battle gloucester battle gloucester skirmish fought early american revolutionary war gloucester massachusetts august royal_navy captain commanding sloop war hms falcon spotted returning west_indies capturing schooner chased second grounded townspeople called militia captured british seamen sent seize grounded schooner recovered captured ship skirmish series actions prompted expedition royal_navy captain october major event cruise burning cited established background april tensions british colonists royal governor general boiled war general dispatched troops concord search military supplies colonists stored raised colonists soldiers clashed lexington concord april militia companies continued arrive days following british troops besieged boston siege blockaded land access city army dependent ability navy supply fresh provisions communities near city livestock hay removed islands boston harbor immediate coastal areas general vice admiral sent expeditions raid coastal communities livestock hay colonial shipping expeditions landed troops sailors round livestock met resistance long siege began colonists army troops clashed near boston supplies nearby island august commanded appeared captain sent barge men shore search livestock sent barge containing men ashore secure supply flock sheep grazing coffin farm west gloucester major coffin observed movements anticipated design hastily gathered half dozen men armed rifles concealed sand kept firing sailors barge large company ready receive thought sheep foraging intentions returned falcon barge returned falcon sent investigate schooner harbor ship turned contain ballast continued cruise days impressed men local ports ships battle august sources disagree exact date captain spotted american making sail salem morning quickly capturing incident crew aboard prize giving chase captain second schooner apparently familiar area brought ship deep grounded near pound island shortly noon forced local fisherman pilot falcon prize schooner anchorage harbor sent men small boats command lieutenant ship crews sent impressed americans including gloucester arrival british ship caused townspeople raise alarm militia companies began muster led captains armed muskets aging swivel guns opened fire shore small boats neared schooner british rowed faster boarded grounded schooner effectively trapped constant fire shore attempting distract townspeople fired falcon guns town eventually sent landing party try burn town attempt unsuccessful party grounded schooner continued harassed shore lieutenant wounded action men managed escape action leaving falcon master charge remaining men left grounded ship eventually taken prisoner including impressed americans small boats taken decided send prize schooner recover men reported suspicion crew captured ship took opportunity prize crew recovered vessel according master landed found good distress rebels firing left aftermath attempt burn town punishment resisting actions echoed later naval actions october admiral graves ordered captain expedition new_england coastal communities specifically including gloucester target citing captain defeat gloucester chose attack gloucester felt buildings widely spaced significant effect reports major action burning present day portland maine instrumental establish
Battle of Gloucester (1775)