Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-23
Our First Naval Battle.

In an address, MONDAY, on Il ne
American Seaman" at a SwampscOtt.
Massachusetts, celebration, Hon. Cur
."fhe first naval victory won W
Americans against the mother country
was gained by Captain John Manly
of Marblehead, not under the Stars
and Stripes, not under the Rattlesnake
flag, but under the banner with the
green pine tree, the white flag of tie
Lay State" Now, General Guild is an
eloquent speaker. He is well in line
for the go, ernorship of Massachusa it's
and Shows on all cccasid ms most COM
mendable state loyalty and pride. But
in this special instance he hasn't the
facts Of history straight. We therefore
take occasion to remind him that the.
Lexington Of the seas was fought in
Maine waters, not in those of Mas ,a-
chusetts, and that the heroes of that
enga cement were the men of Iachias,
not those of Marblehead.
We don't profess to know anything
of Capt. John Manly of Marblehead.
but it is pretty generally accepted be-
lief, of which the best histories take
note, that the first naval engagement
of the struggle for independence was
that in Machias bay, IN May, IT'S, orly
a month after Lexington and Concord
1t wasn't great battle or great vic
tory. as naval engagements of the
present time would be considered, but
1t was beginning and it made enough
of a sensation Mt the time so that on
June 26, J775, the Continental Congress
passed a formal vote of thanks to the
gagged were the armed English schoon-
cr Margaretta, commanded by Leuten-
cnt Moore of the royal navy, on the one
side, and on the other nameless
coasting schooner and several row
boats manned by the men of Machas,
the six stalwart O'Brien brothers be-
ing prominent among them. 1t was 4
hand to hand encounter and several
men were killed on both sides, Lieuten-
ant Moore being among them. The
Margaretta was captured, her crew
made prisoners and her flag hauled
down. Later she was in the American
service, and Benjamin Foster and
jeremiah O'Brien, two of the men ac-
tive in her capture, received commits
sions and won fame and success in
privateering.
1t seems that this sea fight was
caused by the demand of Lieutenant
move their liberty pole from the will
lage green. The news of Lexington
and Concord had just rachel there and
the spirit of independence found fer
| tile soil. The demand was refused and
| when the British officer threatened to
fire on the little town, the first Ameri-
can naval fleet was improvised, as
stated above. and the first American
naval victory followed. The British
years later. q fleet of four vessels was
sent from Nova Scotia to destroy the
town. A mill and several dwellings, on
! the shore OF the bay were burned, but
when one of the briggs tried to ascend
the river to the town it met such a
CALLING fire from the banks that the
brig drifted helplessly out into the bay.
1t is recorded that half hundred
Passamaquoddy Indians helped the
settlers repel this attack, and the
squadron soon sailed away.
These are the simple facts of a nota-
bic incident in American history, and
any student of the war for independ-
ence should store them away in his
memory. Massachusetts has revolu-
tionary glory enough of it's own and
! must not try to rob Maine of it's mod
est share. In fact, as Maine was then,
y II,
| a part of Massachusetts, that common
wealth was really the scene of the
| capture of the Margaretta in Machias
| bay. We do not want to detract from,
the credit due Capt Manly of Marble
| head for whatever he achieved. but he
| did not win our first naval battle
| against the mother country. No doubt
| his flag with its green pine tree was
one to inspire victory; certainly it had
| a good emblem. 1t isn't recorded that
the men of Machias bore any flag in
that encounter in the bay. But they
did the business right valiantly an,.
shed their blood in the doing of it.