Battle of Portland Harbor

Caleb Cushing burning during the Battle of Portland Harbor.

Date	June 27, 1863 (1863-06-27)
Location	off Portland, Maine
Result	United States victory

Belligerents

United States (Union)

CSA (Confederacy)

Commanders and leaders

Jacob McLellan

Charles Read

Units involved

USRC Caleb Cushing

Strength

1 cutter
2 steamers

1 schooner

Casualties and losses

1 cutter scuttled
2 steamers damaged

25 captured
1 schooner captured

The Union revenue cutter USRC Caleb Cushing was captured and scuttled by the Confederates during the battle.

The Battle of Portland Harbor was an incident during the American Civil War, in June 1863, in the waters off Portland, Maine. Two civilian ships engaged two vessels under Confederate States Navy employment.

Around June 24, a Confederate raider named the Tacony, commanded by Lieutenant Charles Read, CSN, was being pursued by the Union Navy. To thwart their pursuers, at about 2 AM on the 25th, the Confederates captured the Archer, a Maine fishing schooner out of Southport. After transferring their supplies and cargo onto Archer, the Confederates set fire to Tacony, hoping the Union Navy would believe the ship was destroyed.

On June 26, a raiding party entered the harbor at Portland, sailing past Portland Head Light. The rebels disguised themselves as fishermen and entered into Portland Harbor late in the evening. They planned to slip back out of the harbor and try to destroy the area's commercial shipping capability.

When the raiders left the port area on June 27, they proceeded to the federal wharf. Having the advantage of surprise, the crew seized a cutter belonging to the Revenue Service, the USRC Caleb Cushing, whose namesake was a Massachusetts congressman, United States Attorney General and Minister to Spain. Their original intent was to seize a side wheel steamer named Chesapeake, but its boilers were cold. Too much time would be needed to get steam up so they abandoned it for Cushing. They then made their escape and fled out to sea.

News spread of the Confederate actions and the Army garrison at Fort Preble in nearby South Portland was informed of the rebel intrusion. They had been observed by several persons while taking over the cutter, and public fury was fanned by the incident. Along with 30 soldiers from Fort Preble went a six-pound field piece and a 12-pound howitzer. The soldiers, accompanied by about 100 civilian volunteers, commandeered the steamer Forest City, a sidewheel excursion ship, and the Chesapeake, whose steam was finally up. All of the civilians on board were issued muskets to defend against the Confederates. Forest City, a faster boat, caught up to Cushing and Archer first.

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Wikipedia