The Battle of the Severn River, 1655

In 1648 Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore reached an agreement with William Stone to resettle a group of Puritan settlers who had found themselves unwelcome in the Colony of Virginia in his proprietary colony of Maryland. Stone brought with him five hundred Puritan settlers who established the settlement of Providence, in current Ann Arundel County. In August of that same year, Calvert named Stone as Governor of Maryland. This was likely due to pressure from Protestant settlers in Maryland as well as the defeat of the Royalist Cause and the end of the Second English Civil War at the Battle of Preston on 14 August. It was apparent to Calvert and others that the Commonwealth Cause was ascendant and it would be wise to accommodate it.

The first colonial assembly under Governor Stone was presented with an Act Concerning Religion which they modified and adopted as the law in Maryland. The Act called for religious toleration and forbade insulting language about religion, a first in British Law. The Act only applied to Christians. Thomas Greene was appointed Deputy Governor under Governor Stone. On 30 January 1649 Charles I was executed and in November of that year in Stone’s absence, Greene declared, on behalf of the Colony of Maryland, Charles II as the rightful King, much to the dismay of the new Puritan immigrants and many of the other Protestant settlers. Governor Stone retracted the proclamation. In July of 1650 Governor Stone visited Providence, made it a county called Ann Arundel and appointed Edward Lloyd its commander.

Parliament appointed commissioners, Robert Dennis, Richard Bennett, Edward Curtis, Thomas Stagg and William Claiborne in December 1651 and sent them with 700 veteran soldiers from the Commonwealth Army to “Reduce all the plantations within the Chesapeake Bay to their due obedience to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England.” The Commissioners went to Virginia first, received the submission of the colony, and arrived in Maryland in March 1652. The Parliament that appointed the Commissioners was dissolved by Cromwell in December of 1653, causing the authority of the Commissioners to come into question, at least in the mind of Governor Stone. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Governor Stone proclaimed Cromwell Lord Protector of England and the colony of Maryland in May when the Parliamentarian Commissioners were in Virginia, as a means of usurping their power. Governor Stone was reprimanded by the Commissioners and resigned, agreeing to submit to their will. He was initially removed from office, but by June was returned to the position of Governor with a governing council appointed by the Commissioners.

On 5 July 1652, Commissioner Richard Bennett, along with Edward Lloyd, Captain William Fuller, Thomas Marsh and Leonard Strong signed the first Peace Treaty with the Susquehannocks. Jafer Peter from the Swedish Colony witnessed the proceedings. Having achieved peace with the Susquehannocks, Captain Fuller, a veteran of the New Model Army at the Battle of Dunbar, was ordered to conduct an expedition against the Nanticokes and Wicomicoes of the Eastern Shore but the expedition was abandoned due to both the lateness of the season and the unwillingness of the settlers at Providence to contribute men to the expedition.

On orders from Lord Baltimore, Stone repudiated his submission to the Commonwealth Commissioners on 4 July1654 and accused the Puritans in the colony of rebellion against Lord Baltimore, the rightful proprietor of the colony. He retracted his statement on 22 July. A council consisting of Captain William Fuller, Richard Preston, William Durand, Edward Lloyd, Captain John Smith, Leonard Strong, John Lawson, John Hatch, Richard Wells and Richard Ewen was chosen to rule the colony. An assembly was called in October of 1654 and the Act of Toleration was revoked and the practice of Catholicism outlawed. The Loyalty Oath to Lord Baltimore, a requirement for landowners since the establishment of the Colony of Maryland, was revoked as well.

In January 1655, the ship Golden Fortune arrived from England with William Eltonhead carrying a message to Captain Stone that “The Lord Baltimore kept his patent and that his Highness, The Lord Protector, had neither taken the Lord Baltimore’s patent from him, nor his land.” Lord Baltimore also accused Stone of “Resigning up his government unto the hands of the Lord Protector and Commonwealth of England without striking one stroke.” Stone assumed the role of Governor, issued commissions and began to organize the militia of St. Mary’s City, with a force of approximately 130 men. As Governor, Stone announced that all land owners would be required to take an oath of fealty to Lord Baltimore within 3 months. Edward Lloyd and 77 settlers in Providence and Richard Preston along with 60 settlers in Patuxent sent a petition to Commissioners Bennett and Claiborne asking for relief from Stone’s requirement. Bennett and Claiborne urged them to stay loyal to the Commonwealth and resist taking the oath. Operating under orders from Governor Stone, John Hammond and a force of 20 men was sent to secure arms, ammunition and the colony records in Patuxent.

“Captain Stone gave several commissions to the papists and other despicable and bloody fellows, to muster and raise men in arms to be ready upon all occasions, giving out that he would go to Patuxent, and seize the records of the province at the place where they were appointed to be kept by an Act of the Assembly, and to apprehend Mr. Richard Preston also, at whose house they were; which shortly was effected by virtue of a warrant in Captain Stone’s name, without proclaiming, or shewing and power by which he acted such high robbers, But in threatening speeches declared, that they would have the government; and for the terror of others, would hang some of the commissioners of the Commonwealth of England, under His Highness, the Lord Protector, namely Captain William Fuller, Mr. Richard Preston and Mr. William Durand.”
Leonard Strong

Governor Stone set out to attack Providence on the 20 March 1655. Part of his force marched up the bay and part went by sea. He was met enroute by a delegation of six men vicinity Herring Bay who delivered a proposal written by William Durant that asked that they be allowed to “Enjoy the Liberty of English Subjects,” be permitted to leave if they desired, and, if not, “We are resolved to commit ourselves into the hands of God, and rather die like men that live like slaves.” Stone took the six men captive and three escaped back to Providence and then continued north to Providence.

Luke Barber, a former surgeon in the New Model Army accompanied Stone and went ahead to make a proclamation there, the content of which is unknown. He did not return to Stone.

“In the end of this declaration the governor did protest, as in the presence of Almighty God, that he came not in a hostile way to do them any hurt, but sought by all means possible, to reclaim them by faire meanes; and to my knowledge at the sending out of parties, as occasion served, he gave strict command, that if they met any Ann Arundel men, they should not fire the first gun, not upon paine of death plunder any. These were his actings to my knowledge upon the march.”
Dr. Luke Barber to Oliver Cromwell

Stone arrived at the outer harbor of Providence on the evening of 24 March with 11 or 12 vessels. With the appearance of Stone’s boats, Fuller convinced Roger Heamans, Captain of the Golden Lyon, to assist him.

Heamans hailed the oncoming vessels to no avail and fired one of his guns. Once fired upon, Stone’s boats entered the mouth of Spa Creek and landed on Horn Point. Heamans fired on Stone’s men one more time. That evening a small ship under the command of Captain Cutt stood watch on the mouth of Spa Creek to prevent North’s men from attempting anything against the Golden Lyon. By the morning of the 25th, Fuller had sailed north out of Providence and down what is now known as College Creek, disembarked, and led his men the six miles to Horn Point.

Fuller gave his men orders not to fire first. Fullers Company formed up within sight of Stones overnight encampment with Commonwealth flag unfurled which Fuller had taken from the Golden Lyon. One of Stone’s sentries fired a warning shot, then Stone’s men fired five or six guns, killing Fuller’s standard bearer. Fuller’s men shouted “In the name of God, fall on,’ and Stones men replied with “Hey for St Mary’s.” After the first volley some of Stone’s men took cover behind a fallen tree and continued to fire as the rest of Stone’s men fell back. Within 30 minutes Stone’s Company had been routed and threw down their arms in surrender. Stone’s Company was captured and had lost upwards of 40 men killed. Fuller had two killed and two that later died of wounds.

Map of the Battle of the Severn Illustration by Kathleen McLaughlin
Map of the Battle of the Severn
Illustration by Kathleen McLaughlin

This was the only battle of the Great Civil War fought in North America. Following the battle, ten of the leaders of the Proprietary army were condemned to death, with four executed and the rest released at the request of the inhabitants of Providence. The property of those who had opposed Captain Fuller were plundered and all were subject to fines.

“They tried all your councilors by a council of war, and sentence was passed upon my husband to be shot to death, but was after saved by the enemy’s own soldiers, and so the rest of the councilors were saved by the petitions of the women, with some other friends they found there.”
Virginia Stone to Oliver Cromwell

On November of 1657, Lord Baltimore reached an agreement with Bennett and Claiborne and resumed proprietorship. Religious toleration was restored and the events surrounding the Battle of the Severn were forgiven.

The following is a list of known and possible (see question mark) participants in the Battle of the Severn. The source for this list is Henry Peden’s “Colonial Maryland Soldiers and Sailors,” Heritage Books, Westminster Maryland, 2008.

William Barton- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Richard Bennett- Cpt. Fullers Company (?)
Thomas Besson- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
William Boarman- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Giles Brent- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
John Browne- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Thomas Burbage- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
William Burgess- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Job Chandler- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Robert Clark- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Phillip Conner- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
Henry Coursey- Cpt. Stones Company-Messenger during the battle
John Cutt- Captain of un-named vessel that blocked Cpt. North’s vessels in Back Creek
Thomas Dent- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
William Durand- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
William Eltonhead- Cpt. Stone’s Company- Executed
William Evans- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Richard Ewen- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Josias Fendall- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Gerard Fowke- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
Cpt. William Fuller- Commander, Fuller’s Company
Edward Gibbon- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Nicholas Gwither- Cpt. Stone’s Company
John Hallowes- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
Thomas Hatton- Cpt. Fuller’s Company- Killed in Action
Roger Heamans- Captain of Golden Lyon
Richard Hodskeys- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Thomas Howell- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Peter Johnson- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Henry Keene- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
John Legatt- Cpt. Stone’s Company- Executed
William Lewis- Cpt. Stone’s Company- Executed
Edward Lloyd- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Thomas Marsh- Cpt. Fuller’s Company- Died of Wounds
Thomas Meeres- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
William Mitchell- Cpt. Fullers Company (?)
Phillip Morgan- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
Robert Morris- Mariner on Golden Fortune and later Golden Lyon
James Neale- Cpt. Stone’s Company
John Northwood- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
John Odber- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
John Pedro- Cpt. Stone’s Company- Executed
Nathaniel Pope- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Richard Preston- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
John Price- Cpt. Stone’s Company
John Slye- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
Robert Slye- Cpt. Stone’s Company (?)
John Smith- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?)
Richard Smith- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Richard Snowden- Cpt. Fuller’s Company (?) Major in New Model Army
Woodman Stockley- Cpt. Fullers Company (?)
Cpt. William Stone- Commander, Stones Company- wounded in action, tried and imprisoned
Leonard Strong- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Phillip Thomas- Cpt. Fuller’s Company
Samuel Tilghman- Captain of the Golden Fortune
Thomas Truman- Cpt. Stone’s Company
Sampson Waring- Cpt. Fuller’s Company

Sources:

  1. Browne, B. Bernard, “The Battle of the Severn, Its Antecedents and Consequences, 1651-1655,“ Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol. XIV, Baltimore, MD, 1919
  2. Neill, Edward D., “Terra Mare, Or Threads of Maryland Colonial History“, J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA, 1867
  3. Riley, Elihu, “The Ancient City, A History of Annapolis“, Record Printing Office, Annapolis, MD, 1887
  4. Steiner, Bernard C., “Maryland Under the Commonwealth,” Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD, 1911
  5. Thomas, James W., “Chronicles of Colonial Maryland,” Eddy Press, Cumberland, MD, 1913