American Revolution in Massachusetts

One of the earliest in a series of raids on coastal towns, British Major General Charles Grey had been ordered by General Sir Henry Clinton to raid coastal towns in Massachusetts for supplies and to destroy shipbuilding operations. Over the course of eight days New Bedford, Fairhaven, and Martha’s Vineyard were attacked by Grey’s forces, which consisted of around 4,000 men on about 40 ships.

September 4, New Bedford: Fires set by Grey’s men destroyed ships, warehouses, and wharves. The fires also managed to accidentally destroy nearby homes and churches. A 38-man artillery garrison manning a small fort on the other side of the Acushnet River briefly fired upon the British ships, spiking their guns before abandoning the fort. The British subsequently returned fire and destroyed the fort’s guns.

September 5, Fairhaven: After Grey’s men set fire to several buildings near their landing point, a hastily assembled contingent of 150 colonial militiamen forced them to retreat back to their ships before they could reach the village.

September 10-14, Martha’s Vineyard: The island had been largely neutral during the war until that point and was left undefended. The sight of Grey’s fleet, which had been delayed by unfavorable winds, arriving in the waters off Holmes Hole (now Vineyard Haven) caused some alarm. Three locals went out to the ships on behalf of the islanders to see what they wanted. Grey demanded the locals turn over any weapons, any available public funds, 300 cattle, and 10,000 sheep. After the locals delivered 6,000 sheep and 130 cattle to the ships, Grey sent a contingent of his men ashore to pillage the island before leaving for New York.

Casualties
Colonists: 4 killed, 16 captured
British: 1 killed, 4 wounded, 16 missing

Result
Raids successful

Aftermath
In New Bedford 16 men were taken captive and 11 houses, 21 shops, 34 ships, 1 ropewalk, and numerous stores of naval supplies and other goods were destroyed. The damage to that town and Fairhaven was estimated in the £20,000 to £100,000 range (approximately $4.2 to $21 million today.)

Grey had promised reimbursement to the residents of Martha’s Vineyard for the supplies his men had taken and the property they had destroyed, and they undertook a years-long effort for compensation over £10,000 (about $2.1 million today) to cover their losses. They received only £3,000 (about $627,000 today.) The experience left the residents of the island more decidedly against the British than they had been before.