Machias
RETURN TO INDEXVictory: British
Troops: British 3 frigates, 1 brig, 1 sloop of war, 123 marines - United States Local militia, allied Native Americans
The battle was named for the town of Machias, settled in 1763; at the Machias Falls, approximately 20 miles upriver (Machias River) from Machias Bay. But few if any townspeople took part in the fire fight. The settlement of Machias and Machias Bay lay far northeast on the coast of Maine (then part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony), approximately 325 miles from Boston and only 30 miles from Canada. It was spring and the Machias settlement had survived a long and difficult winter. Food supplies were at a minimum so they were desperate to begin the trading season that predominately exchanged Maine lumber for food; mainly pork and flour. The Boston Port Act of 1774 required that Vice-Admiral Samuel Graves authorize all shipments to and from Boston. Graves used this leverage on Jones. If the Boston trader expected his two merchantmen to be granted permission to leave Boston with food for Machias, then the British must have a guarantee. Once the food was offloaded, the settlers would have to agree to load lumber on the two merchantmen for the return trip to Boston. Jones, eager to depart Boston, assured the admiral that he would return with the lumber. So, you could imagine how glad the townspeople were to see the return of two familiar merchant schooners; Unity (80 tons) and Polly (90 tons). Following the outbreak of the war, British authorities enlisted Loyalist merchant Ichabod Jones to supply the troops who were under the Siege of Boston. Two of his merchant ships arrived in Machias on June 2, 1775, accompanied by the British armed sloop HMS Margaretta (sometimes also spelled Margueritta or Marguerite), commanded by Midshipman James Moore.
The townspeople of Machias disapproved of Jones' intentions and arrested him. They also tried to arrest Moore, but he escaped through the harbor. On June 12, townspeople armed with muskets, pitchforks, and axes seized one of the merchant ships, the Falmouth Packet, and armed it alongside a second ship, the Unity, under the command of Jeremiah O’Brien. The two ships sailed out to meet the Margaretta, but the one captained by Benjamin Foster ran aground. O’Brien’s crew quickly caught up to the ship. After a short confrontation, Moore was fatally wounded, and his vessel and crew were captured. n June 2, 1775, Jones' ships arrived in the port at Machias. However, they were met with resistance from the townspeople when Jones refused to sell his pork and flour unless he was allowed to load lumber for Boston. In a meeting on June 6, 1775, the townspeople voted against doing business with Jones. The hostile climate forced Jones to take action by ordering Moore to bring Margaretta within firing distance of the town. Benjamin Foster, a staunch Sons of Liberty man, hatched the plan to seize Jones and Moore while attending Church on Sunday, June 11th. Once the captain of the British sloop was in hand, he plotted to swarm the Margaretta and take her while in anchor in the Machias River. Foster’s leadership was joined by Jeremiah O’Brien, an outspoken dealer in lumber who had skills as a sailor. As the Liberty boys approached the church, they were spotted. Moore escaped to his ship and Jones took off for the woods (later to be captured).
Since Moore was grievously wounded in the battle, his second-in-command, Midshipman Richard Stillingfleet, surrendered the crew and the vessel. Moore was taken back to Machias and put into the care of Ichabod Jones's nephew, Stephen Jones. However, Moore's wounds were too severe and he died the following day. Three other members of Moore's crew were killed, including Robert Avery. The remaining crew members of the British schooner were held at Machias for a month, then handed over to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Reports circulated that as many as 100 British men died in the battle. Machias lost two men, John McNiell and James Coolbroth, and three others were badly wounded: John Berry, who had a musket ball enter his mouth and exit behind his ear, Isaac Taft, and James Cole. Since Moore was grievously wounded in the battle, his second-in-command, Midshipman Richard Stillingfleet, surrendered the crew and the vessel. The Machias community expected retaliation by the British Empire, and immediately petitioned to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for guidance, supplies, and assistance. The Provincial Congress organized the defense of Machias and remained vigilant. During the war, Machias men refitted and armed a variety of ships—including Margaretta—and sailed off looking for battle with the British. Machias Liberty and Diligent were used to intercept merchant ships that were supplying the British in the Siege of Boston.
The townspeople of Machias disapproved of Jones' intentions and arrested him. They also tried to arrest Moore, but he escaped through the harbor. On June 12, townspeople armed with muskets, pitchforks, and axes seized one of the merchant ships, the Falmouth Packet, and armed it alongside a second ship, the Unity, under the command of Jeremiah O’Brien. The two ships sailed out to meet the Margaretta, but the one captained by Benjamin Foster ran aground. O’Brien’s crew quickly caught up to the ship. After a short confrontation, Moore was fatally wounded, and his vessel and crew were captured. n June 2, 1775, Jones' ships arrived in the port at Machias. However, they were met with resistance from the townspeople when Jones refused to sell his pork and flour unless he was allowed to load lumber for Boston. In a meeting on June 6, 1775, the townspeople voted against doing business with Jones. The hostile climate forced Jones to take action by ordering Moore to bring Margaretta within firing distance of the town. Benjamin Foster, a staunch Sons of Liberty man, hatched the plan to seize Jones and Moore while attending Church on Sunday, June 11th. Once the captain of the British sloop was in hand, he plotted to swarm the Margaretta and take her while in anchor in the Machias River. Foster’s leadership was joined by Jeremiah O’Brien, an outspoken dealer in lumber who had skills as a sailor. As the Liberty boys approached the church, they were spotted. Moore escaped to his ship and Jones took off for the woods (later to be captured).
Since Moore was grievously wounded in the battle, his second-in-command, Midshipman Richard Stillingfleet, surrendered the crew and the vessel. Moore was taken back to Machias and put into the care of Ichabod Jones's nephew, Stephen Jones. However, Moore's wounds were too severe and he died the following day. Three other members of Moore's crew were killed, including Robert Avery. The remaining crew members of the British schooner were held at Machias for a month, then handed over to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Reports circulated that as many as 100 British men died in the battle. Machias lost two men, John McNiell and James Coolbroth, and three others were badly wounded: John Berry, who had a musket ball enter his mouth and exit behind his ear, Isaac Taft, and James Cole. Since Moore was grievously wounded in the battle, his second-in-command, Midshipman Richard Stillingfleet, surrendered the crew and the vessel. The Machias community expected retaliation by the British Empire, and immediately petitioned to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress for guidance, supplies, and assistance. The Provincial Congress organized the defense of Machias and remained vigilant. During the war, Machias men refitted and armed a variety of ships—including Margaretta—and sailed off looking for battle with the British. Machias Liberty and Diligent were used to intercept merchant ships that were supplying the British in the Siege of Boston.
