Rhode Island State Navy

Following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, the Royal Navy sent HMS Rose, a frigate commanded James Wallace as captain to put a halt to smuggling out of Newport.

Further authorizations occurred in 1778 in supported of an anticipated expedition to expel the British from Newport (which failed in the August Battle of Rhode Island), but were only fulfilled later, with the acquisition of the galley Pigot and the sloop Argo, which were commanded by Continental Army Lieutenant Colonel Silas Talbot.

Washington's fate is uncertain; she sometimes left the bay to warn arriving ships of British threats, but was not particularly seaworthy, and was probably returned to her original owner.

Spitfire ran aground at the northern end of Rhode Island in March 1777 and was burned to prevent her capture by the British.

[2] Colonel Talbot, as commander of Pigot and Argo, captured a number of prizes, and was ultimately rewarded with a Continental Navy commission; the two ships ended their service in 1780.