⚓ The Battle of the Margaretta

A Bold Beginning to American Independence — Right Here in Machias

The Battle of the Margaretta, fought on June 12, 1775, was one of the first naval engagements of the American Revolutionary War — and it happened right here in Machias, Maine.

Just weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord, British forces sent the HMS Margaretta, a small armed schooner, to Machias to escort loyalist ships and secure supplies for the British Army. But the townspeople of Machias — fiercely independent and determined to resist British rule — had other plans.

Led by local patriot Jeremiah O'Brien, a group of townsmen armed only with muskets, axes, and farm tools captured the Margaretta in a daring and chaotic fight aboard the ship. The British captain was mortally wounded, and the victory marked a bold and symbolic act of defiance — one that would earn Machias the nickname “The Lexington of the Sea.”

Today, the Battle of the Margaretta is remembered as a proud moment in Maine’s revolutionary history — and a lasting symbol of courage, community, and the fight for freedom.