USA > Maryland > Talbot County > History of Talbot county, Maryland, 1661-1861, Volume I > Part 36
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After his return from Madeira, he entered the store of the owner of the said snow, (Mr. William Adams, of Oxford), as store keeper and clerk. It may not be amiss here to remark that Mr. Adams was thought to be one of the most powerful men as it regarded personal strength on the continent of America, or perhaps in the world. The ablest man of the time was no more in his hands than an infant in those of a common man. His stature was six feet four or five inches, being very robust in propor- tion. His figure possessed great symmetry; if there was a fault, it was that the calves of his legs were too high up. Though bred in the forest under every disadvantage as to improvement, yet his manners were easy, genteel and affable, at least uncommonly so for his opportunities; but when crossed in temper, he was ready to resume his savage wild- ness and behaved more like a devil than a man. He would frequently seize men with his teeth and bite great quantities of flesh from them, yet in general, he was a good tempered and amiable man. To enumerate any particular instance of his strength, which was powerful, might have the appearance of fable.
In September, 1752, Jeremiah Banning ordered to London on business. He took passage on board the snow, Nancy of London, James Hender- son, master, and sailed from Oxford on the 2nd day of that month, which day was rendered remarkable by its being the one wherein the style of the year was changed from the old to the new. This was affected by adding 11 days to the 22nd of September1 for elapsed time, therefore
1 An evident error for Sept. 22d.
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it became the 13th of that month, and the alteration in the date of the year took place on the 1st of January instead of the 25th of March. For instance, had not this change taken place the 1st of January follow- ing would have been set down as 1752-3. They arrived in London without meeting with any disaster except that of a great want of provi- sions, which was occasioned by the penurious disposition of the cap- tain, who was a Scotchman. As a proof of the ship's passengers being in a state of starvation, as soon as they struck soundings on the coast of England, a bag of bread was placed at the mast for every one at will, and so great was the hunger that I think some ate from 13 to 14 biscuits a day. From London he took passage in the ship Osgood, Robert Robinson, master, and arrived in York river, Virginia, the March follow- ing, 1753. In February, 1754, he sailed for Rhode Island. On the way down the Chesapeake Bay, the ship put in to Hampton roads, and while lying there the Centurian, a British gun-ship, arrived with several other men-of-war and transport ships, having on board General Braddock and his army, destined to carry on the war against the French and Indians on the Ohio.
The ensuing January he was passenger on board the ship Oxford, under command of Nicholas Price, then bound on a voyage to the Bar- badoes. This ship belonged to Foster Cunliffe & Sons, merchants of Liverpool, who had for many years carried on an extensive and lucra- tive traffic at Oxford, particularly under the agency of Mr. Robert Morris, their factor.
The great natural abilities of Mr. Morris overleaped every other de- ficiency. As a mercantile genius it was thought he had not his equal in the land. As a companion and bonvivant he was incomparable. If any public or political point was to carry he defeated all opposition. He gave birth to the inspection law on tobacco, and carried it, though opposed by a powerful majority. He was the first who introduced the mode of keeping accounts in money, instead of so many pounds of tobacco, pr yard, pr. pound, pr. gallon, as was formerly the case. He was a steady, warm friend wherever he made professions, and had a hand ever open and ready to relieve real distress. At repartee he bore down all before him. Mr. Morris was father to the present Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, and the most distinguished merchant of his time in America, perhaps exceeded by but few in the world as to his ex- tensiveness of trade, mercantile knowledge, popularity and probity in his dealings.
Mr. Morris, the elder, agent to the great house of Cunliffe & Sons,
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Liverpool, received his death wound in July, 1750, by the wad of a gun fired by way of salute to him from the ship Liverpool, Merchant, Samuel Matthews, commander, which was then lying at Oxford. The accident occurred in the following manner: On the arrival of the aforesaid ship from England, Mr. Morris and some other gentlemen went on board as is usual on such an arrival; on his return to the shore he was accompanied by the Captain, who before he left the ship gave orders upon a certain signal to salute with such a number of cannon. The signal was the Captain putting his finger upon his nose. Unfortunately, a fly lit upon the nose of Capt. Matthews, and he with his hand brushed it away; this was taken by the officer on board as the signal. The guns were fired; the wad of one passing through the back board of the pinnace struck Mr. Morris a little above the elbow, broke the bone, and occa- sioned a contusion which in a few days brought on a mortification, and put a period to his life in August. It may appear fabulous, but not- withstanding, assuredly true, that Mr. Morris had a favorite spaniel by the name of Tray; this dog kept by his master during the whole of his sickness, and after he was laid out, couched under him, where he in a few hours died. I do not mention this through any superstition, but merely to portray the sensibility of those sagacious animals.
The motive that led to the above particulars of Mr. Morris was in order to give a sketch of the now poor, forlorn and destitute town of Oxford, which was at the time of his death and during his agency, for he was its principal supporter, one of the most commercial ports in Maryland. The storekeepers and other retailers, both on the western and eastern side of the Chesapeake, repaired there to lay in their sup- plies. In those days Easton, then only known by the name of Court House, could not boast of one store. Seven or eight large ships at the same time were frequently seen at Oxford, delivering goods and complet- ing their lading; nor was it uncommon to dispatch a ship with 500 hogs- heads of tobacco in 12 days after its arrival. At that time tobacco was not examined or inspected by sworn officers as now. Men skilled in that article were employed by the merchants or storekeepers, and called receivers, to view, weigh, mark, and give receipts to the planters, after which vessels were sent to collect it, when it underwent a pressing and packing preparatory for shipping.
After the death of Mr. Morris commerce, splendor, and all that animating and agreeable hurry of business at Oxford gradually declined to the commencement of the civil war, which broke out in April, 1775, when it became totally deserted as to trade. In the autumn of that
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year was the last appearance of British ships, or indeed of any other, at that port. Baltimore at that time was little thought of or scarcely known, especially by an adjoining State. Herds grazed on the streets. if streets they could be called, but it immediately took the lead, and was destined to become the emporium not only of the Chesapeake, but of Maryland, and was excelled by but three cities in America. Talbot Court House, formerly distinguished by that name, as I before ob- served, became the centre of the retail business. Easton, known at present by that name, was in the writer's first memory a trivial place, and only contained three tippling houses and one tailor's shop. The poor, forsaken Oxford is bereft of all former greatness, and nothing re- mains to console her but the salubrious air and fine navigation, which may anticipate better times. Oxford's streets and strands were once covered by busy crowds, ushering in commerce from almost every quarter of the globe. The once well-worn streets are now grown up in grass, save a few narrow tracks made by sheep and swine, and the strands have more the appearance of an uninhabited island than where human feet had ever trod.
We will now return to the voyage to the Barbadoes, from whence I returned in the month of September, 1755. On the passage up the Bay and opposite the mouth of the Patuxent river, I first heard of the death of General Braddock, and of the total defeat and rout of his army. This circumstance to those who may be unacquainted with the critical and dangerous situation of the country at that time from the French and Indians, may seem trivial; but far otherwise was the opinion of the people at that day, for it was thought that nothing but the success of Gen. Braddock could save this country from immediate destruction.
In January, 1756, I was deputized by Mr. Henry Callister,2 the then agent for the Cunliffes, to carry the French neutrals-as they were called -around into Wye river, in order to distribute them among those who would be pleased to receive them. These unfortunate people were natives of Nova Scotia, and when ceded to Great Britain, those of the inhabitants who refused to take the oath of allegiance, were banished their country and dispersed among the colonies.3
2 Henry Callister succeeded Mr. Morris as agent or factor of the Conliffes at Oxford. This gentleman has left behind him numerous letters of great interest to the local historian. He was a native of the Isle of Man, a friend of the Rev. Thomas Bacon, and a man of education and accomplishments.
3 An account of the Acadians that were sent to this country is given in a contri- bution entitled "The Poor House," published in The Easton Star of Dec. 2nd, 1879.
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In March following, 1756, I visited Lisbon on business with Sir Harry Franklin, the then British envoy of that Court. Lisbon, the preceding first day of November, had been mostly destroyed by an earthquake, and presented the most deplorable spectacle that it is possible to conceive from the awful effects thereof. The city was in a heap of ruins, with numberless dead carcasses of human bodies being mingled therewith. A square adjoining the river Tagus, and whereon it was supposed 5,000 fled for refuge, suddenly sunk and buried every soul in oblivion. To the bank or quay belonging to the same, were many boats moored; all disappeared at the same moment, and not a wreck thereof was ever more seen.
While at Lisbon, I had the first intelligence of the defeat of Admiral Byng, off the Island of Minorca, and the capture of that place by the French, for which the unfortunate Byng was tried by a court martial, and as it was said, very unjustly condemned to be shot, and which sentence shortly after was carried into execution on board the Monarque, in Portsmouth harbor.
In 1760 I again went to the Island of Barbadoes. On my return from that place the ship Friendship, with a great number of other vessels, was convoyed by two sloops of war. A few days after their departure were overtaken by a hurricane, the violence of which overset one of the sloops close to the stern of the Friendship; it was lost, and every soul on board perished. The day after this accident the wind became moder- ate, when they fell in with a French privateer, who without hesitation pushed into the midst of the fleet, and without ceremony boldly engaged the remaining convoy, and a most desperate conflict ensued. They were soon enveloped in smoke, and so long did the contest continue- though the French vessel was a sloop and the other a brigantine-that victory became doubtful with the fleet, and who were just about shifting for themselves. In this dilemma, out belted the privateer through the thick of the smoke, and the man-of-war pursued with a constant fire for some time, yet the privateer, by short tacks in the eye of the wind, got clear.
In the following spring, 1761, I took command of the ship Friendship and sailed for Barbadoes, and on the passage was captured by a French privateer belonging to Martinico, and carried into that Island4 where all on board the ship were confined in a common jail, and where all died except myself and one boy.
4 This capture occurred on the 16th of April .- Maryland Gazette, June 11th, 1761.
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Here let us pause to contemplate the miseries and horrors of a prison, a prison in a suffocating and burning climate-a prison crowded with 370 men, many groaning under the pain of their wounds received in battle, and the worst torturing disease (the flux), suffocation and almost every calamity and distress incident to man. The dead and the dying were the pillows of the living. Those that died were 24, often 48 hours, before being removed; they were then thrown over the high walls of Fort St. Pierre, within which the prisoners of war were confined. At the foot of the walls negroes stood ready to drag the corpses to the sea- side, with every insult and derision natural to a low class of vagabonds, bred up under every prejudice and enmity to the English, where they were slightly covered up with sand, and soon after rooted up by the hogs and devoured. Those unacquainted with the rigors of war, and how the hearts and feelings of men inured to bloodshed and slaughter become callous, would suspect the above to be mere fiction. But the truth is, the writer and his crew, as well as all the other prisoners suffered more than he has words to express-such as a scanty allowance, and that of putrid meat; water from a stream where the women washed their linen, and that strongly tinctured with soap. The hot scorching rays of the sun pouring down in the prison yard; driven within the walls thereof at the ringing of a bell on the going down of the sun; but to this dreary retreat they hurried as to the most happy abode, and doubly happy were those who could first gain the window seats, two of which, in front of the prison, could contain two men in each, with an arm em- bracing the iron grate. It will not be candid to omit the more favorable part of the usage while in jail, and this was they could not complain of their allowance in bread. Far be it from the writer to throw out any insinuations against the French nation in general, being perfectly satis- fied that there is not a more humane, brave and generous people on the face of the globe. As an instance of this, when the soldiers were leading me to jail, a French merchant, by the name of Monsieur Acquairt, and who was a perfect stranger, proffered to furnish me with any money I might want, saying, when himself a prisoner among the English, that he met with the like treatment. After my redemption by a flag of truce, I was carried to the Island of Guadaloupe, which had but just fallen into the hands of the English. After remaining on this Island for a few days, I took passage in a ship for the Island of St. Christopher, where I remained for some weeks waiting for an opportunity to return to the continent. At length one offered, in the Sarah, Captain Cator, for Philadelphia. This ship was a letter of marque, and the captain
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a worthy man and an intrepid seaman. After many skirmishes, chasing and being chased, as is usual for armed vessels in time of war, we arrived safe at Philadelphia, where the writer purchased a horse and traveled down into Maryland.
In 1761 I was again called to England on very important business, and took passage for London on board the ship Betsey, Capt. John Brook, then lying in Wye river. In justice to the memory of that worthy man, it might truly be said of him that he was an able seaman, in his disposi- tion and manners very agreeable and friendly. On the passage to Eng- land, though they sailed from Hampton road in Virginia under the con- voy of two men of war, and in company with the largest fleet of mer- chantmen that perhaps ever sailed from the Chesapeake, notwithstanding, from hard gales of wind they got separated from the convoy, and off the Western Islands were unfortunately captured by a French Priva- teer. Capt. Brook was taken on board the enemy, and the writer never saw him again except once as their ships passed in the Chesapeake. Captain Brook died the year following.
Dick Tilghman, a youth who was on his way to England to complete his education,5 and myself were permitted after much entreaty to remain on board the prize ship. About three weeks after being taken they made for the coast of Spain and intended going into Vigo, but night approaching the prize master thought it too late to attempt entering the port that evening as it was reported to be a rocky and intri- cate navigation. This circumstance in the end proved a fortunate event to the prisoners on board the Betsey, for she was, as soon as night came on, hove to under her foresail, with her head off shore, waiting for daylight to carry them into Vigo. Happily this delay rescued the writer and his brethren in distress from experiencing the difference between a French and a Spanish jail, for about 12 o'clock on the same night, and as the Frenchmen on board the Betsey were rejoicing and flattering themselves with the idea of a plenty of wine and other refresh- ments the next day, the Antelope, a British man-of-war of 50 guns hav- ing under her convoy a fleet of Newfoundland merchantmen, pop'd upon them and re-took the Betsey. Bravo! The Antelope carried the Betsey into Lisbon. Here my young friend Dick Tilghman and
5 This youth was that Richard Tilghman who was the son of James Tilghman of Faursley in this county, and the brother of Col. Tench Tilghman and Judge William Tilghman. He was educated in England, returned home, studied law under Daniel Dulaney, from whom, possibly, he imbibed his loyalist sentiments. He went to England, and died on his voyage to India.
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myself were restored to liberty. Common gratitude compels the writer to acknowledge that during their captivity the enemy paid them all the respect and attention they could have wished or expected. At Lisbon they remained a considerable time waiting an opportunity of getting to England. At length the Portland of 50 guns arrived there in order to receive Lord Bristol the British ambassador from the court of Madrid, and who had left that place on the eve of a rupture between the two nations. This indeed was a wind that blew fair for nobody, a bad war that suits nobody.
In January, 1762, Messrs. Tilghman and Banning procured passage in the Portland to England, but before their departure from Lisbon a circumstance occurred which must not be passed in silence. It was as follows: During their residence in Portugal they had contracted an intimacy with the officers on board the Portland, particularly with Mr. Cooper, the purser. Mr. Cooper had for some time been paying his addresses to a young lady by the name of Wall, a native of England and a Roman Catholic, and who had long resided in Lisbon. On the writer's former visit to that place he had formed the most friendly acquaintance with that lady. From these circumstances he was prevailed on to give her in marriage (which was to be in private) to Mr. Cooper, who was himself an Episcopalian. This it seemed by their bigoted laws was highly criminal, though perfectly unknown to the parties concerned. As soon as they became acquainted with their danger they immediately sought refuge on board the Portland. The Inquisition made a solemn and formal demand of all those present, abetting or aiding in the afore- said marriage. The Captain peremptorily refused to give them up. Lord Bristol the ambassador was on board. The castle of Balim, or Bell Isle, forbid the ship at her peril to pass that fortress. The Port- land on this threat immediately dispatched intelligence thereof to some British men-of-war somewhat higher up the river. They instantly got under way, and as they came abreast of that ship she also tripped her anchor and in a line they all stood down the Tagus, with their lower ports opened, guns run out, matches lighted, and every man at his quarters. In the space of time taken up in negotiating with the officers of the Inquisition, the castle, in sending for the other men-of-war, and in passing the castle, oh, God! what soul torturing feelings between hope and despondency, 'tis possible to be imagined but it cannot be described. The ships passed the forts, not a gun was fired, in one hour the Portland was plunging in the great Atlantic, and all apprehensions of the Inquisition vanished into air. I believe they almost forswore against ever after taking another frolic with Hymen.
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The Portland arrived at Spithead in the February following, having first landed Lord Bristol at Falmouth. From Portsmouth my young friend Richard Tilghman and self set out in a post chaise to London. On our journey thither had another narrow escape from being plundered of our remaining little. Two wealthy merchants from Spain who also came passengers with us from Lisbon accompanied us in another chaise. The former two being but little encumbered with baggage proposed tak- ing in some belonging to the merchants, among which was a fusee, this for convenience of carrying was partly pointed out of the window. The merchants drove on faster and were robbed by a highwayman of a rich booty. The highwayman passed the hinder chaise, but seeing the muzzle of the gun passed on without stopping, but his looks and manner plainly pointed out his profession. When Messrs. Tilghman and Banning overtook their traveling companions at the next inn, they found them stripped of their gold watches and every farthing of their money, and what was extraordinary and amusing the merchant then thought proper to resume his fusee.
In the ensuing April 1762, I was commissioned by Messrs. Anthony Bacon & Co.,6 eminent tobacco merchants of London, to proceed to America in order to purchase a ship for them. For this purpose I took passage on board the ship Mary, Captain Deverson of London, then lying at the Isle of Wight bound for New York. The war still raging, they put into Plymouth sound to join convoy. On departing from thence the Captain being a stranger to the custom of that port for pay- ing anchorage, was leaving it without complying with that requisite, on which an 18 lb. shot was fired through the ship from an adjacent castle. This circumstance detained the vessel for a long time and until the boat was sent on shore where they not only paid anchorage, but £13 sterling for the shot they were pleased to present them with. The Mary arrived safe at New York the January following, after a boisterous and tempestuous passage; but the agreeable company of several ladies and gentlemen passengers on board, and the gentlemanly accommodating behavior of the Captain, rendered the time not so tedious as it other- wise would have been. During the above voyage the writer observed a rule which might be a good hint to all travelers, especially at that time; it was that of concealing one's country, not that his country was by any means an unpopular one, but he had frequently noticed
6 Mr. Anthony Bacon, brother of Rev. Thomas Bacon of St. Peter's parish, and afterward Sir Anthony Bacon of London, had factories at many places upon Choptank, and especially at Oxford and Dover.
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the disputes, heats and animosities which arose where there were a variety of persons from different countries associated together, which was the case in the present instance. It was strange to think what an amazing curiosity this concealment gave birth to, particularly with the captain of the ship, though a Ramsgate man, however the writer baffled all inquiries in a jocular manner. At length, the captain was sure he had discovered the secret by seeing him throw out the grains or gig at a great distance into a dolphin, when he declared he would not hesitate to swear that he was a Mudian.
In 1765 on the 10th June, sailed from London for Maryland. On the 5th July anchored in Funchal road at the Island of Madeira, there landed several passengers and the merchandise taken in for that island. Here took in wine, fruits and other refreshments, and departed on the 10th, arriving at Oxford on Sunday, 18th August, saluting that old re- spected port with 7 guns. The ship soon after anchoring was crowded with gentlemen anxious to hear the news from England, as the politics of that country were at that time very interesting to the Americans, but more particularly did they wish to know whether the Stamp Master had come over in the Layton, as intelligence to that effect had reached Maryland before the ship arrived. They found that they had not been misinformed, for Zachary Hood, Esq., a native of the Western Shore, who had been commissioned in England to distribute or issue the stamps in Maryland, was then actually on board the Layton. Mr. Hood was threatened with immediate destruction; however, he took an opportu- nity of making his escape and fled to Annapolis, from thence he was hunted and driven like a savage beast to New York, but found there he was obliged to seek safety in the fort. In America he could find no rest, and he was obliged to fly to England for protection from whence he never returned. At Annapolis Mr. Hood's house was leveled with the earth, and himself in many places burnt in effigy, and even at Easton, but the unfortunate and patriotic operator there in forming the figure cut himself with an ax, which caused his death. It was unknown to the commander of the Layton when his ship left London that his passenger bore such an odious commission, or he certainly would not have received him on board. No doubt it was the policy of the British Parliament to appoint a native of America to execute their detestable, execrable and unpopular laws. Be that as it may, this in- considerate act of the British Parliament first paved the way to a civil war, and in the end cost them 13 of their principal colonies in North America.
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