GLOUCESTER — The Battle of Gloucester Reenactment Committee held a press conference on Cressy Beach at Stage Fort Park on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, to announce land and sea reenactments at Stage Fort Park planned for June 2026. The organizers, who previously staged the Battle of Bunker Hill 250 reenactment, now plan to bring to life the lesser-known Battle of Gloucester, an early Revolutionary War naval skirmish that helped lead to the creation of the U.S. Navy.
According to a statement from the Battle of Gloucester Reenactment Committee, the commemorative events are scheduled for Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21, 2026, at Stage Fort Park and will feature land and sea battle reenactments and historical interpretations of 18th-century life in Gloucester. More than 500 reenactors are expected to participate, portraying British and American soldiers as well as Gloucester townspeople, including one reenactor who will portray Captain-turned-Colonel Joseph Foster, who led troops on Pavilion Beach during the battle.
The Battle of Gloucester was a failed British naval raid led by Captain John Linzee of HMS Falcon that aimed to disrupt American supply routes along the Massachusetts coast. As the fighting reached Gloucester Harbor, local militia launched a swift counterattack, capturing British landing parties, taking 35 prisoners, and freeing several colonists who had been seized earlier.
“The spirit of the colonial militiamen against the most powerful navy of the day instilled confidence in the colonials that they could go toe-to-toe against the British Royal Navy and win,” the Battle of Gloucester Reenactment Committee said in its statement. “The improved confidence of the militia in this skirmish sparked the eventual creation and birth of the U.S. Navy.”
Speakers at the press conference on Monday included:
- Revolution250 Executive Director Jonathan Lane
- City of Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga
- Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr (R-Gloucester)
- Essex National Heritage Area CEO Annie Harris
- Reenactor and U.S. Navy veteran Bill Rose
- Battle of Gloucester Committee Ships Coordinator Michael DeKoster
Also in attendance were representatives from each of the host reenactment groups:
- Stephen D. Cole, Captain Commanding, Lexington Minute Men
- Colonel Paul O’Shaugnessy of His Majesty’s Tenth Regiment of Foot
- Ruth Hodges, director of the Ladies Association of Revolutionary America
- Janet Foster Marshall, member of the Gloucester Daughters of the American Revolution and descendant of Captain Joseph Foster, an American commander in the Battle of Gloucester
“It’s such an exciting time to once again have Gloucester serve as the backdrop for the reenactment of the Battle of Gloucester,” Mayor Verga said during the press conference. “Today, we still have many descendants of people who participated in the battle, so Stage Fort Park is not just a scenic place; it’s now the place for battles.”
The battle reenactments will take place in two phases—by sea and by land—offering a full portrayal of the conflict. Between battles, the surrounding area will be transformed into an 18th-century Massachusetts port town, with historical interpreters, colonial-style vendors, and a realistic military encampment where reenactors will cook, sleep and eat throughout the weekend, as well as historical speakers available to talk with visitors about life during the Revolution. Several ships and schooners will be anchored in the harbor and used in the maritime reenactments.
“This isn’t just a story of a military skirmish, it’s a story of farmers turned defenders, fishermen turned fighters, and townspeople united by a fierce and resilient love of liberty,” Revolution250 Executive Director Jonathan Lane said. “Gloucester’s waterfront was not just the backdrop, it was the battlefield. One where revolutionary spirit took early and assertive shape.”