American naval officer, born at Philadelphia on the 10th of September 1750; killed in action on the 7th of March 1778. At the age of thirteen he made a voyage to the West Indies. In 1770 he entered the British navy, but deserted his ship three years later to go with Captain Phipps on an Arctic expedition. On his return he had gained sufficient experience to fit him for the command of a vessel and he was placed in charge of the Andrea Doria. From this time to his death Captain Biddle was extremely fortunate in his engagements with British ships. He captured two cruisers off Montauk Point, two transports and several merchantmen near Newfoundland, and four ships near Charleston, SC. On March 7, 1778, while cruising in the latter vicinity with a fleet of five vessels (his own being the Randolph), he fell in with the Yarmouth, a heavily armed British vessel. In the action which ensued the Yarmouth sustained severe injuries and the Randolph was blown up. Biddle and 310 of his crew perished. Captain Biddle’s death was a great loss to the navy of the young republic.
