Captain Jeremiah O’Brien (1744–1818) was in command of Unity when she captured HMS Margaretta in the Battle of Machias, the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. He was born at Kittery, Maine. O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph, were crewmembers of the sloop Unity when she captured Margaretta on June 12, 1775, at the entrance to the harbor at Machias (a town then in Massachusetts, now in Maine).

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  • Captain Jeremiah O’Brien (1744–1818) was in command of Unity when she captured HMS Margaretta in the Battle of Machias, the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. He was born at Kittery, Maine. O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph, were crewmembers of the sloop Unity when she captured Margaretta on June 12, 1775, at the entrance to the harbor at Machias (a town then in Massachusetts, now in Maine). Under the command of Jeremiah O’Brien, thirty-one townsmen armed with guns, swords, axes, and pitch forks captured the British armed schooner in an hour-long battle after Margaretta had threatened to bombard the town for interference with the shipment of lumber to British troops in Boston, Massachusetts. This battle is often considered the first time British colors were struck to those of the United States, even though Unity was not formally a member of the Continental Navy. The United States Merchant Marine claims Unity as its member and this incident as their beginning. A privateer, O'Brien continued as the captain of Unity, renamed Machias Liberty, for two years. In later years, he had an appointment as the federal customs collector for the port of Machias, a position he held until his death.
  • Jeremiah O'Brien was een Amerikaanse kapitein die samen met zijn vijf broers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis en Joseph tegen de Britse troepen vochten op 12 juni 1775. Zij waren bemanningsleden van de Amerikaanse sloep Unity, die de Britse HMS Margaretta veroverden aan de ingang van de haven van Machias. Onder bevel van kapitein Jeremiah O'Brien, vielen zijn broers en 31 stedelingen, gewapend met geweren, sabels, bijlen en hooivorken, de Britse troepen aan en veroverden zij de Engelse gewapende schoener, in een één uur durend gevecht. Nadat de HMS Margaretta had gedreigd de stad te beschieten vanwege haar bemoeienis met de scheepszending van bootwerkers voor de troepen in Boston, vielen de Amerikanen de Britten aan. De Amerikaanse Onafhankelijkheidsoorlog was al op 19 april 1775 begonnen in Lexington en Concord, twee plaatsen die op 20 tot 30 km ten westen van Boston liggen. Hoewel de Unity formeel geen deel uitmaakte van de Continental Navy (een voorloper van de United States Navy), wordt deze slag toch gezien als de eerste nederlaag van de Britten tegen de Amerikanen. Het schip werd omgedoopt tot Machias Liberty en nog twee jaar voer O'Brien er als "privateer" mee over de zeeën. In zijn latere leven was O'Brien inner van belasting in de haven van Machias in Maine. De torpedobootjager USS O'Brien (DD-415) werd in 1939 naar kapitein Jeremiah O'Brien genoemd, evenals vier andere schepen van de United States Navy en het SS Jeremiah O'Brien.
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  • Jeremiah O'Brien (Maine)
  • the Maine Congressman
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  • Jeremiah O'Brien
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  • Captain Jeremiah O’Brien (1744–1818) was in command of Unity when she captured HMS Margaretta in the Battle of Machias, the first naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. He was born at Kittery, Maine. O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph, were crewmembers of the sloop Unity when she captured Margaretta on June 12, 1775, at the entrance to the harbor at Machias (a town then in Massachusetts, now in Maine).
  • Jeremiah O'Brien was een Amerikaanse kapitein die samen met zijn vijf broers, Gideon, John, William, Dennis en Joseph tegen de Britse troepen vochten op 12 juni 1775. Zij waren bemanningsleden van de Amerikaanse sloep Unity, die de Britse HMS Margaretta veroverden aan de ingang van de haven van Machias.
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  • Jeremiah O'Brien
  • Jeremiah O'Brien
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