Today on Dave Does History, we set sail with Esek Hopkins, the fiery, flawed, and first Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Navy.

Before John Paul Jones declared he had not yet begun to fight, Hopkins was already in the thick of it—raiding British ports, outmaneuvering orders, and making enemies in Congress.

But his story is no straightforward hero’s tale. From triumph in Nassau to tragedy aboard a slave ship, Hopkins leaves us with a legacy as turbulent as the seas he sailed.

Join us as we unpack the rise, fall, and reckoning of America’s original naval commodore.