In Penobscot Bay, but centered on present day Castine, is the location of an American attempt to drive the British out of present day Maine known as the Penobscot Expedition.
The Penobscot River Bay is a relatively wide river mouth with many inlets and points. During the American Revolutionary War, this bay was the scene of an ill-fated Naval expedition to take back much of then this part of the Massachusetts Colony (known as the District of Maine). The waymark is placed at a focal point of the expedition the site of Fort George, by then occupied by the British.
The Expedition
The Wikipedia article referenced is actually pretty detailed - this is only a summary.
The British were looking for new ways to harass the New England colonies during the war, after victories in Machias, ME, and defeat at Saratoga, NY. The British saw Maine as a strategic hold partly to protect ships to and from Nova Scotia, and partly to obtain lands to provide resources such as masts for ships.
In 1778, plans were made to establish a new colony, "New Ireland." The area around Castine was identified as an ideal military port, which could be easily defendable with 1000 men and 2 war ships. A British expedition led by General Francis McLean left Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 12, 1779 and landed on the Castine Peninsula on June 12. Work began to fortify the area - Ft. George was established. At the time, only the HMS Albany, North, and Nautilus were stationed there.
Colonists, learning of the activities, petitioned the Continental Congress for the use of three Continental Navy ships: The 12-gun Sloop, Warren; the 14-gun brig, Diligent; and the 32-gun frigate, Warren. Massachusetts also amassed over 40 more ships to make up the Massachusetts State Navy, commanded by Dudley Saltonstall, comprised of 19 warships and 24 support ships. 1000 militia men were also gathered and placed under the command of Brig. General Solomon Lovell. Some of the men were placed under the command of a figure well known for other actions, Col. Paul Revere. The expedition left Boston on July 19 and arrived in the Penobscot Bay on July 25. On the night of the 25th, the first exchange of gunfire occurred. The Americans attempted to land and take over at least one of the islands, but any gains were short-lived. At dawn of the 28th, the Americans managed to land on the western side of the peninsula and took the western heights, but didn't advance toward Fort George.
Meanwhile, back on the bay, though Saltonstall had an overwhelming advantage of ships and guns, he was overly cautious and did not engage the Naval ships. This led to a period of minor skirmishes and siege of the area. Eventually, he started to launch an attack on Ft. George, by by August 11, British reinforcements arrived. This caused the American fleet to retreat up river, where the the naval force was picked apart or grounded. The survivors were then forced to march through the wilderness back to Massachusetts.
Over the course of the battle and retreat, about 470 Americans and about 13 British were killed.
This was one of the greatest defeats in the American Revolutionary War, and the worst U.S. Naval defeats until Pearl Harbor occurred, which brought the U.S. into World War II.
The Scene Today
There are many historical signs and remains of the fort that mark the occurrence of the battle. The best thing is to visit the tourist information center at the city parking lot right at the edge of the harbor. We were given a map and descriptions of places to go. Castine has so much history from multiple eras that it is difficult to sift through. Wooden history signs are everywhere. Here are a couple places not to miss:
- Fort George - located next to the Maine Maritime Academy, is now a park. Humps outline the fortified walls and there is a stone/wood portion that still exists. This was the place that the Americans were trying to capture. There is a historical sign about the fort and the Penobscot Expedition on site.
- British Canal - located near the intersection of Maine Route 116 and Wadsworth Cove Street, this inlet was dug by British occupying forces to make it harder to attack from land. There is a large sign facing the road. Just beyond is a historical sign on the left related to the battle.
- Castine Historical Society - located near the town green, the society has a permanent exhibit about the expedition.
- Waterfront - take in the view where the naval portion of the siege took place. From downtown, you have a view of the harbor, where the British ships were located.
There are several historical signs near the fort related to the battle, as well.
Source:
Wikipedia (Penobscot Expedition):
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Castine Historical Society:
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visit link)
History.com (On this date in history - Penobscot Expedition):
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visit link)
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