Naval battle off Halifax
Encyclopedia
The Battle off Halifax took place during the American Revolutionary War
involving the American privateer
Jack and a Royal Naval brig
Observer
off Halifax, Nova Scotia
. The American privateer was commanded by Captain
John Ropes and the Observer by John Crymes. The battle was described as "a long and severe engagement."
and on Annapolis Royal
. There was also a naval engagement
with a French fleet at Spanish River
, near Cape Breton Island
in 1781.
On 17 November 1775, George Washington
's Marblehead Regiment aboard the Hancock and Franklin made an unopposed landing at Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island
. Three days later, they expedited to Nova Scotia and raided Canso
. In 1779, American privateers returned to Canso and destroyed the fisheries, which were worth ₤50,000 a year to Britain.
The 84th Regiment
, led by Captain John MacDonald
, had been defending Nova Scotia. One of its exploits was an attack on an American privateer off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in 1775. They boarded the warship when some of its crew were ashore seeking plunder, captured the shore party, and sailed the prize into Halifax
. Patriot attacks threatened Nova Scotia by land, as evidenced by the Battle of Fort Cumberland
and the Siege of Saint John (1777), which created a constant threat that American Patriots would also attack Halifax.
On 10 July 1780, the British privateer brig Resolution (16 guns) under the command of Thomas Ross engaged the American Privateer Viper (22 guns and 130 men) off of Halifax at Sambro Light. Described as “one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering”, the two privateers began a “severe engagement” during which both pounded each other with cannon fire for about 90 minutes. During the action the death toll was 18 British and 33 Americans.
after a shipwreck on Seal Island
off Cape Sable Island. On May 28, 1782, upon the Observer's arrival at the Sambro Island Light near the mouth of Halifax Harbour, the American privateer Jack approached the HMS Observer. When Jack discovered the ship was a war vessel, the Americans tried to escape. The Observer chased the Jack for two hours before overtaking it. The ships were of evenly matched firepower. The commander of the Jack, John Ropes, was killed immediately by cannon fire from the Observer. Both ships had numerous holes shot through their sails, and the British sailors attempted to climb the rigging of their ship in an effort to board the American privateer. The initial boarding attempt was repulsed by the Americans but the British were ultimately successful. The Jack was surrendered on the afternoon of May 29. American pivateers remained a threat to Nova Scotia ports for the rest of the war. The following month, after a failed attempt to raid Chester, Nova Scotia
, American Privateers struck again in the Raid on Lunenburg
in 1782.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
involving the American privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
Jack and a Royal Naval brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Observer
HMS Observer
Three ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Observer:, a 12 gun brig-sloop probably captured in 1781 and sold on 21 October 1784., an Admiralty M class destroyer launched in 1916 and sold in 1921....
off Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. The American privateer was commanded by Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
John Ropes and the Observer by John Crymes. The battle was described as "a long and severe engagement."
Background
During the American Revolution, Nova Scotia was invaded regularly by American forces by land and sea. Throughout the war, American privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities, such as the numerous raids on LiverpoolLiverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all of Queens County, Nova Scotia...
and on Annapolis Royal
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...
. There was also a naval engagement
Naval battle off Cape Breton
The Battle off Spanish River took place during the American Revolution between two French Navy frigates and a convoy of 18 British ships under protection of the Royal Navy off the harbour of Spanish River, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia...
with a French fleet at Spanish River
Spanish River
Spanish River may refer to:* Spanish River , a river in Boca Raton, Florida* Spanish River * Spanish River , a major river in Northern Ontario...
, near Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
in 1781.
On 17 November 1775, George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Marblehead Regiment aboard the Hancock and Franklin made an unopposed landing at Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. Three days later, they expedited to Nova Scotia and raided Canso
Canso, Nova Scotia
For the headland, see Cape Canso.Canso is a small Canadian town in Guysborough County, on the north-eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, next to Chedabucto Bay. The area was established in 1604, along with Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The British construction of a fort in the village , was instrumental...
. In 1779, American privateers returned to Canso and destroyed the fisheries, which were worth ₤50,000 a year to Britain.
The 84th Regiment
84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)
The 84th Regiment of Foot was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries...
, led by Captain John MacDonald
John Macdonald
John Macdonald may refer to:*John S. MacDonald, co-founder of MacDonald Dettwiler*John Macdonald , New Zealand forensic psychiatrist who coined the MacDonald triad of sociopathy- Government :...
, had been defending Nova Scotia. One of its exploits was an attack on an American privateer off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in 1775. They boarded the warship when some of its crew were ashore seeking plunder, captured the shore party, and sailed the prize into Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. Patriot attacks threatened Nova Scotia by land, as evidenced by the Battle of Fort Cumberland
Battle of Fort Cumberland
The Battle of Fort Cumberland was an attempt by a small number of militia commanded by Jonathan Eddy to bring the American Revolutionary War to Nova Scotia in late 1776...
and the Siege of Saint John (1777), which created a constant threat that American Patriots would also attack Halifax.
On 10 July 1780, the British privateer brig Resolution (16 guns) under the command of Thomas Ross engaged the American Privateer Viper (22 guns and 130 men) off of Halifax at Sambro Light. Described as “one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering”, the two privateers began a “severe engagement” during which both pounded each other with cannon fire for about 90 minutes. During the action the death toll was 18 British and 33 Americans.
Battle
The Royal Navy vessel Observer was returning to Halifax, having rescued ten members of the HMS BlondeHMS Blonde
Eleven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Blonde: was a 32-gun fifth rate, captured from the French in 1760 by HMS Aeolus. She was wrecked in 1782. was a 32-gun fifth rate believed to have been launched in 1783. Little is known of her, and she may have been cancelled or renamed...
after a shipwreck on Seal Island
Seal Island, Nova Scotia
Seal Island is an island on the outermost extreme of Southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, and is the southernmost point of land of Nova Scotia. It is located in Municipalité Argyle Municipality in Yarmouth County. It is approximately 2.7 miles long and 0.5 miles wide. It is the biggest of a group of...
off Cape Sable Island. On May 28, 1782, upon the Observer's arrival at the Sambro Island Light near the mouth of Halifax Harbour, the American privateer Jack approached the HMS Observer. When Jack discovered the ship was a war vessel, the Americans tried to escape. The Observer chased the Jack for two hours before overtaking it. The ships were of evenly matched firepower. The commander of the Jack, John Ropes, was killed immediately by cannon fire from the Observer. Both ships had numerous holes shot through their sails, and the British sailors attempted to climb the rigging of their ship in an effort to board the American privateer. The initial boarding attempt was repulsed by the Americans but the British were ultimately successful. The Jack was surrendered on the afternoon of May 29. American pivateers remained a threat to Nova Scotia ports for the rest of the war. The following month, after a failed attempt to raid Chester, Nova Scotia
Chester, Nova Scotia
Chester is an incorporated Canadian village located in and part of Nova Scotia's Chester Municipal District in the southeastern part of Lunenburg County.-History:...
, American Privateers struck again in the Raid on Lunenburg
Raid on Lunenburg, Nova Scotia (1782)
Not to be confused with the Raid on Lunenburg, Nova Scotia The Raid on Lunenburg occurred during the American Revolution when the famous American Privateer Captain Noah Stoddard of Fairhaven, Massachusetts and four other privateer vessels attacked the British settlement at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia...
in 1782.