Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)
| Nicholas Biddle | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 10, 1750 Philadelphia |
| Died | March 7, 1778 (aged 27) Atlantic Ocean |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Great Britain United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy Continental Navy
|
| Years of service | 1770–1773 (UK) 1775–1778 (USA) |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Commands held | USS Randolph |
| Battles/wars | |
Nicholas Biddle (September 10, 1750 – March 7, 1778) was one of the first five captains of the Continental Navy, which was raised by the Americans during the American Revolutionary War.
Nicholas Biddle was born in Philadelphia in 1750, one of nine children to William Biddle (1698–1756) of the Biddle family, and Mary Scull (1709–1789). He went to sea at the age of fourteen, as a ship's boy aboard a merchant vessel trading to the West Indies. In 1770 he joined the Royal Navy, resigning in 1773 to accompany Captain Constantine Phipps on his expedition to the Arctic Sea. While on this voyage he became acquainted with the Horatio Nelson, the future British Admiral and fellow member of Phipps' expedition.
In 1775 Biddle returned to North America to offer his services to the State of Pennsylvania in opposing British rule.. With the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety placed Biddle in command of the armed galley Franklin. In December 1775, he was commissioned into the Continental Navy and made Captain of the 14-gun brig Andrew Doria.
He participated in the expedition against New Providence, and fought in the Continental Navy's action with the Glasgow on April 6, 1776; he was highly critical of the action, noting that the lack of signalling by Commodore Esek Hopkins led to a "helter skelter" action. He captured numerous vessels including British army transports on later cruises.
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