Abraham Whipple
| Abraham Whipple | |
|---|---|
Abraham Whipple, by Edward Savage
|
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 26, 1733 Providence, Rhode Island |
| Died | May 27, 1819 (aged 85) Marietta, Ohio |
| Resting place | Mound Cemetery, Marietta |
| Relations | Ebenezer Sproat (son-in-law) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch | Continental Navy |
| Years of service | 1775–1780 |
| Rank |
 Commodore
|
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War |
Abraham Whipple (September 26, 1733 – May 27, 1819) was an American Revolutionary War commander in the Continental Navy, and later one of the founders of Marietta, Ohio. Born near Providence, Rhode Island, Whipple chose to be a seafarer early in his life and embarked on a career in the lucrative West Indies trade, working for Moses and John Brown. In the French and Indian War period, he became a privateersman and commanded privateer Game Cock from 1759 to 1760. In one six-month cruise, he captured 23 French ships.
In 1772, Whipple sank the first British ship of the American Revolution, the British schooner Gaspee, in the Gaspée Affair. The first to unfurl the Star Spangled Banner in London, Whipple was also the first to sail an ocean-going ship 2000 miles downriver from Ohio to the Caribbean, which opened trade with the Northwest Territory.
Abraham Whipple was born on September 26, 1733 to Noah Whipple, Jr. Abraham Whipple and Sarah Hopkins were married on August 2, 1761. They had three children: John, Catherine, and Mary. Catherine later married Colonel Ebenezer Sproat of the Continental Army.
As American colonists began to resist what they considered unfair oppression by the British crown, acts of defiance became increasingly prevalent. An early incident occurred on June 9, 1772 when Whipple led 50 Rhode Islanders in the capture and burning of the British revenue cutter Gaspee. The ship had run aground off Pawtuxet while chasing the packet Hannah. The burning initiated an exchange of notes between Whipple and Captain James Wallace of HMS Rose. Wallace wrote, "You Abraham Whipple on June 10, 1772 burned his majesty's vessel the Gaspee and I will hang you at the yard arm!" Whipple responded, "Sir, always catch a man before you hang him."
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