Joseph Getchell, Jr.

Prior to moving to Machias, Maine, Joseph Getchell served as a corporal in the 1759 Penobscot expedition for the reduction of Canada.

In 1765, Joseph Getchell's family was one of the original families settling and building the new town of Machias, Maine. He moved to Machias from Wells, Maine.

From this distance in time, it's somewhat confusing as to which Joseph Getchell did what during the Revolution in Machias, Maine. Was it Joseph Getchell, Sr., aged 49 in 1775, or his son Joseph, III, aged 18? Both of fighting age. Both capable of fighting and leading in war.

Machias was the site of the skirmish recognized as the first Naval engagement of the Revolutionary War. The following account details the action:

Machias, District of Maine, Massachusetts (June 1775) - Aroused by the recent news of skirmishes between Colonists and British troops at Lexington and Concord, near Boston, a band of Machias residents responded angrily to threats on their town from a British officer and attacked and captured his 100-ton schooner, the Margaretta, killing the officer and at least four others in the process.

The battle to take the Margaretta was the result of spontaneous reactions -- the British would call it a mob action -- to threats on the town of Machias made by the commander of the British schooner Margaretta, Midshipman James Moore. The fever pitch of the participants was fueled by recent news of the skirmishes around Boston that started the America's fight for independence. In May 1775, a group of Machias men met in the Burnham Tavern in response to the news from Lexington and Concord. In the meeting, Benjamin Foster suggested and the group agreed, that they signal their support for the colonies and independence by erecting a Liberty Pole -- a large pine tree with all but the very top branches stripped off -- in the center of town.

On June 2, 1775, the British schooner Margaretta escorted two merchants vessels -- Ichabod Jones' sloops, the Unity and Polly -- into port at Machias to provide provisions for the community and to obtain lumber to erect barracks for the British troops stationed back in Boston. Upon seeing the Liberty Pole, the British commander James Moore ordered its immediate removal and threatened to fire on the town if this order was not obeyed.

This enraged the free-spirited men of Machias, who refused to dismantle the pole. During the following week-and-a-half, Jones conducted tense negotiations for the sale of his provisions and for the purchase of lumber proceeded for the British. And Moore continued to issue threats if the Liberty Pole wasn't taken down. Tension only increased and the resolve of the Machias community stiffened.

Upon hearing of the events occurring in Machias, men from neighboring towns arrived in support. In turn, the men of Machias conspired to capture the British officer and his ship. Their initial plan to seize Moore at church on June 11, 1775 failed when -- as Rev. James Lyon preached -- Moore sensed the imminent danger, lept out an open window of the church and escaped back to his ship.

Moore immediately ordered the Margeretta to weigh anchor and move further down river to a safer position. As he did, the vessel fired some warning shots over Machias and some Machias men fired musket shots at the ship from small boats and canoes, as well as from vantage points on shore. This skirmish lasted about and hour and a half before moving further out in the harbor, captured another sloop and impressed its pilot, Captain Toby, to assist in navigating them out to sea.

The next day, Monday June 12th, the men of Machias regrouped and came up with an alternative plan to man some ships, chase down the Margeretta, board it and take control by force. Benjamin Foster took about 20 men to a neighboring community, East River, to man a schooner, the Falmouth Packet. The remaining men commandeered one of Jones' merchant ships, the Unity. They quickly installed some planks on the Unity as makeshift breastworks to serve as protection, armed themselves with muskets, pitchforks and axes and then set out after the Margaretta, which by this time had moved further out in the harbor.

In fact, when Moore saw the preparations underway on the Unity, the British vessel once again weighed anchor and sailed on to nearby Holmes Bay. But in jibing into brisk winds, the Margaretta's main boom and gaff broke away, crippling its navigability. As a result, once in Holmes Bay, Moore captured a sloop, took its spar and gaff to replace the Margaretta's and took captive the pilot of the sloop, Robert Avery, of Norwich, Connecticut.

Firsthand accounts, indicate that both the Unity and the Falmouth Packet engaged the Margaretta, but all other sources indicate that Benjamin Foster and company ran aground in the Falmouth, and the Unity alone battled the Margaretta directly. During the chase, the Unity crew elected Jeremiah O'Brien as its captain, and with the Unity being a much faster sailing vessel, O'Brien's crew quickly overtook the crippled Margaretta.

On the approach of the Unity, the Margaretta opened fire, but the Machias crew managed to avoid that fire and pull alongside the Margaretta. It took two tries, but they tied alongside and stormed on board the Margaretta. Captain O'Brien's brother John and Joseph Getchell led the boarding. Both sides also exchanged musket shots, and Moore tossed hand grenades onto the Unity until Samuel Watts took him down with a musket shot.

With their commanding officer down, the British quickly succumbed to the onslaught and surrendered the Margaretta to Captain O'Brien and his crew. Moore was taken into care in Machias at the home of Stephen Jones, the son of Ichabod Jones, but Moore died the next day. At least three of Moore's crew were also killed, as well as Robert Avery, the colonist who was impressed by the British. Avery's situation was certainly the ultimate misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some accounts relate a higher death toll among the British. The remaining crew members of the British schooner were eventually handed over to the Provincial Congress.

Machias lost two men, John McNiell and James Coolbroth. Coolbroth died after the skirmish of his wounds. Three others were badly wounded but survived. They were John Berry, who had a musket ball enter his mouth and exit behind his ear, Isaac Taft and James Cole.

Accounts indicate that about 40 Machias men manned the Unity. George W. Drisko, a local Machias historian, actually listed the following 55 names of Machias men for whom he had evidence of participating in the attack on the Margaretta. Jeremiah O'Brien, John O'Brien, William O'Brien, Joseph O'Brien, Gideon O'Brien, Dennis O'Brien, Edmund Stevens, Richard Earle (a Negro servant to Jeremiah O'Brien), Samuel Watts, John Steele, John Drisko, Judah Chandler, John Berry, James Cole, Richard McNiel, John Hall, Jesse Scott, Wallace Fenlason, Ezekiel Foster, Joseph Clifford, Jonathan Brown, Josiah Libbee, Joseph Getchell, Joseph Getchell, Jr., James Sprague, James N. Shannon, Benjamin Foss, William McNeil, Jonathan Knights, Josiah Weston, Joel Whitney, John Merritt, Isaac Taft, James Coolbroth, Nathaniel Crediforth, Joseph Wheaton, John Scott, Joseph Libbee, Simon Brown, Beriah Rice, Samuel Whitney, Elias Hoit, Seth Norton, Obadiah Hill, Daniel Meservey, John Steel, Jr., Nathaniel Fenderson, John Mitchell, Will Mackelson, John Thomas, David Prescott, Ebenezer Beal, John Bohanan, Thomas Bewel and Abial Sprague. In addition to those who manned the Unity and the Falmouth Packet, many others participated in the preliminary skirmishes from the shore and smaller boats.

In the following days, the full burden of their actions weighed heavily on the Machias community. Expecting the full wrath of the British empire in revenge, they immediately petitioned the Provincial Congress of the Massachusetts Colony for guidance, supplies and assistance. They organized for the defense of Machias and maintained vigilance in the event of British vengence. Jeremiah O'Brien immediately outfitted the Unity with breastworks and armed her with the guns and swivels taken from the Margaretta and changed her name from Unity to Machias Liberty. Joseph Getchell took the Margaretta and hid her as far up the Middle River as high tide would take her.

A month later, Jeremiah O'Brien and Benjamin Foster captured another British armed schooner, the Diligence, that happened to dock at Machias during a mapping expedition along the coast. This gave the Machias residents two armed ships of war.

During the war, different crews of Machias men re-outfitted and armed different ships -- including the Margaretta -- and sailed looking for battle with the British. And in 1776 and 1777, different British officers received orders to go and destroy Machias. But the residents of Machias withstood these efforts to the extent that Machias became known as the "Hornet's Nest" to the British admiralty. One British officer, presumed to be Sir George Collier, said "The damned rebel at Machias were a harder set than those at Bunker Hill."

The following is a firsthand account provided by one the British crew, Nathaniel Godfrey:

Laying in Mechias River, about ¼ of a Mile below the Falls, to protect two Sloops belonging to Mr. [Ichabod] Jones Mercht, one laying at the Falls, the other ½ a Mile below us, Mr. [James] Moore and the other Officer being aShore at the Meeting House, hearing a Bustle looked out of the Window & saw a Number of People Armed making towards the House, they immediately jumped out, & made their escape in a Boat sent from the Schooner, before their pursuers (who were very numerous) came up with them. A Party immediately went to the Sloop which lay'd at the Falls & plundered her, then assembled to the Number of One hundred within hail of the Schooner, & demanded her to strike to the Sons of Liberty; Mr. Moore enquired what they wanted, was answered Mr. Jones, whom they said was onboard the Schooner. At ½ past 8 o'Clock in the Evening Mr. Moore thought proper to weigh Anchor and drop down towards the Sloop which lay'd below him; which they discovering made themselves Master of her, & ran her ashore. Mr. Moore than anchored within Fifteen Yards, with an Intent to retake her, & get her off; he was hailed on Shore by the Rebels, once more desiring him to strike to the Sons of Liberty, threatening him with Death if he resisted, upon Mr. Moore's replying he was not ready yet, they fired a Volley of small Arms, which was returned from the Schooner with Swivels and Small Arms. The Firing continued about an hour and a half, Mr. Moore then cut the Cable, drop't down Half a Mile lower, & anchored near a Sloop laden with Boards. In the Night they endeavored to Board us with a Number of Boats & Canoes, but were beat off by a brisk fire from the Swivels & obliged to quit their Boats, four of which in the Morning were left upon the Flats full of holes; we had but one Man Wounded. We hauled the Sloop alongside, took in some Planks, & made a Barricadoe fore & Aft to defend ourselves from the Small Arms. The Captain of the Sloop being well acquainted with the River, carried us down at Daybreak, during the Passage we were continually fired at from the Shore, having a smart Breeze, in jibing, carried away our Booms and Gaff: we saw a Sloop at Anchor about a League off, Mr. Moore came to an Anchor, sent his Boat aboard her, & brought her alongside, took her Boom and Gaff & fixed them in the Schooner, A Sloop & Schooner appeared, we immediately weighed Anchor & stood out for the Sea, they coming up with us very fast, we began to fire our Stern Swivels, & small Arms as soon as within reach. When within hail, they again desired us to strike to the Sons of Liberty, promising to treat us well, but if we made any resistance they [would] put us to Death, Mr. Moore seeing there was no possibility of getting clear, luffed the Vessel too and gave them a Broadside with Swivels & Small Arms in the best manner he was able, and likewise threw some Hand Grenadoes into them; they immediately laid us Onboard, the Sloop on the Starboard Quarter, the Schooner on the Larboard Bow. At that Instant Mr. Moore received two Balls, one in his right Breast, the other in his Belly the other Officer was slightly wounded in the Side, one Marine killed, two more Wounded, & two Seamen. The Rebels took Possession of the Schooner, & carried her up to Mechias, in great triumph, with their Colours flying. they carried Mr. Moore down into his Cabbin, & asked him why he did not strike when they hailed him, he look'd up and told them "he preferred Death before yielding to such a sett of Villains" -- The Rebels had two Killed and four Wounded, one of which expired soon after, Mr. Moore was carried to Mr. Jones's house, where he expired the day following in the afternoon, the 18th the Rebels marched those Men belonging to the Schooner (who were not wounded) to the Congress. Mr. Moore telling them before his death, that I was a pressed Man, I obtained my Liberty, & went Passenger in a Brig to Halifax, for which I paid four Dollars.

Another firsthand account is provided with the notes for James Lyon.

Joseph Getchell, Jr. and his two sons, Joseph the 3rd and Benjamin, all had official service in Machias companies during the Revolutionary War after the colonial governments formally organized for war against the British.

Joseph Getchell was also in Capt. Stephen Smith's Co. Enlisted Sept 14, 1775, and was discharged Dec. 31, 1775. Also, Joseph Getchell took part in an expedition against St. John's in Capt. Jabez West's Co. from May through July 1777. He enlisted again in a company of artillery raised for the care of ordinance stores and service at and for the defense of Machias from Dec. 13, 1777 through June 1, 1778.

Joseph Getchell also built the first saw mill erected in eastern Maine.

The following excerpt from early York County, Maine, deeds -- as printed in the Downeast Ancestry newsletter -- appears to reference this Joseph Getchell and his first wife prior to his coming to Machias.

JOSEPH & MERCY GETCHEL OF WELLS (V.32: F.4n) Joseph Getshel Jun. of Wells, husbandman, and Mercy, his wife, spinstress, for 50 pounds received of (her) father Benjamin Hatch of Wells. Refers to land given by (their) grandfather Samuel Hatch to (father) Benjamin Hatch, the land where Benjamin now dwells. Dated 21 Feb. 1751, 24th yr. of George II.