Great Brewster Island, Massachusetts
Great Brewster Island, Massachusetts
GREAT BREWSTER ISLAND, MASSACHUSETTS. American raids of 21 and 31 July 1775 during the siege of Boston. Also called Light House Island, a mile offshore from Nantasket Point, it was successfully raided on 21 July by Major Joseph Vose. Recalled Heath,
The detachment under his command, brought off 1,000 bushels of barley, all the hay, &c. [from Nantasket]—went to Light-House Island; took away the lamps, oil, some gunpowder, the boats, &c. and burnt the wooden parts of the lighthouse. An armed schooner and several boats, with men, engaged the detachment; of the Americans, two were wounded.
The night of 30-31 July, Major Benjamin Tupper led a force of three hundred men in whaleboats to stop repair work on the lighthouse and capture the British guard and workmen. Tupper's excellent leadership resulted in the killing or capture of the entire enemy detachment, which numbered thirty-two marines, a subaltern, and ten carpenters. Although Tupper's escape was delayed by missing one tide, he evacuated all the enemy wounded and sustained only two casualties.
SEE ALSO Boston Siege.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Freeman, Douglass Southall. George Washington. 7 vols. New York: Scribner, 1948–1957.