First Naval Battle
About two miles offshore from Fort Machias/O’Brien, at Machiasport, near Round Island, is the site of what is locally claimed to be the First Naval Battle of the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Machias, fought between citizens of Machiasport and a British warship, the Margaretta. The Battle of Machias took place on June 11-12, 1775, with the British sloop tender Margaretta being captured by the townspeople at the cost of one man killed and six wounded, one of which later died of his wounds.
The fort is one of a very few in Maine which were active in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Captured and burned by the British in 1814, the fort was returned in 1818. Rebuilt in 1863, the fort was renamed Fort O’Brien.
THIS TABLET
COMMEMORATES THE
FIRST NAVAL BATTLE
OF THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION
ON JUNE 12, 1775 A GALLANT
FORCE OF MACHIAS MEN LED
BY CAPT’ JEREMIAH O’BRIEN
IN THE SLOOP “UNITY” PURSUED
AND CAPTURED THE BRITISH
SLOOP OF WAR “MARGARETTA”
IN MACHIAS BAY
TABLET ERECTED
BY THE HANNAH WESTON CHAPTER
DAUGHTERS OF
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
MACHIAS MAINE 1927