Raid on Nassau

3–4 March 1776, New Providence, Bahamas

American success; guns and stores carried off

The first operation of the Continental Navy. Congress had sent Commodore Esek Hopkins to clear British ships off Virginia and the Carolinas, but he took his little squadron to the Bahamas instead, after the gunpowder stored at Nassau. About 250 Continental Marines and sailors landed east of the town, in the Marines' first landing, and took Fort Montagu and then Fort Nassau without a fight. The governor had shipped most of the powder away the night before, but the raiders loaded 88 cannon, mortars and shot, and took the governor home as a prisoner.

Nassau garrison

No ships engaged

Forts, batteries and aircraft	Strength	Outcome
Fort Montagu Guarded the eastern approach to the harbour. Its few defenders fired some shots, spiked guns and fell back to the town.	Not recorded	Taken without a fight
Fort Nassau The town's main fort. With Fort Montagu it gave up 88 cannon and a store of mortars and shot, but most of the gunpowder had been shipped away the night before.	Not recorded	Surrendered without a fight

Forts, batteries and aircraft

Strength

Outcome

Fort Montagu

Guarded the eastern approach to the harbour. Its few defenders fired some shots, spiked guns and fell back to the town.

Not recorded

Taken without a fight

Fort Nassau

The town's main fort. With Fort Montagu it gave up 88 cannon and a store of mortars and shot, but most of the gunpowder had been shipped away the night before.

Not recorded

Surrendered without a fight

Continental Navy and state navies

8 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
Alfred Hopkins's flagship	Frigate 30 guns	Survived

Ship

Type

Outcome

Alfred

Hopkins's flagship

Frigate

30 guns

Survived

Flotillas and other craft	Number	Lost
Ship, brigs, sloops and schooners Columbus, Andrew Doria, Cabot, Providence, Wasp, Fly and Hornet. Hornet and Fly collided on the way south; Fly caught up later, Hornet never arrived.	7	0

Flotillas and other craft

Number

Lost

Ship, brigs, sloops and schooners

Columbus, Andrew Doria, Cabot, Providence, Wasp, Fly and Hornet. Hornet and Fly collided on the way south; Fly caught up later, Hornet never arrived.

Map

Hopkins's cruise to Nassau February – April 1776