By: History.com Editors

1779

Massachusetts begins ill-fated Penobscot Expedition

History.com Editors

Published: November 13, 2009

Last Updated: January 31, 2025

On July 24, 1779, a naval expeditionary force commissioned by the Massachusetts General Assembly departs Boothbay, Maine, headed for the Penobscot peninsula, where British forces had recently established a small fort and trading post. The attack, and subsequent three-week-long siege, would end disastrously for the Americans with one of the worst naval defeats in the country's history.

Launched by the Massachusetts Assembly without consulting either Continental political or military authorities, the Penobscot expedition was tasked with capturing the 750-man British garrison at Castine on the Penobscot peninsula in Maine, then a province of Massachusetts. Comprised of 19 warships, 24 transport ships and more than 1,000 mostly untrained militiamen, it was commanded by Commodore Dudley Saltonstall, Adjutant General Peleg Wadsworth, Brigadier General Solomon Lovell and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Revere.

Paul Revere

Paul Revere was a Patriot leader and symbol of the American Revolution. Find out more about the man who infamously warned the minutemen of a British invasion in 1775 in this video.

The Massachusetts forces, which had been reinforced in Boothbay, arrived at Penobscot on July 25. Despite having a clear advantage in numbers and firepower, they proceeded to launch a series of inconclusive land and sea attacks. Rather than pressing their advantage, they stalled and settled into a three-week siege, allowing the British plenty of time to send for reinforcements.

On August 13, the long-awaited day of attack, those reinforcements arrived, in the form of seven British warships commanded by Sir George Collier. The expedition's land commander, Brig. Gen. Lovell, began to retreat, expecting Saltonstall to engage the naval forces in battle.

But Saltonstall did not fight for long. The naval engagement concluded in total disaster one day later, when he surprised both Patriot and British commanders by fleeing upriver and burning his own ships. The Patriots lost in excess of 470 men, as well as numerous Continental Navy and Massachusetts ships that were burned during the retreat. The British achieved their victory at a cost of only 13 men.

Saltonstall and Paul Revere later faced court martial because of the fiasco. Saltonstall lost his commission, but Revere won acquittal. By contrast, Peleg Wadsworth, who served as Revere’s second-in-command, won acclaim for his performance in the engagement. He had organized the retreat, which was the only well-executed aspect of the mission. The failed Penobscot Expedition was considered the worst naval disaster in American history until the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, more than 160 years later.

How a Rogue Navy of Private Ships Helped Win the American Revolution

A fleet of makeshift warships helmed by colonial 'privateers' ravaged British shipping.

How a Rogue Navy of Private Ships Helped Win the American Revolution

By: Christopher Klein

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on July 24th

1567

Mary Queen of Scots deposed

During her imprisonment at Lochleven Castle in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots is forced to abdicate in favor of her one-year-old son, later crowned King James VI of Scotland. In 1542, while just six days old, Mary ascended to the Scottish throne upon the death of her father, King James V. Her mother sent her […]

1776

John Hancock scolds Major General Philip Schuyler

July 24, 1776, Congressional President John Hancock scolds Major General Philip Schuyler. In a letter, Hancock accuses the officer of tolerating discord among soldiers from different states under his command. Disappointed, Hancock told Schuyler that Congress was “concerned to find there should be a necessity of recommending harmony to the officers and troops of different States under your […]

1847

Religious pioneers settle Salt Lake Valley

After 17 months and many miles of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 pioneers into Utah’s Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Gazing over the parched earth of the remote location, Young declared, “This is the place,” and the pioneers began preparations for the thousands of followers of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day […]

1901

Short story writer O. Henry is released from prison

William Sydney Porter, otherwise known as O. Henry, is released from prison on this day, after serving three years in jail for embezzlement from a bank in Austin, Texas. To escape imprisonment, Porter had fled the authorities and hidden in Honduras, but returned when his wife, still in the U.S., was diagnosed with a terminal […]

1911

American historian encounters Machu Picchu ruins

American archeologist Hiram Bingham gets his first look at the ruins of Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca settlement in Peru that is now one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

Machu Picchu

1915

Hundreds drown in Eastland disaster

On July 24, 1915, the steamer Eastland overturns in the Chicago River, drowning between 800 and 850 of its passengers who were heading to a picnic. The disaster was caused by serious problems with the boat’s design, which were known but never remedied. The Eastland was owned by the St. Joseph-Chicago Steamship Company and made […]

1943

Operation Gomorrah is launched

On July 24, 1943, British bombers raid Hamburg, Germany, by night in Operation Gomorrah, while Americans bomb it by day in its own “Blitz Week.” Britain had suffered the deaths of 167 civilians as a result of German bombing raids in July. Now the tables were going to turn. The evening of July 24 saw […]

1945

Truman hints to Stalin about a new weapon “of unusual destructive force”

On July 24, 1945, through an interpreter, President Harry S. Truman hints to Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin that the United States has successfully developed a new weapon. In his diary, Truman privately referred to the new weapon, the atomic bomb, as the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. The United States had […]

1959

Richard Nixon and Nikita Khrushchev have a “kitchen debate”

During the grand opening ceremony of the American National Exhibition in Moscow, Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev engage in a heated debate about capitalism and communism in the middle of a model kitchen set up for the fair. The so-called “kitchen debate” became one of the most famous episodes of the […]

1969

Apollo 11 safely returns to Earth

At 12:51 EDT on July 24, 1969, Apollo 11, the U.S. spacecraft that had taken the first astronauts to the surface of the moon, safely returns to Earth. The American effort to send astronauts to the moon had its origins in a famous appeal President John F. Kennedy made to a special joint session of […]

1982

“Eye Of The Tiger” from “Rocky III” tops the U.S. pop charts

On July 24, 1982, Sylvester Stallone’s hit Rocky franchise produces its second #1 pop hit when Survivor’s “Eye Of The Tiger” begins a six-week run atop the Billboard pop chart. The first #1 hit from Stallone’s boxing film series was “Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky),” which topped the charts in the summer of 1977, […]

1998

“Saving Private Ryan” opens in theaters

On July 24, 1998, the director Steven Spielberg’s World War II epic, Saving Private Ryan, is released in theaters across the United States. The film, which starred Tom Hanks and Matt Damon, was praised for its authentic portrayal of war and was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It took home five Oscars, for Best Director, […]

2005

Lance Armstrong wins seventh Tour de France

On July 24, 2005, American cyclist Lance Armstrong wins a record-setting seventh consecutive Tour de France and retires from the sport. After Armstrong survived testicular cancer, his rise to cycling greatness inspired cancer patients and fans around the world and significantly boosted his sport’s popularity in the United States. However, in 2012, in a dramatic […]

Related Articles

See All Articles
Benedict Arnold
American Revolution

When Benedict Arnold Tried to Capture Quebec

The Revolutionary War officer-turned traitor had a brilliant strategy—except that everything went wrong.

7 Events That Led to the American Revolution
American Revolution

7 Events That Enraged Colonists and Led to the American Revolution

Colonists didn't just take up arms against the British out of the blue. A series of events escalated tensions that culminated in America's war for independence.

What is Federalism and Why Did the Founding Fathers Create It?
American Revolution

How the Founding Fathers Divided Power Between States and Federal Governments

Federalism, or the separation of powers between state and federal government, was entirely new when the founders baked it into the Constitution.

American Revolution

George Washington’s Hair Found in 18th-Century Almanac

The first president’s tresses were a keepsake for the family of Alexander Hamilton.

See All Articles

About the author

History.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Christian Zapata.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

Citation Information

Article title
Massachusetts begins ill-fated Penobscot Expedition
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
March 25, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
January 31, 2025
Original Published Date
November 13, 2009

History Every Day

Sign Up for "This Day in History"

Uncover fascinating moments from the past every day! Learn something new with key events in history, from the American Revolution to pop culture, crime and more.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Global Media. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us