Gloucester

On August 8, 1775, Capt. John Lindzee entered Gloucester harbor while pursuing a vessel.  Locals in the village of Gloucester began firing on the British boats. Capt. Lindzee fired on the town with his ship’s six pounders while another previously captured schooner attempted to rescue the men sent to capture the ship. The rescue attempt failed and half of Capt. Lindzee’s crew was captured along with the prize schooner, three boats, and a significant quantity of arms.

Since the attack at Gloucester was not a part of a systematic or planned British strategy the significance of the battle was more evident at the local level. The Falcon was put out of commission due to the loss of crew and senior officers and the Americans managed to retain their ships and supplies while freeing impressed American sailors. After the action the local population built fortifications to protect the harbor. The battle with the Falcon ended up being the most action Gloucester saw during the war.