The Revolutionary War is filled with stories of bravery, but many of its
heroes have remained unknown. Major Philip Ulmer, captain of the gunboat
Spitfire, is one of those heroes. He first enlisted as a sergeant in the
Massachusetts militia in 1775 and rose through the ranks through his
exemplary leadership, courage and devotion to duty. He was involved in
almost every major event in the North, including the Battle of Bunker
Hill, the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Lake Champlain, the Penobscot
Expedition and the battles at Trenton, Princeton and Saratoga. He served
under the command of many well-known generals, including Washington,
Lafayette, Arnold, Gates and Knox. After the war, Ulmer forged a
business partnership with Knox in Lincolnville, Maine, and was an
original founder of that town. He answered the call of duty again during
the War of 1812 as an intelligence officer with the local militia
defending Penobscot Bay. Discover this remarkable history of a
long-overshadowed American hero.