Combat· American Revolutionary War
Trumbull vs HMS Watt
One of the bloodiest single-ship actions in the history of the Continental Navy.
On her maiden cruise, the frigate Trumbull under Captain James Nicholson met the heavily armed British letter-of-marque Watt off Bermuda and fought her at point-blank range, fifty to eighty yards, for more than two and a half hours. Continental Marines traded relentless musket fire with the enemy through the smoke until both ships were wrecks; Trumbull's shattered rigging finally forced her to break off, leaving the equally crippled Watt to limp toward New York. The cost to the Marines was severe. Among the dead were Lieutenants Bill, Smith, and Daniel Starr, and Sergeant Ezekial Hyatt, Bill killed instantly when langrage tore away the top of his head, Starr lingering days before dying of his wounds. The battle's ferocity became legend, with Nicholson saying he would sooner fight any frigate than face the Watt again.
Podcast episodes on American Revolutionary War
Record no. 145