The Defence was an American privateer brigantine built in 1779 in Beverly, Massachusetts, specifically designed for the maritime conflicts of the American Revolutionary War. As a newly constructed vessel, she weighed approximately 170 tons and was armed with sixteen six-pound cannons, reflecting her role as a formidable privateering craft. Her construction was overseen by Beverly merchants Andrew Cabot and Moses Brown, who operated several privateer ships during the period. Commissioned on July 6, 1779, with John Edmonds serving as captain, the Defence was recruited to participate in the Penobscot Expedition, an effort organized by Massachusetts to counter British forces that had seized Castine, Maine, in June of that year. The ship was part of a fleet that set sail in late July 1779, but the expedition was plagued by internal discord, which hindered its ability to effectively attack the British at Castine. After British reinforcements arrived on August 13, the expedition was dispersed, and all participating ships, including the Defence, were lost over the subsequent days. The Defence was ultimately scuttled and burned in Stockton Springs harbor, Maine, where she sank in the later stages of the expedition. Her wreck was discovered in 1972 during a sonar survey conducted by the Maine Maritime Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—the first wreck from the expedition to be located. Archaeological excavations carried out between 1976 and 1980 recovered numerous artifacts, including one of her cannons, providing valuable insights into Revolutionary War privateering. The wreck, in good condition, was partially excavated and then reburied under mud, with the site and nearby geographic features such as Defence Point and Defence Head named in her honor. The Defence's remains and artifacts are recognized for their maritime historical significance and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.