Surprise!

At sea, individual ships of the American navy were astonishing the oldline British officers and seamen who had thought of the colonists as ill-trained and poorly equipped. During late 1776 and early 1777, Captain Lambert Wickes was annoying the British by capturing vessels in the enemy's own waters. One of the greatest surprises of all was in store for the captain of an English ship, the Prince of Orange (who came up with that ridiculous name?). Leisurely taking breakfast on May 3rd, 1777, in his private cabin, while his ship was cruising right in the middle of the English Channel, he looked up indignantly when a stranger burst in -- an American officer.
"Sir," said the officer, one Gustavus Conynghan, "you will pardon me, but I am taking over your ship."
When the British officer stomped out on deck to reprimand his officers for permitting this intrusion, he was struck dumb with astonishment. For an American ship, the 10-gun Surprise, had lived up to her name by coming alongside in the heart of enemy waters and overpowering the British ship without firing a shot (Hurray for those crazy, sneeky Americans).

In December 1775, Captain Biddle took command of the 14-gun brig Andrew Doria and joined the fleet commanded by Esek Hopkins in the expedition against New Providence.

One of the finest American ships was the frigate Randolph, 32-guns and later commanded by the 27 year old Nicholas Biddle. On February 12th, 1778, Biddle set sail out of Charleston with four vessels of the South Carolina navy: General Moultrie, Notre Dame, Polly, and Fair American. Heading into the West Indies, Biddle encountered a formidable enemy off Barbados, the strong, 64-gun ship-of-war Yarmouth. On the afternoon of March 7th, not hesitating at being out-gunned two to one, Biddle lunged to the attack in the trim little Randolph. Almost at the start of the battle, Biddle was wounded badly. None of the other American ships had sufficiently heavy artillery to get into the battle, except for the Moultrie, which became confused and fired into the Randolph by mistake. For fifteen minutes the gallant Biddle raked the enemy back and forth, inflicting heavy damage, and suffering little hurt to his own ship. But in the moment of glory as Biddle was waiting to get on the badly battered Yarmouth's quarter, the Randolph blew up. Flaming debris from the Randolph showered down on Yarmouth preventing her from pursuing the South Carolina ships which slipped away in the darkness.
Of the valiant crew of 315 officers and men, only four survived. Commodore Biddle was one of the casualties.

"I fear nothing but what I ought to fear. I am much more afraid of doing a foolish action than of loosing my life. I aim for a character of conduct, as well as courage, and hope never to throw away a vessel and crew merely to convince the world I have courage. No one has dared to impeach it yet. If any should, I will not leave them a moment of doubt."
Nicholas Biddle to his brother, Charles, 16 June 1776