Any vessel carrying less than 20 guns was unrated, and this class included a variety of sloops, brigs, gunboats, cutters, and other vessels. Smaller and more maneuverable than ships-of-the-line, frigates were used for convoy escorts, reconnaissance, and commerce raiding. Fifth and sixth-rate ships, known as frigates would see extensive service during the Revolutionary War. They were often relegated to convoy escorts or colonial service where the threat of enemy battleships was more limited. Prior to the Revolution fourth-rate vessels (50-60 guns) were considered ships-of-the-line, but by the 1770s they were considered too small to be effective in a general battle. Third-rate ships, typically carrying 74 guns, were by far the most common ships-of-the-line in the late 18th century. These large battleships were deployed in line formations with the intention of battering enemy vessels with crashing broadsides in direct combat. Together with second-rate (80-98 guns) and third-rate (64-80 guns), these vessels were known as ships-of-the-line, which referred to their role in battle. At the top of the system were the first-rate ships, which featured over 100 guns arranged on three gun decks, manned by over 800 officers and men. Navy vessels were organized along a rating system that broadly defined their size and their use. In the later years of the war, the navy would be crucial in holding off the French, Spanish, and Dutch as the war spread across the globe. During the American Revolution, the navy played a critical role in supporting the Army’s attempts to crush the American rebellion, allowing the army to strike anywhere along the coast. Britain also relied on her navy to defend trade flowing in from her far-flung colonies. The navy served as Britain’s “wooden walls,” protecting the home islands from invasion by much larger continental powers. By the end of the war that number would nearly double as the navy expanded to meet the threat posed by other European powers fighting alongside the Americans. These ranged from massive ships-of-the-line to tiny sloops and coastal vessels. At the start of the American Revolution, the Royal Navy numbered over 250 vessels of all sizes.
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