Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-07-16
FIRST OF NAVAL BATTLES.
Fought In Maryland Waters In the
Early Colonial DAYS.

Fought in Naryiaud Waters Ia the
Early Colonial Days.
April - of this year was the two
hundred and sixty.niuth anniversary
of the first naval battle fought in
American waters On that date two
armed forces met at the mouth of Fo.
Comoke River. within the boundaries
Of the province of Maryland. and set
tied. nj least temporarily, the author
fly of Lord Baltimore. The settle.
ment at st. Mary's had been made but
thirteen months when this test Of
arms occurred
About three years before the land.
Ing of the Maryland pilgrims under
Governor Leonard Calvert. by virtue
Of the grant of the territory from
Charles l.. a trading post had been es
tablished 10y William Claiborne Of
Virginia on Kent island. 1t was not a
settlement intended for permanent
homes and the filling of the soil, but
was merely Il place fixed upon Ivy
Claiborne for convenience Of trade
with the Indians. Kent island was
clearly within the jurisdiction of Lord
Baltimore. but Claiborne very foolish.
~ resisted his authority and refused
60 take out traders license from
the proprietary's government at ST.
Mary's. This stubborn stand of Clai.
borne resulted in the capture early in
the year by Captain Thomas Corn
valleys. one of the Maryland commits.
sioners, of n vessel belonging to Clai-
borne for trading in the waters of the
Chesapeake without Maryland Ii.
cense.
Claiborne now realized that either
he would have to break down Lord
Baltimore's authority sby force of
arms or be compelled to submit to
that authority. He chose to fight.
and. accordingly. he fitted out an
armed boat. the Cockatrice. which
was manned by thirty men, and
placed under the command OF Lieu.
tenant Radcliffe Warren. who was
commissioned by Claiborne ito seize
and capture any pinnaces or other
vessels belonging to the government
Of st. Mary's."
This was a declaration Of war and
when the news of the rebellion reach
ed Governor Calvert he at once Dc.
termined to put 1t down as becomes n
Governor whose rights are denied and
whose authority is defed. Knowing
the strength of the insurgents. he
wisely fitted out superior force.
with the full determination to crush
the spirit that was giving him no lit
tie trouble. So he manned and coin.
missioned two vessels-the st. Mar.
Garet and the ST. Helena-placed
them In command of the gallant Cap.
tain Cornwaleys. with orders to
search out and destroy the enemy and
reduce Kent island to submission.
The little squadron sailed out from
st. Mary's with the Maryland cOlors
flying from the flagship and animated
by the same courageous spirit that
two and half centuries later inspired
another Maryland naval commander
in his gloriously successful search for
the Spanish feet In the waters Of the
West Indies. Their course took them
across the bay and soon they were
rewarded by sighting the sails Of the
1nsurgent ship Off the mouth Of the
pocomoke. Cornwaleys skllifully
Unanswered his little fleet so rs to
prevent the escape Of the enemy and
both sides cleared for action The In.
surgents delivered the first fire. and
so true was the aim that william Ash.
mere of the Marylanders fell to the
deck. the first American sailor whose
life was sacrificed while in action up
Oh the altar Of duty. The sight Of
their dead comrade inspired the Mary.
land men TO greater determination
made more deadly their aim anil
threefold more terrible their revenge
Their first fire killed the enemy's com
manding otficer-Lieutenant Warren
and two OF his crew. The insurgents
having lost their leader and two OF
their comrades and seeing certain de-
struction staring them In the face
were brought to realize that discre
tiOn was the better part of valOr and
therefore they wisely struck their col
Ors ana surrendered themselves and
their vessel to the victorious Mary
landers.
Kent island was afterward subduef
and Claiborne stripped Of his posses
sion. But he did not cease to be 4
source OF great trouble to the settler,
OF st. Mary's and more than once sue