The day Arbroath was held to ransom and bombarded with cannonballs

HISTORY: Museum tells tale of ransom, cannonballs and US War of Independence

It was the day Arbroath was held to ransom and bombarded with cannonballs.

Captain William Fall, aboard the armed French ship Fearnaught, raised the French flag off the coast of Arbroath and demanded £30,000 or he would fire on the town.

“Be speedy or I shoot your town away directly and I set fire to it,” he said.

The council stalled for a time while sending Councillor Patrick Ritchie to secure the aid of the militia based in Montrose. All women, children and non-combatants were evacuated to Cairnie and St Vigeans Den.

Captain Fall lost patience and opened fire on the town but very little damage was done. Arbroath refused to give in for 24 hours, before Captain Fall left with just a few small boats as booty.

The official report of the 1781 attack on the town was part of a successful display at Angus Archives in Forfar.

Tales of Sails featured archival documents and museum objects with a naval connection from across Angus and recreated the Battle of Cape St Vincent using naval miniatures loaned by the Angus Wargames Club.

The story of Captain Fall’s ransom attempt is still being told at Arbroath’s Signal Tower Museum, where cannonballs that rained on the town are on display.

The story goes that in 1779, during the American War of Independence, Arbroath Council petitioned the government to provide warships as protection for its coastal shipping.

The previous year a ship from Arbroath was captured as it returned from Riga, Latvia, and its crew were imprisoned by the French, who were allied to the American colonists.

French and American ships preyed on the UK’s shipping during this period and, in 1781, the council decided to build a defensive wall near the harbour. It had petitioned the Government for six or eight large guns and 200 standoff firelocks.

However, before any action could be taken, Captain Fall arrived off Arbroath with a message from the King of France.

Captain Fall upped anchor, fearing he would get caught in the mouth of the Tay by British warships. It was believed that he headed north.

Two days later the council renewed its petition for large guns. As a result, a battery of six 12-pounder cannons was formed on Ballast Hill, near the harbour, but was disbanded the next year when the American War of Independence ended.

In April 1782, it was reported Fall was moving into the Irish Sea and the east coast apparently heard no more of him.

Cannonballs from the attack are also at the Old Brewhouse pub and restaurant in Arbroath. From left: kitchen porter Margaret Tolmie, owner Paula Batard, Tracey Ross, front of house, and head chef Lorraine Pearson with one of the missiles.