Battle of Blomindon
The Battle of Blomidon took place on 21 May 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. The naval battle involved three armed U.S. privateer vessels against three Nova Scotian vessels off Cape Split, Nova Scotia.[2][3] American Privateers caught two Nova Scotia Vessels. The first Nova Scotia vessel was re-captured by Lieut Benjamin Belcher. The second Nova Scotia vessel was overtaken by the captured crew under the command of Captain Bishop. The privateers were taken to Cornwallis and put on trial.
Background[edit]
During the American Revolutionary War, the U.S. regularly attacked Nova Scotia by land and sea. U.S. privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities,[4] such as the numerous raids on Liverpool and on Annapolis Royal.[5] After the British destroyed the Penobscot Expedition, the U.S. privateers began their most fierce revenge by attacking Nova Scotia.[6]
The engagement between the U.S. privateers and local militia was one of several in the region. On 2 May 1777, in the Minas Basin the Captain Collet ordered the capture the U.S. privateer schooner Sea Duck, under the command of John Bohannan. He had the vessel taken to Windsor.[7] There was another raid on the Cornwallis Township in 1778.[8][9] In June 1779, the British troops at Windsor captured 12 U.S. privateers in the Bay of Fundy, where they cruised in a large boat, armed, plundering the vessels and the inhabitants.[10]
On 10 July 1780, the British privateer brig Resolution (16 guns) under the command of Thomas Ross engaged the U.S. privateer Viper (22 guns and 130 men) off Halifax at Sambro Light. In what one observer described as "one of the bloodiest battles in the history of privateering", the two privateers began a "severe engagement"[11] during which both pounded each other with cannon fire for about 90 minutes.[12] The engagement resulted in the surrender of the British ship and the death of up to 18 British and 33 U.S. sailors.[13]
Afterward[edit]
U.S. privateers continued to attack vessels in the Bay of Fundy.[19] On August 7, 1781 the British schooner Adventure captured the schooner Mary off Annapolis.[20] In the fall of 1781, under orders of Captain James Nevins (Nevens, Nivens, Nuyens, Nevers), Mr. Low of the U.S. naval vessel Defence (18 men) went up the Bay of Fundy and was attacked by the Nova Scotia militia. The militia captured two of the Americans, while the rest of the crew fled into the woods and were rescued by Acadians.[21]
Aftermath[edit]
U.S. privateers remained a threat to Nova Scotian ports for the rest of the war. The following year, after a failed attempt to raid Chester, Nova Scotia, U.S. privateers struck again in the Raid on Lunenburg in 1782.
Secondary sources
Primary sources