Nicholas Biddle

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Nicholas Biddle (1750 – 1778) was a member of Templar Order and one of the first captains of Continental Navy during the American Revolution.

Biography

Early life

Nicholas was born in Philadelphia in the year 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 under the British Crown, Biddle met with Robert Faulkner and also became part of the Templar Order.

Later, while in Martha's Vineyard, an inn on the coast of Nantucket, Biddle convened with Benjamin Church. As the meeting progressed, Biddle first encountered Connor, an Assassin, where he quickly exchanged an insult with Faulkner, before the developing argument was cut short by Amanda Bailey. In 1773, Biddle resigned his commission to join the Continental Navy at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Following this, Biddle was given command of a schooner vessel, the Franklin, and patrolled the naval convoy routes.

Reign of East Coast

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 Nantucket and to occupy an abandoned fort, despite its lack of strategic value.

From there, Biddle pleaded and 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, the Congress made Biddle the captain 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 actually belonged to 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. The Aquila, co-captained by Connor and Faulkner, 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.

Final stand

In 1778, in order to remove Connor 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-of-War. However, the Aquila destroyed the Men-of-War and successfully disabled the Randolph's mast with a single broadside of chained cannonballs.

Following this, Connor and the Aquila's crew boarded and attacked the Randolph, during which Connor confronted Biddle on the bridge, causing both crews to cease fighting and watch as the two captains dueled.

Death

At first, Connor gained the upper hand, until Biddle fired a shot at a gunpowder keg, causing both of them to fall below deck. The two soon continued their duel, with Connor emerging victorious and wounding Biddle. While dying, Biddle justified his actions by claiming that he benefitted and empowered the Continentals and the Navy. He rebuked the Assassins, calling Connor a fool for not understanding or accepting his goals.

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

Legacy

Biddle succeeded in his goal of strengthening and expanding the Continental fleet, which ensured many victories for the Continental Navy over the British. However, despite being a strong supporter of the Continental cause, Biddle's true allegiance was to the Templars.

In this regard, Biddle used deception, duplicity and orchestrated the attacks on civilian merchants to further his goals. Although his actions eventually came to benefit the Continental Army, he did so for the Templars' control over the Eastern Coast of America. However, Biddle never got the chance to achieve Admiral status, due to Connor's intervention.

Personality

Biddle was a capable, experienced, 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 the Admiral of the entire Continental Navy.

Despite this, Biddle was a well admired and respected captain, in that not only did he lead successful campaigns, he kept morale and his crew's efficiency high by fairly sharing the spoils of victory and through not using corporal punishment.

Final words

• Connor: Your reign over the colonial coast has come to an end.
• Nicholas: Is that why you hunted me? Because you thought me an enemy to the cause? You're every bit the fool I was told.
• Connor: You brought pain and suffering upon innocent people for nothing but personal gain.
• Nicholas: Pain. Suffering. I set them free. Weeded out the dissenters and empowered the Patriots. So what if I was 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.
• Connor: Enough.
• Nicholas: 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.

Trivia

• Out of all the targets' portraits in the Davenport Homestead manor, Biddle's was not crossed out after his death.

Gallery

• 
  Nicholas and Faulkner's argument, interrupted by Amanda Bailey.

Reference

• Assassin's Creed III