Raid on Saint John

Last updated
Raid on Saint John
Part of the American Revolutionary War
A North View of Fort Frederick built by order of Hon. Col. Robert Monckton on the entrance of the St. John River in the Bay of Fundy, 1758 by Lt Thomas Davies National Gallery of Canada (no 6269).jpg
Fort Frederick (Saint John, New Brunswick)
Date27 August 1775
Location
Result Massachusetts Bay victory
Belligerents

Ensign of New England (pine only).svg Massachusetts Bay

Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg  Kingdom of Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
An Appeal to Heaven Flag.svg Jeremiah O'Brien [1] [2] Stephen Smith (privateer) [3] [4] Naval Ensign of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg Captain Frederick Sterling

The Raid on Saint John took place on 27 August 1775 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved American privateers from Machias, Massachusetts Bay attacking Saint John, Nova Scotia (present day New Brunswick). [5] [6] [7] [8] The privateers intended to stop the export of supplies being sent to the loyalists in Boston. This raid was the first hostile act committed against Nova Scotia and it resulted in raising the militia across the colony. [9]

Contents

Background

During the American Revolution, Americans regularly attacked Nova Scotia by land and sea. American privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities, [10] such as the numerous raids on Liverpool and on Annapolis Royal. [11]

In June 1775, the Americans had their first naval victory over the British in the Battle of Machias. In response to this defeat, in July 1775, the British sent two armed sloops, Diligence and Tatamacouche from Halifax to punish the Americans. On 12 July 1775, the British vessels confronted O'Brien in Unity and Portland Packet in the Bay of Fundy, where the Americans took the British ships. [12] The Machias Committee of Safety sent Captain Stephen Smith to capture the brig Loyal Briton at St. John, which was loading cattle and other supplies for the Army at Boston. [13]

Battle

On 27 August 1775, Captain Stephen Smith, in a 4-gun American privateer from Machias, along with 40 men raided St. John and burned Fort Frederick and took the brig Loyal Briton under the command of Captain Frederick Sterling. The brig had 120 tonnes of sheep and oxen for the British forces in Boston. He also took a corporal and two privates, with two women and five children prisoner. John Anderson Esqr was also on board the brig. [14] The brigantine was owned by John Sempill (Semple) and the navigator was David Ross, who both escaped. The prisoners were released at Boston and sent back to St. John. [15]

Aftermath

Captain Edward Le Cras of HMS Somerset and HMS Tartar proceeded immediately to Annapolis Royal to protect the town. The Governor requested two sloops-of-war to patrol the Bay of Fundy. Admiral Samuel Graves assigned Captain William Duddingston of HMS Senegal to the task. Graves also sent Le Cras to protect Halifax for the winter. [16] Governor Legge of Nova Scotia also called up militias from across the colony to be stood up. [17]

In retaliation for the raid on St. John, the British executed the Burning of Falmouth. American privateers remained a threat to Nova Scotian ports for the rest of the war.

See also

Notes

  1. Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, Machias, Maine, p. 88
  2. Williamson, William D. (1832). The History of the State of Maine: From Its First Discovery, 1602, to the Separation, A. D. 1820, Inclusive. Vol. II. Hallowell, Maine: Glazier, Masters & Company. pp. 431–432.
  3. "Military operations in eastern Maine and Nova Scotia during the revolution". 1867.
  4. Sprag's Journal of Maine's history, pp. 30–31
  5. p.63
  6. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, p. pp. 445–446
  7. Murdoch. History of Nova Scotial, Vol. 2, p. 554
  8. Ropes ships
  9. CHAPTER_XXIV_AFFAIRS_ON_THE_ST_JOHN_DURING_THE_REVOLUTION
  10. Benjamin Franklin also engaged France in the war, which meant that many of the privateers were also from France.
  11. Roger Marsters (2004). Bold Privateers: Terror, Plunder and Profit on Canada's Atlantic Coast" , p. 87-89
  12. "A History of American Privateers". D. Applenton and Company. 1899.
  13. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, p. pp. 445–446
  14. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, p. pp. 445–446
  15. Naval Documents of the American Revolution Vol. 2, pp.4–5
  16. pp. 68–69
  17. Faibisy, John Dewar, "Privateering and piracy : the effects of New England raiding upon Nova Scotia during the American Revolution,. 1775–1783." (1972).p. 26

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penobscot Expedition</span> Armada of the Province of Massachusetts Bay during the American Revolution

The Penobscot Expedition was a 44-ship American naval armada during the Revolutionary War assembled by the Provincial Congress of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The flotilla of 19 warships and 25 support vessels sailed from Boston on July 19, 1779, for the upper Penobscot Bay in the District of Maine carrying an expeditionary force of more than 1,000 American colonial marines and militiamen. Also included was a 100-man artillery detachment under the command of Lt. Colonel Paul Revere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremiah O'Brien</span> American naval officer (1744–1818)

Captain Jeremiah O'Brien (1744–1818) was an Irish-American captain in the Massachusetts State Navy. Prior to its existence, he commanded the sloop Unity when he captured the British armed schooner HMS Margaretta in the Battle of Machias, the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. He also led the first American attack on Nova Scotia in the Raid on St. John (1775). Six United States ships were named in his honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Tucker (naval officer)</span>

Samuel Tucker was an officer in the Continental Navy and the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Fort Cumberland (1776)</span> American Revolution battle in Nova Scotia

The Battle of Fort Cumberland was an attempt by a small number of militia commanded by Jonathan Eddy to bring the American Revolutionary War to Nova Scotia in late 1776. With minimal logistical support from Massachusetts and four to five hundred volunteer militia and Natives, Eddy attempted to besiege and storm Fort Cumberland in central Nova Scotia in November 1776.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)</span> Military unit

The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries. The 84th Regiment was also involved in offensive action in the Thirteen Colonies; including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and what is now Maine, as well as raids upon Lake Champlain and the Mohawk Valley. The regiment consisted of 2,000 men in twenty companies. The 84th Regiment was raised from Scottish soldiers who had served in the Seven Years' War and stayed in North America. As a result, the 84th Regiment had one of the oldest and most experienced officer corps of any regiment in North America. The Scottish Highland regiments were a key element of the British Army in the American Revolution. The 84th Regiment was clothed, armed and accoutred the same as the Black Watch, with Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean commanding the first battalion and Major General John Small of Strathardle commanding the second. The two Battalions operated independently of each other and saw little action together.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Machias</span> First naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War

The Battle of Machias was an early naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War, also known as the Battle of the Margaretta, fought around the port of Machias, Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (1782)</span> Battle of the American Revolutionary War

The Raid on Lunenburg occurred during the American Revolution when the US privateer, Captain Noah Stoddard of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and four other privateer vessels attacked the British settlement at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on July 1, 1782. The raid was the last major privateer attack on a Nova Scotia community during the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Machias (1777)</span> 1777 American Revolutionary War battle

The Battle of Machias was an amphibious assault on the Massachusetts town of Machias by British forces during the American Revolutionary War. Local militia aided by Indian allies successfully prevented British troops from landing. The raid, led by Commodore Sir George Collier, was executed in an attempt to head off a planned second assault on Fort Cumberland, which had been besieged in November 1776. The British forces landed below Machias, seized a ship, and raided a storehouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle off Halifax (1782)</span> Naval battle in American Revolutionary War

The Battle off Halifax took place on 28 May 1782 during the American Revolutionary War. It involved the American privateer Jack and the 14-gun Royal Naval brig HMS Observer off Halifax, Nova Scotia. Captain David Ropes commanded Jack, and Lieutenant John Crymes commanded Observer. The battle was "a long and severe engagement" in which Captain David Ropes was killed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John River expedition</span> Military action in the American Revolutionary War

The St. John River expedition was an attempt by a small number of militia commanded by John Allan to bring the American Revolutionary War to Nova Scotia in late 1777. With minimal logistical support from Massachusetts and approximately 100 volunteer militia and Natives, Allan's forces occupied the small settlement at the mouth of the Saint John River in June 1777.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Blomindon</span>

The Battle of Blomidon took place on 21 May 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The naval battle involved three armed U.S. privateer vessels against three Nova Scotian vessels off Cape Split, Nova Scotia. American Privateers caught two Nova Scotia Vessels. The first Nova Scotia vessel was re-captured by Lieut Benjamin Belcher. The second Nova Scotia vessel was overtaken by the captured crew under the command of Captain Bishop. The privateers were taken to Cornwallis and put on trial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Annapolis Royal (1781)</span>

The Raid on Annapolis Royal took place on 29 August 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved two American privateers - the Resolution and the Reprisal - attacking and pillaging Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in revenge of the defeat of the Penobscot Expedition. The privateers took captive the commander of the militia John Ritchie, described as the "Governor of Annapolis." One historian described it as "one of the most daring and dramatic raids upon Nova Scotia."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Charlottetown (1775)</span>

The Raid on Charlottetown of 17–18 November 1775, early in the American Revolutionary War, involved two American privateers of the Marblehead Regiment attacking and pillaging Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, then known as St. John's Island. The raid motivated Nova Scotia Governor Francis Legge to declare martial law. Despite the raid's success, George Washington immediately freed senior colonial officials the privateers had brought back as prisoners to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle off Liverpool, Nova Scotia (1778)</span>

The Battle off Liverpool took place on 24 April 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved the British vessel HMS Blonde and the French 24-gun frigate Duc de Choiseul.

The Raid on Yarmouth took place on 5 December 1775 during the American Revolutionary War. The raid involved American Privateers from Salem, Massachusetts attacking Yarmouth, Nova Scotia at Cape Forchu. The privateers intended to stop the export of supplies being sent from Nova Scotia to the loyalists in Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle off Yarmouth (1777)</span>

The Battle off Yarmouth took place on 28 March 1777 during the American Revolutionary War off the coast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The battle is the first American armed vessel to engage the British Navy. The British vessel HMS Milford forced the American USS Cabot aground and the American crew escaped among the inhabitants of Yarmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nova Scotia in the American Revolution</span>

The Province of Nova Scotia was heavily involved in the American Revolutionary War (1776–1783). At that time, Nova Scotia also included present-day New Brunswick until that colony was created in 1784. The Revolution had a significant impact on shaping Nova Scotia, "almost the 14th American Colony". At the beginning, there was ambivalence in Nova Scotia over whether the colony should join the Americans in the war against Britain. Largely as a result of American privateer raids on Nova Scotia villages, as the war continued, the population of Nova Scotia solidified their support for the British. Nova Scotians were also influenced to remain loyal to Britain by the presence of British military units, judicial prosecution by the Nova Scotia Governors and the efforts of Reverend Henry Alline.

Capture of USS <i>Hancock</i>

The American frigate USS Hancock was captured by the British Royal Navy in a 1777 naval battle during the American Revolutionary War. The two highest ranking naval officers of the war battled each other off the coast of Nova Scotia. HMS Rainbow, under the command of British Admiral George Collier, captured USS Hancock, under the command of Captain John Manley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Chester, Nova Scotia</span>

The Raid on Chester occurred during the American Revolution when the US privateer, Captain Noah Stoddard of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and four other privateer vessels attacked the British settlement at Chester, Nova Scotia on 30 June 1782. The town was defended by Captain Jonathan Prescott and Captain Jacob Millett.

Captain Stephen Smith was a privateer and militia leader from Machias, Maine who fought in the Raid on St. John (1775). The following year Smith was appointed truck master to the Native Americans to ensure their support during the American Revolution. He also participated in the Battle of Machias (1777). Stephen Smith, after the revolution was appointed by President George Washington under Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in Machias as a Tax Collector. Jim Lawrence Finnie CEO Fantast Corporation is a descendant of Stephen Smith.

References

Primary Sources