page_title: Sambro Island Light
section_title: Sea battles
hierarchical_section_title: Sambro Island Light / Sea battles
caption_attribution_description: English: A View of His Majesty’s Brigg Observer, Commanded by Lieut. John Crymes (to whom this print is inscribed) Engaging the American Privateer Ship Jack, John Ropes (commander), by Night on the 29th of May 1782, Off the Harbour of Hallifax, Nova Scotia”. Aquatint by Robert Dodd, 1784
context_page_description: Sambro Island Lighthouse is a landfall lighthouse located at the entrance to Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, on an island near the community of Sambro in the Halifax Regional Municipality. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse in North America and its construction is a National Historic Event.
context_section_description: As the landfall light for the major strategic port of Halifax, Sambro has witnessed many shipwrecks and sea battles. A few months before the Battle of Halifax, in December 1779, The schooner Hope wrecked near the Sambro Island Light on the Three Sisters Rocks. Captain Henry Baldwin and six other crew were killed.  Weeks later, 170 British sailors were lost when two vessels – the North and St. Helena – were wrecked in a storm when entering Halifax harbour.
  During the American Revolution, in the Battle off Halifax (1780), the British privateer brig Resolution (16 guns) under the command of Thomas Ross engaged the American Privateer ship Viper (16 guns) off of Halifax at Sambro Light.  Described as “one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering”, the two privateers began a “severe engagement” during which both pounded each other with cannon fire for about 90 minutes. Resolution was eventually captured by the American Viper but at a cost of 33 American lives versus 18 aboard the Resolution.
  Another battle during the American Revolution fought near the island was the 28–29 May 1782 Naval battle off Halifax, an engagement between the American privateer Jack and the British transport Observer. In a battle that lasted all night and into the next day, the 12-gun Observer captured the 14 gun Jack.
  On September 1, 1782, the American privateer Wasp sailed to Pennant Point, where they were confronted by three men from Sambro who fired on them, killing one of his crew and wounding three others, including Captain Thomas Thompson.  Captain Perry took command of the vessel and the privateers took one of the Sambro men prisoner. The privateers buried their crew member on an island in Pennant bay.  They then began their return to Massachusetts by rowing to West Dover, Nova Scotia, and then on to Cross Island ("Croo Island") just off Lunenburg ("Malegash").
  During the War of 1812, the American privateer Young Teazer captured two vessels in May 1813 right off Sambro Island Light before the privateer was pursued and trapped by British warships near Chester, Nova Scotia, where Young Teazer was blown up with heavy loss of life to prevent capture.
  In World War I and World War II, German submarines torpedoed a number of Allied ships near Sambro. For example, in WW2, while mine sweeping near Sambro Light Vessel on 24 December 1944 while preparing to escort a convoy, HMCS Clayoquot  was hit by a torpedo aft fired by U-806. She sank quickly and eight lives were lost. A large search force was sent out to deal with the U-boat however they were not successful in finding it.
caption: Naval battle off Halifax, 1782, (Sambro Light in background)
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