USS Mosquito (1775)
1974 painting of Mosquito (right) and USS Fly by William Nowland Van Powell. Even though portrayed as a sloop, Mosquito was most likely a schooner like Fly. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | Mosquito |
| Namesake | Mosquito |
| Acquired | 1775 |
| Out of service | October 1777 |
| Fate | Destroyed by October 1777, most likely 7 July 1777 |
| Notes | often identified also as a sloop in later sources |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Armament | 4 × guns, later upgraded to 6 guns w/ 4 swivel guns |
USS Mosquito was a schooner of the Continental Navy. Believed to have been purchased at Philadelphia in late 1775, she patrolled the Delaware River until destroyed during the British capture of Philadelphia in October 1777. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) has identified this ship as a sloop, yet records from the period which are believed to refer to the ship have consistently identified her as being a schooner. These records also provide a bit more detail of her fate, indicating she was burned after capture in July 1777 during Royal Navy operations along the Delaware River.