It mainly deals with after the revolution began (though covers a fair bit from before, if I recall), but Robert H Patton's Patriot Pirates is a good read (and a

It mainly deals with after the revolution began (though covers a fair bit from before, if I recall), but Robert H Patton's Patriot Pirates is a good read (and also dispels the myth that private citizens couldn't own canon and "warships" around the time the 2nd amendment was created).