Captain John Hopkins was in charge of a boat of Rhode Island men that that assaulted the crew of the English Navy ship Gaspee in 1772.

John Burroughs Hopkins was a ship captain.  John Brown placed him in charge of one of the longboats in the attack on the Gaspee. 

Bowen in his narrative says:

     "...when orders were given to cross the street to Fenner's wharf and embark; which soon took place, and a sea captain acted as steersman of each boat, of whom I recollect Capt. Abraham Whipple, Capt. John B. Hopkins, (with whom I embarked,) and Capt. Benjamin Dunn. A line from right to left was soon formed, with Capt. Whipple on the right and Capt. Hopkins on the right of the left wing....The party thus proceeded till within about sixty yards of the Gaspee...."

Captain John B. Hopkins, was a son of Esek Hopkins, and a nephew of Stephen Hopkins, the then Chief Justice of Rhode Island.  The middle initial of Capt Hopkins was used during his lifetime --- to distinguish himself from both his uncle named John Hopkins and also a cousin named John Hopkins, both of whom were substantial members within a prominent Rhode Island family.

John Burroughs Hopkins, b. 14 Aug 1742 in Newport, Newport County, RI;  d. 4 Mar 1796;  m. Sarah Harris, b. 7 Dec 1742; d.  8 Dec 1824)

 In December 1775 The United States Congress Marine Committee appointed the following officers, with the approval of Congress:

[Congress and the Continental Navy, 1775-1783: Chronology and Documents at: http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/revwar/chron.htm 22]  From that point on,  Captain Hopkins served with distinction during the Revolutionary War. In his obituary, the Providence Gazette, March 12, 1796, called him an "eminent nautical commander". 

Captain John B. Hopkins was first buried at the Admiral Esek Hopkins Burial Ground , Providence, which was later removed to the Providence North Burial Ground

Because Bowen was in Hopkins' boat, and Joseph Bucklin 5th was in the boat with Bowen, we conclude that Bucklin was in the boat commanded by Hopkins.  So Bucklin was in the boat commanded by the nephew of the Chief Justice of Rhode Island.

It is interesting to note that both Esek Hopkins and Joseph Bucklin 4th previously had been ship captains of the same ship - the brigantine Providence. See History of Brigantine Providence.  Both these ship captains had sons in the Gaspee raiders.  This, of course, leads to the interesting speculation that Joseph Bucklin 4th could have been one of the longboat captains whose names are unknown to history at this point.

For more on the distinguished and famous Hopkins Family, click here.

The following Hopkins family connections among Gaspee participants are significant.  Certainly the connections would help seal the agreement to keep the names of the participants secret from the English.

Stephen Hopkins:

Esek Hopkins:

John Hopkins' niece Sarah was the wife of Abraham Whipple, another ship captain in charge of one of the longboats in the attack.