The Virginia State Navy Gunboat Henry

The Virginia State Navy Gunboat Henry. York River Maritime Heritage. , Who will protect Virginia from the British navy and the loyalist privateers? , In December 1775 the Virginia Convention approved the forming of the Virginia State Navy, "for the greater security of the inhabitants of this colony from the depredations of the enemy by water. Be it ordained that the Committee of Safety shall and are hereby empowered and required to provide, from time to time, such and as many armed vessels as they may Judge necessary for the protection of the several rivers of this colony...", Committee of Safety members from each river district were appointed to begin building and acquiring vessels that could be put into service as river squadrons. The primary vessels constructed for operations on the rivers were row galleys. The York River squadron included The Brig Liberty, The schooner Revenge, The Ship Gloucester, The Row Galley Page, and the Row Galley Henry. , , The gunboat was 40 foot long and 14 foot wide in the beam. These flat bottomed, shallow drafted vessels were perfect for patrolling the tributaries to "annoy or distress the enemy". The Gunboat Henry was built in Gloucester in 1776 under the superintendence of Robert Tompkins. He later became the galley's captain. The river squadrons were combined under the State Navy Board in June 1776. The Henry was re-assigned to protect Hampton and Hampton Roads area. , , The State Navy was captured by General Benedict Arnold on the James River at Osborn's Landing, April 18, 1781. The twelve ships had been set up in a defensive position to block the advance of the British forces, and were outflanked with artillery from the bluffs. The defeat at Osborne's Landing left the Virginia State Navy with just one ship, the sloop Liberty. It had been scuttled earlier in the spring and refloated later. The Liberty and three other ships purchased by the state served in support at the battle of Yorktown in the fall of 1781.