In 1869 one Abraham Ritter wrote a short sketch of the life of Emanuel Eyre, a ship designer and builder, whose business relations with the Colonial Committee of Safety[1] were not unlike those of the great Joshua Humphreys— the designer of “Old Ironsides”—with the Agent of Marine of the infant United States Navy. The services rendered to our Continental Navy by Emanuel Eyre, son of George Eyre, an English shipbuilder who settled in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1731, are here briefly set down for the benefit of those interested in the technical side of the development of our Navy.
Emanuel and his two brothers, Jehu and Benjamin George, in due course followed in their father’s footsteps and embarked in shipbuilding in Kensington. Emanuel’s model for a “gunboat,” or more properly speaking a row galley, was the first to be accepted by the Committee of Safety.
On July 5, 1775, the Committee of Safety ordered a number of row galleys to be built for the defense of the Delaware and in sixteen days Emanuel Eyre built, launched, and equipped the first boat, the Bulldog, and soon afterward the Franklin and Congress. These “gunboats” were propelled by sweeps and were each manned by 53 men, besides officers. They carried two howitzers and swivels, and muskets and pikes as well. In their main armament they were a distinct advance on the eight colony boats which, fitted out in Rhode Island in 1772, made the first overt act of resistance at the commencement of our struggle with Great Britain—Abraham Whipple’s eight boats were armed with cobblestones.[2]
Before peace was established the “Brothers Eyre” raised three companies from their workmen—shipwrights—and put them into the Army to aid Washington in the gloomy days before Trenton. Therefore, on July 4, 1788, when the citizens of Philadelphia celebrated the “Declaration of Independence” by a grand procession, small wonder it is that the shipwrights played a prominent part in the parade. In “The Grand Processions,” in which the Army, Navy, all trades, and manufactures and other employments were fully represented, each carried an appropriate emblem and insignia. Emanuel Eyre carried the flag of the ship carpenters, representing a ship on the stocks; the banner was supported by Messrs. Harrison, Rice, Brewslin, and Humphreys. The 350 ship carpenters, mast makers, caulkers, and other workmen that followed wore on their hats a badge bearing a smaller device similar to that on the banner and also a green sprig of white oak. The ship carpenters in this procession were fully as prominent as were the rope makers who, that same year, took part in a similar federal procession in Boston. There “the men employed in industry [of rope making] outnumbered any other class of mechanics.”
Christopher Marshall’s account of how he, and a hundred other Philadelphia patriots, carried beams aboard a new frigate in the “Eyre Brothers’ Shipyard,” and other matters connected with ships built there, is quoted here in full. It was published long ago in a daily paper, the identity and date of which are not ascertainable from the clipping, yellowed and crumbling with age, now before the writer.
It is somewhat remarkable that while much has been written and said about the designers and builders of the famous old 44-gun frigate Constitution and her sister ships, the President and the United States, which were launched in 1797-98, little or nothing has been given to the public about the builders of the first warships constructed by the United States. Joshua Humphreys, George Claghome, Mr. Hart, and others concerned in the construction of “Old Ironsides” have become men of historical note; but Col. Jehu Eyre, who, with his brothers, Emanuel and Benjamin, launched one of the first group of war vessels ever built by the United States, is practically unknown.
One of the first and most important steps taken by the Continental Congress after the outbreak of the Revolution was to create a navy. The vessels first employed were the Alfred, the Cabot, the Andrea Doria, and the Columbus, but these were merely merchant craft hastily mounted with guns and sent to sea as cruisers. Their defects were discovered soon, and, recognizing the important part the maritime forces of the colonies would play in the struggle, Congress, on Dec. 13, 1775, ordered the construction of five ships to carry thirty-two guns each, five to carry twenty-eight guns each, and three to carry twenty-four guns each, and insisted that they be ready by the following April. They were named as follows: Hancock, Randolph, Raleigh, Warren, Washington, Congress, Effingham, Providence, Trumbull, Virginia, Boston, Delaware, and Montgomery.
They were the first war vessels to be constructed by the United States. The construction of four of these cruisers, the Randolph, the Washington, the Effingham, and the Delaware, was awarded to Philadelphia shipbuilders, of whom Eyre Brothers were among the most conspicuous. After the Revolution Benjamin Eyre was succeeded in his business by his brother-in-law, Forman Cheesman, who built the forty-four gun frigate President, one of the sisters of the famous Constitution. Cheesman in turn was succeeded by Henry Eckford, the celebrated builder of warships for the war of 1812.
It was on Jan. 9, 1776, that the Naval Committee of Congress issued the following instructions and exhortations relative to the building of the first United States warships:
“To Messrs. Emanuel, Jehu, and Benjamin Eyre.
“Gentlemen: As you have most cheerfully undertaken the Building of a Frigate of War for the Service of the United Colonys, we cannot too much commend your zeal nor be too warm in our exhortations for the continuance of it. The dimensions of the Ship you are to build are fixed and a draft made. We doubt not that you will conform as strictly as possible to both and produce as complete and good a Ship as those dimensions and that draft will admit of. You know there are four to be built in this Port, one in New Hampshire, Two in Massachusetts Bay, Two in Rhode Island, one in Connecticut, Two in New York and one in Maryland. This port has double the number of any other colony, which was claimed as due our Ship Carpenters, who are more numerous and we hope will prove on this occasion to have greater abilitys in their profession than their neighbors.
“Gentlemen, your Honor and the Honor of this Province is at stake. But we doubt not that you will complete your business so well and so soon that the public voice will declare in your favor. As we are appointed Commissioners under Authority of Congress for having these Ships Built and Fitted, we have empowered Messrs. William Pollard, Francis Grice, Samuel Penrose, and David Thompson to act as Timber Commissioners with powers to buy and take charge of all Timber, Planks, &c., necessary for completing these ships. They will keep an account of all that is bought and an account of what is applyed to the use of each of these ships. Therefore you must apply to them for all Timber, Planks, and Treenails wanted for your ship and they will supply the same as fast as wanted. We have appointed Messrs. James Craig, James Martin, Nathaniel Falconer, and William Davis Commissioners for providing Rigging, Ship Chandlery, and other stores, and when anything is wanted by you that falls within their department they will supply it on application. Messrs. Benjamin Fuller, Thomas Fitzsimmons, Isaac Hazelhurst, and Clement Biddle are appointed Commissioners of accounts and the accounts that relate to those ships are to undergo their inspection and correction. Mr. Peter Young is appointed Superintendent and Mr. James Dundas Clerk of your Ship Yard. They will form a Muster roll of all persons employed to work in or about your ship, and keep a regular account of the time they do work. They will procure Labourers when needful. They will procure work from Smiths and other Tradesmen as wanted and in short do you every service and render you every assistance in their power.
“As harmony amongst all persons employed in the same business will greatly promote the work, we earnestly recommend it to you and all others to keep up good humour and good understanding with all these Boards of Commissioners, with the Superintendents, Clerks, and with the other Ship Carpenters and other Tradesmen, it will serve your Country to do so, and we know your Patriotism too well to think that you want any other spurr. In all things that we can promote this business we shall do it by day or by night, and we hope in due time to hold up your conduct to all the United Colonys as deserving their entire approbation.
“We are Sirs,
“Your Very Humble servants,
“Robert Morris J. M. Nesbitt
“John Nixon John Wharton.”
The frigate built by the Eyre Brothers excited much interest in Philadelphia. Their shipyard was on the west bank of the Delaware, in Kensington, adjoining the ground where William Penn made his treaty with the Indians. Many people visited the yard while the ship was under construction and a number of conspicuous citizens assisted in the work, as it was feared that she would not be completed in time. Mr. Christopher Marshall of Philadelphia recorded in his diary under the date of April 5, 1776:
“I went to Dr. Young’s, but he was not at home. We went up to Kensington and found him and several others there at work on board the frigate building by Messrs. Eyre. We joined them in assisting what we could till night; then came home.”
Under date of April 6, 1776, he wrote: “Near 2 o’clock set off for Kensington,in order to assist in getting the lower deck beams on board the frigate building by Messrs. Eyre. I presume there came not short of one hundred, who stayed until they were all put on board, in which were included three parts of the Light Infantry of First Battalion, who came in war-like array.”
The aid given by military men is easily explained. All the Eyres belonged to military organizations. When the news of the affair at Lexington reached Philadelphia companies of minute- men and associations for military purposes were formed throughout the city. Emanuel Eyre became a member of the Pennsylvania State Navy Board, Jehu Eyre was made Colonel in the Philadelphia Artillery Militia, and Benjamin Eyre was elected Colonel of the Second Associated Battalion of the Pennsylvania State Militia.
It is not known which of the four frigates built in Philadelphia was constructed in the shipyard of the Eyre Brothers. One of the vessels, the Randolph, met with a tragic fate. She was the first one of the thirteen cruisers to get to sea. On March 7, 1778, under the command of Capt. Nicholas Biddle, while in company with several other vessels, she gave battle, single-handed, to the British 74-gun ship of the line Yarmouth, in order that her consorts might escape. After several broadsides had been exchanged the Randolph blew up, every one of the 315 men in her perishing except four, who were picked up from a piece of the wreck several days later. The Delaware was captured in 1777, while endeavoring to run the blockade, while the Washington and the Effingham were burned by the enemy in Delaware Bay, 1778, before they had received their armaments.
The Eyre Brothers also had the distinction of building the first war vessel for the State of Pennsylvania, and probably it was the first regular war vessel built by the Americans in the Revolution. On July 6, 1775, the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania passed a resolution appointing a committee, consisting of Robert White and Owen Biddle, for the construction of boats and machines for the defense of the Delaware, and the Council recommended the committee to employ John Wharton, Joseph Marsh, Emanuel Eyre, representing the firm of Eyre Brothers of Kensington: Jacob Miller, Thomas Davis, and Joseph Cavett. Four days later this committee directed Eyre Brothers to build a boat, according to a model produced by Emanuel Eyre. This vessel was launched on July 26, 1775. It was a regular gunboat, and was named Bulldog. She carried two howitzers, besides swivels, and had a complement of fifty-three men. Her commander was Capt. Charles Alexander. This boat was destroyed when the British occupied Philadelphia. Eyre Brothers also built the gunboats Franklin and Congress.
After the completion of the first frigate for Congress, Eyre Brothers constructed many gunboats for the Government, and on April 23, 1778, Jehu Eyre was engaged by Congress to go to Easton and Reading to build boats for the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. On July 1, 1778, he was placed in charge of the Boat Department for boats needed by the Government. This kept him busy until March of the following year. Meantime he had four separate sets of ship carpenters at work in different places under Foremen Capt. Jacob Miller at Easton, Capt. Samuel Clinton at Reading, Capt. William Bowers at Chester, and Capt. Richard Salter at Philadelphia. Early in the spring of 1779, Col. Benjamin Eyre built for Congress the frigate General Greene for the contract price of £53,651. After the war, in August, 1786, Benjamin Eyre bought at auction in the Coffee House the famous cruiser Alliance, which, under the command of the eccentric French Captain, Landais, had played such a conspicuous part in the Bon Homme Richard-Serapis battle. The price paid for the splendid frigate was £9,750, Pennsylvania currency. She was sent to China on a trading voyage, and in the following year she was sold to Robert Morris at a large profit. After making several voyages for her new owner, the Alliance, in 1790, was broken up and her hulk was run ashore on Petty’s Island. Less than a year ago a few blackened timbers were visible at low tide on this island, but recently part of the island has been moved, and there were carried away the remains of the former Alliance. Franklin Eyre of Philadelphia, a descendant of Jehu Eyre, said:
“I often saw the ribs of the old Alliance when the tide was low, and my father-in-law, Alexander M. Cuthbert, procured a piece of the oak timbers and had made from it a fancy but useful knife box. Other residents of Kensington have carried away timber after timber to enrich their private collections.”
The old shipyard of the Eyre Brothers was sold to the present owners, the Penn Treaty Iron and Ship Building Works, by the Eyre estate in 1850. The three founders of the original firm, Emanuel, Jehu, and Benjamin Eyre, were all born at Burlington, N. J., and were sons of George Eyre of that place. On the death of Col. Jehu Eyre, in 1781, his son Franklin succeeded to the business which he carried on until his death in 1839.
Thomas Clark, a U. S. topographical officer, who in 1813 wrote Sketches of the Naval History of the United States, and in 1814 a Naval History of the United States, has this to say about the Delaware row galleys:
At an early period in our War for Independence measures were taken by the Continental Congress to secure Philadelphia against an attack by the frigates of Great Britain, then “Mistress of the Seas.” The navigation of the Delaware River was impeded by chevaux de fris and chains. For additional protection 13 row galleys were constructed, one of which, the row galley Bulldog, was commanded by Henderson.
Each row galley carried a heavy piece of ordnance and 50 men and was 104 feet long. The defense fleet also included a large floating battery carrying twenty 18-pounders; a 20-gun ship; and a number of fire rafts.
The account given in the Naval Sketches of the attack made by these row galleys on the English frigates Roebuck, Captain Hammond, and Liverpool, Captain Bellew, corresponds very closely with the following from the Remembrancer of May 5,1776:
In May, 1776, two English frigates, the Roebuck (44) and the Liverpool (28) started up the Delaware to Christiana Creek. Orders were immediately sent to the fort (Fort Island) for the row galleys to proceed down the river and attack them. On the ninth about two o’clock in the afternoon the galleys hove in sight of the men-of-war and about three began the attack, which brought on heavy cannonading on both sides. The engagement lasted three or four hours, when the Roebuck ran aground and the Liverpool came to anchor to cover her. It being dark the firing ceased and in the course of the night the Roebuck got off. During the engagement, the schooner Wasp under Captain Alexander came out of Christiana Creek where she had been chased the day before by the frigates.
At five o’clock on the tenth the armed boats renewed the attack, with so much spirit and skill that the frigates were obliged to make the best of their way down the river. They were pursued by the row galleys constantly firing, until they got below Newcastle, six miles below where the action started.
A gentleman who had since been alongside the frigates said the cannon of the row galleys did great execution to their hulls, so much so, that the frigates’ carpenters were busily engaged for two days in mending and patching. Several of our armed boats were slightly damaged; one man was killed in the first engagement and two wounded in the second.
This account is probably circumstantially correct and based upon eyewitnesses, as the Remembrancer closes with these words:
The greatest praises were given to our officers and men by the many thousand spectators who lined the shore on both sides of the river.
[1] Scharff and Westcott, History of Pennsylvania, p. 339.
[2] Lt. George F. Emmons, United States Navy from 1775 to 1853, pp. 124 and 130.