08/10/2026
On August 8th 1775, the Battle of Gloucester took place right here in our City.
British Captain John Linzee, aboard the HMS Falcon, entered the Gloucester harbor. His ship had already captured one schooner, and was pursuing the other where it went aground near Five Pound Island. Captain Linzee sent his men on smaller boats to take the second schooner, and learned firsthand that you don't mess with the people of Gloucester.
Gloucester quickly sounded the alarm, and the people, armed with muskets, began firing on the smaller boats. While the British soldiers did capture the second schooner, they were trapped aboard as Gloucester kept firing.
Captain Linzee tried distracting the people of Gloucester by turning the Falcon's guns on the shore, and even sent a party to burn the town down. That failed to do anything but make the residents even more angry. The people of Gloucester took all the British soldiers on the grounded schooner as prisoners, and forced Captain Linzee's hand.
In a desperate hail mary, Captain Linzee sent the other captured schooner in to recover his men. This also failed, and, knowing he had been bested, Captain Linzee was forced to retreat back with a damaged Falcon, 24 men captured, 4 men wounded, and 1 killed in battle.
Today we look back and remember that the people of Gloucester have always showed remarkable bravery, strength, and tenacity when protecting our home. Happy Anniversary to us, and here's to many more years of never backing down!
