Francis Gregory

On June 15, 1814, Francis Gregory and his fellow American sailors set out with 3 gigs. The Americans landed on Tar Island and hid their boats in the scrub undergrowth. Gregory and his fellow raiders observed from their hidden post. In the morning, Gregory spotted a British vessel called the Black Snaked manned by 20 Royal Marines and Canadian militia. The Americans approached the vessel by their gigs. The British crew spotted the gigs. The American raiders pretended to be fellow British sailors and waved at them in a friendly way. The British crew thinking it was a friendly vessel that was part of a British convoy allowed the American gigs to come closer. At Gregory’s signal, the Americans jumped the Black Snake and captured all 20 British marines and Canadian militia. One British marine was badly injured. The Americans suffered no casualties. While the Americans in their gigs were transporting their prisoners and prize vessel Black Snake. Two British gunboats with 150 heavily armed British sailors arrived seeking to retake the vessel. Gregory realized he would be overtaken as the 150 British sailors in their gunboats were catching up. So Gregory moved all of his prisoners on to his gigs and sank the Black Snake. The Black Snake sank rapidly and slowed the British who were distracted into salvaging the sunken vessel as the American raiders escaped. The American raiders arrived safely with their 20 prisoners at Sackets Harbor the next morning. In May 4, 1834. Gregory and his raiders were awarded by the U.S. government $3,000 dollars for this successful maritime guerrilla raid.[1][2]

In Gregory’s next maritime guerrilla operation, he and his raiders were ordered to sabotage and destroy a British schooner that was under construction and being built for 14 guns. On July 1, 1814, Gregory set out with his fellow raiders. After the American raiders sailed and hid out of sight. They rowed for the small harbor where the British schooner sat on the stocks, surrounded by houses. The Americans slipped into the dark harbor and landed without notice. Gregory placed scouts at the edge of nearby homes and sent the rest of his force under the schooner to set fire combustibles. Gregory’s raiders inspected the ship as they set the fire explosives. The Schooner looked like it was ready to launch in two weeks after construction. The American raiders returned to their boats as the flames of the combustible explosives engulfed and destroyed the schooner. A storehouse containing supplies for the shipyard was also burned by the combustibles. The American raiders returned safely back to Sackets Harbor.[3]

In August 26,1814, Gregory and his fellow raiders went out on another maritime guerrilla operation. Gregory and his fellow raiders were silently rowing. They spotted a British civilian transporting a raft of timber. Gregory did not want to pass this target of opportunity and surprised the British sailor. Gregory’s raiders captured the British sailor and burned the raft of timber. The American raiders rowed on as stealthily as they could before hidden British vessels with armed sailors spotted them. The British gave chase. Gregory knowing that the British always put effort into saving or salvaging sinking British sailors or vessels decided to conduct a ploy. Gregory pushed the British prisoner he had captured into the water to distract the pursuers. The British sailors seeing through the deception threw an oar for the sailor to float on and continued to pursue the raiders. The British sailors fired their rifles with good accuracy at the fleeing American raiders. Four of the eight Americans were wounded and another killed. Gregory seeing no hope for escape surrendered. All the American raiders were taken prisoner. Gregory was British custody and refused parole.[4]

After being sent to England, Gregory remained there until June 1815, months after the end of hostilities. He was finally released.