"USS Repulse, 1775-1777" Topic

Obscure ship, originally built for the Pennsylvania Navy in 1775 and sold to the Continental Congress in 1777. Armed with 8 cannon and xebec rigged. Scuttled in November 1777.

I've found *NO* other specifications so here's the question for the Peanut Gallery –

What would an east coast Colonial America shipbuilder's translation of a Xebec build look like?

Some xebecs built for European navies were not lateen rigged, but were square rigged, either a la polacca (i.e. with pole masts) or had conventional square rig. My guess is that the "Repulse" would have been one or the other of the latter. To be called a xebec would have required some peculiarities of hull form however, including sides that flared outward, rather than with tumble home, gunport lids hinged horizontally, rather than vertically, and the long sperona or eperone form of bow seen on many Mediterranean sailing craft. Some of the xebecs built for European navies, however, omitted the exaggerated overhanging stern, which was a feature of the original type.

Very interesting. I'd never heard a reference to xebecs produced by American shipyards before. I've always associated them with the relatively calmer waters of the Mediterranean, with their very low freeboard.

I wonder if it is an unconventional description for the sort of small lateen rigged galleys being built around that time, like the Washington. She was built by Rhode Island in 1775, and supposedly came under Continental Navy control in the actions around New York in 1777.

She could technically be described as a sort of xebec, which really just describes the rig itself, and there is no reason to think all the minor details of hull form, as they appeared in Mediterranean examples, have to go along with that. Indeed many of them would be unsuited to northern Atlantic waters.

I think you hit the nail on the head – likely a lateen rigged gunboat.

Here she is listed as a "half-galley" mounting a single 4 pounder;

link

Just for the record, actual Mediterranean xebecs were not galleys, although they shared a good many traits in hull form. Although they could doubtless have resorted to using sweeps when becalmed, most any light sailing vessel could do the same. Most likely the type developed because it was recognized that galleys performed rather well under sail in suitable sea conditions, so an adaptation was made, dispensing with oars in favor of more robust construction and greater freeboard. Xebecs were considered very fast by 17th and 18th century standards, so were adopted for naval use as a case of fighting fire with fire. That is, they were employed to chase down Barbary corsairs, smugglers, etc.

The Pennsylvania Navy patrolled the Delaware up to Bordentown. Furthermore there appear to be small ports for sweeps, suggesting shallow water or river use. This little navy was a contributing factor to the British stopping at the Delaware in 1776.

I wouldn't doubt this was part of the flotilla.

Just wanted to correct my earlier statement – the vessel shown in the photo I copied above is not the Washington built by the Rhode Island Assembly in 1775, which carried a single gun, but the more substantial Washington built in the autumn of 1776 on Lake Champlain.

Sorry for my confusion, though the question of lateen-rigged galleys potentially being described in contemporary writing as xebecs is unaffected. One way or the other.

Thanks all for the input, you've gotten me closer to laying a keel. Yes, the Delaware River (and even the upper bay) would be calm enough for this type of vessel. Sweeps would be useful, as well as the shallow draft.

From the USN history URL

Repulse
8
Xebec
Pennsylvania State Navy gunboat lent to Continental Navy 1777
Destroyed 1777

Sorry, that appears to be a completely different vessel

"jowady
23 Jan 2017 12:23 p.m. PST
Here she is listed as a "half-galley" mounting a single 4 pounder;