Mr. Snell:
I refer you to Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Vol. 4 (1969) 1328-29 and 1419-21 and Vo.. 5, 1970, 512, 530-1 for details on Abraham Whipple’s Court Martial. John Paul Jones was not a member of the court and Whipple’s lieutenants did not make the charge of cowardice.
The Glasgow Incident which let to a court-martial.
The first group of naval captains were all seasoned and brave fighting men: most, like Abe Whipple, had long experience as privateers. But as privateers they had engaged the enemy as individuals, doing things in their own way in their own time, and were totally unused to group action or acting under a single command. This weakness became painfully evident on April 6, 1776.
Naval Commander-in-Chief Esek Hopkins was leading his little fleet (Dudley Saltonstall in the flagship Alfred, Abe in the Columbus, John B. Hopkins in the Cabot, Nicholas Biddle in the Andrew Doria, and John Hazard in the Providence) including several prizes taken during the
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