Three Battles for Boston Light (episode 227)

Transcript

Music

Jake:
[0:04] Welcome to hub history, where we go far beyond the freedom trail to share our favorite stories from the history of boston, the hub of the universe.
This is episode 227, 3 Battles for Boston Light. Hi, I’m jake!
The last time I visited Little Brewster Island in the Outer Harbor was in 2016. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Boston Light.
America’s first and oldest light stations still welcomes visitors and locals alike when they approached the city by sea, but that wasn’t always the case.
This week, we’re talking about some Revolutionary war history and the three attempts to destroy boston light.
During the siege of boston First, the newly formed Continental Army burned the strategically important lighthouse twice in July 1775, 246 years ago this week,
using the 18th century equivalent of a stealth fighter, the humble whale boat.

[1:01] Then, as the British finally evacuated Boston in the spring of 1776, the last ships to leave the harbour blew up the lighthouse that June,
but before we talk about whale boats, the british fleet in America’s favorite lighthouse and it’s time for a word from the sponsor of this week’s episode,
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[3:22] And now it’s time for this week’s main topic When the provincials burned Boston Light in July 1775. It wasn’t the first time the lighthouse had been damaged and it wasn’t the first time it burned.
If you’re a call back in episode 2 13, we talked about the early history of boston light from its construction in 17 16 to the deaths of the first lighthouse keeper and much of his family and household, two years later,
after an interim keeper also drowned just two weeks after that, the second official keeper, captain john Hayes, took over the lighthouse in 17 19 and almost immediately requested some minor upgrades to the tower,
In written testimony to the legislature.
He’s also described a fire at the lighthouse in 1720, saying,
that being the memorial lists manner to go to bed early in the evening and rise about nine o’clock at night, about eight o’clock, he was waked out of his sleep by his wife, who told him she suspected the lighthouse was a fire,
That he immediately ran up with two pails of water, but the fire was too violent to be subdued.
That, however, he saved many things belonging to the lighthouse,
that he supposes the fire was occasioned by the lamps dropping on the wooden benches and a snuff falling off in setting fire, and that the said fire was not occasioned by the least neglect of the memorial ists.

[4:43] The fire may have been the root cause of cracks in the towers, masonry walls, which may have been exacerbated by a 1723 storm that drove a 16-foot storm surge, one of the largest ever recorded on Boston Harbor.

[4:57] Some repairs were made in 1726, but a larger restoration project was undertaken in 1734, under the third keeper Richard Ball, who had taken over the previous year.
These latest renovations were described in the 1911 history of Boston Light.
In june 17 34 a committee was appointed by the General Court to ascertain if the lighthouse was capable of being repaired,
and if not whether a more convenient place in a better foundation for erecting the lighthouse on than the place where the present house stands could be found,
and whether it was proper to build it of timber or of stone,
July 4th The Committee, reported advising,
that the seams and cracks be well filled with mortar or potty, and that the whole outside case with good oak plank of two inches and a half thick, up and down with 12 iron hoops.
The hoops to be three inches and a half wide, 5/8 of an inch thick, Well drove over the plank, and to be suitable distance is about four ft apart and boarded between the hoops and shingled on the outside.
This method, said the committee. We apprehend, will secure the said lighthouse and make it as strong as at first, if not the better.
This work was completed by 1737, leaving Little Brewster with a newly rebuilt 50 ft tower, a cozy keeper’s house and a solid new worf.

[6:21] However, the wooden casing that now reinforced the tower left it even more susceptible to damage by fire,
When the next fire occurred in 1751, the tower had to be extensively rebuilt and the lantern was moved to a 40 ft tall spar, or mass next to the ruins lighthouse until it could be rebuilt.
This time, greater efforts were made to fireproof the towers lantern instead of rebuilding everything of wood. The lantern area was rebuilt of iron plates with a copper roof.
The door to the lantern was set in brick and covered with iron, and the walk outside the lantern was protected with stone.
The changes to the tower made it much more resistant to fire, but it lacked protection from other dangers.
A 1789 issue of Massachusetts magazine points out that the lighthouse,
was several times struck with lightning and attempts were made to erect conductors, but this measure was opposed by several of the godly men of those days who thought it vanity and a religion for the arm of flesh to presume to avert the stroke of heaven.
But having received considerable damage in the course of two or three successive summers, necessity prevailed over the consciences of our faithful fathers, and the invention of franklin was employed since which it has received no injury from that cause.

[7:42] After each lightning strike, any damage to the lighthouse was repaired.
So it was approaching its 60th anniversary when the Boston Port Act passed in 1774, meant to punish the residents of boston for the front of the Tea Party.
The Port Act officially shut down the port of boston, strangling the local economy As it went into effect.
In June of 1774, the British regular station in Boston officially relieved lighthouse keeper Robert Ball of Duty and the lighthouse would pass from the control of the province of massachusetts Bay to the british military.
When war broke out with the battles at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the harbour and thus the lighthouse would become a critically important strategic asset.
From the moment the british column retreated back to boston, the patriot militias who quickly surrounded the city controlled the land.
There would be no trade or commerce to supply cattle and pigs for meat, no milk, butter or other dairy, no hay for the horses.
When it started to get cold, there would be no straw for bedding and insulation and no firewood to keep the red coats warm.
However, while the patriots controlled the land, the power of the british navy meant that they fully controlled the sea boston, as we may have mentioned before, was a peninsula city.

Sample:
[9:06] Militia units from around New England streamed into Cambridge and Roxbury to keep the british regulars trapped in the peninsula. Town of boston boston transformed itself from a tiny town on a peninsula to a sprawling city.
It was a small, densely populated city on a tiny mitten shaped peninsula.
The tiny Shawmut peninsula that comprised boston before boston was expanded by filling the salt marshes that surrounded the Shawmut peninsula.
John Winthrop and his puritan followers settled on the tiny peninsula they called boston back when boston was a tiny village on the Shawmut peninsula, the only road leading off the peninsula of boston. New England militias rushed to surround boston and trapped the british regulars within the peninsula town.

Jake:
[9:44] The Shawmut peninsula was surrounded by boston harbor and its many islands for the british to withstand the provincial siege, they’d have to bring in supplies from the sea.
First though, they conducted a series of raids on farms and pastures on the harbour islands closest to boston, but after the regulars took hay and cattle from Grape Island in May, the provincials took action to remove any useful supplies from the rest of the harbour islands.
Listen to episode 186 About the Battle of Chelsea Creek. To learn more about that effort.

[10:15] In the meantime, supplies would have to be transported from great Britain at great cost to keep the army fed armed and clothed and the lighthouse on little brewster Island was the key to navigating boston harbor without foundering on its hidden rocks and shoals.

[10:31] Members of the legislature recognized the strategic importance of light houses like boston light and helping provision the enemy and quickly work to neutralize this advantage.
About two weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress appointed a committee on removing lamps from lighthouses, which reported a committee on removing lamps from lighthouses, which reported,
it is recommended to the Committee of correspondents or selectman of the town of Chelsea, to remove insecure if practicable the lamps an oil from the lighthouse at the entrance of boston harbor, with all the appurtenances there unto belonging also.
It’s recommended to the Committee of Safety of the Town of Gloucester that the same measures be taken with respect to the lighthouses on Thatcher’s Island, and that the keeper of said lights with the several boats, cattle, etcetera, be also removed from thence.
Furthermore, it’s recommended to the Committee of Correspondents for the town of Plymouth to remove and secure the lamps oil etcetera, from the lighthouse at the garnet, with all the apartments is there unto belonging,
and that the keepers of the several lighthouses is above specified be discharged from the service of this colony till the further order of this are some future Congress or House of Representatives.

[11:47] Up in Gloucester, a militia captain named Samuel Rogers took a detachment of local troops and a few whale boats and rode out to Thatcher Island, where the twin lights were attended by a loyalist named James Kirkwood.
After landing, Rogers later wrote, they broke the lighthouse glasses and lamps all to pieces, brought away the oil together with Captain Kirk Wood’s family and all that he had on the island and put them on the main to shift for themselves.

[12:15] Down in Plymouth, the keeper of Garnet light was john thomas, a reliable patriot who ended up marching with the Plymouth regimen that left boston where the lighthouse was already under military control, securing the lamps.
An oil from boston light wouldn’t be so easy.
Certainly, it was beyond the ability of the selection of Chelsea to sail out among Rear Admiral Samuel graves, powerful british fleet,
land on little brewster island in the outermost harbor, somehow incapacitate the red coats guarding the White House and then bring the important bits back to shore.

[12:52] It’s actually surprisingly hard to tell who ordered the raid that would end with the Continentals burning boston light for the first time,
George Washington took command of the continental headquarters in Cambridge on July three He held a Council of War with his top generals and colonels on July nine, to get a feel for how the two armies were situated,
And on July 13 he ordered the removal of livestock from vulnerable coastal areas like East Boston and Winthrop, where the British might take them.

[13:21] However Washington’s later letters indicate that he was taken by surprise, both by the raid and its success more likely as Brigadier General William Heath of Roxbury.
Certainly, he would take credit for the raid and letters to General Washington after the fact, and he likely ordered the attack by an officer under his command.
It’s possible, however, that that officer, major joseph, foes of Milton, who later commando battalion at the american victory at Yorktown simply had a good idea and ran with it.
We know that bows, ordered about 400 men in whale boats to row to the Nan task at peninsula.
Late in the evening of July 18, 1775 daylight found them removing grain hay and other useful supplies from the farms at Nan task it, but they weren’t done yet.
Their work at Nan task. It would continue into a third day, July 20, which Caleb paschal, a militia private from Newburyport, had recently arrived in Cambridge, described in his diary,
this day is a fast appointed by the Continental Congress.

[14:29] On the morning of the 20th.
The journal of the british warship, HMCS lively recorded morgan and Task It Road At eight a.m. Discovered a number of whale boats crossing from nan task It to the lighthouse.

[14:45] Having surprised the British. With this landing bosses detachment got right to work on Little Brewster Island.
As a letter to John Adams from his cousin Richard Krantz, on July 24 reveals,
on thursday morning a company commanded by major votes of Milton went over to the lighthouse,
took down and brought off the lamps, brought off a barrel of gunpowder, several tiers of oil, the quantity of old cordage, several boats, and then burnt the lighthouse, but not the dwelling house.

[15:16] An officer stationed in the main continental encampment at Cambridge witnessed voices success from 12 miles away At the time.
Brighton wasn’t yet independent, was referred to as little Cambridge, with the officer writing,
I was at little Cambridge when the guns wakened me, I ascended an eminence at a distance and saw the flames of the lighthouse ascending up to heaven like a grateful incense and the ship’s wasting their powder.

[15:43] As soon as the party of royal marines could be organized from the ships in the outer harbor, they launched to intercept Bose’s detachment, as recorded in the journal of the british warship.
Hmcs lively, came on board the admiral’s longboat in summer sets launch at half past three pm. The boats put off from the ship with Lieutenant Gibbons At seven. The boats returned.

[16:07] Cousin Richard crunches letter to john Adams, continues describing the chase as vases party road for safety under british fire.
Returning to nan task it, they found that the burning of the lighthouse had alarmed the men of war and that their barges and cutters were sent down to attack our people, which they accordingly did seven of their barges being lashed together for that purpose.
Hot fire ensued for near an hour, but none of our men were killed and only two wounded.

[16:38] When they reached dry land, the tired oarsmen faked a hasty retreat to try and draw the marines onto shore, where the patriots would have an overwhelming advantage.
As abigail Adams described in our own letter to john our men all reach the shore and not one life lost to only slightly wounded in their legs.
They marched up a hill and drew into order and hopes that the marines would land, but they chose rather to return without a land engagement.
Though Tis thought they will burn the town down as soon as our forces leave it.
These little skirmishes seem trifling, but they serve to ensure our men and harden them to danger.

[17:18] Whether or not he actually issued the order that sent major votes to boston light.
General Heath was delighted to report the raid’s success to General Washington the next day.

[17:29] Sir, I have the pleasure to inform your excellency that major votes of my own regiment Besides securing the Barley on Nan task it yesterday morning landed on the lighthouse island with six or 7 boats.
The lighthouse was set on fire and the wood work burned.
The party brought off three casks of oil, all the furniture of the lighthouse, about 50 lb of gunpowder, a quantity of cordage, et cetera, and the inventory of which will be forwarded to your excellency.
Some of the brave men who affected this with their lives in their hands have just now applied to me to know whether it was to be considered as plunder or otherwise.
I was not able to determine this matter, but told them that I would lay the matter before your excellency.
I would beg leave to add that these brave men were some of them at Grape Island, Deer Island, and at Long Island.
Each of those islands were stripped of their stock et cetera.

[18:25] On the other side of the lines and notice was issued on behalf of Admiral Graves the day after the raid.
This is to give notice that the lighthouse on Thatcher’s Island, commonly called Cape and Lights and the White House at the entrance of Boston Harbor are burned and destroyed by the rebels.
And further notice is given that all seafaring people be careful that they are not deceived by false lights, which the rebels threatened to hang out in order to decoy vessels to their destruction.

[18:55] We’ll come back to the idea of decoys to drop british ships to their destruction.
But first, let’s return to Admiral Graves as we just heard the continental whale boats were able to handle the outro and outmaneuver the barges, schooner, and cutters that were sent to pursue them.
The same whale boats have been used in the raids on long dear and nodules islands in the proceeding weeks, and they seem nearly untouchable to the british Admiral.
The traditional New England whale boat is a wooden vessel that’s nearly canoe shaped but much larger.
A whale boat usually had a single mast and could be sailed, but the masks were usually stowed, and the boats were usually road,
With 2, 3 or as many as five horsemen pulling on each side, plus another manning the steering or in the Star.
After a whaling ship spotted. It’s Korea flotilla of these smaller boats will be lowered into the water to pursue and harpoon.
They were fairly symmetrical into ends. They could be wrote in either direction in a pinch, they had a small keel in a shallow draft so they could get very near shore when needed, recognizing their value.
Early in the conflict, the New England militias have commandeered as many whale boats as they could find from New Bedford to Salem, hiding them in the tidal creeks around boston harbor to Admiral Graves.
These glorified rowboats seemed as elusive as a modern stealth fighter.

[20:25] On July 24 a few days after the raid on the lighthouse, he sat down and wrote his own analysis of these traditional new England craft.

[20:34] On the 20th, some rebels and whale boats went from nine task it in a calm and set fire to Boston Lighthouse, which is at present rendered useless.
The rebels have collected near 300 whale boats, the different creeks around this harbor and begin to make little expeditions to the islands from their lightness and drawing little water.
They can not only outro our boats, but by getting into shallow water and in calm, seems they must constantly escape.
It is not possible to guard every island in this harbor from such piratical attempts, without more armed vessels and men than can be had.
Various of the conjectures about the design of the rebels and bringing so great a number of whale boats here, robbing the islands and burning the houses and hey there on most certainly distresses the garrison by depriving them of fresh meat, vegetables, milk, fruit and many other advantages.
But it’s generally believed that they were principally intended to land a body of men in the night at the most defenseless parts of the town, when a general attack should be made on the lines,
hoping with the assistance of disaffected people in the town, to occasion great confusion and terror,
and finally defeat his majesty’s troops.

[21:46] Graves wasn’t going to wait around to see what the continentals had planned.
In the days after the lighthouse raid, the admiral put two of his own plans into action.
First issued orders to rebuild the lighthouse as quickly as possible, and then he planned an attack to deal with the threat posed by whale boats.
The journal kept on board. The H. M. S. Lively reveals that one of these plans was put into action the day after the raid.
With the entry for July 21 Reading more than an task it road came on board one of the Admiral’s boats with carpenters to repair the lighthouse the next day.
Admiral Graves notes indicate that he was providing security for the civilian carpenters who are working on the lighthouse.

[22:33] Upon the Admiral’s consulting with general gage on the best method to secure the people who were to be employed in repairing the lighthouse.
It was agreed that a party of marines should go from the fleet to protect the artifice sirs, which party should be relieved in three days by a detachment from the army.
The admiral accordingly ordered an officer of Marines and 30 men from the Preston, and Buoying upon this service with this party.
The engineers were of the opinion that the lighthouse might well be defended until soccer’s arrived against 1000 men, and the admiral expected to have the building soon repaired, and a light shone as before.

[23:13] That same day the admiral wrote to the captain of H. M. S, lively, instructing them how to support the work party that was rebuilding the burn pits of boston light.
I have sent an officer with a party of marines to the lighthouse with three days provision the Preston’s longboat is to remain with them.
You will give them all the assistance in your power and direct what signal they should make in case of an attack or other danger in order that you may send them the speediest help if you’re tender, could cruise in the Lighthouse Channel tonight and tomorrow.
She would more readily discover the rebels approach than by any other means.

[23:51] Having received those orders, The Journal of H. M. S. Preston, for july 23rd records, Sent the long boat with an officer, a sergeant, a corporal, in 14 private marines, the lighthouse.

[24:06] Just 10 days after the lighthouse was burned, the carpenters and their guards had it ready to light again As James Warren wrote to John Adams on July 31.
They had for some time been very industrious in rebuilding the lighthouse and had it in such forwardness as actually to show a light Saturday night, July 29.

[24:29] The continentals who watched the harbor from the surrounding hills weren’t happy to see a light shining on little brewster Island, and they began planning a new raid almost immediately before they could put that plan into action.
Admiral Graves followed up on the whale boat threat that he had noted dates before.
On July 31, he summarized the previous day’s British raid.
The expedition of Captain John Robinson was formed in consequence of intelligence, given that the rebels had between two and 300 whale boats in a wood on the banks of Germantown River,
Germantown River, in this case, likely meaning today’s Weymouth, for River Robinson was put in command of all the available Royal Marines who are loaded onto 10 boats.

[25:16] Ships in the inner harbor and batteries in boston kept up a heavy fire on the patriot lines.
At Roxbury is a diversion while this party of marines road for sure, and the mouth of the river and Weymouth,
the channel of the river was intricate, but the boats had two pilots among them, and the firing from boston and Roxbury increased with the darkness.
The pilots, however, or whether from being brothers and americans, or from ruminating on their fates, they’d be taken or from any other cause, were observed to be much alarmed, and upon approaching shore could give no clear directions,
and although it would have required little time to burn the whole yet it was thought un advisable to risk so many men in boats in a river totally unknown to all as a discovery, must have been fatal.
Therefore, just at daybreak, Captain Robinson, finding nothing could be done determined to return.
However, this determination was scarcely taken when he was alarmed with a firing at the lighthouse and he instantly road towards it.
With his whole force being then within a mile or two.

[26:26] The continentals had launched their second rate on the lighthouse at the same moment that the royal marines were trying unsuccessfully to find and destroy the whale boats that have been causing so much difficulty on board the H.
M. S. Lively. The Days Journal recorded contact with the continental boats.
Starting before dawn At four am, saw the rebels land at the lighthouse, made the signal for assistance, man unarmed. Our boats came down the boats from the men of war in an armed slope.

[26:57] Royal Navy midshipmen, Christopher Hale was stationed on little brewster as part of the detachment providing security for the carpenters.
He’d been up all night standing guard, and in the predawn gray.
He was surprised to hear a call to arms writing later,
on the 30th of july, Lieutenant Colthurst of myself, having remained up until daylight and the marines the whole time under arms and sentinels placed at different parts of the island, thought we might with safety rest a few hours,
but to our great surprise, about half past gun firing in the morning, was by the sergeant, alarmed saying the whale boats are coming.
Lieutenant Colthurst of myself, having laid down in our clothes, repaired with the greatest expedition to the guard room, and ordered the marines immediately to the place where we imagine the rebels intended to land, who we found within pistol shot of the rocks.
To the number of 33 boats, each boat containing about 13 men, as Hale got. The defense is organized on land, the sailors on board hmcs. Scorpion anchored nearby supported the british defenders on the island.
The ship’s journal entry notes that they were moored with springs on the cables, meaning that additional ropes ran from the deck to the anchor cables, allowing the crew to swing the ship’s side to side at anchor and bring the guns to bear in any direction.

[28:19] Seeing the landing at the lighthouse, the crew of the scorpion began firing At nine, fired four shots at the rebels onshore at the lighthouse.
Send a boat Mandan armed to watch their motions. People under arms all night moored off the lighthouse.

[28:39] Meanwhile, midshipman Hale was having trouble managing the defenses on little brewster, because too many of his marines had been in their cups the previous evening, As he complained on July 30.
The marines were drawn up, though not without great confusion, perceiving many of them in liquor, and totally unfit for service.
Notwithstanding, I will venture to affirm every precaution was used to prevent it by frequently examining them and cautioning the carpenters against bringing liquor on pain of there being sent prisoners to boston.
Though I’m of the opinion it could be conveyed to them by no other means.
Several of the marines were perceived to be in liquor in the night, and two sentinels relieved and confined for that fault.
As the day heated up, Hale found himself with a party of about 35 marines, a significant number of whom were too drunk or hungover to be effective in battle,
with him, were about a dozen civilian carpenters, some of whom were loyalists from Marshfield.
With this meager force he was supposed to defend a tiny seven acre island with no trees and no cover except the lighthouse itself and the keeper’s residence.
The only saving grace was that the rocky shores meant that there were only a couple of approaches where Seven years War veteran Major Benjamin Tupper, and is roughly 300 continentals could affect the landing.

[30:05] Hale was faced with a difficult decision Should he try to organize his drunken marines into lines of battle and meet the continentals as they landed, despite being outnumbered by about 10-1.
Should he barricade the keeper’s house as an Alamo position and try to hold out until reinforcements could arrive, or should they all just make a run for it.

[30:27] Midshipman hail described how he and a fellow officer quickly debated the options. As the whale boats bore down on them, the marines without orders fired a number of muskets at the boats thin laying on their oars.
Lieutenant Colthurst then advised with me what was the most proper to be done, observing, there was a much greater force than was possible for us to defeat.
I replied, as the whale boats were laying on their oars and appearing to consult how they should act by continuing the fire, they might probably retreat,
which words I had scarcely uttered when the rebels cheered, divided and proceeded to land on different parts of the island.

[31:07] Lieutenant Colthurst was then of the opinion that by retreating to the house we might defend ourselves till assistance came from the ships, but recalled his proposals, giving for reason that as the house was defended within, only the rebels would set it on fire,
which, if I may presume to give my opinion was highly probable.
As the rebels, after getting within a few yards of it, would have received no hurt from our fire.
It being impossible to bring any muskets to bear on them, and they’re being many openings in the lower part of the house which they might with great ease of set fire to.
He, therefore, judges expedient for us all to retreat on board a schooner thin laying in the mola flowed,
which, finding him resolved undoing, and many of the rebels being landed with his approbation, I told him I would repair to the longboat, which laid a small distance from the mole and use my endeavors to cover the marines in the embarking. What she consented to.

[32:04] I proceeded to the warf, jumped overboard and waited to a canoe, by which means gained. The longboat got underway, and used my endeavors to cover their retreat.
The schooner and east, and grounded, which, being observed by the rebels, who, having set the house is on fire, immediately boarded and took them all prisoner.
As I could be of no further assistance. I judged it necessary for the safety of the men and boat the whale boats, than pursuing me to retreat towards the lively which I could not affect without difficulty being obliged to turn against the tide.
I cannot pretend to say what number of men were killed or wounded, nor did I see any fall except mr Colthurst on the wharf, getting his men on board the schooner.

[32:50] Lieutenant Colthurst was among the casualties described by Major Tupper and his after action. Report to General Horatio Gates, sir.
I’m now able to give a more particular account of the expedition to the lighthouse than when I saw you before.
I find by examination that we killed six persons on the spot, one of which was a lieutenant.
Then we have five marines and one Tory in the hospital.
That one died of his wounds before he arrived at Roxbury, that one woman in the lad is still at Dorchester,
So that adding the 15 above mentioned to the 38, which general ward sent over to Cambridge, makes 53 killed and taken.

[33:31] The rate had gone better than anybody expected. Tucker’s continentals had burned the lighthouse again, and they’d taken prisoners.
Now they just had to make it back to shore and friendly lines.
Captain Robinson’s royal marines, while unable to get into Weymouth to burn the stockpile of whale boats, was now close enough to make life difficult for major tupper in his whale boats, which were now loaded down with dozens of prisoners.
The journal of H. M. S, lively hints at just how close a call it was.
The boats from the men of war in an armed sloops drove the rebels onshore and took two of their whale boats, sailed the slope in boats for boston came down and anchored off the lighthouse.

[34:18] And Major Toppers report to General Gates. He also emphasizes the close call, but he makes sure to describe how one sided the battle was.
Major Crane with his field piece, meaning a small cannon, Which was planted on a fantastic beach to cover our retreat, sunk one of their boats and probably killed sundry of their crew.
As the enemy approached within 200 yards on our side, we lost one man, only had to just grazed with balls.
We stove one of our boats and was obliged to leave it.
We lost seven small arms, part of which were lost in landing.
As the rocks were very steep, some of the parties slip and let go their guns to save themselves, And we have 25 small arms and accoutrements brought off with us and conceived there were more taken, but have been secreted by some of the party.

[35:12] For their part. The brits were sure that the other shoe was about to drop.
With the whale boat seemingly untouchable. Rumors swirled that the continentals were going to land in boston that night.
Our raid another island. A return to the lighthouse.
Having seen the americans board and take over the schooner that was evacuating marines from little brewster earlier that day, Royal Navy Lieutenant john telemark thought that his ship might be the next target writing the next night.
Hmm, Scorpion Off Boston Lighthouse July 31, 1775.
Sir, conforming to your orders, I’m anchored as near the lighthouse as the pilot thought safe, I understand it is next to certain I am to be attacked by boats.
Sir, I must mention that I think the scorpion is almost the only vessel in his majesty’s service, that an enemy with only small arms could affect any execution.
She is without waste, and her decks consequently without cover, the men are entirely exposed to the enemy’s fire, arriving at boston, and not expecting such service.
I have not yet had time to make netting against being boarded, and this night shall be without it.
However, I must conclude with assuring you I am making the ship as defensible as possible in my power.

[36:34] The americans, however, we’re happy to have achieved their tactical goal of disabling the lighthouse again.
They weren’t in a rush to start a larger engagement on the harbor, where the Royal Navy and marines had a distinct advantage.
Instead, they continued consolidating their lines and scheming up ways to draw the british into an engagement on land where the continentals had the advantage.
They also took the time to count the cost on both sides, as recorded by Abigail Adams in a letter to John on July 31, I went out yesterday to attend the funeral of a poor fellow who the night before fell in battle.
As they were returning from the lighthouse without the loss of a man till they were upon their return, when they were so closely pursued that they were obliged to run one of the whale boats ashore and leave her to them.
The rest arrived safe, except the unhappy youth whose funeral I yesterday attended, who received a ball through the temples. As he was rowing the boat he belonged to Rhode island. His name was Griffin.

[37:37] He, with four wounded marines, was brought by Captain Turner to Germantown and buried from there with the honors of war.
The poor wounded fellows, who were all wounded in their arms, desired they might attend.
I spoke with them. I told them it was very unhappy that they should be obliged to fight their best friends.
They said they were sorry they hoped in God, and end would speedily be put to the unhappy contest.
When they came they came in the way of their duty to relieve Admiral montague with no thoughts of fighting.
Their situation was such as obliged them to obey orders. But they wished with all their souls they that sent them here had been in the heat of the battle.
Express gratitude of the kindness they received said in that they had been deceived for they were told if they were taken alive, they should be sacrificed by us.
Dr tough stressed their wounds.

[38:37] The care shown to these British prisoners by their captors. Over 150 years before the Geneva Convention caught general Washington’s attention In his general orders.
For August one he committed the bravery judgement and mercy of the men who would attack the lighthouse.
The General Thanks Major Tupper, and the officers and soldiers under his command for the gallant and soldier like behavior and possessing themselves of the enemy’s post at the White House, and for the number of prisoners they took. Their.
And doubts not. But the Continental Army will be as famous for their mercy as for their valor.

[39:14] In his own July 31 letter to John Adams, Mass Provincial Congress President James Warren noted that at least some of the civilian carpenters were well known to the rebels.
Among the prisoners are four Marshfield Tories and three or 4 others. The rest of marines and soldiers.
One of the whites of Marshfield is wounded. It said mortally.

[39:39] No doubt, but the surviving Tory carpenters would have been expelled from the province with the Banishment Act of 1778 if they hadn’t already left Massachusetts with the evacuation of Boston in 1776.

[39:52] Today, we celebrate March 17 is the anniversary of the British evacuation, but they only evacuated the town of boston, not the harbor.
Some british ships would continue to linger in the outer harbor until june with this potential threat still hanging around in boston’s back yard.
Many eyes watched the harbor from the surrounding hills and none more keenly than businessmen and progenitor of many future boston mayor’s, josiah Quincy.

[40:22] Starting almost as soon as the fleet moved from boston’s Dwarves, the shipping channel near paddocks island known as Dan Task. It Roads Quincy kept a near constant watch on the fleet and regularly reported their movements to George Washington.
For example, the very day the fleet was forced to fall down to Nan task.
It road, Quincy wrote on March 21, Yesterday, in the afternoon we were happily relieved by the appearance of a number of whale boats stretching across our bay under the command.
As I have since heard of the brave Lieutenant Colonel Topper, when the four noon had been candidate in the ships with one or more field pieces from the east head of Thompson’s Island.
And I suppose last night candidate ID them again from the same place or from Spectacle Island.
This judicious maneuver had its genuine effect for this morning the Admiral and all the rest of the ships, except one of the line, came to sail and fell down to nan task It Road, where a countless number is now collected.

[41:26] In reply, George Washington wrote. The continuance of the fleet and and Task it Road affords matter for speculation.
Excerpt passes my comprehension and awakens all my suspicions.

[41:40] Josiah Quincy would keep such a close eye on the harbour that he sometimes sent Washington our by our reports on what ships were moving on the harbor at any given time, and what signal flags they were flying.

[41:53] George Washington was not josiah Quincy is only correspondent, and it seems like everyone in massachusetts was sending letters to john Adams down in philadelphia.
In a letter to Adams on June 13, 1776, Quincy griped.
It is almost three months since, by the smiles of providence upon our army general.
How with the rest of our unnatural and perfidious enemies were forced to abandon the capital of this colony, on which memorable event I sincerely congratulate you.
But, to my astonishment, anger, and just resentment. A single 50 gunship has ever since kept possession of Nan task it road,
and buyer tenders taken more prizes than at a moderate computation, would have fortified and rendered impregnable every island in this harbor.

[42:43] Meaning that the value of the american cargoes, the lingering british captured was greater than the cost of building strong forts on the harbour islands.
Quincy continues to increase our hazards and to add to our mortification.
On the 10th instant seven transports filled with highland troops arrived in non Task IT road.
This event has waked the watchman of the public wheel for,
whilst I’m writing, I hear there are parties with cannon mortars and entrenching tools going this night to fortify the moon, Great Hill at House Neck, Pentax Island, Long Island, and an task it.
The Commodore. About 11 o’clock brought his broadside to bear upon and task it, and fired about 20 of his lower tier guns.
At which place, I suppose there now at work.

[43:32] For his part, john Adams have been nearly desperate to see fortifications go up on the harbour islands ever since the initial evacuation.
Now that he was finally getting his wish author. Political Webster wrote to him on June 13, 1776 11 enemy vessels are at Nan task. It mostly transports lately arrived.
The Bostonians will occupy the heights of Allerton Point, Long Island and Pentax Island this night and designed to clear the harbor soon of enemy ships sports at Dorchester Point, nodules island point.
Surely the castle in Charlestown Point are in great forwardness.

[44:11] By June of 1776, George Washington and the main force of the Continental Army had moved to New York as the main theatre of war opened around Manhattan Island, but a small garrison remained around boston.

[44:25] As we’ve described in earlier episodes, several 100 Continental troops, in a few 100 more local militia began fortifying the heights, appendix Island, Long Island hull,
and other easy to reach points on the evening of june 13th, putting their artillery well within range of any ships remaining in an task.
It roads Are very observant. Josiah Quincy wrote to John Adams on June 14 that he could see about 300 volunteers. That’s quantum point, but he saw no evidence of orders or organization.
His letter continues, however, with our glass, we could see a large number of men collected upon the east Head of Long Island in about six o’clock and 18 pounder was discharged upon the ships in the road.
When the transports and tenders immediately came to sail, after about a half a dozen shot were discharged from the first cannon.
A second of the same bore was got ready and a warm can donating at the commodore ensued, when he clapped to spring upon his cable and brought his broadside to bear, and returned the fire with seeming resolution,
But very soon discovering a shell from an 18″ mortar burst in the air about 2/3 of the way to his ship.
He slipped or cut his cables, and came to sail.

[45:44] Another of john Adams. Many pen pals, gave a more detailed description of the operation, though from a surprising source, Miss Polly Palmer wrote to the Continental Congressman on June 15, 1776.
You will wonder at receiving a letter from one who is very far from being sufficiently qualified to write to a member of the Grand Congress.
But I am under parental injunctions to do it, which every good child ought to obey.
In other words, Father is making me right to you. She describes the secrecy surrounding the plan to move troops into the harbor islands, and the difficulty in getting cannons and troops where they needed to be, and continues.
700 of the Continental troops were ordered to Long Island and Moon Island, 700 of colony troops and militia and an task it And 700 Dido to Peddle Asylum and Spears Hill.
The night was dark and so still that our people could hear the sound of the voice is on board the ships and their common conversation.

[46:47] In the meantime, the fort at Long Island was carrying on briskly, so that before seven in the morning they began to fire upon the ships,
upon the first, firing the little vessels hoisted sail, but the commodore and larger ones stood it for about an hour or more, though without returning the fire as it was to no purpose.
I suppose the advantage being so much greater on the high land than on the water.

[47:13] That morning, Captain Francis banks of the H. M. S. Renowned, saw the progress that had been made overnight and began gathering up his fleet to leave the harbor.
The Ship’s Journal entry for June 14, 1776 States.
At daybreak in the morning, perceived the rebels had thrown up to very strong batteries on Long Island,
immediately sent my boat on board the transports to order them underway at the same time since the gunboat and cutter to bring the sick off from George’s Island,
At five a.m., the rebels began to fire upon me from the batteries on Long Island, and likewise hosts.
Several shells Fired 50 shot at the rebels at seven. Unmoored.

[47:57] You’d think that being burned twice in two weeks would be enough carnage for one lighthouse, but less than a year later, boston light was faced with yet another destruction.
Polly Palmer’s letter continues Before 9:00. The Commodore thought proper to set sail with all the ships and small craft.
After having stood a continued fire from Long Island all that time as it was calm, they sailed but slowly and brought to by the lighthouse, which they dismantled and blew up, taking all their soldiers from that place with the cannon.
This is about 1:00 yesterday.

[48:35] On the british side. The landing on little brewster was recorded by both Captain banks of the renowned and the captain of Hmcs Ho,
the Journal of the renowned Records at nine, came to off the lighthouse,
send my boats and brought off Lieutenant Stewart in this party of marines, as also lieutenant curry, with my own party having effectually destroyed the lighthouse by blowing it up.
Two barrels of powder being sent from the ship for that purpose.
The hope kept close by the renowned during this interlude, with its journal stating at 10 a.m. Anchored off the lighthouse At 11 the rebels opened a battery on the task at head and fired a number of shots at the shipping.
Our captain went on shore and set the lighthouse on fire. They’re being powder in it. Soon after it blowed up.

[49:27] I’ve often seen the destruction of the original boston light, described as having been done with a time delay fuse, but both descriptions from the Royal Navy and the one from josiah Quincy state that the powder was taken into the tower and the tower was then set on fire.
Quincy’s account says, After we got home between 11 and 12:00, we perceive the light house was on fire after burning about an hour. The tower was blown up and reduced to a heap of rubbish.

[49:58] Quincy also noted that the weather was a bit hazy, and the enemy ships were out of sight before the tower exploded, which is probably the origin of the idea of a time delay fuse.
All in all the layover to blow up. The lighthouse didn’t slow the fleet down much and they soon made good their escape from boston harbor, where they were no longer safe.
In the journal of the H. M. S. Renowned captain, Francis Banks, explains how the fleet began withdrawing from boston harbor and Ernest at about 11 a.m. On june 14th, just after setting fire to the lighthouse.
At 10, the rebels opened a battery on non task ahead and began to fire upon me, and the transports, perceiving some of them on the hill, fired 2024 pounders and 2012 pounders.
Adam at 11 weighed and came to sail and company with his majesty’s armed brig Hope eight Sale of transports, the Yankee Hero Prize, and two small schooner prizes,
at five brought to hoisted the boats in and stowed the anchor,
fired four guns and made the signal for the convoy to come under my stern,
sit on board the Yankee Hero Prize, my second Lieutenant, a midshipman, and six men.
Likewise, Lieutenant Stewart is Party of Marines, At eight made sale in company with the Milford Hope, and 14 sale of vessels.

[51:23] An officer, in the artillery train of the Massachusetts Militia, noted on June 17.
The continental train began firing, and the ships immediately got underway in anchored opposite the lighthouse.
The commodore lay foremost, and after firing the second shot he blew up the lighthouse, and at our fourth round the whole fleet got underway a second time.
Some of our shot, we have no doubt struck him as all the boats in the fleet were sent to tow him off.
He fired but one shot, but we pelted him till out of reach of our cannon.
Thus we have got rid of a nest of scoundrels the very day two years ago, they blocked the harbor off.

[52:04] Polly Palmer’s letter to john Adams also describes the rapid departure of the fleet after the lighthouse exploded.

[52:11] Soon after they continued their course outwards, though not without some disagreeable salutes from nan task it, which was then furnished with cannon and fired about 30 balls at them as they passed,
some of which it is thought struck the commodore and other vessels About five or 6:00.
They were all out of sight, as this news will be agreeable to you, though, told in a very imperfect and faulty manner, either rather hoped for your generous allowances in the behalf of the writer whose abilities are far from being equal to the subject,
I should not have presumed so far, and mrs. Adams been at home.
But she set out for Plymouth thursday morning, and so could not have the opportunity of writing so, particularly as if she had been in town at the time of the evacuation.

[52:56] After the departure of the Royal Navy, it was deemed wise not to rebuild the light on little brewster immediately.
As long as the british fleet in the british army remained a threat, massachusetts, officials believed that the lighthouse would provide more of an advantage to british captains than it went to local pilots who already knew the coast well.

[53:15] However, just because boston light wouldn’t be rebuilt, didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be a signal at the mouth of boston harbor.
General Artemus Ward was one of several officers to suggest placing decoys in the harbor to lure in british ships.
Writing to the Provincial Congress on June 15, 1776,
as the enemy are driven out of this harbor, I would submit to your consideration whether it might not be proper to station a large ship in an task it with a broad pennant as a decoy to the enemy’s vessels who may fall in not knowing the men of war are gone.
The transport ship lately brought into the sport, I think, might answer for this purpose Sure enough, two days later, to British transports carrying companies of the 71st Highland Regiment found themselves at the mouth of Boston Harbor. At daybreak.
The officers didn’t realize that the four ships bearing down on them were american privateers and not pilot ships sit by the admiral to help them find their way into boston harbor until it was too late.
When they realized their mistake, the two ships made full sail for the town of boston, where they expected to find a powerful british garrison.
It wasn’t until an american battery opened up on them from shores. They entered the inner harbor that they realized their mistake.
The transports ran aground at George’s island and fought while we’re now six privateers surrounding them, until all the powder was gone, and they were forced to surrender.

[54:43] In hopes of repeating this success and bringing in more british prisoners or even better useful warlike supplies.
Committee at the Provincial Congress ordered the use of ships and lighthouses as decoys to further confuse enemy ships.
On June 18 the said committee are empowered to procure on the best terms to ships at the expense of this colony and man and fix them in such way and place them at such station,
as may appear to the said committee, best calculated to serve as a decoy to the enemy.
Ships and vessels that may at any time be coming into the harbor of boston.
And the aforesaid committee are further empowered and directed to erect such lights where the lighthouse stood without erecting a lighthouse, as may serve further to decoy and bring into the harbor of boston ships and vessels of the enemy.

[55:32] The lighthouse remained in ruins. For the rest of the war years, though, efforts were made to reuse some of the component parts,
after the fires that plagued the lighthouse in early years, the top most portion known as the lantern, was rebuilt, using as much metal as possible to render at fireproof.
Many accounts I’ve read say that this medal was later re used to make cannon ladles for the Continental Army, but the only primary source I could find for this idea was a transcription of a september 3, 17 76 Order of the Legislature, stating,
as the old top of the Lighthouses, Richard unfit to be used for that purpose in the future.
The commissary general is hereby directed to deliver so much of it to the committee for fortifying the harbor of boston as they shall need to supply the cannon with balls.

[56:20] Reading that reminded me that after New Yorkers first heard the declaration of independence in July of 1776, they tore down their gilded lead statue of King George III, and melted it down into musket balls for the Continental Army.
Listen to the recent episode of the Ben Franklin’s World podcast titled The horse’s tail for more on that incident.

[56:42] When the american victory at Yorktown promised to restore boston and the new nation to peace, merchants in boston began clamoring for a new lighthouse to make the maritime trade that the city’s economy relied on easier.
There were some temporary measures in the 1770s in the early 1780s.
But the legislature took up the question in earnest in 1783.
As described in the 1911 story of Boston Light.

[57:09] In June 1783, a committee of the Marine Society of Boston addressed a memorial to the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth on the subject of the increase in trade which,
returning peace with all its great concomitant advantages, would probably bring to the state,
declaring that the two principal requisites for the accomplishment of this most desirable purpose are the erection of judiciously disposed light houses and the establishment of a regular skillful system of pilot.
Ege the losses occasioned by the egregious defect in both, during the continuance of the late war being, the committee said too distressing and too recent to demand a recital.
This resulted in the appointment of committees to consider the expediency of erecting lighthouses on the coasts of the state,
And the passage of an act in July 1783, Wherein Richard Devon’s Esquire Commissary General of the Commonwealth was directed to build a lighthouse as soon as possible on the island, at the entrance of Boston Harbor, where the old house stood,
to be nearly of the same dimensions of the former lighthouse.
He was also directed to repair the wars at the island and construct other such buildings as were necessary.

[58:22] The new tower is believed to have incorporated the foundation and some stones from the original boston light, Where the original tower was 50 ft tall, the replacement was 60 ft tall, plus another 15 for the lantern on top.
The first keeper of the newly rebuilt lighthouse, Thomas Knox took up his post on December 5, 1783.
Continuing the tradition that’s carried on today by Sally Snowmen.
The 70th keeper of Boston Light, which is now the oldest light station in the U. S.
If not the oldest lighthouse structure. Thanks to the british to learn more about boston light and its tortured history in the first year of the revolution.
Check out this week’s show notes at hub history dot com slash 227 I have links to all the 18th century sources I quoted from this week, most of which are collected in the naval documents of the American Revolution.
For more context, I’ll also link to the 1911 book, this story of Boston Light For more context.
I’ll also link to the 1911 book, the story of Boston Light, which is well researched and conveniently in the public domain, As well as a 2018 article about the lighthouse battles by Andrew A.
Zellers Frederick for the Journal of the American Revolution.

[59:42] I’ll also link to a broadsheet poem by Alicia Rich of Chelmsford titled poetical remarks upon the fight at the boston Lighthouse that was published in the wake of the second Continental raid.
It includes brilliant stances like this one.
All those who are not killed and wounded there were taken captive by our men.
We here the numbers came to set, the captives free, They killed, but one we hear and wounded. three well bravo.

[1:00:16] If you happen to be free on july 29th at 3:30 p.m. And you’re up for another virtual event.
Even as we get used to doing things in person again, Our friends over at Revolutionary spaces have a really good looking talk coming up titled from smallpox to covid 19 microbes hate in history.
It will discuss how four centuries of epidemics have disproportionately impacted the indigenous peoples of north America.
From their first contact with Europeans, right up to the slow rollout of vaccine availability on reservations in the US Today.
The panel will discuss how attitudes have shifted from the early celebration of indigenous death says a wonderful plague in the 16 29 charter of Plymouth Colony,
to present date, remorse about the perennial lack of good jobs, housing and health care that have made indigenous people especially vulnerable to disease.

[1:01:09] If you’re interested, look for the link to register in this week’s show notes.
If you’d like to get in touch with us, you can email us at podcast at hub history dot com.
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That’s all for now. Stay safe out there listeners.

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