History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 89

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The "Gen. Starks" was a new ship, of four hun- dred tons, and mounted eighteen guns. She first went out iu 1778, but met with indifferent success in her first and second cruises, taking only a schooner loaded with salt in the first, and a ship in ballast- the "Providence "-in the second. In April, 1779, she sailed on her third cruise, which was an eventful oue. She had a crew of one hundred and thirty-five officers and men, and was commanded by Capt. Wil- liam Coas. Her other officers were :

Thomas Haskell, first lieut. Job Knights, second lieut. Duncan l'eper, third lieut. James Pearson, sailing-master.

- Hodgkins, sailing-master's mato.

Edward Bowden, boatswain. James Snoddy, boatswain's mate. Philip Priestly, boatswain's mate. William Thomas, gunner. Samuel Davis, gunner's mate. M. Parker, captain of marines. Jabez Farley, steward. Wilham Fears, steward's mato.

Jerry Row, armorer.

Peter Dowsett, quarter-master. Josiah Parsons.

John Gwyer.

Samuel Hodgkins.

N. Perkins, carpenter.

Nathaniel Perkins, mate.

carpenter's

Joseph Smith, cook. John Hardy, cook's mate.

Jack Sbort, drummer. David Knights, fifer. Josiah Smith, surgeon.

Benjamin Somes, captain's clerk.

Her first prize was a hrig from Limerick, with a cargo of beef, pork and butter. Reaching the West- ern Islands, she made a ship and brig to windward, which proved to be British vessels, mounting respec- tively twenty-eight and eighteen guns. A fight was commenced, but it proving too unequal, the " Starks " hauled off, and soon outrun the enemy. Cruising to

the eastward, she fell in with and captured the Brit- ish ship " Porcupine," of fourteen guns, which, with- out offering resistance, struck to the "Starks." After taking the guns and light sails, Captain Coas restored the ship to the British commander. Six of the guns taken were mounted on the "Starks'" half-deck, and manned with marines. An English brig, from Bristol, with an assorted cargo, was next taken, and days later, and, after taking off her sails, rigging. cables and anchors, was sunk. After cruising off Cape Finisterre, and down the Bay of Biscay, the "Starks " put into Bilboa to refit for a cruise home- ward. While there yellow fever broke out among the crew, several of whom died. As soon as the "Starks" was again ready for sea, Capt. Coas was offered one thousand dollars by the authorities of Bilboa if he would go out in the hay and take a war- like vessel, supposed to be an enemy's cruiser. After sailing a few days he saw a brig and a lugger, the latter keeping out of his way. On speaking the brig, which he ascertained to be a Dane, he was in- formed that the lugger was a Guernsey privateer. Capt. Coas at once set out to decoy the lugger, by hoisting an English ensign. The ruse was success- ful, and on her running down under the lee of the "Starks," and demanding her name, Capt. Coas gave the name of an English ship from Whitehaven. He then mustered the crew to their quarters, pulled down the English ensign, run up the American flag and ordered the lugger to strike to the "Gen. Starks." Instead of striking, she luffed, intending to escape on the wind; but the "Starks" luffed at the same time, and gave the enemy a broadside, on which she surrendered. The schooner mounted eight guns, and was manned by sixty men, eight of whom were wounded by the "Starks'" broadside. Although a good deal crippled, the prize was got into Bilboa, where she was sold for one thousand six hundred dollars, and Capt. Coas received in addition the promised one thousand dollars for taking her. The "Starks" sailed for home soon after, and after being out a few days decoyed an English cutter; but her real character being discovered while the cutter's lieutenant and boat's crew were on board, the cutter, by outsailing the "Starks," escaped. Not many days after a vessel was sighted under a cloud of can- vas, with which, after a sharp chase of four hours, the "Starks " came up. It proved to be an English packet from Jamaica, bound home.

Finding escape impossible, the packet prepared for action, and after a two hours' engagement, surrendered to the " Starks," but not until six of her men had been killed and nine wounded, and all three of the topmasts were shot away. The losses on the "Starks" were one boy killed and five men wounded. The prize was sent to Gloucester. The "Starks" next fell in with and captured a brig, with a cargo of fish, bound to Lisbon, from Newfoundland. She showed

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

fourteen guns, but ten of them proved to be wooden make-believes. She also was sent to Gloucester. Soon after this, two other fish-brigs were taken and sont in. More might have been captured, but were prudently suffered to escape, as the "Starks'" crew had been greatly reduced to man the prizes, twenty of the remainder were on the sick-list, and there were nearly a hundred prisoners on board. Captain Coas therefore steered for home. At least four more cruises were made by the "Starks," three of them under Captain James Pearson. The first two were almost resultless. On the third she sailed directly to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, for the purpose of intercepting the Quebec fleet. After laying in the tog several days Captain Pearson discovered, when it lifted, three of the fleet quite near him, -the " De- troit," " Polly " and "Beaver." These he captured and sent to Gloucester. On the fourth cruise Cap- tain Coas was again induced to take command. He was out but a week when his ship was captured by the ship "Chatham," and sent to Halifax. It is said that the British converted the "Starks" into the "Antelope Packet," and that she was wrecked at the Pellew Islands.

The " Wasp" was first commanded by Captain Isaac Somes, and on her first cruise took a brig from · Ireland, loaded with provisions. Her next cruise was under Captain John Somes, when she shared with the privateer "Harlequin," of Salem, in captur- ing a Jamaica ship, with a cargo of rum. The " Wilkes" was built by David Pearce, for the West India trade, and after making one voyage was fitted out as a privateer, under command of Captain Job Knights. She was taken by the enemy and carried to Newfoundland; but was afterwards retaken by some citizens of Marblehead, and returned to Glou- rester, where she was sold to her former owner, who sent her out under command of Captain John Beach. On this cruise she was captured off the West Indies. The " success " was also built by David Pearce, who sent her to the West Indies as a letter of marque. She was taken on the passage home. The "Friend- ship " was commanded by Captain Isaac Elwell. On a voyage to the West Indies she captured a small brig of one hundred and thirty tons, with a cargo of rum. The "Gloucester Packet " was the Jamaica packet ship taken by the "Starks." She was pur- phased by David Pearce, who sent her under com- mand of Captain John Beach to Cadiz, as a letter of marque. She captured the brig " Mary " with a cargo of flour. The " Union " had .. crew of thirty men, and was commanded by Captain Daniel Par- Hon4. She captured a brig from Ireland, with a cargo of beef, pork and clothing. The shallop "Speed- well" was owned by a company, who decked her over, leaving a large hatchway to serve as quarters for the men while in action. She had four swivels stepped in the combings of the hatch, and small arms. Cap- tam Thomas Saunders commanded her, and she car-

ried a crew of twenty-five. She made a cruise off Canso for the purpose of intercepting some of the vessels trading between that place and Halifax. She was chased ashore in the Gut by British cruisers, and lost. The "Tiger " had for her commander Captain John Tucker. She carried sixteen guns. She took but one prize, which was retaken and carried into Halifax. The "Tiger" soon after shared the fate of her temporary prize. The "Ruby," Captain Solo- mon Babson, commander, captured a brig from Ire- land, with a cargo of beef, pork and butter. The " Robin Hood " was a small brig, mounting nine guns, commanded by Captain Sargent Smith, who performed a remarkable feat in capturing a British packet carrying sixteen guns, and having a crew of sixty men. When the packet was fallen in with, Captain Smith had no expectation of taking her, but as the "Robin Hood" was a fast sailer, he thought he might venture near enough to give her a few shot in passing. Bringing all his guns to bear on one side, he gave the packet, as he came abreast of her, a heavy broadside. Such was the manifest effect that he was led to repeat it, when, to his surprise, the packet, without further resistance, snrrendered. The " Tem- pest " was built by a company, and fitted out for the West Indies, as a letter of marque, under command of Captain Isaac Somes. She foundered a few weeks after leaving port, in a severe tempest, and all on board were lost. The "Civil Usage" carried a crew of sixty men, and was under command of Captain John Smith, who, by a rash attack on an English transport ship having eight hundred persons on board, was mortally wounded, though he managed to haul off his vessel, which put in at Martinico.

Mr. Babson, in reviewing his account of Gloncester privateering, which we have here abridged, says that he believes it " to contain some notice of nearly every enterprise of that kind undertaken in town. True, it is, for the most part, but a mere sketch of voyages ; but even some account of these may be deemed worthy of preservation, when it is considered what interests, hopes, disappointments, sorrows and sufferings were connected with them. A true history of our Revoln- tionary privateering would be a record of individnal experience ; of widows' broken hearts; of orphans' bitter tears; of the agonies of men struggling with the ocean, in the face of death; of physical suffering in prison-ships ; of wanderings in foreign lands, without friends, without money, and without health ; and, worst of all, of the demoralizing influences of a practice which every enlightened conscience declares to be at war with the justice of God and the happiness of men."

As has been already notice l, enlistments in Glouces- ter for the army were difficult in 1776, owing to the preference on the part of the citizens for marine ser- vice. But in 1777, under the pressure and spur of a pro- posed attempt to expel the enemy from Newport, R. I., where he had gathered a large force, a company was raised and sent to that campaign, under Capt.

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bed the next morning, missed her from her anchorage,

Mark Pool. It was in the engagement brought on by an assault of the British on the fortifications which the and soon discovered that she was outside the harbor, patriots had throwa up near that town. The latter running off, in a strong fair wind, in an easterly di- rection, and having in her company a small vessel that had been seen in the harbor, near Ten-Pound Island, the day before. Hurrying to the meeting-house, Capt. Pearce rang the bell with great violence, giving a general alarm, A plan for retaking the ship was speedily devised. The ship " Betsey," belonging also to Capt. Pearce, was lying at the head of his wharf, dismantled, for the purpose of being graved. The tide was at its lowest ebb, but it was determined to put the " Betsey " in condition for starting as soon as the tide would serve. Volunteers in great numbers made the necessary preparations ; a fine crew was en- listed for the expedition ; ballast, stores, amunition, twenty guns, an ample supply of small arms, and all other necessaries were speedily put on board; and as soon as the water served, the ship was assisted by tow- boats in getting out ofthe harbor. Capt. Joseph Fos- ter was in command, and Capt. Pearce was, with his brother William, on board. Having observed the direction in which the " Harriet" was heading, and believing it was the enemy's intention to run to the British station on the eastern coast, the " Betsey " was put on an east-northeast course, and put in order for actiou. At daylight the next morning the cap- tured ship, in company with the brig and smaller vessel, was in sight. She was soon overtaken, and given up without an effort on the part of the enemy to retain her. The " Harriet " was put under charge of Capt. William Pearce, and both vessels reached Gloucester the next afternoon. were obliged to retreat from the island. The partic- ulars in regard to enlistments during the next three years are unknown. But it is certain that few locali- ties had suffered more during the first five years of the war, from loss of life occasioned by the struggle. At the close of the year 1779 the number of ratable polls had decrea-ed from 1053 in 1775 to 696. At least 350 of the inhabitants had perished at sea, been killed in battle, died while prisoners in the hands of the enemy, or in some other way incident to war had lost their lives. The foreign trade of the town had been nearly annihilated, the shipping having been captured or destroyed. Privateering benefited only a few ; and seven hundred and fifty people-more than one-sixth of the population-were dependent on charity for their subsistence. In 1780 the number of troops to be raised in the State for six months' service in the Continental army was 4000, of which the quota for Gloucester was 32. To raise a bounty for the encouragement of enlistment, the town voted, in June, to borrow $60,000. Paper money had at this timedepreciated to one-seventieth of its nominal value. On the 6th of July it was voted to borrow an ad- ditional $60,000. Three men were procured by the payment of $6000 each, and it was agreed to offer that sum for the remainder, with a proviso that, if the average bounty paid throughout the State exceeded that amount, the difference should be made up to each soldier. On the 17th of July authority was given for auother loan of $60,000, and an offer of £300 per month was made for each man who could be procured for In the fall of 1786, three years after the independ- ence of the United States had been acknowledged by England, an insurrection, known as Shay's Rebellion, broke out in the western part of the Commonwealth, threatening to overthrow the State government. On the call for troops, a town-meeting held on the 15th of January, 1787, voted to raise a company, aud ap- propriated mouey therefor. So prompt was the re- sponse of the people that a company was recruited the same day, placed under the command of a tried and distinguished soldier, Capt. John Rowe, Wil- liam Kinsman being lieutenant, and William Tuck ensign. The company marched to the scene of dis- turbance, as a part of Col. Wade's regiment; but the rebels' speedy dispersion brought their service to an end in about six weeks. three months' service. The work of filling the quota evidently dragged, for, on the 7th of August the town voted to raise an additional sum of $51,060 to pay soldiers. In January, 1781, the town's quota for the army was 48 men. The State had authorized the towns to pay fifty dollars bounty to each man, and the town of Gloucester thereupon voted a tax of £1000 in silver money for a bounty fund. It was not until August that the quota was filled. Although all the demands of the State, made during the progress of the war, had not been fully met, yet so many had gone into the army that the town was in a comparatively defenseless condition. In anticipation of depredations in the harbor which the inhabitants would not be strong enough to prevent, the selectmen were in- structed, at the March meeting in 1782, to petition the During the difficulties between America and France, growing out of the war between France and England, the sailors and fishermen of Gloucester, who had suffered much by the encroachments of the French upon American commerce,enlisted in 1798, to the number of fifty-two, on board the sloop-of-war " Herald." Fortunately, they were not called to battle. General Court that a guard be stationed in the town. Before the Legislature could have taken action an event occured which showed that the anticipations were not groundless. On the uight of the 31st of March the ship " Harriet," lying in the harbor, loaded for Curacoa, but having only two men on board, was cut out by a party sent in from an English fourteen- gun brig. Iler absence was first discovered by her The troubles with Great Britain, culminating in the War of 1812, were injurious to Gloucester more by owner, Capt. David Pearce, who, on rising from his

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the restriction of trade than by loss of life in land or naval engagements. The " Embargo" had inter- fered with maritime pursuits, and the " Enforcing Act" hterally shut the town up from use of the sea. who opened musketry fire on the barge, receiving in return cannon and grape shot, but suffering no injury therefrom. The bell in the meeting-house steeple was now ringing a general alarm, to silence which Political parties were about equally divided in the the enemy opened fire on the belfry, but only, with town, and much bitter feeling was engendered. Neu- trality or disloyalty were impossible to any of the citizens, however, as soon as it became manifest that their old enemy was dangerously near. During the second year of the war, while the only defenses of the town were its militia and artillery company, and a small national guard stationed at the fort at the entrance

to the inner harbor, alarm for the safety of the town was so well-grounded, that the armament of the fort and the force necessary for its defense were increased. The old State fort at the " Stage" was strengthened and two companies of militia-one commanded by Capt. Benjamin Haskell, of Gloucester, and one by Capt. Widger, of Ipswich-were put into barracks there. Another company was stationed at the national fort.

Depredations on the fishermen and coasters were commenced by the enemy in August, 1813, when the British ship " Nymph " made several captures. Some- time the same month the " Commodore Broke " stood into Sandy Bay, intending to take out some coasters then laying there at anchor. As the cruiser neared the shore she opened fire of solid shot and grape on the village. The villagers at once assembled on the Neck, and from the old wharf, on which they had a small cannon, opened fire on the enemy with such effect that they sent one ball completely through her, though above the water-line. She made all haste in retreating. In 1814 the enemy had several large ships on the coast, one of which de- stroyed, in Squam Harbor, a sloop loaded with lime, and carried off two small schooners loaded with fish. About the same time a cruiser chased a Portsmouth sloop, having a cargo of flour, into Gloucester Harbor, where she was run ashore near Eastern Point. An attempt to take possession of her there was defeated by the militia and artillery. The people at Sandy Bay having erected a small fort at their own expense on the point of "Bearskin Neck," and procured for it three carriage-guns, it was placed in charge of a detachment from one of the companies at the Har- bor. On the Sth of September the British frigate " Nymph," having taken a fishing boat belonging to the place, compelled her skipper, Captain David El- well, to pilot two barges through a dense fog, at mid- night, to the Neck. One of the barges landed her men at what is known as the " Eastern Gutter," while the

side of the Neck. The fort was surprised, the guns spiked and thrown out, and the fourteen men in charge were taken prisoners. This was effected by the perti'm of the cherry landed at the " Gutter." The others were seen to land at the dock by a senti- nel, who gave the alarm, which roused the people,

the exception of hitting a post in the steeple, inflict- ing damage on themselves by starting a butt in the bow of their barge, which caused her to sink near the rocks back of the pier. The officer in charge and a few of his men ran across the Neck, seized a boat and made their escape ; the rest-a dozen or more in number-were made prisoners. Meanwhile the sec- tion of the assailants that took the fort had made good their escape with their prisoners-all but four, who escaped by swimming-to the frigate. An exchange of prisoners was effected, and the English captain promised the people " unmolested use of their fishing- grounds during the rest of the fall; and he kept his word."

Privateering was not engaged in to any great ex- tent by the Gloucester people during this war. The schooners "Swordfish," "'1 hrasher " and "Orlando" were the only vessels of considerable size devoted to this use. Of the "Swordfish " we have no informa- tion, except that she was captured on her second cruise. The " Thrasher " was of about one hundred and fifty tons burthen, carried fourteen guns and was manned by ninety men. She captured an English East Indiaman, of twenty guus, and manned by over one hundred men. Through the carelessness of her prize-master she was re-taken, and the "Thrasher" fell into the hands of the enemy not long after. The "Orlando " took no valuable prize. After her second cruise she was lengthened thirty feet and rigged into a ship, but it did not change her fortune. In addi- tiou to these, a few fishing boats were fitted out, the largest and most successful of which was the " Mladi- son," of twenty-eight tons, mauned by twenty-eight men. She took two valuable prizes in a short cruise- one a ship of four hundred tous, with a full cargo of timber and naval stores, and the other a brig of three hundred tons, with a valuable cargo.

Mr. Babson records the following bold achievement in the merchant service: " The brig ' Pickering,' of this town, oftwo hundred and fifty tons, Elias Davis, captain, was taken while on her passage from Gibraltar home, by the Briti-li frigate ' Belvidere.' After taking from the brig all her crew, except the captain and his son, who was first mate, the British captain placed her in charge of a prize-crew and ordered her to Halifax. The captain of the brig, loath to lose a fine new ves- sel, of which he himself was part owner, devised a

other made a landing at the obl dock, on the western ; plan of re-capture, and, with the aid of his son, again got command of her, and brought her safely to Glou- cester."

On Monday, April 15, 1861, the mails brought full particulars to Gloucester of the bombardment and evacuation of Fort Sumter. That evening Company Gi, of the Eighth Regiment of Infantry, was recruited,

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and left town on the morning of the 16th. This was soon followed by Company K, of the Twelfth Regi- ment of Volunteers ; the town having, at a large and enthusiastic meeting on the 22d of April, voted the most liberal provision for aid to volunteers' families. Company C, of the Twenty-third Regiment, soon fol- lowed. Then, in November, 1861, Company D, of the Thirty-second Regiment; and next, Company K, of the Thirtieth Regiment. Finally, under the call of the President for nine months' men, Company G, of the Eighth Regiment, responded with alacrity, and left town September 12, 1862; and still again went into service in July, 1864. In December, 1864, a company for coast defense was enlisted, and was stationed at the fort in Marblehead till the close of the war.

Enlistments for the navy also commenced at an early period in the war, and a large number of men went into that branch of the service. An effort is now being made by the city clerk of Gloucester to collect their names, and make up their record of ser- vice; but the work is slow, and a long time must elapse before it can be perfected.

In the month of June, 1863, the Confederate war vessel "Tacony " appeared on the track of the fishing fleet, and destroyed six Gloucester fishing schooners. She soon disappeared, however, being burned by her commander to prevent her capture.

In the following list we give the names of all, so far as known, to date, who were credited to Glouces- ter as entering the army and navy. It is approxi- mately complete and correct as regards enlistments in the army ; but very imperfect as a list of those who entered the navy. No doubt some in each branch of the service were credited to Gloucester who never resided there, but their number is probably more than equaled by the names of Gloucester re- cruits, which we have not been able to obtain, who were credited to other places.

FIFTH REGIMENT (THREE MONTHS).

Company H. Samuel Jones, muet. in May 1, 1861. EIGHTH REGIMENT (THREE MONTHS').

Mustered into service April 30, 1861, unless otherwise stated. Andrew Elwell, Lieut. Col. Geo. C. Carlton.1

Company G.

John S. Carter.1

Samnel S. Clark.

Addison Center, Capt. David W. Low, Ist Lieut.

Edward A. Story, 2d Lient.

Joseph A. Daniels. Jonathan Douglass.

Solomon Friend.

Michael A. Galvin.

Westover Greenleaf, Sergt.

Geo. D. Garduer.

John E. Gilman.

Willianı A. Gove.

Charles Gray. Charles A. Hall.1

George Clark (3d), Corp. Adolph F. Lindberg, Corp.

George E. Allen. William Bushby.

John W. Johnson,1

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672