Historical Library

Royal Navy: 

Sloop (1794)

source: Royal Navy Sailing List

American Navy:

28 March 1776 

Marine Committee of the Continental Congress purchases the merchantman 'Molly', which is renamed the 'Reprisal', and placed under command Captain Lambert Wickes

10 June 1776

The committee of Secret Correspondence of Congress by arrangement of the Marine Committee issue orders to Capt. Wickes to proceed to Martinique and bring munitions for Washington's Armies and deliver as a passenger Mr. William Bingham to Martinque as an American representative. The Reprisal dropped down the Delaware from Philadelphia some time during the latter part of June. Before slipping out to the Atlantic, the Continental armed brig "Nancy" of six guns had been sighted and chased by six British men-of-war as she returned from St. Croix and St. Thomas with 386 barrels of gunpowder for the Army. In order to save her, her captain ran her ashore. Captain Wickes with the crew of the 'Lexington', was able to save  about 200 barrels. Before quitting the 'Nancy', they laid a train of gunpowder which blew up with a large number of British soldiers. In the engagement, Wickes third lieutenant, his brother, Richard Wickes lost his life. 

The Reprisal cleared the Delaware Capes on 3 July. During that month, Captain Wickes captured a number of vessels in the West Indies; and on 27

July, had a sharp encounter with H.B.M.S Shark off Martinque, beating her off and escaping into port. She returned to Philadelphia on 13 September.

24 October 1776

Congress orders Wickes to set sail to Nantes, France. This mission was to deliver Benjamin Franklin as the Commissioner to France. The Reprisal was afterward to cruise the English Channel. En route to France, the Reprisal captured two brigs. Reaching Nantes, November 29th. the Reprisal was the first vessel in the Continental Navy to arrive in European waters. She set sail again about mid January 1777, cruising along the coast of Spain, in the bay of Biscay and in the mouth of the English Channel. 

5 February 1777

The Reprisal captures the Lisbon packet, 2 days out of Falmouth, after a 40 minutes fight, and the cost of one man and two injured officers. Before ending this cruise on the 14th of February the Reprisal had claimed five other prizes. In April 1777 the reprisal was joined by the Continental vessels

'Lexington' and the 'Dolphin'. these three vessels made up a squadron commanded by Wickes. The American Commissioners in Paris (Franklin was one of them) ordered the squadron to cruise along the British Isles. Leaving France in the latter part of May 1777, they cruised around Ireland during

June, July, and August. On the 19th of June, they took their first prizes- two brigs and two sloops. 

During the following week, they cruised in the Irish Sea and made 14 additional captures, comprising two ships, seven brigs and five other vessels. Of these 18 prizes, eight were sent into  port, three released and seven sunk, three of which within sight of the enemy ports. After being driven into port at the end of their cruise around Ireland, several weeks were spent in France while refits to all three vessels were being carried out.

On 14 September 1777, the reprisal left France, accompanied by the 'Dolphin' for the United States. About 1 October, the Reprisal was lost off The Grand Banks of Newfoundland and all on board, except the cook, went down.

Modern United States Navy

• Reprisal (CV-30), originally "Newark"(CL-100), was renamed "San Jacinto" (CV-30) on 6 January 1943.
• Reprisal (CV-35) was laid down 1 July 1944 as an Essex class aircraft carrier by the New York Navy Yard. Her construction was canceled 12 August 1945 when 52.3 percent complete. Launched in 1945 without ceremony to clear the slipway, her hull was utilized in experimental work in the Chesapeake Bay from 1946-48. Although inspected during Janurary 1949 with a view to complete her as an attack carrier, the plan was dropped and Reprisal was sold 2 August 1949 to Boston Metals Co., Baltimore Maryland. She was scrapped during November 1949.

STARFLEET

The name Reprisal was first used in Starfleet 2284 when tensions with the Klingon Empire continued to grow. In order to maintain it’s state of readiness, Starfleet Command decided to proceed with the construction of 17 new Cyan Class Heavy Frigates. The Cyan Class is based on the extremely successful Avenger Class platform. Of those ships, the USS Reprisal, 1896 was one. Also, the USS Saratoga NCC-1892, was commissioned at the same time.  The USS Reprisal was under the Command of Captain Sotak, a Vulcan, during it’s first two five-year missions. In October 2288, the USS Reprisal and USS Cyan (NCC- 1890) were on patrol along the Klingon Neutral Zone as a part of Operation Distant Hammer, when they were attacked by three Klingon Domis’avyi (Guardians of the Border). All three Klingon ships were quickly dispatched . The K’chjne and another unidentified ship were destroyed in the battle, while the third, Mje’ask was escorted across the border and was tracked into Klingon territory for several hours.   

After two successful missions of patrolling along the Klingon/Federation Boarder,  and after the threat of hostilities began to recede, Captain Sotak lobbied for and was  successful in receiving a deep space assignment. The Reprisal under his command spent  nearly 6 years patrolling the galaxy on scientific and diplomatic missions. 

Eventually the Reprisal was retired after serving for nearly 60 years of faithful service to the Federation. The ship was kept in storage at the Federation ship yards near Mars until it was refit used as a training vessel at Starfleet Academy starting in 2362. When the Borg attacked at Wolf 359 in the year 2367, then Admiral Sotak, who was an instructor at Starfleet Academy, took a crew of cadets and  joined in the battle of Wolf 359 on the USS Reprisal. The ship took heavy damage and all hands were lost, including Sotak. 

In 2373, the newest and most advanced of Starfleet’s vessels were launched, the Sovereign Class. Among them was the USS Enterprise-E. Originally, plans were to launch a new Sovereign Class ship to be called Saratoga, but delays in the project caused the name to be moved to a new Appalachian Class vessel. 

The keel that was laid down for the Saratoga was soon re-named Reprisal in honor of the ship and crew that gave it’s all at Wolf 359. Every piece and part of the old Cyan Class Reprisal that could  be salvaged was and was incorporated into the  design of it’s Sovereign Class namesake. Finally, in an unusual move, it was decided that since such a large amount of  parts were able to be used in the new ship, it would considered an “upgrade/refit” and the same NCC number could still be used so to better honor Sotak and his crew that unselfishly gave their lives for the Federation.

When the ship was near completion in late 2374, Starfleet chose Korath K’rus, a Klingon as it’s Captain. K’rus was had began his career on the USS Intrepid under Captain Wade Larkin and honed his skills as the Executive Officer of the USS Aries. K’rus chose Larkin (who was unassigned at the time) as his Executive officer. Many of his old crew mates from the USS Intrepid made up the Senior Staff of the Reprisal. The crew quickly jelled under his leadership and  quickly gained a reputation for excellence. In 2377, K’rus took and extended leave of absence from the Reprisal to return to Qo’nos to settle a blood feud with another house. He was killed during that time.

Larkin was made commander of the Reprisal following K’Rus’ death. He earned the loyalty and respect of the crew through the leadership he displayed in  several battles, not all of which were in space. He had a running disagreement over policies with Starfleet command for years. 

After 4 years as CO of the Reprisal, Larkin stood down to accept a position within Starfleet command. Replacing Larkin as Commander of the Reprisal was Vice Admiral Greg Franklin, another veteran of the USS Intrepid. He was considered by many in Fleet to be one of the most talented officers to come along in many years. After serving for a couple of years as a member of Starfleet Command, Larkin re-assumed command of the Reprisal when Franklin was temporarily reassigned to a top-secret mission. 

Larkin served as CO until 2387, when a series of bombs planted on the ship by a saboteur, killed several members of the crew, including Greg Franklin, who was serving as Chief of Security at the time. The explosions irreparably damaged the space frame of the Reprisal. It was determined that the ship could not safely achieve warp speed. It was decommissioned and placed at Earth Station McKinley as a living museum and testing platform for the Sovereign class.

The crew of the Reprisal was transferred, largely intact, to the new Akira Class heavy cruiser, USS Revelation and served there with distinction.

In 2391, new technology was used to successfully repair the space frame of the USS Reprisal. The long-considered-dead Greg Franklin re-emerged and explained to Admiral Larkin that he had been captured by an enemy of the Federation and held until he was able to escape with the aid of Section 31 operatives. He stayed with Section 31 for 9 months and had decided to leave and resume his commission within Starfleet.

Franklin managed to get the entire crew of the Revelation transferred back to the Reprisal, with Larkin as Commanding Officer in mid 2392.

Larkin served as CO until late 2394 when he stepped back to Executive Officer and Greg Franklin assumed command again. 

REAL LIFE HISTORY 

The USS Reprisal was the dream of Greg Franklin and was launched in early 1997 with the help of David Richardson,  Wade and Melissa Larkin. In the History of the USS Reprisal (and USS Revelation from 2012-2016) the only people to serve as Commanding Officer are Greg Franklin and Wade Larkin. Most recently, Larkin served from 2009 until the end of 2018. Greg Franklin has now assumed command.

Reprisal CO History:

Greg Franklin: March 18, 1997-December 31, 1998

Wade Larkin: January 1, 1999- December 31, 2002

Greg Franklin: January 1, 2003- December 31, 2004

Wade Larkin: January 1, 2005- December 31, 2006

Greg Franklin: January 1, 2007- June 13, 2009

Wade Larkin: June 14, 2009- May 31, 2016 (as USS Revelation)

Wade Larkin: June 1, 2016-December 31, 2018

Greg Franklin: January 1, 2019-Present