battle nassau march naval action amphibious assault american forces british port nassau bahamas american revolutionary war known american war independence considered cruise engagements newly established continental marines united_states_navy marine_corps action marines amphibious landing known raid nassau departing delaware february fleet arrived bahamas march objective seizing gunpowder munitions known stored days later marines went ashore seized fort eastern end nassau harbor advance town gunpowder stored night nassau governor gunpowder loaded aboard ships sailed march advanced took control poorly defended town continental forces remained nassau weeks took away remaining gunpowder munitions fleet returned connecticut early april capturing british supply ships failed capture action april background american revolutionary war broke lord british provincial governor colony virginia british forces command removed virginia store provincial arms gunpowder island crown colony bahamas order falling hands rebel militia governor alerted general august rebel colonists attempts seize supplies desperate shortage gunpowder available continental_army led organize naval expedition goals seizure military supplies nassau orders issued congress fleet captain selected lead expedition included instructions patrolling raiding british naval targets virginia coastline additional instructions given secret meetings congress naval committee instructions issued fleet captains sailed delaware february included instructions rendezvous bahamas fleet launched consisted alfred wasp fly providence columbus addition ships crews carried marines command spite gale force winds fleet remained days fly separated fleet forced return port repairs fly eventually caught fleet nassau raid took place let apparent loss ships dissuade intelligence british fleet port high winds prelude received intelligence late february rebel fleet assembling delaware coast apparently took significant actions prepare defense new providence harbor primary defenses fort located nassau poorly sited defend port amphibious attacks walls strong support action cannons result fort constructed eastern end harbor commanding entrance time raid fortified cannons gunpowder ordnance fort nassau fleet arrived march force captured owned loyalists men captain pressed owners serve pilots local ship captain got away alerted presence rebel fleet landing force transferred captured providence day plans formulated assault main fleet held ships carrying landing force enter port march gain control town alarm raised decision land turned mistake alarm raised nassau ships spotted morning light bed ordered guns fired alert militia guns came mounts fired held discussion idea gunpowder removed islands fast ship docked harbor ultimately act idea ordered thirty unarmed occupy fort retiring house little decent battle landing capture guns fort nassau heard attackers realized surprise lost aborted assault elements fleet rejoined nautical miles east nassau held council new plan attack developed according accounts lieutenant suggested new landing point led action jones unfamiliar local waters unlike captains present council likely landing force led lieutenant familiar area force enlarged sailors ships wasp offering additional covering support carried point south east fort unopposed landing landing eventually led detachment fort investigate rebel activity given severely outnumbered opted send truce flag determine intentions learned objective powder military stores meantime arrived fort eighty learning size advancing force ordered fort guns fired withdrew men nassau retired governor house attempting stand returned homes sent rebels second time order wait command officer enemy know account landed troops firing guns given pause concern men occupied fort consulting officers arrived repeated arrived powder weapons prepared assault town brought news advance force remained fort night held war council evening decision attempt removal gunpowder midnight barrels gunpowder loaded sailed nassau harbor bound feat possible neglected post single ship guard harbor entrance channels leaving fleet safely anchored marines occupied nassau resistance morning written distributed town met route committee town leaders offered town keys return voyage fleet remained nassau weeks loading weaponry fit ships including remaining gunpowder pressed service local sloop carry material complained rebel officers consumed liquor stores occupation wrote taken chains like arrested taken alfred nassau fly arrived captain reported suffered significant damage consequence march fleet sailed newport rhode_island officials prisoners return voyage uneventful fleet reached waters long_island april encountered captured day captured laden stores included armaments powder fleet finally met resistance april encountered sixth rate ship ensuing action outnumbered glasgow managed escape capture severely damaging process wounding captain son john killing wounding fleet sailed harbor connecticut april aftermath eventually exchanged american general lord criticized handling affair nassau remained relatively poorly defended subjected american rebel threat january seized spanish forces returned british control war initially lauded success nassau failure capture glasgow crew complaints captains led variety investigations courts martial result providence captain relieved command given jones jones performed glasgow encounter spite crew reduced disease received captain commission manner distributed criticized failure follow orders patrol virginia shore resulted series accusations forced navy ships united_states_navy christened uss nassau amphibious assault ship named specifically recognition battle named nassau sound body water florida bahamas
Battle of Nassau