| Raid on Annapolis Royal | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theAmerican Revolutionary War | |||||||
 John Ritchie House, "Governor of Annapolis"[1] was taken captive in the raid | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |  Great Britain | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 William Morgan[2][3][4][5][6][7]John Curtis (naval officer)[8][9] |  CommanderPhineas Lovett[10]John Ritchie (POW) Thomas Williams (POW) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 80 privateers | Local militia; 3 soldiers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed (Acadian pilot) | No casualties | ||||||
TheRaid on Annapolis Royal took place on 29 August 1781 during theAmerican Revolutionary War. The raid involved two American privateers - the Resolution (commanded by William Morgan) and the Reprisal (commanded by John Curtis) - attacking and pillagingAnnapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in revenge of the defeat of thePenobscot Expedition.[11][12] The privateers took captive the commander of the militiaJohn Ritchie, described as the "Governor of Annapolis."[13] One historian described it as "one of the most daring and dramatic raids upon Nova Scotia."[14]
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,[15] The raids intensified after the British victory over thePenobscot Expedition, such as the numerous raids onLiverpool andLunenburg.[16]
On 31 March 1781, a British ship offHalifax, Nova Scotia captured CaptainAmos Potter of the American privateerResolution (6 guns, 25 men), while his crew escaped.[17][18] Captain William Morgan took command of the Resolution.[19] Five months later, Potter's crew sought revenge on the British by sacking Annapolis Royal.[20][21]
Captain William Morgan onResolution was joined by another American privateerReprisal (8 guns, 10 swivels, 60 men) under the command of Captain John Curtis, totalling 80 men.[22][23] They secured the blockhouse from the three soldiers in the town. Over the next hours, the privateers rounded up the militia, under the command ofJohn Ritchie and lieutenant-colonelPhineas 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. Ritchie's black servant (whether she was a free black or a black slave is unknown) pleaded on behalf of Ritchie's sick wife to leave some provisions and the privateers gave her tea and sugar.[24]
They retreated to Goat Island and took prisoner both Thomas Williams, the senior ordinance storekeeper and commissary of provisions to the garrison at Fort Anne (and grandfather of SirFenwick Williams),[25] andJohn Ritchie who theBoston Gazette referred to as the "Governor of Annapolis."[26] They also took captive a Sergeant and 5-6 others.[27] They later exchanged "the Governor" for their former commander Captain Potter and returned to Boston the following month.[28][29]
American privateers remained a threat to Nova Scotian ports for the rest of the war. Captain William Chair Burnaby was in command of the sloopMerlin at Annapolis Royal.[31]
On 1 January 1782, BritishCaptain John Curtis captured an armed schooner in the Bay of Fundy commanded by Captain Hodgkins. The privateerLively under the command of John Augusta Dunn fell in with armed schooner.[32]
On 8 May 1782,Buckram (8 guns, 40 men) captured the privateer sloopLively under the command of John Augustus Dunn (8 guns) and the crew escaped.[33] 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.[34]
On March 15, 1782, Potter returned from Boston inResolution and captured the schoonerTwo Sisters offPearl Island, Mahone Bay (formerly Green Island), stole all the provisions on board and released it.[35]
Secondary Sources
Primary Sources