Part of the way he did this was by hoisting an "American Flag" provided from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Hopkins,[2] indicating the ships were already accepted into the fleet.

Barney claims that after fitting out, both the Hornet and the Wasp sailed in company to join the fleet at Philadelphia at the end of November.

[3] However, colonial records show that on 2 December 1775, Colonel Benjamin Harrison was dispatched to Baltimore to acquire 2–3 ships to be armed and augment Esek Hopkins's fleet.

Outside the Virginia Capes, she ran afoul of USS Fly and was unable to accompany the fleet for the amphibious assault on New Providence.

According to records of the Vice Admiralty Court at Jamaica, Hornet was built in Bermuda, of 100 tons burden, mounted ten carriage guns and four swivels, and had a crew of thirty-five.