Photos by Mimi Bigelow Steadman
During a waterside lunch on the patio at Helen’s Restaurant in Machias, I looked out at the Machias River and tried to picture trader Ichabod Jones’s two sloop-rigged merchantmen, the Unity and the Polly, lying at anchor near the British square topsail schooner HMS Margaretta. Jones, a loyalist, had returned from Boston in early June, 1775, with food supplies to sell to this small downeast community, as he had often done before.
But this time—just a couple of months after the battles at Lexington and Concord—there were strings attached: To access the provisions, the people of Machias would have to allow Jones’s boats to load locally milled lumber to be carried to Boston to construct barracks for British reinforcements who were joining troops held there under land siege by the Continental Army.
Anticipating a reluctance to cooperate, the British had sent the armed Margaretta to escort the merchantmen. After the ultimatum was announced, town leaders convened, probably at Burnham Tavern. The small, gambrel-roofed establishment, built only five years earlier just above the harbor, was a gathering place where matters of the day were often discussed.
As expected, they voted to reject the terms and instead issued a declaration of war. Locals, joined by fiery members of the Sons of Liberty, then plotted to capture Jones; James Moore, captain of the Margaretta; and other British crew members while they attended Sunday services on June 11. However, when the approaching musket- and pitchfork-carrying militia were spotted through an open window, the British managed to escape to their ship.
Moore threatened to burn the town. Jones, meanwhile, ran into the woods; when he was spotted a few days later, he was arrested.
On June 12, under the leadership of Capt. Jeremiah O’Brien and Lt. Benjamin Foster, patriots and Passamaquoddy allies seized the Unity and commandeered a local schooner, the Falmouth Packet. The vessels set off after the Margaretta, which was sailing toward the mouth of the river. Near Machias Bay, the patriots overtook the British schooner and stormed aboard. In the ensuing exchange of musket shots and hand grenades, Moore was mortally wounded, and the British were forced to surrender. Reports of casualties vary, but several men on both sides were killed or wounded. Today, the Battle of the Margaretta is considered the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War.
Retaliation came a few months later, in October 1775, when the British burned Falmouth (now Portland, Maine). British ships also returned to Machias in 1777, determined to destroy the town, but were again repelled. The British did occupy the town a generation later, during the War of 1812.
I was still thinking about the Margaretta conflict after lunch, when we stopped at Bad Little Falls to watch the Machias River tumble through the heart of town. Even on a late-summer day when it wasn’t at its most dramatic, the foaming water and rugged rocks lived up to the name—a rough English translation of the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy word, machias. Indigenous people found the falls challenging to navigate. But for European settlers who first arrived here from Scarborough (originally part of Massachusetts, now in Maine) in 1763, the forceful water was a boon, as it powered mills that sustained the community. Realizing that the lumber that precipitated the historic battle was processed right here stirred my imagination.
Back in the car, we drove east along the river to the quiet little town of Machiasport. It was here, as well as slightly farther down into Machias Bay, that the patriots overwhelmed the Margaretta’s crew. Today, the river is only disturbed by the activities of the town’s sizable lobstering fleet, much of which moors in the deep waters of Bucks Harbor. When I looked out at them, I estimated there were more than 50 handsome fishing boats resting on their moorings.
On our second morning in Machias, Burnham Tavern was open for visitors. I was eager to visit this quaint little building—now a National Historic Site owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution—because of its key role in the Margaretta story. Knocking on the door, we were welcomed by Barbara Maloy, a volunteer who shared her knowledge of the battle and showed us through three floors of local artifacts.
We learned that 16 families from Scarborough settled here in 1763. By the time of the conflict, the population had grown to nearly 100 families. Maloy explained that after the battle, the tavern became a makeshift hospital for wounded British sailors. Then she showed us a large sea chest with a stain on its lid, and told us one of them might have been laid on it. “According to legend,” she added, “that stain is from Capt. Moore’s blood.”
It could well be the blood of a British sailor, though probably not Moore’s—most accounts say he was taken to Ichabod Jones’s house and died there. But for me, it served as a sober reminder of all the blood that was shed—on both sides—during this country’s fight for freedom. As we mark the 250th anniversary of our founding, it seemed especially moving.
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Contributing editor Mimi Bigelow Steadman lives on the Damariscotta River in Edgecomb.
If You Go to Machias
Do
Built in 1770, the Burnham Tavern is the oldest extant building in eastern Maine, and was selected in 1974 as one of 21 homes in the country with the most significance to the Revolution. It is usually open for tours on Tuesdays and Fridays, but call to confirm ($5 donation). In the center of town next to Route 1, Bad Little Falls Park has a deck and a footbridge offering views of the water rushing over the rocks. Local lore says treasure was buried here in the early 1700s by pirates John Rhoades and Black Bellamy. Eagles and osprey can sometimes be seen fishing in the falls. In Machiasport, mile-long Jasper Beach is known for its deep layer of smooth, rounded stones. Called a “singing beach,” its stones along the water’s edge make a calming sound when they’re jostled by incoming waves. Slightly farther to the west, at Roque Bluffs State Park, the view from the beach is of the northeastern side of Roque Island, whose Caribbean-like beaches have long lured yachtsmen to cruise downeast. Sponsored by the Machias Historical Society, the Margaretta Days Festival and Craft Fair, held in late June every year, features costumed reenactors—some of them descendants of the original Machias patriots—and demos of old-fashioned crafts and tools. Every August, the town celebrates its designation as the Downeast Blueberry Capital with the popular Machias Wild Blueberry Festival. Highlighted by a new blueberry-themed musical comedy every year, the event also features a craft fair, food vendors, a children’s parade, and a blueberry pie-eating contest.
Eat
Helen’s Restaurant has long been known for its fresh strawberry pie, consisting of a flaky bottom crust, uncooked strawberries in a little sugar syrup, and at least an inch of extra-heavy whipped cream on top. There’s always a selection of other pies from the in-house bakery, too. Savory menu choices include haddock chowder, crabcakes, fried whole-belly clams, pot roast, homemade meatloaf, and charbroiled salmon with a wild blueberry glaze. A few miles from downtown Machias, The Public House at West Branch Farms serves brunch and dinner in a handsome modern building. Sit by the stone fireplace in the bar, or in the many-windowed dining room. The West Branch Café & Bakery, on Route 1, turns out freshly made breakfast sandwiches and pastries along with a full menu of coffee drinks. Mason’s Brewing Company is a second location of a brewery and pub based in Brewer. There’s a good selection of their own beers, as well as burgers, pizza, and appealing choices like the Deer Hunter Hand Pie, with ground venison, cheeses, leeks, and sauce in puff pastry.
Shop
The Mercantile sells seasonal produce, jams, pickles, and other goodies made at West Branch Farms, along with a selection of locally crafted items. A bit farther along Route 1, Machias River General stocks a variety of herbs and teas, penny candy, kitchenware, baked goods, chocolates, books, and Maine-made treasures.
Hike and Paddle
Maintained by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy, Middle River Park is located near Route 1 in downtown Machias and offers 2.3 miles of easy trails leading into salt marshes, woodlands, and pastures. The 917-acre Machias River Preserve, also managed by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy, is threaded with 5 miles of moderately difficult wooded and riverside trails. Its Heritage Trail connects to the Down East Sunrise Trail, which is open to walkers, bikers, and ATVs. A former railbed, it stretches for 87 miles from Ellsworth, through Machias, to Calais. Just southwest of Machias, Roque Bluffs State Park welcomes visitors to enjoy its sandy, half-mile beach as well as shallow, 60-acre Simpson Pond, just inland from the beach. Kayaks can be rented here for paddling on the pond. Those planning to launch from the beach into Englishman Bay should be aware of frequent windy and foggy conditions. There is also a 6-mile trail network that meanders through orchards, fields, and woods, and along the seashore. Sunrise Canoe and Kayak, on Main Street in Machias, rents single and double kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards by the day and week. They also offer guided trips, ranging from multi-day river adventures through the wilderness to half-day paddles on Machias Bay. On the latter, you’ll learn a little about the Battle of the Margaretta, view ancient petroglyphs, and look for sea life.
On the Water
The town of Machiasport maintains a concrete, all-tides launching ramp on Rim Road. A fixed bridge prevents yachts from going all the way up the river to Machias, but it’s possible to anchor below the bridge and “dinghy into town for some pie at Helen’s,” as Harbormaster David Cale suggests. He cautions boaters to stay in the channel and pay attention to tides and currents. Bucks Harbor, located near the mouth of the river in Machiasport, offers visiting yachts a well-protected anchorage, but be sure to stay clear of the fishing-fleet moorings. It’s best to check in first with Cale (207-271-1068). No long-term anchoring is permitted, as in recent years, several boats have been left to sink here. There are no town moorings for transients, but Cale may be able to arrange the use of a mooring at Cooke Aquaculture. Boats can also anchor just off the historical Gates House, a big white-clapboard building in the center of Machiasport. Cale can also direct kayakers to good launching spots.
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