USA > Massachusetts > Our western border : its life, combats, adventures, forays, massacres, captivities, scouts, red chiefs, pioneer women, one hundred years ago, containing the cream of all the rare old border chronicles > Part 5
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The whole spirit breathing through these letters was so bold, manly and self-sacrificing, that the Pittsburgh historian, Neville B. Craig, made repeated efforts to learn more about the gallant Major. The informa- tion he gathered was of the most meagre description. Later, he hap- pened to be rummaging over an old book, and the first words that caught his eye were "Captain Stobo," which were included in a letter
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ADVENTURES OF MAJOR ROBERT STOBO.
from one English historian to another-David Hume to Tobias Smollet. It ran thus: "I did not see your friend, Captain Stobo, till the day be- fore I left Civencester, and then only for a little time, but he seemed to be a man of good sense, and has surely had the most extraordinary ad- ventures in the world."
All this only increased Craig's zeal and curiosity to know something more of the mysterious Stobo, and, in answer to a public call for in- formation, he was fortunate enough to obtain from the British Museum a manuscript copy of the "Memoirs of Major Robert Stobo," which he republished in Pittsburgh about twenty years ago.
From these memoirs, written in a quaint, old-fashioned style, we learn that Robert Stobo was born at Glasgow, Scotland, in 1727, and was of a very delicate constitution. He received a good education, but early betrayed a love for arms, employing his play-hours in a constant drum- beating and drilling his comrades. Losing his excellent parents, his friends determined to carry out his own wishes of emigrating to Vir- ginia, in order to serve in a store there, owned by Glasgow merchants.
He soon began business for himself, returning to Glasgow in '47, converting all his property into ready money and merchandise, and re- turning to America, where his natural goodness of disposition, joined with a turn for gaiety and social pleasure, made his acquaintance much courted by the best people of the province. He kept open house and dispensed his hospitality with such a free and liberal hand, that when his friend, Gov. Dinwiddie, was raising a regiment to oppose French aggression in the Ohio Valley, he was glad to receive the commission of captain. For this campaign he provided with his usual munificence, hiring ten servants, furnishing himself with a covered wagon, keeping a bountiful table, well garnished with game and wine, which was open to all his brave officers. He soon became a great favorite with the regi- ment, and displayed military talents of no mean order. He it was who planned and erected Fort Necessity, the capitulation of which brought him to Fort Duquesne as an hostage.
His bold letters from that fort have been already referred to. They had a curious fate, and in the end worked much damage to the writer. The letters came safely to Washington's hands, were forwarded to Gov. Dinwiddie, went into possession of Gen. Braddock when making his expedition against Fort Duquesne, and then fell into possession of the enemy, having been left behind with the rest of Braddock's baggage after the disastrous defeat of that general at Braddocks Fields.
When the French found that La Force and the other prisoners were not to be returned according to the terms of the Fort Necessity capitu- lation, Stobo and Van Braam were removed, in September, 1754, from
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
one French fort to another, till at last they reached Quebec. They, however, were treated with great kindness and liberality. Stobo having, on account of his free, jovial manners, been admitted to the society of the French officers, thought it necessary to study French, in which pleasant occupation he was greatly assisted by several French ladies, who taught him how to talk and pronounce and made much of him generally. In fact no company was thought complete unless the gallant and accomplished Monsieur Stobo made one of it. He, at the same time, became very popular among the French Indians, studying their language, customs, sports, &c., and was so much esteemed by them that the honor of the Mississaga Indian nation was conferred upon him, the ceremony of his adoption into the tribe having been pricked by means of sharp fish bones and indelible juices into his two thighs immediately above his garters. "Setting aside," says his biographer, " the gentleness of his manners, there was something in his appearance very engaging; he was nearly six feet tall, of a dark brown complexion, had a penetrating eye, an aquiline nose, round face, a good cheerful countenance, a very genteel person, rather slender than robust, and was graceful in his whole deportment."
But a sudden change was all at once to come over his fortunes. When the Braddock papers came to be published in France, his two famous letters, with his own name attached, came into notoriety, and he was by the press denounced as a dangerous spy. The French officers now began to look frowningly at him, but he still managed to preserve his credit among his many lady friends. It was now con- cluded to treat him with rigor as a suspect. He was clapped into prison and used with great harshness. Next came an order from France to the Governor of Canada to try him for his life as a spy.
Some time in '56 he effected his escape from prison, but a reward of 6,000 livres, offered to any who would bring him in alive or dead; filled the woods with thousands of eager persons, and he was soon caught and thrust into a black, horrible dungeon. He found nothing but cold stone to sit or lie on, and on the floor was daily placed an earthen pan with nothing but bread and water for his sustenance. In this damp, dark, dreary, dismal, doleful, damnable dungeon his eyes soon acquired such a power that they could discern a rat running over the floor, and it may be added that they received much exercise in that line.
In November our hero was brought before the military court, arraigned for breach of faith and violating the laws of nations. His condemnation was a foregone conclusion. The vote was put, and hang he must by general voice. The day was fixed, and he was remanded
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29
ADVENTURES OF MAJOR ROBERT STOBO.
back to prison. But his indomitable heart was yet unshaken, and he busied himself meditating over plans of escape. The judgment of the court, however, was not approved by King Louis, and the dungeon was changed for a jail, with two vigilant sentinels at the door and two below the one window, but fortuna favet fortibus. They could not hold a man of his daring spirit.
Many were his plans of escape. The window offered him the best chance. He found it firmly barred with iron up and down, but not across. He must cut a groove in the hard stone, so as to throw one of the bars aside. He had but a sorry knife, round at the point, and as it would imperil all to make a noise, his business must be done by careful, silent rubbing. The work went slowly on. Meanwhile he must gather provisions for his long journey. He managed to secrete a sort of a knapsack, and on the stove he parched grain to carry with him. His room was always open to his jailers, and he had to fill the groove as fast as he made it by stuffing it with chewed bread, which was then covered with sand or ashes.
Sometimes the grating noise would bring in the jailer, but the groove was so neatly concealed and the Major was generally found sitting. so calmly, walking, smoking or reading, that, after peering around the room with jealous eye, the jailer was fain to depart with shaking head.
At length the groove was done ; the bar had room to play, but being short and fast at top, the Major could not bend it. Tying his handker- chief around the two bars, he inserted a stick and by twisting it about had leverage enough to bring the bars together. The knapsack was now stored with over thirty pounds of various kinds of provisions which he had managed to secrete, and all was ready for the escape.
The 30th of April was a horrible day from wind, rain and hail. The night was no better. The sleepy sentries, suspecting naught, sought favorable shelter from the wretched weather. Stobo's eyes were on guard and soon as he saw the parts deserted he knew his time had come. Hurriedly tying about him his knapsack and applying the handkerchief tourniquet, a passage was soon opened and down he jumped into the mud below, and is off like a shot. Soaked with rain, buffeted by the wind, straight on he flies, certain of his way. Far above the town he took refuge in a farmer's outhouse and anxiously awaited the chance for escape.
His flight was at once detected ; again 6,000 livres were offered for his arrest, and out set the whole town in search. For two days, know- ing that many would be seeking him, the Major lay snug. At midnight he stealthily stole out and made straight for Charles river, crossed it with knapsack on his head, the water coming up to his chin. Now he gains
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
the friendly covert of the woods, where he remained the next day ; to- wards evening he edges down the river, hoping to secure a canoe wherewith to cross the .St. Lawrence. He wandered on and on until he had got below the Falls of Montmorenci, eight miles below Quebec, when just as he had set foot on the great road, he spied some gentlemen riding towards him, who unfortunately were just as quick in spying him and made hard after him. He was caught and dragged back to prison.
Who can imagine the sad, gloomy thoughts of the poor prisoner! That can his biographer, who thus quaintly laments this sad relapse into captivity : " Ill used before, better could not be hoped for ; he sick- ens at the thought of his sad fate ; a dreary while for him to linger out in sad despondency, well barred and bolted in with treble vigilance. A long, long Summer and a dismal Winter were to come, and these, for what he knew, might be repeated, if life so long would stay. He could not stand the thought ; his spirits failed him ; his looks grew pale ; corroding, pensive thought sat brooding on his forehead, and left it all in wrinkles ; his long, black hair grows like a badger grey ; his body to a shadow wastes, and ere the Winter came with her keen edge of har- dened cold, his health was gone; yet he must struggle still with the re- maining span of life, for out he must not come and he's given up for dead. There dwelt by lucky fate in this strong capital, a lady fair of chaste renown ; of manners sweet and gentle soul; long had her heart confessed for this poor prisoner a flame, best suited with the spirit of the times to smother, whose tender heart felt double smart at this his deep affliction which threatened certain death; her kindred was confessed and influence, too, well known with Vaudreuil and, strange speech of love, thus she accosts the proud Canadian Vice Roy," &c.
We need not give this tender love song, but the burden of it was an urgent appeal to change the Major's prison and give him exercise and good air, and so a chance for his life. The prayer prevailed. The wan and wasted prisoner was allowed to walk the ramparts. By the care of this kind lady and her daughter, the Major's health recovers by degrees, and he became very watchful and studious to disarm all suspicion. The months passed on and Stobo made the acquaintance of some English prisoners brought in-among others a Scotchman, by the name of Clarke, a ship carpenter by trade, who, by a facile and timely change of religion, was released and was soon employed at work in the shipyard. With this man and another prisoner by name of Stevenson, he concocts a new scheme. In order to dismiss his kind lady attendant, he feigned illness. Instead of going to bed, however, he dressed in a plain coarse workman's dress he had provided; incased his head in a thick worsted
31
MAJOR STOBO'S ESCAPE FROM QUEBEC.
wig and quietly stole down the stairs, past the rooms of the family that had been so kind to him, out into the garden, and leaped the wall.
No sooner out of town than he quickened his pace and made his way to a little windmill on the river, which was fixed as the rendezvous for the whole escaping party. He found them all there, with guns, ammuni- tion and provisions. March was the word, and Stobo, as leader of this gallant little band of five, moved along the river for a couple of miles in hope to find some vessel by which to escape.
MAJOR STOBO'S ESCAPE FROM QUEBEC AND DARING ADVENTURES.
At length they came across a large birch canoe, which they carried to the water, and all safely embarked. With nimble hands they plied the paddles, and flew down the strong current of the St. Lawrence. By daylight Quebec was left far behind, and they sought the protection of the woods, carrying their canoe with them. As before, the Major's flight was early discovered. The whole house was in a terrible uproar. The Governor hears of it, and is moved to a terrible wrath. The old reward is offered, and thousands ransack the woods for the fugitives.
This time in vain! The little party lay by quietly all day, but soon as night came on they launch again their frail bark upon the current, and paddle away like all possessed. By daylight they were, with their fragile canoe, in the woods again. This was their life for ten long days and chilling nights, until they had gotten a long distance below the city, and the river had grown as broad as a firth. Latterly they had taken the risk of hunting game, and encamped by day in order to save their stock of provisions, which was getting low.
On the eleventh night they paddled out into the middle of the broad river, but soon encountered a violent storm. The waves broke over them. The canoe filled with water, and they tried in vain to make the shore, but passed the night, tossed like a cork upon the waters, and only saved from wreck by unintermitting bailing. A piercing cold now set in, freezing their drenched clothes to their backs. By morning they suc- ceeded in again reaching shore, but in a most sorry plight. Their fro- zen garments rattled like coats of mail; scarce one could lift a limb, and a mother and children, who formed part of their crew, were almost dead. The steel and flint were found wherewith to build a fire, but the tinder was too wet to catch.
At length the poor mother sought in her bosom and found a dry rag; a fire was built, and a couple of days more are spent drying and thaw- ing out. The boat was again trusted to the waves, and by morning had reached a little bay, on whose shores they debarked, the two marksmen going out for game. They soon ran back, frightened by the appearance
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
of two armed savages. Stobo reassured them, and demanded to be led to a sight of them, thinking that if they were scouts for a larger party, it might be necessary to cut them off. They soon came upon the two unsuspecting savages, when Stobo broke out into a French cantata, and saluting the savages in French, seized the gun of one, while Stevenson grappled him and Clarke the other. Stobo then said they were French- men, but in search of English prisoners who had escaped, and that he must be sure who they were. They were much alarmed, and offered to lead the way to their tent and to the fire, of which they were the guar- dians, so that the whole country might be alarmed at the advance up the river of any hostile British fleet. These fires, they said, were placed at regular distances from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to Quebec, so that news could be speedily carried of any hostile invasion.
The wigwam was found full of furs, wild duck and maple sugar, and the Major's party began to rifle it. The Indians now realized their mis- take, and the one Stevenson held gave a backward spring and set up a dreadful yell. To prevent any further noise, Stevenson had to shoot his man, and his comrade was soon made to share his fate. The camp again reached, Stobo thought it was imprudent to leave the bodies un- buried, and sent back Clarke and another to inter them, which they did by fastening a heavy stone to the feet of each, and, having carefully re- moved the scalps, shoving them into a deep, black pool of water. Their poor, faithful dog, which sat howling on the margin of the pool, was also shot.
They now saw out in the river a fleet of French transports, with a convoy, ferrying their slow way up to Quebec. One ship in the rear, judged, by her size, to be the commodore of the fleet, was lying to. Stobo concluded that she had seen their smoke and had sent her boat ashore to learn the meaning of it. The fire, therefore, was put out, and the canoe and baggage moved off into the woods, and then a round- about course taken to the river again. They now espied a large four- oared batteau rowing for the shore and no ship in view. "Courage, may lads!" cried the fearless Stobo. "I hope, by your assistance and God's blessing on our arms, this prize shall be our own ; these men our prisoners, too, and they shall lessen your fatigue and row for us; ob- serve but what I order, and leave the rest to me."
Stobo's party now lay closely concealed among some rocks while the boat's crew pulled briskly in. Scarce had the prow bumped the beach when a volley was sent in among them, by which two were wounded. The astonished Frenchmen at once cried out for quarter. The Major and his companions rushed down from the rocks and ordered out the whole five. A reverend old gentleman, who was steering, stepped out
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MAJOR STOBO'S ESCAPE FROM QUEBEC.
with a polite bow of submission, and very naturally asked whose pris- oner he was. To this the Major answered in French: "We are British subjects, and, by the fortune of the war which now does rage betwixt that country's mighty King and France, we have been prisoners in Can- ada, but now," &c., telling them that they and their boat must aid their escape. To this the old Frenchman said he had been a long distance down the river, and was returning with his boat laden with wheat; that he was the Chevalier La Darante, and sole owner of the Camaraski Isles, the first gentlemen of them all doing him vassalage; that the best blood of Canada ran in his veins, as he was kin to the great Duke de Mirepoix and other prominent French nobles, and that, in addition to all this, he was old and feeble, and therefore should well be excused from being compelled to row his enemies.
To all which, in brief, the Major answered that self-preservation was the first law of nature, and that if he were King Louis himself, and each of his crew a peer of the realm, he would have to row now British subjects. This ended the matter. As the shallop was too deep-laden for expedition, much of the wheat was cast out, and, all hands em- barking, the boat left the shore, the faithful canoe dragging astern. Thus doubly manned, they could relieve the oars as well as attend the sail, which was now set to a favoring gale, and away they sped again down the St. Lawrence. Finding the canoe impeding the shallop's speed, it was cut loose and turned adrift.
To lie by in the day was now impossible, neither did the Major like much to trust his prisoners ashore. About noon they noted a lofty frigate, which had been convoy to the fleet of transports. This sudden and dreadful apparition gave no small alarm, but since they could not stand a fight, a run was resolved upon. So the Major took the tiller and swore that the first man who offered to impede the boat's way should die in the instant, and ordered all to pull hard and to spread the sail, so as to pass the frigate's stern.
The usual signal to heave to came from the frigate, but our party. paid it no attention; a second followed, which was likewise disre- garded. The third report came accompanied by a shot which whizzed: over their heads, uncomfortably near. Then followed shot after shot, as long as the boat was in sight. Rejoicing at their lucky escape, the boat flew along, continuing on its course all night. The old Cheva+ lier's remonstrance as to the hardships and indignities he was com- pelled to undergo, passed unheeded. " Il est fortune de guerre,. Mon- sieur," was all the reply vouchsafed by the Major.
Days sped on. Capes, islands and mountains were passed, one by. one, but fortunately no sail was met. At length a boat was- found: 3
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
upon the beach, when Stobo promised to the Chevalier that he would let him go if he would promise for him and his party that he would keep secret what had transpired till the Camaraski Isles should be passed ; after that he did not care. The Chevalier readily promised. " Then, Monsieur," replied the Major, loftily, " your mast and sail are ours. Our case is desperate, but I'll pay you for them. Here, too, is money for your lost wheat. Go tell all Canada how good the British monarch is ! One only favor I ask. When you reach Quebec, pray wait on the Commandant with Monsieur Stobo's compliments, and let him know you saw him thus far on the St. Lawrence."
All things being ready, the two parties took separate ways. Stobo's boat continued along all night. With the morning they espied abreast of them a ship at anchor and heard the signal to heave to. This they declined, when a swivel, loaded with grape, opened fire and after that another, completely riddling their sail but doing no further damage. On they pushed all that day and the next, but after that they were not quite so fortunate. Towards evening a dreadful storm arose. At the point they now were, the St. Lawrence was very broad and the waves ran as high as upon the ocean, while the surf was quite as loud and dangerous. To beach the boat, however, is the only salvation for them, and straight to shore they let her drive. Near the shore, she came upon a rock with a dreadful shock, bursting open the boat's bows and filling her with water. The waves break over them and all hands, taking with them what they could, make for shore. The boat was completely de- molished. Soaking as they were, a wet and dreary night was passed.
Next morning a sober council was held. All other methods of es- cape except by water are declared impossible, and so the boat's wreck is hauled ashore, and all, under the direction of Clarke the ship carpen- ter, set to work to make it sea-worthy again. With wistful search they scan the shore for nails, pieces of board and what not to piece the old hulk up. Some eight days are spent in this tedious and disheartening work, and the stock of provisions was, too, getting fearfully low. At length the boat was ready for the first pitch and oakum, carefully gathered from sticks found along many miles of shore. Stockings, handkerchiefs and other articles of dress were used to stuff the joints, and at last the frail cutter was ready for launching.
Just as this interesting ceremony was about to be performed, two sails are seen standing down the river, and finally their anchors are dropped right off the point where the crazy vessel sat upon the stocks. Here was a strange dilemma ! All labor stops at once ! Down squat the men ! The sails of the strange vessels are all pulled down, in prepara- tion for riding out the flood tide.
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MAJOR STOBO CAPTURES TWO SHIPS.
MAJOR STOBO CAPTURES TWO SHIPS WITH ALL ON BOARD.
At this crisis, a daring and desperate idea enters Stobo's pate. They were in a terrible strait. Starvation on the one hand; renewed slavery on the other. "Here are two enemy's vessels," he said, "and by their distance one may be attacked ; nor by their mean appearance should I think them freight with men or arms; more like some country vessels and so I'll wish and hope and think ; and now, could I divide the force of either and calmly, under cloud of night, steal on her by sur- prise, then might I hope success. The very thought elates my soul. By jove, she's mine ! This next is the smallest of the two ; on her the pro- ject shall immediately be tried."
A council is called; all hear with wonder, and promise to assist. Stobo orders them not to stir, but to keep close to the ground, while he should give a signal. Cutting a long stick he fastens thereon his hand- kerchief, and with it in one hand and a musket in the other, he coolly marches to the water's edge and fires his gun and waves his extemporized flag. The sun was just setting. His signal is seen from the ship. A boat is observed dropping over the side and two men and a boy came rowing to the shore where the redoubtable Major stands ready to re- ceive them.
Approaching near they yet warily stand off and ask what he wants. Stobo answers in pretty good French that he was on the king's errand, (" under which King, Benzonian? speak or die !") and now he wants a passage down the river, for which he would willingly pay liberally. The night was cold and he had a bottle of rum which they "vere wel- come to if they would fetch it, &c. The boat is driven to shore and hauled upon the beach, and while guzzling down the rum, violent hands are laid upon them, and the three are taken and bound.
All is fair in war, thinks Major Stobo, and he tells his astounded vic- tims that they are in British hands subject to death, but " look here, my lads ! you yet may live, if you faithfully declare what hands you left on board and what their arms." They are examined separately and all agree. The boy consents to pilot them aboard, as the Major thought his well-known voice might answer unpleasant questions and disarm all suspicion.
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