Student Worksheet Packet
The Penobscot Disaster: Command, Coordination, and Catastrophe
Castine, ME
This lesson uses the Penobscot Expedition of 1779 to examine how organizational structure shapes military outcomes. Students analyze why the American force — which substantially outnumbered the British garrison — failed to take a partially constructed fort, tracing the command paralysis between Saltonstall and Lovell that allowed three weeks of inaction. Students evaluate the court-martial proceedings, consider the question of individual vs. systemic blame, and apply lessons about organizational design to non-military contexts. The lesson uses primary source accounts from the expedition and the court-martial proceedings.
This Packet Includes
- Learning Objectives & Essential Questions
- 5 Primary Source Analysis Worksheets
- 3 Reading & Activity Handouts
- Assessment Quiz (5 questions)
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
- Students will reconstruct the chain of events in the Penobscot Expedition and identify the decision points where different choices might have changed the outcome
- Students will analyze how the dual-command structure of the expedition contributed to command paralysis
- Students will evaluate the court-martial proceedings and assess questions of individual vs. systemic responsibility
- Students will apply organizational design concepts from the Penobscot case to a contemporary context
Essential Questions
Keep these questions in mind as you work through this packet:
- When an organization fails, is the failure personal or systemic — and how do we tell the difference?
- How does organizational structure shape what is possible for individuals within it?
- What does the Penobscot Expedition tell us about the limits of the American war effort in 1779?
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Castine, ME? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Castine, ME? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Massachusetts General Court: Penobscot Expedition Committee Reports, 1779-1782
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Castine, ME? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Wilson Museum: Penobscot Expedition Collections
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What is the institution's mission?
How does that mission shape the presentation?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Castine, ME? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Paul Revere's Deposition Regarding the Penobscot Expedition, 1779
Analysis Questions
Read the document carefully, then answer each question in complete sentences.
Who created this source and why?
When was this source created?
What perspective does this source represent?
What was happening when this was written?
How might the author's position affect their account?
Reflection
How does this source connect to what happened in Castine, ME? What does it tell you about the people involved?
Castine Event Timeline
timeline
Students place key events in chronological order and add details
# Castine Revolutionary Timeline
Instructions: Place the following events in order and add one detail about each.
- [ ] American Fleet Destroyed on the Penobscot River
- [ ] British Relief Squadron Arrives Under Collier
- [ ] American Fleet Arrives at Bagaduce
- [ ] Britain Leverages Castine at Paris Peace Negotiations
- [ ] Three Weeks of Command Paralysis
---
| Event | Date | Significance |
|-------|------|-------------|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Primary Source Analysis
graphic organizer
Structured analysis of Revolutionary-era documents
# Primary Source Analysis Worksheet
## Source Information
- Title: _________________
- Author: _________________
- Date: _________________
- Type: _________________
## Observation
What do you notice? (List 3 things)
1.
2.
3.
## Reflection
What do you wonder? (List 2 questions)
1.
2.
## Analysis
What does this source tell us about Castine during the Revolution?
_______________________________________________
## Perspective
Whose voice is represented? Whose might be missing?
_______________________________________________
Key Figures Profile
worksheet
Research template for Revolutionary figures
# Revolutionary Figure Profile
## Basic Information
- Name: _________________
- Birth/Death Years: _________________
- Occupation(s): _________________
## Role in the Revolution
### Commodore George Collier
Royal Navy commodore who commanded the British relief squadron that arrived at Bagaduce on August 13, 1779, forcing the American fleet to flee up the Penobscot River. His swift action turned a siege into a rout and the destruction of more than thirty American vessels.
My questions about this person:
1.
2.
### Commodore Dudley Saltonstall
Connecticut naval officer who commanded the American fleet during the Penobscot Expedition of 1779. His refusal to engage the British sloops-of-war without army flank support, combined with his failure to act decisively when the opportunity existed, was the primary cause of the expedition's failure. Court-martialed and dismissed from the navy after the disaster.
My questions about this person:
1.
2.
## Reflection
Which figure interests you most and why?
_______________________________________________
Castine in the American Revolution
Answer the following questions based on our study of Revolutionary history.
1. What makes Castine significant in Revolutionary history?
2. Primary sources are documents or objects created during the time period being studied.
3. Name one event that occurred in Castine during the Revolutionary period and explain its significance.
Answer:
4. Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives when studying history?
5. Describe one connection between this town and another Revolutionary-era town we discussed.
Answer: