Daily Prayer, 12 June

I have some catching up to do. Work demands have kept me from posting the past two weeks, but today I get to pick it up again with a story tied to an event that occurred this very date 238 years ago. Too many of these stories are left untold, pushed out by more “pressing” lessons, and thus at real risk of being forgotten, at least from public consciousness. It is for that reason that, even if I can’t find a moral lesson to tie into the story, I believe it should be told. It is its own worthy lesson to hear of our forebears courage and daring in the pursuit of liberty.

With his troops under siege in Boston, British General Thomas Gage’s only way to resupply was from the sea. He arranged with Royal Navy Admiral Samuel Graves to send two merchant vessels under the escort of HMS Margaretta to the port of Machias in what is now the state of Maine. There the merchants would trade with loyalists for much-needed supplies.

The trouble started as soon as the small flotilla arrived. The Margaretta stood of at anchor while the merchants docked, one at a time, to take aboard supplies for the Royal Army. Local militia leader Colonel Benjamin Foster called up his entire militia and captured the moored merchant—ironically named Unity—and began configuring her for battle, which involved constructing breastworks, mounting the small swivel gun that was their only artillery piece, and arming themselves with muskets. When the firearms were depleted, the men grabbed axes and pitchforks.

A detachment from the militia got as close to the Margaretta as they could from shore and demanded her surrender. Her commander refused and began to make his escape back to Boston.

The Patriots aboard the Unity got underway to give chase, electing Jeremiah O’Brien as their captain. They easily caught up to the Margaretta, whose main boom and gaff had been carried away by the brisk winds they had sailed directly into in attempting their escape. O’Brien managed to avoid damage to his ship from either the winds or Margaretta’s defensive fire, until Unity was alongside her quarry and the crews began to exchange small arms fire. The British commander was fatally wounded by a musket ball to the chest, and his second-in-command quickly surrendered as a second Patriot vessel caught up to the two ships and joined the fight.

Most Americans know about Lexington and Concord and the “Shot heard ‘round the world” that began the American War for Independence. Now you all are among the far fewer who know also about the first naval engagement of the American Revolution, fought on June 12, 1775 in Machias Bay, when Jeremiah O’Brien led American Patriots to victory over the HMS Margaretta. In honor of his victory the U.S. Navy has named five warships in his honor.

LET US PRAY

Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits’ end.
Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.
Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

AMEN