounded Abukir island, they found a French line of ships against the shoals. Nelson trusted his subordinates in their initiative, to which Captain Foley showed most exceedingly. Brueys didn’t anticipate the British to put themselves between the shoals and the French line, therefore the landward side of the French vessels were not ready to receive a line of 6 British ships. Meanwhile, Nelson, with HMS Vanguard, led the rest of the British fleet down the seaward side of the French line. Each ship at the head of the French line was outnumbered two to one, while the rear prayed for a change in the wind.

The battle was long, lasting into the evening where it turned in considerable favor for the British. Then flames were seen through the lower deck gunports of le Orient. The fire spread throughout until the entire flagship was ablaze from stem to stern, while its grand magazine held 30-40 tons of gunpowder. Both fleets prepared for the explosion, closing gun ports while soaking the decks, sides, and sails with water from the elm pumps. At 10pm, night turned to a blinding day as Le Orient's magazine exploded. Reports differ, however there are estimations that 90% of Le Orient’s crew was killed or that only 70 sailors survived.

The battle came to halt, as both fleets looked on in horror. Then, in the silence after the blast, debris and bodies fell from the sky. Both British and French ships lowered rescue boats to save the few survivors, after which the battle commenced once again.

With its flag ship gone and having received considerable damage, the French fleet had lost. The French sustained 4700 casualties, two ships-of-the-line and two frigates sunk, nine captured, and what remained entered British service. Only two French vessels escaped, led by Villeneuve.

Meanwhile, the British sustained 896 casualties, yet only three ships were badly damaged. Ultimately, Nelson didn’t lose a single ship.

The Battle of the Nile would come to have major consequences. The British would reign supreme over the Mediterranean and Napoleon’s expedition was cut off from Europe, by which Napoleon's Egyptian campaign would fail. The French defeat rejuvenated Europe in its struggle against France. The Second Coalition was formed in Nelson’s wake at the Nile where he became Baron Nelson of the Nile, saying “victory is not a name strong enough for such a scene.”

"I found him a pygmy and left him a giant."

The scale is 1:77, and its accompanied by a short piece by Lee Martin.

“The Soleil Royal (Royal Sun) was a flagship built by Louis XIV and launched in 1670. It was the most richly decorated of all his ships, with sculptures on the bow and stern areas ascribed to Caysevox, a famous artist and favorite of Louis, whose work is also seen throughout the Versailles palace. She was armed with 104 cannons and crewed by about 1000 sailors. In 1690, she commanded a fleet that surprised the English at Beachy Head, sinking a number of ships and giving the French command of the Channel…for a time.

In 1692, the English struck back in a battle that spanned the English Channel’s French coast. Badly damaged, she was beached at Cherbourg. She was then rammed by a fire ship (appropriately named “The Blaze”), which ignited the powder magazine, blowing up the ship and sinking her. Only one crewman survived.”

Courtesy of Epic History Tv