Essex's Annual Burning of the Ships Day-- Part 2

The British Raid and the resulting Burning of the Ships is not in most history books.  (I had never heard of it before I began this blog.)

During the War of 1812, private merchant vessels became a part of the Connecticut Privateer Fleet.  This enabled them to capture and auction off British ships and their cargoes and became a highly profitable undertaking for the captains and owners.

Of course, this did not please the British who set out to punish the American privateers..  In April 1814, the British learned that many of the Connecticut Privateer Fleet were operating out of Essex Harbor and a company of Royal Marines on longboats set out from the fleet for a sneak attack on the Americans.

The Essex townspeople put up opposition but were outnumbered and outgunned.  The British burned all the ships they found in the harbor as well as ones being built in the vicinity.  They did take two ships with them, but these grounded and were also burned.  On their way back down the Connecticut River, Americans set up some cannons and there was a brief engagement, costing the British two deaths, but rthey got by and returned to their ships.

There will be a parade which will end at the Connecticut River Museum, where the British landed.  Speeches and re-enacting will follow.

--Brock-Perry