Esek Hopkins (April 26, 1718February 26, 1802) was an American naval officer, merchant captain, and privateer. Achieving the rank of Commodore, Hopkins was the only Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress commissioned him as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy in December 1775. He is noted for his successful raid on the British port of Providence, in the Bahamas, and capturing large stores of military supplies. His legacy today has become controversial for his involvement in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Early life and career Esek Hopkins was born in Scituate, in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, into one of the most prominent families of what is today's Rhode Island. At the age of twenty he went to sea and rapidly came to the front as a good sailor and skillful trader. Before the Revolutionary War he had sailed to nearly every quarter of the Earth, and commanded a privateer in the French and Indian War. In the interval between voyages, he was engaged in Rhode Island politics, served as a deputy to the Rhode Island General Assembly, and rendered efficient support to his brother Stephen, who became governor in 1755. In September 1764, during his time as a privateer and merchant, Hopkins took command of the slave ship Sally, owned by Nicholas Brown and Company. Hopkins had no prior experience in operating a slave-trading vessel at the time, and the 15-month voyage would result in the death of 109 out of 196 slaves. In late 1765, Sally arrived at its first trading destination in the West Indies, but the surviving African captives were in such poor health that most sold for very little. Hopkins' disastrous command of Sally contributed to Moses Brown's turn against participation in the Atlantic slave trade. Revolutionary War service Hopkins was appointed a brigadier general to command all military forces of Rhode Island on October 4, 1775. He immediately began to strengthen Rhode Island's defenses with the help of his deputy, William West. A few months later, December 22, 1775, Hopkins was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy authorized by the Continental Congress to protect American commerce. On January 5, 1776, Congress gave Hopkins his set of orders: Hopkins took command of eight small merchant ships that had been altered as men-of-war at Philadelphia. After much deliberation about taking on the overwhelming British forces listed in