Nicholas Biddle

"So what if I was named Admiral. The Revolution needs one and I was the best man for the job. The only man. If not for me, the Continental Navy would remain but a handful of rafts. For all your vision, you Assassins are blind to the truth."

―Nicholas Biddle to Ratonhnhaké:ton in his final moments, 1778.

Nicholas Biddle (1750 – 1778) was one of the first captains of the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War, and a member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order.

Biography

Early life

Nicholas Biddle was born in Philadelphia in 1750 to William Biddle and Mary Scull. At the age of thirteen, he journeyed on a voyage to the West Indies, during which he was stranded on a desert island for two months. In 1770, Biddle joined the British Royal Navy, where he served as a junior officer. During his time working for the British Crown, Biddle met Robert Faulkner.

Later, while in Martha's Vineyard, Biddle was talking with Benjamin Church, who intended to recruit him into the Templar Order. As the meeting progressed, Biddle first encountered the young Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton, and quickly exchanged an insult with Faulkner. The developing argument was cut short by Amanda Bailey, who wanted to prevent a fight in her establishment.

In 1775, Biddle resigned his commission in the Royal Navy to join the Continental Navy at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Following this, he was given command of the schooner USS Franklin—named after Benjamin Franklin—and patrolled the naval convoy routes.

Reign of the East Coast

Ratonhnhaké:ton: "What else do you know of Biddle?"

Faulkner: "All of the sudden Congress has a brand new ship for him to captain. From British coxswain to captain of a Colonial flagship. Something doesn't add up."

—Ratonhnhaké:ton and Robert Faulkner discussing Biddle, 1776.

Biddle devised a plan with his Templar co-conspirators in the British Navy, ultimately aiming to strengthen and expand the Continental Navy under his command for the Templar cause. Biddle sent Templar ships to attack merchant vessels in Martha's Vineyard and to occupy Fort Phoenix, despite its lack of strategic value.

From there, Biddle tricked the Continental Congress into believing that the British Navy was a threat to the Colonial coast. As a result, the Congress commissioned more ships for the Continental Navy, and by 1776, Biddle was given command of a frigate, the Randolph.

Biddle continued patrolling the Colonial coast and naval trade routes while orchestrating British attacks with his Templar co-conspirators. The Randolph attacked Nantucket, claiming it was a British Loyalist post when it had actually sided with the Continental Army, in an attempt to further convince the Congress that more ships were needed. Biddle also planned to boost his reputation and service record in order to be promoted to the rank of Admiral over the entire Continental Navy fleet.

Soon after, the Randolph was assigned to escort La Belladonna, a French ship providing aid to the Continental war drive. However, the Randolph abandoned La Belladonna to be attacked and seized by Templar ships.

Biddle aboard the Randolph

The Aquila, captained by Ratonhnhaké:ton, came to La Belladonna's defense before the ships attacked. The two vessels then destroyed the formation of Templar ships, while Biddle observed the battle safely from a distance.

In March 1778, in order to remove Ratonhnhaké:ton as a threat to his plans, Biddle patrolled the Caribbean coast, successfully luring the Aquila into a trap. In this encounter, the Randolph attacked the Aquila with the aid of two Men O' War. However, the Aquila sank the Men O' War and disabled the Randolph's mast with a single broadside of chained cannonballs.

Following this, Ratonhnhaké:ton and the Aquila's crew boarded and attacked the Randolph, during which Ratonhnhaké:ton confronted Biddle on the quarterdeck, causing both crews to cease fighting and watch as the two captains dueled, with Biddle furiously vowing to make Ratonhnhaké:ton suffer for the damage dealt to the Randolph.

Death

"Wait. Let the Randolph die with me. Don't take her as a prize. Please. Please. I want no quarter, just to sink with my ship."

―Biddle's final words to Ratonhnhaké:ton, 1778.

Biddle dueling Ratonhnhaké:ton

Ratonhnhaké:ton overpowered Biddle, until Biddle fired a shot at a gunpowder keg, causing both of them to fall below deck. The two soon continued their duel, with Ratonhnhaké:ton emerging victorious and dealing Biddle a fatal wound. As he died, Biddle justified his actions by claiming that he empowered the Continental Navy. He rebuked the Assassins, calling Ratonhnhaké:ton a fool for not understanding or accepting his goals.

With his final words, Biddle asked Ratonhnhaké:ton not to take the Randolph as a prize, instead allowing him to die and sink with his ship. Ratonhnhaké:ton granted this request and left, igniting several barrels of gunpowder behind him to destroy the Randolph.

Personality and traits

"Is that why you hunted me? Because you thought me an enemy to the cause? You're every bit the fool I was told."

―Biddle to Ratonhnhaké:ton following his defeat, 1778.

Biddle was a capable, brave, and proud individual, which showed itself in his nautical achievements. He also viewed himself as a "man of vision", and was ambitious, charismatic, and arrogant to the point that he saw himself as becoming Admiral of the entire Continental Navy.

Because of this, Biddle was a well-admired and respected captain; not only did he lead successful campaigns, he kept morale and his crew's efficiency high by fairly sharing the spoils of victory, not through corporal punishment. Rather than allow his ship to be captured, he convinced Ratonhnhaké:ton to let him sink with the Randolph.

Skills and equipment

Biddle had a great handling of the sword and the pistol, which he used to great effect in his duel against Ratonhnhaké:ton. He was able to neutralize most of his opponent's attacks, preventing any counterattack attempts.

Behind the scenes

Nicholas Biddle is a historical character who appears in Assassin's Creed III, where he is voiced by American actor Fred Tatasciore.

Biddle is the only major assassination target in the game whose death does not take place within the main storyline of Assassin's Creed III. Instead, he serves as the main antagonist of the game's naval sequences, only making one appearance in the main storyline, in the memory "The Hard Way". Despite his major role as one of Haytham Kenway's co-conspirators, Biddle is never mentioned in Assassin's Creed: Forsaken.

Even after his death, Biddle's portrait remains uncrossed in the Davenport Homestead manor. Despite the fact that Biddle's portrait appeared on the cellar wall when it was first shown to Ratonhnhaké:ton, he failed to recognize him at Martha's Vineyard.

Historically, Biddle died in battle off the coast of Barbados on 7 March 1778, when the Randolph attacked the ship of the line HMS Yarmouth, instead of in the Bahamas as presented in-game. Furthermore, during his duel with Ratonhnhaké:ton, Biddle remarks that he expects Haytham to reward him greatly for ridding him of the Assassin. However, Ratonhnhaké:ton and Haytham had formed an alliance at this time, implying that Biddle was unaware of the truce or that his death in-game occurs at a different time than in real life.

Gallery

• 
  A portrait of Biddle
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  Ratonhnhaké:ton confronting Church and Biddle
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  Amanda Bailey breaking up Faulkner and Biddle's argument
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  Biddle firing at a powder keg
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  Biddle's final moments

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed III