Ranger I
(Ship Sloop: dp. 308; l. 116' (on gun deck); b. 28'; dph. 13'6";
cpl. 140; a. 18 6-pdr.)
The first Ranger, an 18-gun Continental Navy ship sloop initially called Hampshire, was launched 10 May 1777 by James K. Hackett, master shipbuilder, at Portsmouth, N.H.; Capt..John Paul Jones in command.
After tatting out, she sailed for France 1 November 1777 carrying dispatches telling of General Burgoyne's surrender to the Commissioners in Paris. On the voyage over, two British prizes were captured. Ranger arrived at Nantes, France, 2 December, where Jones sold the prizes and delivered the news of the victory at Saratoga to Dr. Franklin. On 14 February 1778, Ranger received the first official salute to the new American flag, the "Stars and Stripes," given by the Freneh heet at Quiberon Bay.
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