Battle of Portland Harbor The Battle of Portland Harbor was a naval battle of the American Civil War , fought in June 1863 , in the waters off Portland , Maine . Two United States Navy warship s engaged two vessels under Confederate States Navy employment . Background . Around June 24 , a Confederate raider named the " Tacony " , under Captain Charles Read , was being pursued by the Union Navy at sea . To thwart their pursuers , the Confederates captured " Archer " , a Maine fishing schooner out of Southport . After transferring their supplies and cargo onto " Archer " , the Confederates set fire to " Tacony " , hoping the Union Navy would believe the ship was destroyed . On June 26 , a raiding party entered the harbor at Portland , sailing past the Portland Head Light . The rebels disguised themselves as fishermen and entered into Portland Harbor late in the evening . They planned to slip back out of the harbor and try to destroy the area ' s commercial shipping capability . Battle . When the raiders left the port area on June 27 , they proceeded to the federal wharf . Having the advantage of surprise , the crew seized a cutter belonging to the Revenue Service , the USRC " Caleb Cushing " , named after a Massachusetts congressman . Their original intent was to seize a steamer called the sidewheel steamer " Chesapeake " , but its boilers were cold . Too much time would be needed to get the steam up in her , so they abandoned it for " Cushing " . They made their escape and fled out to sea . News spread of the Confederate actions and the Army garrison at Fort Preble in nearby South Portland was informed of the rebel intrusion . They had been observed by several persons while taking over the cutter , and public fury was fanned by the incident . Along with soldiers from Fort Preble went a six pound field piece and a 12 pound howitzer . The soldiers , accompanied by a number of civilian volunteers , commandeered the steamer " Forest City " , a sidewheel cruise ship , and the " Chesapeake " , whose steam was finally up . All of the civilians on board were issued musket s to defend against the Confederates . " Forest City " , a faster boat , caught up to " Cushing " and " Archer " first . " Cushing " opened fire upon " Forest City " when it was within the range of " Cushing " . The captain of " Forest City " was afraid to pursue any further . " Cushing " , being a revenue cutter , had two secret compartments hidden in the captain ' s stateroom . Captain Read had not discovered the cache of powder and ammunitions that were stored there . If he had , the outcome could have been very different . " Chesapeake " , which had left port sometime after " Forest City " with Portland ' s Mayor Jacob McLellan in command , finally caught up and continued on toward " Cushing " . The wind was beginning to blow against the Confederate sailors and the steamers soon caught sight of " Cushing " . Read ordered " Cushing " torched so the munitions were destroyed by exploding in the cutter after it was abandoned by her twenty - four crewmen escaped in lifeboats . They surrendered to Mayor McLellan and were held as prisoners of war at Fort Preble . " Archer " was also soon captured and all the rebels were returned to Portland . Aftermath . It was discovered that the Confederates were in possession of over $ 100 , 000 in bonds . These were to be paid after a treaty for peace was ratified between the North and the South . Public anger against the Southerners was high , and additional troops to safeguard the prisoners were requested . They had to be spirited out of Portland during the night to prevent a riot from breaking in July , when they were removed to Boston Harbor , where they were then held at Fort Warren .