Raid on Annapolis Royal (1781)

During the American Revolution, Americans regularly attacked Nova Scotia by land and sea. American privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities,[13] The raids intensified after the British victory over the Penobscot Expedition, such as the numerous raids on Liverpool and the Raid on Lunenburg (1782).[14]

On 31 March 1781, HMS Blonde captured Captain Amos Potter[15][16][17][18][19] of the American privateer Resolution (6 guns, 25 men) near Halifax, Nova Scotia, while his crew escaped.[20][21][22][23][24][25] Captain William Morgan took command of the Resolution. Five months later, Potter's crew sought revenge on the British by sacking Annapolis Royal. [26][27]

Captain William Morgan on Resolution was joined by another American privateer Reprisal (8 guns, 10 swivels, 60 men) under the command of Captain John Curtis, totalling 80 men.[28] [29] They secured the blockhouse from the three soldiers in the town. Over the next hours, the privateers rounded up the militia, under the command of Phineas Lovett, and disarmed and imprisoned them. They spiked the town cannon. The privateers then pillaged the valuables from the whole town, taking silverware, provisions, furniture, bedding, clothing and so forth. They retreated to Goat Island and took prisoner Thomas Williams (father of Sir Fenwick Williams), John Ritchie (grandfather of Hon. John William Ritchie, solicitor general), a Sergeant and 5-6 others, one of whom they referred to as the "Governor of Annapolis".[30] They later exchanged the Governor for their former commander Captain Potter and returned to Boston the following month.[31][32]

American privateers remained a threat to Nova Scotian ports for the rest of the war. Captain William Chair Burnaby was in command of the sloop Merlin at Annapolis Royal.[33]

On 1 January 1782, British Captain John Curtis captured an armed schooner in the Bay of Fundy commanded by Captain Hodgkins. The privateer Lively under the command of John Augusta Dunn fell in with armed schooner.[34]

On 8 May 1782, Buckram (8 guns, 40 men) captured the privateer sloop Lively under the command of John Augustus Dunn (8 guns) and the crew escaped.[35] The Buckram rescued Captain Mowatt who was being chased by the American privateer close to Goat Island. Mowat and his crew escaped in the woods.[36]

On March 15, 1782, Potter returned from Boston in Resolution and captured the schooner Two Sisters off Pearl Island, Mahone Bay (formerly Green Island), stole all the provisions on board and released it.[37]

• Military history of Nova Scotia
• American Revolution - Nova Scotia theatre

Secondary Sources

• Dr. Pitt Brechin "The Western Chronicle" of Kentville, NS, 4 Mar 1890
• Gardner W. Allen, A NAVAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (Boston, 1913), Chapter 17.
• Gwyn, Julian (2003). Frigates and Foremasts: The North American Squadron in Nova Scotia Waters, 1745-1815. UBC Press. ISBN 978-0-7748-0911-5.
• Gwyn, Julian (2004). Ashore and Afloat: The British Navy and the Halifax Naval Yard Before 1820. University of Ottawa Press. ISBN 978-0-7766-3031-1.
• The history of Kings County, Nova Scotia, heart of the Acadian land.

Primary Sources

• Nova Scotia Gazette Oct 2, 1781
• Rev. Wingate Weeks to Headquarters, September 30, 1781: SPG Papers B 25, 3, 247
• Nova Scotia Gazette, September 4, 1781;
• Boston Gazette, September 24, 1781