What naval force did the Continental Congress authorize on October 13, 1775?

The Continental Congress authorized the Continental Navy on October 13, 1775.

Congress initially approved the purchase and fitting out of two armed vessels to intercept British supply ships. The decision marked the creation of a national naval force for the revolutionary cause, even though the new navy remained small and poorly supplied compared with Britain’s Royal Navy.

The Continental Navy ultimately operated about sixty vessels during the war, although only a portion were active at any one time. Its sailors attacked British commerce, transported troops and supplies, and fought in engagements across the Atlantic and coastal waters.

The navy was disbanded after the Revolutionary War, with its last ship sold in 1785. The modern United States Navy was created by Congress in 1794, so the two institutions are historically connected but not identical.