Battle of Cape Porpoise (Goat Island)

The Battle of Cape Porpoise Marker. Goat Island in the far distance, above the marker.

The Battle of Cape Porpoise took place on Goat Island near Cape Porpoise Harbor in York County, Maine, on August 8, 1782. According to the official historical marker, a British ship with 18 guns attacked a small group of inhabitants gathered on the island. The defenders repelled the assault with severe musket fire, forcing the ship to withdraw. The British lost 17 men, and Lieutenant James Burnham of the town was killed. The action occurred late in the American Revolutionary War, when coastal warfare and local defense remained active in Maine.