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The new ship-of-war was commissioned Reprisal, a name that betokens striking back at the enemy with a vengeance.
From time to time, unassuming or unexpected things alter the course of military history. The American ship Molly, with a crew of 102 sailors and 28 Marines, was such a thing. A colonial merchantman, she was a mere 100 feet from stem to stern, painted jet black with yellow piping and at the tip of the bow was Molly herselfa figurehead who was supposed to bring good luck and fortune.
On March 28, 1776, Molly's days as a merchant vessel ended when she was drafted into the Navy by the Continental Congress. In Philadelphia she was fitted with 18 6-pound cannons. The Grand Union fluttered from her spanker gaff13 red and white stripes with the Union Jack in the corner. The new ship-of-war was commissioned Reprisal, a name that betokens striking back at the enemy with a vengeance.
In those days captains "earned" their ship by recruiting a crew. Lambert Wickes, Reprisal's captain, and Miles Pennington, the ship's captain of Marines, searched alow and aloft for men in Philadelphia, but came up short. The captains agreed to split up and journey south in search of a crew. Wickes went as far south as Baltimore, and Pennington trekked along the Delaware River to Wilmington, Del.
On April 20, Pennington stopped by William Marshall's plantation near Wilmington. Without permission he spirited away one of Marshall's slaves named John "Keto" Martin. Private Martin thus became a free man and the first black Continental Marine.
Continuing his unorthodox recruiting methods, Pennington soon had a small company of Marines: a lieutenant, two sergeants and 24 privates. Wickes likewise recruited his sailors, not forgetting his younger brother whom he commissioned a lieutenant.
No sooner had the crew formed up in Philadelphia than a messenger arrived with unsettling news: "A British fleet is approaching the city." News spread quickly through Philadelphia causing a near panic. A small fleet of British warships was advancing up the Delaware River. It appeared that Reprisal and her new crew would see action sooner than expected.
However, the same wind which carried the British fleet up river prevented Reprisal from sailing down to do battle. Rather than...