Key Facts
- Date
- August 13–14, 1777
- British commander
- Commodore Sir George Collier
- Raid objective
- Prevent second assault on Fort Cumberland
- Outcome disputed
- Both sides claimed success
Strategic Narrative Overview
On August 13–14, 1777, British forces landed below Machias, seized a ship, and raided a storehouse. Local militia, supported by Indian allies, organized resistance and successfully prevented British troops from capturing the town itself. Collier's forces did not secure a lasting position and were unable to achieve the broader objective of occupying Machias, though they conducted limited material seizures before withdrawing.
01 / The Origins
During the American Revolutionary War, British forces sought to neutralize Patriot threats along the New England coast. Commodore Sir George Collier led an amphibious expedition against the Massachusetts town of Machias in present-day eastern Maine in August 1777. The raid was intended to head off a rumored second Patriot assault on Fort Cumberland, which had been besieged in November 1776, by destroying any military stores gathered at Machias for that purpose.
03 / The Outcome
The outcome remained contested. Collier claimed success, asserting that military stores intended for an attack on Fort Cumberland had been destroyed, though evidence indicated such stores had not yet been delivered to Machias. The American defenders maintained they had driven off the British and saved the town. No territorial change resulted, and the planned second Patriot assault on Fort Cumberland did not materialize.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Commodore Sir George Collier.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.