Battle off Fairhaven

Battle off Fairhaven
Part of the American Revolutionary War
1st Naval Battle American Revolution Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven
Date 14 May 1775 Location Fairhaven, Massachusetts 41°32′N 70°50′W / 41.54°N 70.83°W / 41.54; -70.83 Result Patriot forces retrieve two patriot vessels from HMS Falcon
Belligerents
United Colonies Massachusetts Bay	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Daniel Egery Nathaniel Pope	John Linzee (Lindsey)
Strength
Private sloop Success 30 militia men (Massachusetts militia)	HMS Falcon about 110 Royal Navy seamen
Casualties and losses
none	1 killed 2 wounded 13 prisoners

The Battle off Fairhaven was the first naval engagement of the American Revolutionary War. It took place on May 14, 1775, in Buzzards Bay off Fairhaven, Massachusetts (formerly known as Dartmouth, Massachusetts) and resulted in Patriot militia retrieving two vessels that had been captured by HMS Falcon. The patriots also captured the 13 man crew of the Royal Navy, the first naval prisoners of the war.^[1]