America 250: The Battle of Machias

By Sen. Marianne Moore and Rep. Tiffany Strout

Hello, I’m Senator Marianne Moore of Washington County, and I’m Representative Tiffany Strout of Machias. Thank you for joining us for this week’s Republican Radio Address.

[Sen. Moore] As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, we remember that the fight for independence didn’t begin with armies. It began with citizens — ordinary people in small communities — who chose liberty when it would have been easier to submit.

In June of 1775, just weeks after Lexington and Concord, a British warship — the HMS Margaretta — entered Machias Harbor. Its mission was simple: secure lumber for the Crown’s war effort.

The people of Machias refused. They weren’t trained soldiers. They were farmers, fishermen and shipbuilders. But they understood a principle that still defines this country today: Freedom is not handed down. It is defended.

Led by Jeremiah O’Brien and Benjamin Foster, along with members of the O’Brien family and other local citizens, these Mainers made a decision. They would resist. Armed with little more than determination, improvised weapons and their knowledge of the local waters, they pursued the Margaretta down the coast. And in a bold and dangerous confrontation, they captured it.

This moment is widely recognized as the first naval victory of the American Revolution. But the real significance goes beyond the battle itself. It reminds us that America was built not by distant authorities, but by citizens who took responsibility — who stepped forward when it mattered most, even when success was uncertain.

That same spirit is what we celebrate in this 250th anniversary year. Because while the challenges we face today are different, the principles remain the same: strong communities, individual responsibility and a government that answers to the people — not the other way around.

The men of Machias didn’t wait for permission. They didn’t assume someone else would act. They stepped forward. And because they did, they helped ignite a movement that would change the world.

[Rep. Strout] Mainers have been involved in every major conflict since our nation’s founding. From the Battle of Machias to the Battle of Gettysburg, where the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment played a decisive role. When duty calls, Mainers sign up.

People like Charles Norman Shay, a member of the Penobscot Nation, who at age 19 landed at Omaha Beach for the D-Day invasion, then reenlisted and returned to combat as a medic in the Korean War.

Oscar Look from Addison was in the Bataan Death March in World War II, where he helped carry another soldier so he wouldn’t fall. Later in life he visited schools to educate students on his service and the value of the freedoms they have today.

Oscar Sprague from Milbridge signed up for the military, but because of his age, he was sent home. Not letting that deter him, as soon as he was old enough, he went back. He was reported missing in action during the Korean War. His remains were recently identified, and he was buried next to his parents in Milbridge 70 years to the day after he went missing.

The Medal of Honor, the highest medal for valor, has been presented to 66 people associated with Maine, and of that number, 33 were born in Maine. They include Joshua Chamberlain from Brunswick in the Civil War and, most recently, Army Master Sgt. Gary Gordon of Lincoln, who fought in the Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993. 

Mainers have been and are stationed all over the world ready to defend freedom.  When they return home, they should be honored and respected. We should always remember the sacrifice of service members and their families and support things like Maine Veterans’ Homes, including the wonderful one we have right here in Machias.

[Sen. Moore] Freedom isn’t self-sustaining. It requires citizens willing to stand, just like they did in Machias 250 years ago. And if we’re serious about honoring their legacy, we must be willing to do the same.

Thank you, God bless you and God bless the United States of America.

Senator Marianne Moore represents District 6, which includes communities in Washington and Hancock counties. She is the Senate Republican Lead for the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee.

Representative Tiffany Strout represents District 11, which includes 13 communities in Washington County. She serves on the Legislature’s Marine Resources Committee.