{{short description|First privateer battle of the American Revolutionary War}} {{infobox military conflict | conflict = Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet | partof = the American Revolutionary War | image = Cape May, New Jersey 1777.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = Location of Turtle Gut Inlet on 1777 map | date = {{Start date|1776|6|29}} | place = Turtle Gut Inlet, off Wildwood Crest<br/>near Cape May, New Jersey | coordinates = {{Coord|38|57|30|N|74|50|30|W|display=inline,title}} | map_type = | latitude = | longitude = | map_size = | map_marksize = | map_caption = | map_label = | territory = | result = American victory | status = | combatant1 = {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Great Britain}} | combatant2 = {{flagicon|United States|1776}} United Colonies | commander1 = Charles Hudson <br/> Alexander Graeme | commander2 = John Barry <br/> Lambert Wickes <br/> William Hallock <br/> Hugh Montgomery | units1 = | units2 = | strength1 = {{HMS|Orpheus|1773|6}} <br/> {{HMS|Kingfisher|1770|6}} | strength2 = {{USS|Lexington|1776|6}} <br/> {{USS|Reprisal|1776|6}} <br/> {{USS|Wasp|1775|6}} <br/>''Nancy'' | casualties1 = Estimated 12–36<ref name=Donnelly109>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=109}}</ref> | casualties2 = ''Nancy'' destroyed <br/> Richard Wickes{{KIA}}<ref>*{{cite web|title=Lt. Richard Wickes |url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=46259|publisher=Historical Marker Database}}</ref> | notes = | campaignbox = {{Campaignbox American Revolutionary War: North American & Atlantic Waters}} }}
The '''Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet''' (June 29, 1776) was an important, early naval victory for the Continental Navy and the future "Father of the American Navy", Captain John Barry.<ref name=wwch>{{cite web|title=The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet|url=http://www.cresthistory.org/turtlegut.php|publisher=Wildwood Crest Historical Society|access-date=March 22, 2012|archive-date=March 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321054951/https://cresthistory.org/turtlegut.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was the first privateer battle of the American Revolutionary War.<ref name=Donnelly109/> The battle resulted in the first American casualty of the war in New Jersey, Lieutenant Richard Wickes, brother of Captain Lambert Wickes.<ref name=Johnson95b>{{harvnb|Johnson|2006|pp=95–6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Lundin|first=Leonard|title=Cockpit of the Revolution – The War for Independence in New Jersey|year=1940|publisher=Princeton University Press|page=113}}</ref> It was the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Cape May County.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/nj2/chap3.htm |title=Southern New Jersey and the Delaware Bay: Historic Themes and Resources within the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route |publisher=National Park Service |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430064535/http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/nj2/chap3.htm |archive-date=2012-04-30 }}</ref>
==Background== [[File:The Flag Of The United States by John Sartain.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Brigantine ''Nancy'' at St. Thomas, engraving by John Sartain]]
To prevent the Americans from receiving supplies through the port of Philadelphia, the Royal Navy established a blockade of the Delaware Bay. This fleet included over 240 cannons.<ref name=Donnelly103>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=103}}</ref> The Americans then fortified the river with ''cheveaux-de-frise'' in the shipping channel.<ref name=Dorwart52>{{harvnb|Dorwart|1992|p=52}}</ref> To transport gunpowder and arms, Robert Morris of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety chartered the newly built brig, also called brigantine, ''Nancy'' and her captain, Hugh Montgomery on March 1, 1776.<ref name=Johnson77>{{harvnb|Johnson|2006|p=77}}</ref><ref name=Morgan233>{{harvnb|Morgan|1970|pp=233–4}}</ref> On March 14, 1776, John Barry was commissioned captain of the fourteen-gun {{USS|Lexington|1776|2}} in the Continental Navy.<ref name=Donnelly104>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=104}}</ref>
In early June, the privateer ''Nancy'' loaded supplies in the Caribbean islands of St. Thomas and St. Croix.<ref name=Donnelly105>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=105}}</ref> She then sailed for Philadelphia with "three hundred and eighty-six barrels of gunpowder, fifty fire-locks, one hundred and one hogsheads of rum, and sixty-two hogsheads of sugar, &c, on board".<ref name=AmArchive>{{cite book| publisher=Peter Force|title=American Archives| series=4| volume=6| chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/AmericanArchives-FourthSeriesVolume6peterForce/AaS4Vol6Pp0001-1856#page/n569/mode/1up|chapter=Philadelphia, June 29, 1776|year=1846| pages=1131–2}}</ref> In mid-June, Barry was alerted by Morris that ''Nancy'' was headed his way, and would need protection since she had only an eleven-man crew and six cannons.<ref name=Donnelly105/><ref name=Johnson93>{{harvnb|Johnson|2006|p=93}}</ref> Barry was soon joined by the eighteen-gun {{USS|Reprisal|1776|2}}, captained by Lambert Wickes, and the eight-gun {{USS|Wasp|1775|2}}, captained by William Hallock, and headed for Cape May.<ref name=Donnelly105/>
The British blockade squadron was led by the 28-gun {{HMS|Liverpool|1758|6}}, captained by Henry Bellew,<ref>{{cite web|title=Lexington|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l6/lexington-i.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040331072546/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l6/lexington-i.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 31, 2004|publisher=United States Navy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=5144 |title= British Sixth Rate frigate 'Liverpool' (1758) |publisher= Three Decks – Warships in the Age of Sail}}</ref> and included the 32-gun {{HMS|Orpheus|1773|6}}, captained by Charles Hudson,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=5640 |title= British Fifth Rate frigate 'Orpheus' (1773)|publisher= Three Decks – Warships in the Age of Sail}}</ref> and the sixteen-gun {{HMS|Kingfisher|1770|6}}, captained by Alexander Graeme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=4999 |title= British Unrated ship-sloop 'Kingfisher' (1770) |publisher= Three Decks – Warships in the Age of Sail}}</ref><ref name=Williams75>{{harvnb|Williams|2008|p=75}}</ref> Also at this time, the vanguard of the British fleet of over one hundred ships was set to enter New York Harbor on the morning of June 29.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fischer|first=David Hackett|author-link=David Hackett Fischer|title=Washington's Crossing|location=New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2006|isbn=0-19-517034-2|pages=[https://archive.org/details/washingtonscross00fisc/page/31 31–32]}}</ref>
==Battle== Late on the afternoon of June 28, a lookout on ''Kingfisher'' spotted ''Nancy'' sailing toward Cape May and began chase, followed by ''Orpheus''.<ref name=Johnson94>{{harvnb|Johnson|2006|p=94}}</ref> ''Nancy'', and the pursuing British ships, were spotted by the American lookout at Cape May.<ref name=Donnelly105/> Captain Barry, on ''Lexington'', received a message by flag code from ''Nancy'' that she needed help.<ref name=Williams75/> Barry in turn signaled ''Reprisal'' and ''Wasp'' and then met with their captains to plan a response. Longboats from ''Lexington'', ''Wasp'', and ''Reprisal'', led by Lieutenant Richard Wickes, set out to assist ''Nancy''.<ref name=Donnelly105/><ref name=Johnson95/><ref name=Morgan882>{{harvnb|Morgan|1970|pp=882–4}}</ref>
In the early hours of June 29, pursued by ''Orpheus'' and ''Kingfisher'' and blocked from entering the Delaware Bay, ''Nancy'' headed for the nearby Turtle Gut Inlet in a heavy fog.<ref name=Johnson95/> She soon ran aground, while the larger British ships were forced to stay in deeper waters.<ref name=Donnelly106>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=106}}</ref> Although still out of range but sailing closer, the British fired at ''Nancy'', while the Americans attempted to salvage the cargo, especially the gunpowder kegs. Barry organized the crews into two operations. One group returned cannon fire to keep the British from boarding. The other transferred the cargo onto longboats and rowed to shore where local residents helped unload and secure it behind the dunes.<ref name=Donnelly106/><ref name=Johnson95/>
By late in the morning of June 29, 265 to 286 kegs of gunpowder had been removed,<ref name=Donnelly108>{{harvnb|Donnelly|2010|p=108}}</ref><ref name=Johnson95/> and the British bombardment had heavily damaged ''Nancy''. Barry ordered the main sail wrapped around fifty pounds of gunpowder to create a long fuse running from the nearly 100 gunpowder kegs remaining in the hold to the deck and over the side. The fuse was lit as the crew abandoned ship, while one last sailor climbed the mast to remove the American flag. The British thought the lowering of the flag was a sign of surrender and sent a boarding party to take possession of ''Nancy''. By then the fuse had reached the hold. The gunpowder exploded with a huge blast felt for miles which killed seven members of the boarding party.<ref name=Donnelly109/><ref name=Dorwart52/><ref name=Johnson95/> Captain Graeme reported the loss of his master's mate and six men on longboats from ''Kingfisher''.<ref name=Morgan817>{{harvnb|Morgan|1970|pp=817–8}}</ref> American Lieutenant Richard Wickes, brother of Captain Lambert Wickes of ''Reprisal'', was killed by British cannon fire near the end of the battle.<ref name=Johnson95>{{harvnb|Johnson|2006|p=95}}</ref>
==Aftermath==
The battle demonstrated the resourcefulness of the American forces to the British. As a result, the British Navy moved their blockade of Philadelphia further away from the Cape May area.<ref name=Donnelly109/><ref name=Dorwart52/> Barry's role in salvaging most of the gunpowder cargo under the fire of the two Royal Navy ships was quickly noted, an important step in his career.<ref name=Williams78>{{harvnb|Williams|2008|p=78}}</ref> Following the battle, Captain Wickes on ''Reprisal'', continued with his mission to the West Indies.<ref name=Mays217>{{harvnb|Mays|2009|p=217}}</ref>
Lieutenant Richard Wickes is buried at the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church cemetery. A section of the cemetery, Veterans Field of Honor, is dedicated to his memory.<ref>{{cite web|title=Revolutionary War Sites in Cape May, New Jersey |url=http://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/cape_may_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm|publisher=Revolutionary War New Jersey}}</ref> The Seal of Wildwood Crest and the Seal of the Wildwood Crest Historical Society each contain a drawing of the brigantine ''Nancy'' in honor of the battle.<ref name=wwch/> In 1922, Cape May County filled in Turtle Gut Inlet.<ref name=wwch/> The site is now remembered by a small park.<ref>{{cite web |title=Revolutionary War Sites in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey |url=https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/wildwood_crest_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm |publisher=Revolutionary War New Jersey}}</ref>
==Gallery== ;Wildwood Crest <gallery heights="160px" widths="240px" mode="nolines"> Image:Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet Memorial Park.jpg|Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet memorial park Image:Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet Plaque.jpg|Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet plaque </gallery> ;Cold Spring Presbyterian Church cemetery <gallery heights="160px" widths="240px" mode="nolines"> Image:Richard Wickes Gravestone.jpg|Lieutenant Richard Wickes gravestone Image:Richard Wickes Memorial.jpg|Lieutenant Richard Wickes memorial Image:Cold Spring Presbyterian Church cemetery.jpg|Veterans Field of Honor </gallery>
==See also== *History of the United States Marine Corps *Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== *{{cite book|last1=Donnelly|first1=Mark P.|last2=Diehl|first2=Daniel|title=Pirates of New Jersey|year=2010|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=liRes6HP1boC&pg=PA103|publisher=Stackpole Books|location=Mechanicsburg, PA|isbn=9780811706674|chapter=The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet|ref=CITEREFDonnelly2010}} *{{cite book|last=Dorwart|first=Jeffery M.|title=Cape May County, New Jersey: The Making of an American Resort Community|year=1992|publisher=Rutgers University Press|location=New Brunswick, NJ |isbn=0-8135-1784-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=anseU09GDTkC&pg=PA52}} *{{cite book|last=Johnson|first=Robert Amandus|title=Saint Croix 1770–1776: The First Salute to the Stars and Stripes|year=2006|url={{GBurl|UWs4UfLaFX4C}}|isbn=978-1-4259-7008-6}} *{{cite book|last=Mays|first=Terry M.|title=Historical dictionary of the American Revolution|edition=2nd |year=2009|publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc|location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=978-0-8108-6066-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ptE9EGO_WUC&q=Nancy+Orpheus}} *{{cite book|editor-last=Morgan|editor-first=William James|editor-link=William J. Morgan (historian)|title=Naval Documents of The American Revolution, American Theatre: May 9, 1776 – July 31, 1776|year=1970|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/ndar_v05.pdf|volume=5|publisher=Naval History Division/Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy|location=Washington, D.C.}} *{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Thomas|title=America's First Flag Officer – Father of the American Navy |year=2008|publisher=AuthorHouse|location=Bloomington, Indiana|isbn=978-1-4343-8653-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oU1bBv_9D-sC&pg=PA75}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet}} *{{cite web|title=Wildwood Crest Historical Society and Museum|url=http://www.cresthistory.org/}} *{{cite web|title=The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet|url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=19535|publisher=Historical Marker Database}} *{{cite web|title=Revolutionary War Sites in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey|url=https://www.revolutionarywarnewjersey.com/new_jersey_revolutionary_war_sites/towns/wildwood_crest_nj_revolutionary_war_sites.htm}} Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet *{{cite web|title=Station Turtle Gut, New Jersey|url=http://www.uscg.mil/history/stations/TURTLEGUT.pdf|publisher=United States Coast Guard}} *{{cite book|last=Veasey|first=David|title=Guarding New Jersey's Shore: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations|year=2000|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|location=Charleston, SC|isbn=0-7385-0417-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fU9hwG2GuC4C&pg=PA121}}
{{New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turtle Gut Inlet}}
Category:1776 in New Jersey Category:Cape May County, New Jersey Category:Conflicts in 1776 Category:Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War involving Great Britain Category:Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War involving the United States Category:Battles of the American Revolutionary War in New Jersey