es. In May, 1776, a
board of naval commissioners was appointed, consisting of Thomas
Whiting, John Hutchins, Champion Travis, Thomas Newton, Jr., and George
Webb. They met for the first time on the eighth of July following, at
Williamsburg. About seventy vessels appear to have been in service at
some time or other during the war of Revolution--including thirty ships,
brigs, and brigantines, and thirty-eight smaller vessels.[678:B] Many of
the vessels were built at the Chickahominy navy-yard, South Quay,
Hampton, and near Norfolk. Early in April, 1776, George Mason, of the
committee of safety, had charge of the building of two galleys, and of
"the American Congress," this last to carry fourteen guns, four and
six-pounders, and her complement of marines and seamen being ninety-six
men. The look-outs were a sort of winged sentries, and were exposed to
hard service. But a small part of the vessels of the Virginia navy were
in actual service at any one time; and there was a deplorable want of
men, some having not more than one-twentieth of their full number. The
vessels usually served separately, but early in the contest Commodore
Boucher commanded fifteen sail in the Potomac; and at another time
Captain Richard Taylor was in command of a squadron in Hampton Roads.
The Virginia-built vessels, although plain and simple in their
construction, were very fast sailers. This, together with their lighter
draught and familiarity with the waters, often enabled them to escape
from the enemy. Of all the vessels of the Virginia navy not one remains.

James Maxwell, Esq., was superintendent of the navy-yard on the
Chickahominy, and he was assisted by Captain Christopher Calvert. The
former officer commanded the ship Cormorant in 1782. He was father of
the late William Maxwell, Esq., Secretary of the Virginia Historical
Society. The three commodores commissioned during the struggle were J.
Boucher, Walter Brooke, and James Barron. Richard Barron, brother of
James, was a captain during the whole war. The Barrons appear to have
had a natural proclivity for the water. Lieutenant William Barron, of
the continental navy, lost his life by the bursting of a gun on board of
the frigate Boston, in bringing to a vessel off the coast of France, in
1778. John Adams, and his son John Quincy, then a boy, were on board of
this ship on this occasion. Mr. Adams held the lieutenant in his arms
while his leg was amputated. This William Barron had been a lieu