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First Minutemen [15]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester,_Massachusetts

and First Revolutionary War Navel Battle https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/battle-of-machias-first-naval-battle-of-the-american-revolution/

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This is about the Minute Men of Massachusetts including those of the of Machias, District of Maine.

The first minutemen of the American Revolution organized in Worcester County, Massachusetts in September of 1774.

WORCESTER REVOLT

Worcester also had a role in the start of the American Revolution, with an event that is oft-forgotten. On September 6, 1774, 4,622 militiamen from 37 towns in Worcester County assembled and marched on Main Street, Worcester; they sought to shut down Crown's courts before it could sit for a new session. The event was dubbed the Worcester Revolution, or the Worcester Revolt. Having seized the courthouse, the militiamen waited for the 25 appointees from the crown to arrive, where they were denied entry and later forced to disavow their appointments by King George III. Bloodshed and violence were avoided, with not a shot fired. British authority had been demonstrably overthrown in the American colonies for the first time.

[15]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester,_Massachusetts

The British government in February 1775 declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Lexington_and_Concord

On April 19,1775, local militiamen clashed with British soldiers in the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, marking the “shot heard round the world” that signified the start of the Revolutionary War.
https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history

On May 14, 1775 North of  Martha's Vineyard in the waters of Buzzard Bay, off the coast of Fairhaven, Mass., one of the first naval battles was fought just 25 days after the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

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The 1st Battle of Michias June11 & 12 was another of the first navel battles, referred to as the LEXINGTON OF THE SEA. 

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Ichabod Jones was a merchant trader who traded between Boston and Machias between 1765 and 1775. He had homes in Boston and Machias. On June 2, 1775, he arrived at Machias escorted by the schooner, the HMS Margaretta under the command of 3d Lieutenant James Moore (or Moor) of the Royal Navy. They were accompanied by 2 transport sloops owned by Ichabod Jones.

Capt. Jones commanded the Unity (80 tons) and Capt. Horton the Polly (90 tons). The sloops, owned by Captain Ichabod Jones, were to take on a cargo of lumber destined for use by the British garrison in Boston. The armed patrol schooner Margaretta (50 tons with typical crew of around 40) armed with four 4-pounder cannon and a dozen swivel one-pounders was under the command of Midshipman James Moore.

As before, most of the town’s residents were fine with the sale of lumber. But a small vocal number of patriots, many who had not signed the petition, were persistent in denying Jones’ purchase of lumber. Reverend Lyons challenged the petition and sale of lumber, and a meeting was arranged at the Burnham Tavern for a vote.

“On the 3d instant, a paper was handed about for the people to sign, as a prerequisite to their obtaining any provisions, of which we were in great want. The contents of this paper, required the signers to indulge Capt Jones in carrying Lumber to Boston, & to protect him and his property, at all events…On the 6th the people generally assembled at the place appointed, and seemed so averse to the measures proposed, that Capt. Jones privately went down to the Tender [H.M.S. Margaretta] & caused her to move up so near the Town that her Guns would reach the Houses…. The people…considering themselves nearly as prisoners of war…passed a Vote, that Capt Jones might proceed in his Business as usual without molestation, that they would purchase the provisions he brought into the place and pay him according to Contract.“

“After obtaining this Vote, Capt. Jones immediately ordered his Vessels ( Unity and Polly) to the Wharf & distributed his provisions among those only,  who voted in favour of his carrying Lumber to Boston. This gave such offence to the aggrieved party that they determined to take Capt. Jones, if possible, & put a final stop to his supplying the Kings troops with anything.”  

“…a party of [settlers] went directly to stripping the sloop that lay at the wharf, [the Unity]and another party went off to take possession of the other sloop [the Polly]…The tender [Margaretta] did not fire, but weighed her anchors…in the dusk of the evening, fell down and came within musket shot of the sloop [the Polly], which obliged our people to slip their cable and run the sloop aground.”

Foster and O’Brien, with several men, came down river in canoes and small boats and lined the shore directly across from the Margaretta. Lyons continues:

“having demanded her to surrender to America, received for answer, ‘fire and be damn’d’: they immediately fired in upon her, which she returned, and a smart engagement ensued.”

At Job Burnham Tavern, the Sons of Liberty boys and some of the members of the Committee of Safety planned to capture the British officers while they were in the Machias Congregational church on Sunday June 11.  Reverend James Lyons of the Machias Congregational Church was ordained Dec 5, 1764, at Princeton College, NJ.

On June 11, 1775, Benjamin Foster, owner of a sawmill on the East River (now East Machias), organized a group of men determined to capture Captain Jones and his sloops. Jeremiah O'Brien and his five brothers, Gideon, Joseph, Dennis, John, and William decided to join Foster in his plan.

http://www.newhousegetchell.net/lyons-committee-report.htm

https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/battle-of-machias-first-naval-battle-of-the-american-revolution/

On June 11, the townspeople seized Jones. Margaretta's officers escaped through the windows in the church and returned safely to their ship. They then threatened to bombard the town unless Jones surrendered from the town. Jeremiah O’Brien, aided by some forty men armed with axes, pitchforks, guns, and swords, boarded and seized the sloop Unity (it was renamed the Machias Liberty). The Sons of Liberty from canoes and cod fishing dories exchanged gunfire with the “Margaretta” which was anchored offshore. The Margaretta pulled its anchor and at ebbing tide drifted down the Machias River. It set anchor (two- and one-half miles) east at the confluence of the Machias River with the East Machias River and set anchor. The Sons of Liberty, a group of 40 volunteers organized a pursuit, led by Jeremiah O'Brien and Benjamin Foster, and they captured the (HMS) Unity and grounded the (HMS) Polly. At East River, Benjamin Foster, followed by about twenty patriots, prepared the FALMOUTH PACKET, a small sloop, to join the UNITY now Jeremiah O'Brien as captain and Edmund Stevens, lieutenant, UNITY in pursuit of the (HMS) Margaretta.

On June 12, 1775, Captain Benjamin Foster, on the Falmouth Packet, with carriage guns, small arms, and 20 men, and Captain Jeremiah O ’Brien, on the UNITY, set sail to capture the Margaretta.

 On June 12, the midshipman attempted to escape by sailing into Machias Bay but was becalmed. It was just three miles into Machias Bay past Holmes point near Round Island and no wind to maneuver. The Unity rowed and towed to the “Margaretta.” The UNITY pulled aside Margaretta commanded by Midshipman James Moore. On the other side UNITY was joined by the sloop Falmouth Packet.

They fired upon and boarded the ship. During boarding they fatally wounded Moore. He became a casualty of the Revolutionary War's first naval engagement. Also, impressed Captain Robert Avery, the helmsman of the Margaretta was shot and killed by Knight.

More reliable sources give Joseph Getchell and O’Brien’s brother, John, as the ones leading the rebel boarding party. Both sides exchanged shots and came at each other with axes and swords. On board the Unity, Samuel Watts was one of the two musket shooters who shot and killed Midshipman James Moore. Joseph Getchell and O’Brien’s brother, John, led the rebel boarding party. When Moore, captain of the Margaretta, threw several grenades onto the Unity, he was shot twice in the chest. Moore died a few days later from his wounds.

Since Moore was grievously wounded in the battle, his second-in-command, Midshipman Richard Stillingfleet, surrendered the crew and the vessel. Moore was taken back to Machias and put into the care of Ichabod Jones's nephew, Stephen Jones. However, Moore's wounds were too severe, and he died the following day. Three other members of Moore's crew were killed, including Robert Avery. The remaining crew members of the British schooner were held at Machias for a month, then handed over to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress.[3] Rumors circulated that as many as 100 British men died in the battle.[22] Machias lost two men, John McNiell and James Coolbroth, and three others were badly wounded: John Berry, who had a musket ball enter his mouth and exit behind his ear, Isaac Taft, and James Cole.[23]

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Machias

For all Date(s): Machias, Maine (then Massachusetts) 06/11/1775-06/12/1775   Ten British were killed and 5 wounded. Three Sons of Liberty were killed and nine wounded.

on July 15, 1775, Foster, working with Jeremiah O ’Brien, seized the British armed cutter Tatmagush and Diligent in Machias Harbor.

Under the Resolves of the Massachusetts General Court on August 21, 1775, the MACHIAS LIBERTY and the DILIGENT became the first two vessels of the Massachusetts Navy. O’Brien was placed in command and thus became the first captain of the Massachusetts Navy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Falmouth

The Burning of Falmouth (PORTLAND MAINE, October 18, 1775) was an attack by a fleet of Royal Navy vessels on the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Below Luckey dressed as Reverend James Lyons of the Machias Congregational Church April of 1775. Reverend James Lyons of the Machias Congregational Church in 1775 reported the first naval battle of the American Revolution at Machias Bay District of Maine. Luckey is pictured as him in fife, drum, harmonica “brown Bess musket”, sword, and bible.