Battle of Machias

June 11-12, 1775

American victory

The Battle of Machias, also known as the Battle of Margaretta, was the first naval engagement of the American Revolution. It took place on June 11-12, 1775, around the port of Machias in present-day eastern Maine and resulted in the capture of a British sloop-of-war Margaretta. British leaders contracted Loyalist merchant Ichabod Jones to procure supplies for the British army and his two ships arrived in Machias, escorted by Margaretta under the command of Midshipman James Moore. The townspeople, upset with Jones’s support of the British, arrested him Colonel Benjamin Foster, a local militia leader, and 20 men seized his ships and armed them. Moore escaped and tried to take Margaretta out to sea, pursued by militia under Jeremiah O’Brien in Jones’ Unity. Under heavy winds, Margaretta’s main boom broke, and Unity overtook the sloop, exchanging musket fire and hand grenades. Midshipman Moore was killed in this action and the Massachusetts militia seized Margaretta. Known afterwards as “The Lexington of the Sea,” this action showed the growing nature of the rebellion and would lead to greater brutality from the Royal Navy, which burnt Falmouth (present-day Portland) that fall.