HOPKINS
HOPKINS
krit language and literature and of comparative
philology at Yale university in 1895. He re-
ceived the degree of Ph.D. from the University
of Leipzig in 1881. lie became editor of the
Journal of the Oriental Society in 1900, and is the
author of: Mutual Relatiois of the Four Castes in
Manu (ISSl); Translations of Laicsof Mann in
Triibner's Oriental series (1884); Essays on the
Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste
in Ancient India (1889); Religions of India {189G),
and numerous articles in the Journal of the
Anirric'Di Oriental Society and other joui'nals.
HOPKINS, Esek, naval officer, was born in CiiapuMuscook. K.I.. April'^G. 1718: sou of Wil- liam and Ruth (Wilkinson) Hopkins. He was a descendant in the fourth generation from Thomas Hopkins, who came from Chesselbourne, England, settled in Plymouth, Mass., in lf5:36; became one of the proprietors of the Providence Planta- tions in 1638, and married the daugh- of Benedict Arnold, the first governor of Rhode Island. Esek was a younger brother of Capt. William Hop- kins, and of Judge Stephen Hopkins, the signer. He re- ceived a fair educa- tion, went to sea with liis brother William, and subsequently, in 1738. shipped as a '"raw hand" on a vessel bound for Surinam, and in an incredibly short time was made master of the vessel. He be- came an extensive trader and was interested in privateering during the seven years' war with France and Spain. He was commodore of a fleet of seventeen ves.sels owned by the Hopkins familj^ and while subject to the vicissitudes of trade and war, which several times impoverished him, he left the sea a comparatively rich man. He was married on Nov. 28, 1741. to Desire, daughter of Ezekiel Burrouglis, a leading merchant of New- port, R.I. He removed to Providence, R.I., in 1753, and purchased a farm in the north part of the town and made it his residence during the remainder of his life. He was a representative in the general assembly, 1763-64. He espoused the cause of the colonists, and when the defence of Providence against the Britisli, who occupied Newport, became necessary, the citizens selected him as their leader, and on Aug. 29. 1775, he was commander of the battery on Fox Point and pro- ceeded to put the town and liarbor in a condition of defence. He built a floating battery, and place(^I
fire ships and a boom and chain to shut up the
mouth of the liarbor. The recess committee of
the general assembly in October, 1775, commis-
sioned liim commander-in-cliief of the colonial
forces, and at the liead of 600 men he marched
to Middletown, near Newport, and secured from
the Britisli commander terms favorable to the
colonists, the British commander agreeing not
to burn Newport or land his troops in the town.
On Aug. 26, 1775, the general assembly of Rhode
Island directed the colonial delegates in congress
to use their influence to secure a navy for the
protection of commerce, and for aggressive war-
fare upon the sea against British transports and
merchantmen. On Dec. 13, 1775, congress ap-
propriated 1866,666.66 to build thirteen ve.ssels,
and Esek Hopkins was the unanimous choice of
congress for the head of the new navy. He was
commissioned commander-in-chief Dec. 22, 1775.
He was known as "admiral "and as "commo-
dore" but his official title appears as " comman-
der-in-chief of the nav}-." He carried one luindred
hardy seamen under Capt. Abraham Whipple on
the sloop Katy to Philadeli^hia, where they en-
listed in the naval service, and early in Januaiy,
1776, he had organized a fleet of eight " war-
ships " hastily converted from
merchantmen with an arma-
ment of 110 guns. He select-
ed the Black Prince, renamed
Alfred, as flagship, and from
the masthead of this vessel
he floated the admiral's flag,
composed of thirteen stripes,
alternately red and white, ^°'~^"°^"^^"^^*^'"'«-
with a rattlesnake undulating upon it. The other
vessels comprising the fleet were the Colum-
bus, Andrea Doria, Cabot, Providence, Fly,
Hornet and Wasp. With this fleet he set sail,
Feb. 17, 1776, and visited the port of New
Providence, captured the forts, seized the guns
and ammunition, and on his way to his home
port captured two British war-sloops, and had
an all-night encounter with the British frigate
Glasgoui, which, however, escaped into New-
port harbor under protection of the British
fleet. He then continued the operations of the
infant navy, but did not plan any further
expeditions involving the united action of the
entire fleet, as sickness had deprived him of 200
seamen. He could not recruit his force, as able
seamen were paid better wages by privateers and
were given larger sliares of prize money. He
sent out individual vessels, however, and Captains
Whij)pleand Biddle and Lieutenants Hinman and
Jones, with the Columbus, Andrea Doria, Cabot
and Providence, respectiveh*, secured a large num-
ber of prizes which they brought into Boston,
Providence, Newport and New York. When
