battle creek second military engagement boston campaign american revolutionary war known battle battle fought salt marshes islands boston harbor northeast boston peninsula areas united mainland land american colonists met goal strengthening siege boston removing livestock hay islands reach british regulars british armed schooner diana destroyed weaponry appropriated colonial naval capture war significant boost morale colonial forces background battle lexington concord april drew thousands militia forces new_england towns surrounding boston men remained area numbers grew placing british forces boston siege blocked land access peninsula british able sail supplies nova_scotia providence places harbor city remained british naval control colonial forces little stop shipments naval supremacy british fleet complete absence spring remaining local area continued supply british forces boston war began farmers east city coastal areas islands found vulnerable siege began exposed british influence sea continued sell livestock regulars viewed loyalists eyes patriots refused sell british consider rebels raiding parties simply wanted issued following order resolved opinion live stock taken island near sea coast driven execution business committed committees correspondence towns supplied number men shall need regiment days battle warren general commander besieging forces inspected island lay northeast boston east found british troops plenty livestock animals coastal areas moved inland owners british sailed troops outer harbor near hay livestock driven militia mustered nearby towns removed livestock burned hay island occupied boston command vice admiral royal marines command major british forces led governor general graves addition hay livestock hired storage island variety important naval supplies felt important preserve owing replacing prelude battle vice admiral graves apparently acting intelligence attempts islands posted guard boats near island included detachments marines sources disagree regulars marines stationed island protect naval supplies regiment mentioned colonel men stationed near headquarters taking instructions stark regiment crossed bridge midnight route took far north parts cities additional local men likely joined march accessible low tide east near current location crossing effected graves guard boats taking notice stark began force directed men round livestock creek island group thirty men stark small contingent island scattered small groups killed animals find set fire battle islands british took notice spotted smoke burning hay vice admiral graves flagship saw smoke burning hay signaled guard marines land island engaging stark scattered forces graves ordered schooner diana command nephew lieutenant sail support operation cut colonists escape eventually combined force roughly marines landed formed ranks began systematically drive stark men east colonists fled fighting reached creek dropped ditches fired strong defensive positions pitched battle followed colonists ditch engaged hot regulars retreated marines withdrew positions interior island stark men left join main body forces diana vessels continued northeast pursuit sunset hundreds cattle sheep horses driven mainland sunset diana turned attempt avoid trapped creek realized require assistance raised signal vice admiral graves ordered barges manned marines creek tow diana sloop tender command graves lieutenant assist provide additional firepower sources disagree timing vessels number sources documentary history claim diana barges dispatched nelson possibly basis recent research claim account told stark men engaged driving livestock coast noticed diana trouble called reinforcements general troops including came shore near diana place mouth modern neighborhood bridge harbor waist offered quarter sailors diana surrender cannon continued fire attempts tow deeper water continued colonial forces continued firing ship supported field pieces positioned shore field pieces british landed island joined british rowers forced abandon rescue diana heavy fire diana drifted ran aground coast abandoned diana transferred men successfully towed deeper water american forces boarded diana rapidly removed value including guns rigging sails clothing money laid hay stern serve vessel set fire prevent falling british hands guns recovered probably american positions aftermath skirmish apparently use field pieces colonists american revolution suffered fatalities small number wounded morale greatly boosted successful capture destruction diana action boost israel appointment general continental_army unanimously approved reports skirmish general understated casualty report london men killed wounded apparently exaggerated reporting large casualties reported june general recorded killed sources said source regulars said suffered killed wounded loss probably greatly exaggerated good effect affair matter small triumph felt occasion courageous ordered cannon mounted hill boston vice admiral graves moved somerset stationed shallow waters boston deeper waters east boston improved fired land sent detachment regulars secure island colonists long removed destroyed value island geographic changes years american revolution geography boston area undergone significant expansion islands named longer islands late 19th early 20th century channel separated filled mainland filled course late 19th century early 20th century leaving small narrow creek islands mainland terms modern geography neighborhood present location nearby remainder island narrowed expansion straightened create deep shipping channel occasional attempts locate remains diana extensively years battle found body identified national_park_service gave funds state led effort locate wreck
Battle of Chelsea Creek