On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress named the first thirteen ships of the Continental Navy as the Congress, Randolph, Hancock, Washington, Trumbull, Raleigh, Hifingham, Montgomery, Warren, Boston, Virginia, Providence, and Delaware. The Congress also named “sundry gentlemen for captains and subaltern officers for the ships building or built for the continent” including that

Thomas Thompson be appointed captain of the frigate built in New Hampshire:

John Hopkins, and Samuel Tomkins, for those building in Rhode Island:

Christopher Miller, for one of those built in New York:

Nicholas Biddle, John Barry, Thomas Read, Charles Alexander, for the four ships building in Philadelphia:

James Nicholson for that building in Maryland.

. . .

That Israel Turner be first lieutenant; Joseph Doble, second lieutenant; Mark Dennet, third lieutenant, of Captain Manly’s ship.

and further

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be empowered and directed to consider the propriety of building two more ships of war, and their size, and report to Congress.

. . .

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be instructed forthwith to fit out two fast sailing vessels and load them with provisions to be sent immediately to supply the inhabitants of the islands of Bermudas, and that the committee of Secret Correspondence be directed to take such measures as they may think proper by those vessels, to discover the state of those islands and the disposition of their inhabitants; and that the Marine Committee be instructed to take such measures as they may think proper for purchasing, manning, arming and fitting at the said islands two sloops of war for the service of the United Colonies.

Source: Vol. V, Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789, Washington D.C.: US Government Printing Office (1904) at pp. 422-23, accessed at https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc005/page/421/mode/2up