The Bay
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| Machias Bay |
One might think I'd prefer to write about Galway Bay or Bantry Bay (or even Sheepshead Bay), but too much water separates Ireland from the world of the Yankee Doodle Spies. Still, you might feel as if you're in Galway, with the stunning beauty of Machias Bay and its surrounding areas in beautiful coastal Maine. Near the eastern end of the Maine coast, the town of Machias started as a trading post for the French and English in the 17th century. By 1763, it had become an American settlement and seaport.
The spirit of independence and freedom ran strong in Machias. The first Liberty Pole in Maine was raised there. Machias also claims the title of "Birthplace of the American Navy." While that might be disputed by folks in Whitehall, New York, I digress. One of the first naval battles of the American War for Independence happened in a part of Machias Bay, and locals still refer to that battle as the "Lexington of the Sea."
The Battle
On June 2, 1775, the British schooner Margaretta, with four guns, escorted two sloops, Polly and Unity, into the port to gather lumber for British troops in Boston. Margaretta was commanded by Midshipman James Moore. The sloops belonged to Loyalist merchant Ichabod Jones, who had a contract to supply the British. A few weeks earlier, the battles at Lexington and Concord had ignited the rebellion into a full-scale war.
Although far from those battles, the call to action resonated along the coast, and tiny Machias was no exception. Eager for action, some local boys decided to confront the so-called lobster navy. Additionally, Jones, the shrewd merchant, was unpopular with the locals even before declaring himself a Loyalist. They devised a plan to seize the ships while Midshipman Moore and his crew were at church. However, their attempt failed, and the three ships managed to escape into the bay.
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| Machias Bay |
However, two leaders from Machias, Jeremiah O'Brien and Joseph Wheaton, assembled a makeshift force of local seamen. They quickly armed a local ship and seized one of Jones's vessels as well. O'Brien pursued Moore across the bay. On June 11th, he captured the Unity. The following day, he secured the larger Margaretta. This small-scale engagement, known as the Battle of Machias, resulted in a total of seven casualties. Moore himself was mortally wounded.
For his part in the attacks, O'Brien took command of the Unity and transferred the four guns from Margaretta onto it. He also renamed Unity to Machias Liberty. A few weeks later, the British schooner Diligent, along with a tender (presumably to haul away lumber), entered Machias Bay. O'Brien launched an attack on the Diligent and captured her along with the tender. Now, O'Brien commanded a fleet of two small ships, which became the nucleus of the Massachusetts (not the Continental) Navy. The seamen from Machias went on to capture more British vessels during the war. They also repelled a large British force that tried to take control of the town in 1777. Privateers and others operating out of Machias remained a persistent thorn in the side of the British Navy throughout the war.
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| O'Brien closes on Margaretta |
The Fort
To defend the port, the people of Machias built a small fort overlooking the bay. Built in 1775, it was meant to protect the Machias River and nearby communities. The British destroyed it later that year. But the Patriots rebuilt it in 1777, and it helped protect the harbor for the rest of the war, as well as during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. At first, the small fort was called Fort Machias, but it was later renamed Fort O'Brien.
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| Fort O'Brien is a park today |
The Architect
And what about the architect behind this little-known First Victory? Captain Jeremiah O'Brien came from the seaport of Kittery (full disclosure, the only place in Maine I've had the chance to visit). He moved with his family to Machias in 1765. O'Brien had five brothers: Gideon, John, William, Dennis, and Joseph. They all fought alongside him during the Battle of Machias and beyond.
The resourceful O'Brien led naval attacks on British shipping for the rest of the war. During the prolonged struggle, he was captured by the British multiple times but always managed to escape and get back to sea. He survived the war and later served as the Customs Collector at the port of Machias. It seems unlikely that much contraband ever slipped past him. For his achievements, the US Navy has named five ships in his honor over the years.
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| DD USS O'Brien |
