Machias Bay Melee

The Bay

Machias Bay

One might think I'd prefer to write about Galway Bay or Bantry Bay (or even Sheepshead Bay), but too much water lies between Ireland and the world of the Yankee Doodle Spies. Yet you might feel as if you are in Galway, with the picturesque beauty of Machias Bay and its surrounding area in beautiful coastal Maine. Near the eastern end of the Maine coast, the town of Machias began as a trading post for the French and English in the 17th century. In 1763, it was an American settlement and seaport.


The spirit of independence and freedom was strong in Machias. The first Liberty Pole in Maine was erected in the town. 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 took place in a portion of Machias Bay, and locals still refer to that engagement as the "Lexington of the Sea."

The  Battle

On June 2, 1775, the British schooner Margaretta (with a complement of 4 guns) escorted two sloops, Polly and Unity, into the port, seeking lumber for British troops stationed in Boston. Margaretta was under the command of Midshipman James Moore. The sloops belonged to a Loyalist merchant named Ichabod Jones, who had a contract to provide the British with necessary supplies. A few weeks earlier, the battles at Lexington and Concord had stirred the hornet's nest of rebellion into a war. Though far from those fields, the call for action echoed up and down the coast, and tiny Machias was no exception. Eager for action, some of the local boys decided to confront the lobster navy. Furthermore, the unscrupulous businessman Jones was not popular with the locals even before he declared himself Loyal. They plotted to seize the ships while Midshipman Moore and his officers attended church services. However, this did not work out, and the three ships escaped into the bay.

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 combined. Moore himself suffered mortal wounds. For his part in the attacks, O'Brien took command of the Unity and transferred Margaretta's four guns on board. 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 additional British vessels during the war. They also repelled a large British force that attempted to seize 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.

O'Brien closes on Margaretta

The Fort

To protect the port, the citizens of Machias built a small fort overlooking the bay. Constructed in 1775, it was designed to guard the Machias River and its surrounding communities. The British destroyed the fort during the same year. However, the Patriots rebuilt it in 1777, and it played a significant role in safeguarding the harbor for the remainder of the war, as well as during the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Initially, the small bastion was called Fort Machias, but it was later renamed Fort O'Brien.

 Fort O'Brien is a park today

The Architect

And what of the architect behind this little-known First Victory? Captain Jeremiah O'Brien hailed from the seaport of Kittery (full disclosure, the only place in Maine I have yet had the privilege to visit). He relocated with his family to Machias in 1765. O'Brien had five brothers: Gideon, John, William, Dennis, and Joseph. They all served 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 extended struggle, he was captured by the British more than once but consistently managed to escape and return to sea. He survived the war and later became the Customs Collector at the port of Machias. Something tells me that not much contraband slipped past him. For his accomplishments, the US Navy has, over the years, named five ships in his honor.

DD USS O'Brien