Daniel Philbrook & Ebenezer Philbrick

and the Penobscot Expedition of 1779

    In the summer of 1779, a British fleet left from Halifax, Nova Scotia and sailed into Penobscot Bay (Maine) and landed at Bagaduce (what is now Castine.)  700 troops commanded by British General Francis McLean began erecting a base they called “Fort George.”  The occupation of Bagaduce sent a wave of panic through the New Englanders and the Massachusetts General Court authorized an expedition to attack the British troops.  The call went out for 1200 militiamen who would serve under Brigadier General Solomon Lovell.  The famous Paul Revere, who was now a Lieutenant Colonel, was to command the forces artillery. 

     Among the troops who would serve during this expedition were DANIEL⁶ PHILBROOK {J.C.#96} (JOSHUA⁵, JONATHAN⁴, WILLIAM³, THOMAS², THOMAS¹) and EBENEZER⁶ PHILBRICK {J.C. #11-IV.}  (EBENEZER⁵, EBENEZER⁴, JAMES³, JAMES², THOMAS¹)  On page 67 of Chapman’s book he says of David, “in 1779 a soldier, he suffered extremely in the wilderness, returning form the unfortunate expedition to Baguaduce, (Castine).”  Both men would serve in Colonel Samuel McCobb’s Regiment.  David was in Captain Acter Patten’s company and Ebenezer served with Captain Timothy Heald’s Company.

     Transporting the troops from Massachusetts to Maine was done by a variety of state owned vessels and privateers.  Three Continental warships would join the flotilla; the frigate Warren, the sloop Providence and the 12-gun brig Diligent (a former British ship captured by the Americans.)  Massachusetts would contribute three 14-gun brigs (Hazard, Active and Tyrannicide) while New Hampshire offered the Hampden (20-guns.)  With over 40 ships and 300 guns, the force should have been able to defeat the small garrison at Bagaduce.  The fleet would be commanded by Commodore Dudley Saltonstall.

     One of the early problems were getting enough men for the expedition.  Most men were already serving in one capacity or another and the rest were “small boys and old men unfit for service.”  The Massachusetts authorities therefore ordered an embargo on merchant shipping for 40 days.  By stopping commerce and thus creating an instant group of “unemployed”, they hoped to fill their ranks.  The tactic worked and they raised their needed troops and sailors.

    When the Americans arrived in Penobscot Bay (July 25), the British were waiting for them.  Unable to keep such a large expedition secret, the English forces were well aware of the impending attack.  Along with the fortification of Fort George, the British had built gun batteries on the Bagaduce peninsula and Nautilus Island to the south.  At the mouth of the harbor, a two hour gun battle ensued between nine ships of the American fleet and three ships of the British forces, under command of Captain Henry Mowat.  The battle was a draw with little effect on either side.  Adding to failure of American forces to swiftly deal with the British, General Lovell and his men, failed to establish a beachhead near the fort.

     The following day (July 26), 150 marines, Captain John Welsh commanding, attacked Nautilus Island and drove the British troops off.  The Americans had the first success, but time was wasting and, unknown to them, English warships were in rout with reinforcements.  Instead of following up with another attack the next day, the Americans further jeopardized victory by spending July 27^th reconnoitering the British positions.

     On July 28^th, the Americans felt they were ready.  The ships of the American fleet began shelling the British positions and the Colonials landed in three divisions of men.  On the right, the marines met the fiercest resistance by the English defenders, but reinforced by the militia, they drove the British from the outlying areas and forced them back to Fort George.  600 yards away lay the lightly defended Fort George, but General Lovell halted his troops and insisted that the American fleet destroy the three British sloops that still supported the Redcoats in the fort.  Saltonstall refused and declared that he was going to risk his ships by pursuing the British further up the Bagaduce River.  Despite the Americans overwhelming forces, fear kept them from victory.  The operation became a siege as both the American land and naval forces insisted that the other, attack first.  Days turned into weeks, and all the while, the British improved their fortifications. 

    By mid August, the British reinforcements had arrived.  Commodore Sir George Collier, of the Royal Navy, led his British fleet into Penobscot Bay.  The Americans panicked as they saw the powerful English naval force.  Some of the Americans insisted that Commodore Saltonstall attack the British and perhaps some of the American fleet might escape.  Saltonstall agreed at first, then lost his courage.  Instead of fighting, Saltonstall retreated without firing a shot.  He signaled his fleet that it was every man for himself.  The Americans fled in all directions, but with most of the ships retreating up the Penobscot River.  Trapped, the Colonials beached and torched their entire fleet of over 40 ships, except two that were captured by the British.

    Soldiers and sailors fled into the Maine wilderness from the pursuing Redcoats.  Almost 500 Americans were killed or captured by the British.  As for the English, their total loss for the battle was fifteen men killed.  Many of the Americans who fled the disaster and made their way back to Massachusetts were reported as being barefoot and in rags.  Among the vanquished Americans were Ebenezer Philbrick and Daniel Philbrook.  The sea captains blamed the militia and the militia blamed the fleet.  Mostly, Saltonstall was held responsible for the failure, with some angry patriots calling for him to be shot for cowardice.  In the end, Saltonstall faced a court martial and was dismissed from the Navy.  

    Ebenezer and Daniel both survived the war.  Daniel died on March 28, 1809 and is buried in Maplegrove Cemetery, in West Bath, Maine.  Ebenezer died September 22, 1822 in Whitefield, Lincoln Co., Maine.

 Sources: 

“Sea of Glory” by Nathan Miller, pp. 412-417

“Philbrook & Philbrook Families” by Jacob Chapman

“Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution” – Vol. XII

Daniel Philbrook’s gravestone photograph courtesy of Michael Philbrook (Bucyrus, OH)