Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/364

 HOPKINS

HOPKINS

krit language and literature and of comparative philology at Yale university in 1895. He re- ceived the degree of Ph.D. from the University of Leipzig in 1881. lie became editor of the Journal of the Oriental Society in 1900, and is the author of: Mutual Relatiois of the Four Castes in Manu (ISSl); Translations of Laicsof Mann in Triibner's Oriental series (1884); Essays on the Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India (1889); Religions of India {189G), and numerous articles in the Journal of the Anirric'Di Oriental Society and other joui'nals.

HOPKINS, Esek, naval officer, was born in CiiapuMuscook. K.I.. April'^G. 1718: sou of Wil- liam and Ruth (Wilkinson) Hopkins. He was a descendant in the fourth generation from Thomas Hopkins, who came from Chesselbourne, England, settled in Plymouth, Mass., in lf5:36; became one of the proprietors of the Providence Planta- tions in 1638, and married the daugh- of Benedict Arnold, the first governor of Rhode Island. Esek was a younger brother of Capt. William Hop- kins, and of Judge Stephen Hopkins, the signer. He re- ceived a fair educa- tion, went to sea with liis brother William, and subsequently, in 1738. shipped as a '"raw hand" on a vessel bound for Surinam, and in an incredibly short time was made master of the vessel. He be- came an extensive trader and was interested in privateering during the seven years' war with France and Spain. He was commodore of a fleet of seventeen ves.sels owned by the Hopkins familj^ and while subject to the vicissitudes of trade and war, which several times impoverished him, he left the sea a comparatively rich man. He was married on Nov. 28, 1741. to Desire, daughter of Ezekiel Burrouglis, a leading merchant of New- port, R.I. He removed to Providence, R.I., in 1753, and purchased a farm in the north part of the town and made it his residence during the remainder of his life. He was a representative in the general assembly, 1763-64. He espoused the cause of the colonists, and when the defence of Providence against the Britisli, who occupied Newport, became necessary, the citizens selected him as their leader, and on Aug. 29. 1775, he was commander of the battery on Fox Point and pro- ceeded to put the town and liarbor in a condition of defence. He built a floating battery, and place(^I

fire ships and a boom and chain to shut up the mouth of the liarbor. The recess committee of the general assembly in October, 1775, commis- sioned liim commander-in-cliief of the colonial forces, and at the liead of 600 men he marched to Middletown, near Newport, and secured from the Britisli commander terms favorable to the colonists, the British commander agreeing not to burn Newport or land his troops in the town. On Aug. 26, 1775, the general assembly of Rhode Island directed the colonial delegates in congress to use their influence to secure a navy for the protection of commerce, and for aggressive war- fare upon the sea against British transports and merchantmen. On Dec. 13, 1775, congress ap- propriated 1866,666.66 to build thirteen ve.ssels, and Esek Hopkins was the unanimous choice of congress for the head of the new navy. He was commissioned commander-in-chief Dec. 22, 1775. He was known as "admiral "and as "commo- dore" but his official title appears as " comman- der-in-chief of the nav}-." He carried one luindred hardy seamen under Capt. Abraham Whipple on the sloop Katy to Philadeli^hia, where they en- listed in the naval service, and early in Januaiy, 1776, he had organized a fleet of eight " war- ships " hastily converted from merchantmen with an arma- ment of 110 guns. He select- ed the Black Prince, renamed Alfred, as flagship, and from the masthead of this vessel he floated the admiral's flag, composed of thirteen stripes, alternately red and white, ^°'~^"°'''^"^^"^^*^'"'«- with a rattlesnake undulating upon it. The other vessels comprising the fleet were the Colum- bus, Andrea Doria, Cabot, Providence, Fly, Hornet and Wasp. With this fleet he set sail, Feb. 17, 1776, and visited the port of New Providence, captured the forts, seized the guns and ammunition, and on his way to his home port captured two British war-sloops, and had an all-night encounter with the British frigate Glasgoui, which, however, escaped into New- port harbor under protection of the British fleet. He then continued the operations of the infant navy, but did not plan any further expeditions involving the united action of the entire fleet, as sickness had deprived him of 200 seamen. He could not recruit his force, as able seamen were paid better wages by privateers and were given larger sliares of prize money. He sent out individual vessels, however, and Captains Whij)pleand Biddle and Lieutenants Hinman and Jones, with the Columbus, Andrea Doria, Cabot and Providence, respectiveh*, secured a large num- ber of prizes which they brought into Boston, Providence, Newport and New York. When