Newport daily independent., 1904-12-20
FIRST or NAVAL BATTLES.
It Was Fought in Maryland Waters in the Early Colonial
 Days.

April 23 of this year was the two hundred and sixty-ninth anniversary of the first naval battle fought in American waters. On that date two armed forces met at the mouth of the Pocomoke river, within the boundaries of the province of Maryland, and set- tied, at least temporarily, the authority of Lord Baltimore. The settlement at St. Mary's had been made but 13 months when this test of arms oc- cured, says the Chicago Chronicle.
 About three years before the land- ing of the Maryland pilgrims under Gov. Leonard Calvert, by virtue of the grant of the territory from Charles l., trading post had been established by William Claibourne, of Virginia, on Kent island. It was not settlement intended for permanent homes and the tilling of the soil, but merely a place fixed upon by Claibourne for conven- fence of trade with the Indians. Kent island was clearly within the jurisdic- tion of Lord Baltimore, but Claibourne very foolishly resisted his authority and refused to take out a traders li- cense from the proprietary's govern ment at St. Mary's. This stubborn stand of Claibourne resulted in the capture early in the year by Capt. Thomas Cornwaleys, one of the Mary land commissioners, of vessel be- longing to Claibourne for trading in the waters of the Chesapeake without a Maryland license.
 Claibourne realized now that he would either have to break down Lord Baltimore's authority by force of arms or be compelled to submit to that au- thority. He chose to fight and, accord ingly, he fitted out an armed boat, the Cockatrice, which was manned by 30 men and placed under the command Of Lieut.. Radcliffe Warren, who was com missioned by Claibourne ''to seize and capture any pinnacles or other vessels belonging to the government of St, Mary's.'
 This was declaration of war and when the news of the rebellion reached Gov. Calvert he at once determined to put it down, as becomes a governor whose rights are denied and whose au- thority is defied. Knowing the strength of the insurgents, he wisely fitted out superior force, with the full determina- tion to crush the spirit that was giv- ing him no little trouble. So he manned and commissioned two vessels the St. Margaret and the St. Helena placed them in command of the gall lant Capt. 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 an- other Maryland naval commander in his gloriously successful search for the Spanish fleet 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 insurgent ship off the mouth of the Pocomoke. Cornwaleys skillfully maneuvered his little fleet so as to prevent the escape of the enemy and both sides cleared AOl dCllOu' HC AAouI SCAIo uCiAVOiC GU the first fire, and so true was the aim that William Ashmore, of the Mary flanders, fell to the deck. the first American sailor whose life was sacri- feed while in action upon the altar of duty. The sight of their dead comrade inspired the Maryland men to greater determination. and made more deadly their aim and threefold more terrible their revenge. Their first fire killed the enemy's commanding officer Lieut.. Warren-and two of his crew The insurgents having lost their leader and two of their comrades and seeing certain destruction staring them in the face, were brought to realize that dis cretion was the better part of valor and therefore they wisely struck their col ors and surrendered themselves and their vessel to the victorious aMry- landers.
 Kent island was afterwards subdued and Claibourne stripped of his posses sion. But he did not cease to be a source of great trouble to the settlers of St. Mary's and more than once suc- ceeding in destroying, for time, the government of Lord Baltimore. But that belongs to another story.