USA > Maryland > Talbot County > History of Talbot county, Maryland, 1661-1861, Volume II > Part 20
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50 From the private journal of Mr. Thomas H. Dawson, of his journey to the fleet, upon a flag of truce, for the purpose of securing the release of his wife and children, who had been captured upon the packet Messenger. This journal the writer has been permitted to examine by Mr. Elias O. Dawson, the son of Mr. Thomas H. Dawson, and it has been freely used in the preparation of the account of the capture of the Messenger, which follows.
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ing the hazards of bay navigation, while the enemy was thus skimming the waters of the Chesapeake, there were venturesome captains always ready to take the risk of capture, drawn to it by the fascination of danger, and by rewards of increased rates of freight. None of these were bolder and more enterprising than Captain Clement Vickars, of the sloop Messenger, a packet sailing weekly between Easton Point and Baltimore. Relying upon the swiftness of his new sloop and his own skill as skipper, he did not fear to "run the blockade," and he passed and repassed the British vessels with safety during the season. The Messenger became well-known to the enemy and a most desirable ob- ject of capture. At last circumstances favored those who were upon the watch for her, and threw her into the hands that had been so eager to gain possession of such an admirable craft, of whose sailing qualities they had had many exhibitions, and of whose beautiful model and ap- pointments they had heard such glowing accounts. The circumstances of her capture may be related in the words of the editor of the Republi- can Star:
To Robert Spencer, Esq., A. D. C.
On Friday morning last (November 11th) the Easton packet Messen- ger, Captain Vickars owner and master, was captured by an enemy's barge with six men and an officer, off the north end of Poplar Island, on her return from Baltimore. The circumstances of this important event we give from verbal relations: that early in the morning they descried several vessels at anchor down the bay, which they supposed were waiting a favorable tide, there being little or no wind. The packet stood her course down, and shortly afterwards discovered a barge board and capture a craft at no great distance from them. They tacked, as did a schooner in company, and stood up the bay, but made little head- way. The barge left her prize and pursued them; and when little more than a mile from the sloop, Captain Vickars, with his hands, five in number, and Captain H. Thomas, of the flotilla, put off in a boat (partly at the instance of the passengers) leaving on board ten or twelve, among whom were several ladies, and most of them belonging to this town. When out of reach of the enemy's fire, should they attempt to bring the boat to, they lay on their oars, and saw the packet taken possession of. Soon after the barge, with three men, put off in pursuit of the schooner, that was higher up the bay, which they took, and the whole fleet stood over to the western shore, where a southwest breeze struck them, and they shaped their course down the bay. It is under- stood that in this daring enterprise, the enemy having armed stolen craft, one of which, a small sloop, the other a schooner, with some barges, had within a short space of about eighteen hours, purloined from defenceless individuals more than half that number of vessels of various value, that of the Easton packet no doubt surpassing two or more of them in value,
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she being nearly new, completely fitted, with goods, etc., on board, which together would fall little short of ten or twelve thousand dollars, which was amassed by six men and an officer, without firing a gun! Nor is it known that the whole fleet of bay craft then in the enemy's posses- sion cost him a single ball! Captain Vickars and his crew arrived in the night of Friday and on Saturday we understood a flag was granted by the proper authority, accompanied by Captain Vickars, which left early on Sunday morning, on Captain Auld's packet, to procure the release of the passengers, and to convey them to their friends.
Little need be added to this account. It was afterwards learned that the officer effecting the capture was Lieutenant Pearson, of the Dragoon, seventy-four, who it would seem had started upon a cruise towards the upper part of the bay, for the purpose of seizing the steam- boat then plying between Baltimore and Frenchtown, upon the line of travel to Philadelphia. Accounts of this steam vessel had excited much interest on board the fleet. She was probably the Chesapeake, the first steamboat ever built in Maryland, and has been constructed only the year before. Lieutenant Pearson was diverted from his pur- pose by falling in with about twelve bay craft, all of which he took pos- session of, including the Messenger.
The loss of this fine vessel was a very serious blow not only to the owner, but to the entire community. It was determined to attempt her recovery by ransom, and a flag of truce was granted by General Benson for this purpose, and for the release of the passengers who were captured. Accordingly Major Meredith, as bearer of the flag, accom- panied by Captain Vickars, Mr. Thomas H. Dawson and others, sailed November 12th, from Easton Point on board the schooner Superior, Captain Auld. Major Meredith bore the following letter from General Benson:
Easton, 12th Nov., 1814.
To the Commander of the British Squadron now lying in the Chesa- peake Bay,-
SIR :- The sloop Messenger, a packet boat, has been captured by one of the barges belonging to your squadron, with several respectable inhabitants of Talbot county, and I am sorry to learn that these pas- sengers have not been set on shore, many of them being ladies. It is hoped there will be no difficulty in releasing them immediately. Mr. Clement Vickars, a highly respectable citizen of this county, industrious- ly laboring for the support and advancement of his family, must sus- tain in the capture of his vessel a loss that will reduce him to the greatest difficulty and inconvenience, unless he can ransom her at some moderate sum. The usages of war justify such a procedure, in as much
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as the spirit of the practice of civilized nations, in a state of war, enjoins them to conduct it in such a manner as to make its unavoidable course produce as little private individual calamity as possible. I have granted a flag, under the conduct of Major Meredith, for the purpose of obtain- ing an immediate restoration of the captives to their friends, and to give to the owners of the property taken an opportunity of ransoming it according to the usages of war.
I have the honor to be your Hum. Serv't,
P. BENSON, B. G. of Md. Militia.
At ten o'clock the next day, the 13th, the flag schooner Superior fell in with the armed schooner having the Messenger as a prize under her lee. Lieutenant Pearson in command requested that the Superior should keep company with his vessel to the fleet station, which was off Tangier Islands. Permission was granted to the gentleman from Tal- bot to visit their friends captured who were still upon the packet. For this purpose he politely tendered to them the use of his barge. The prisoners were in good health and spoke in the highest terms of the polite and gentlemanly treatment they received from the officers, who supplied them with everything in their power and used every exertion to render their situation comfortable.51 Lieut. Pearson freely condemned the war as a most unnatural one, in which he regretted to be engaged. His obligations of President Madison as the author of such a fratricidal con- test were frequent and fierce. The Superior came to anchor on the 15th to the leeward of the Dragoon, the flagship of Captain, or as he is frequently called, Commodore Barrie, at the mouth of the Great Wycomico. A boat was immediately sent from the ship to fetch the officer of the Flag of Truce, Major Meredith. The results of the negotia- tions were not entirely satisfactory to the Talbot people, as is shown in the following letter addressed to General Benson in reply to his by the Flag:
His Majesty's Ship Dragon, Off Tangiers, 15th Nov. 1814.
To Brigadier General Benson.
Sir :- In reply to your letter of the 12th instant, just received from Major Meredith, I am to acquaint you that such of the American prisoners as were captured on the 11th instant, in the Messenger, whose age excludes them from the militia service are hereby set at liberty together with the ladies, children, &c. I am to acquaint you that it is contrary to my instructions to ransom any vessel properly captured from the enemy. I am sorry it is not in my power to parole the persons
51 Mr. Thomas H. Dawson's private journal.
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named in the margin; but my orders forbid my entering into any arrange-
Robert Spencer, Will. Bromwell, Chs. Eccleston, Jas. Frazier, Saml. Homes,
Hy. L. Clark.
ment for the release of prisoners except on the principle of receiving man for man. On such terms it will afford me great pleasure to be en- abled to restore those gentlemen to their friends, for any British subjects you may send me. I have the honor to be
Your obedient humble servant, ROBERT BARRIE. Captain and Senior Officer.
The following taken from the People's Monitor of Saturday, November 19th, will serve to give more fully the result of the mission of Major Meredith.
We are sorry to say that the object of the truce was only in part effected. They would not listen to the ransom of the sloop on any terms,52 and the following will show how far they will consent to the release of the prisoners.
List of persons released, who were captured on the sloop Messenger, on the 11th instant, and sent to Easton in the flag Schooner, Superior, Captain Auld, where they arrived on the 17th inst.
Mrs. Edith Dawson and her two children.
Miss Harriet W. Day.
Miss Susan McGlaughlin.
Miss Isabella Prince.
James Cockayne, non combatant.
Joseph Spencer, ditto, being a teacher in a public seminary.
Negroes Ned and Kitty.
Prisoners released who were captured on other vessels, and put on board the prize sloop Messenger : Miss Elizabeth Frazier of Dorchester.
Doctor Traverse of ditto, over 45.
Mrs. Brown of New York, put on board the flag schooner from Dragon, 74.
Persons detained as militia men captured in the sloop: Robert Spencer of Easton. Samuel Holmes of ditto.
Henry L. Clarke of Baltimore.
William Bromwell of Easton.
52 In a paper read by the Hon. J. B. Kerr, late of Washington, before a literary society of that city he stated that when offer was made by Capt. Vickars to ransom the Messenger. Captain Barrie replied that the vessel was so beautifully modeled and elegantly fitted up that he meant to retain her to be presented to the Prince Regent for a yacht. This Mr. Kerr probably received from Capt. Vickars him- self.
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Note .- Mrs. Bromwell and Mrs. Johns, her mother, continued on board the Commodore's ship with Mr. Bromwell, through choice, with an expectation of obtaining his release.
Prisoners detained, who were captured on other vessels and put on board the sloop:
Charles Eccleson
\ of Dorchester
James Frazier
¡ militia men."
After the conclusion of the negotiations pretexts were found for the detention of Flag of Truce, that the gentlemen and ladies might be enabled to participate in a fête which was improvised and politely tendered by the officers of the ship. The journal which has been several times quoted says:
All the prisoners were conveyed on board the Dragon from the sloop to partake of an elegant and sumptuous entertainment prepared for them by the commodore, after which the company was conducted into an elegant ball-room furnished with an excellent band of music. Upwards of forty prisoners taken at North Point, that remained un- changed, and had, a few days before, arrived in the Brune from Ber- muda to be exchanged, were invited to partake of the entertainment.
As some of the ladies were Friends or Quakers, the offer of a dance to them, might have appeared like adding insult to injury, if it had not been proffered with the utmost good will and courtesy. Captain Barrie was particularly complaisant.53 In the morning of the 16th the persons who were allowed to return home were sent on board the Superior, in the Captain's gig, and they disembarked at Easton Point the next day.
It is hardly necessary to say that the cause of Captain Vickars' and Captain Thomas' desertion of the Messenger, when about to be boarded, was their active participation in military and naval operations against the enemy, and the certainty of their being made prisoners of war. Some of these gentlemen who remained on board and were captured did not receive that indulgence which they expected, for they were retained for exchange. The case of Mr. Bromwell was particularly hard and unfortunate. He had, the day before his capture, been mar-
53 Finding Mrs. Dawson feeding one of her little children with a large pewter spoon, Captain Barrie ordered his steward to bring him, immediately, from his own locker, a silver teaspoon, which he politely requested the lady to accept, saying apologetically that he was afraid the large spoon would make the child's mouth too wide. This spoon he insisted upon her taking with her, and it was retained, and may be to this day, as a souvenir of a by no means painful episode in the family history.
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ried, and was returning home with his bride. Besides, this was the second time he had been taken prisoner while crossing the bay-the year before having been captured in the Queenstown Packet.
To conclude the account of this affair it remains only to state that the prisoners and passengers that had been retained on board the fleet were on the 24th of November paroled and set on shore upon the Bay- side near Tilghman's Island. They reported "that the enemy lost part of their ill-gotten spoil, in a late wind, by the sinking of three or four of their craft, and by others being driven down the bay, without provi- sions. In those sunk, upwards of forty of his men perished." The last statement must be taken with allowance.
While the fleet lay in the mouth of Choptank desertions were frequent and occasional prisoners were taken from the enemy. Three of the last were sent to Easton from Dorchester on the 14th Nov., where they were captured by the militia after their craft, which was one that had been seized in the Chesapeake, had grounded. At other times more prisoners were sent over to be forwarded to Baltimore. Of these, two officers, Lieutenant Phipps (or Phibs) and Midshipman Galloway, were treated with more than civility. They were placed under a parole and given the freedom of the town. They were caressed and flattered by the attentions of the better, that is the wealthier, class of citizens, and particularly by the ladies, who were quite charmed with their rank and manners, and one lady lived to rue the gallant attentions of Midshipman Galloway. The freedom which was extended to these prisoners gave much umbrage to many sober citizens, who saw that they were permitted to see the weakness of the defences of the place, and that the knowledge thus obtained might be used, in case of attack. The commanding general did not escape censure for his indulgence. A private letter, from a prominent citizen of Easton to a member of the Governor's council, in the possession of the writer, reflects severely upon the leniency of General Benson and the inefficient provisions of the care and trans- portation of prisoners. It says: "Though they are confined within certain limits, they could not fail to make observations, which would be very disadvantageous to us, should they be soon exchanged and any attack be made, For instance, they had an opportunity of viewing the relative situation of the Point and town. They were finally sent off for Baltimore, by order of General Benson, in the Easton packet from the Point, down the creek. When this intention of the General was first known, many of the most respectable citizens sent a remon- strance in writing to the General, requesting, for the safety of the town,
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that these prisoners (one of whom was a remarkably shrewd fellow) should not have an opportunity of then ascertaining the nakedness of the place. The answer of the General was that he should send them down to the Point blindfolded, and order them to be kept in the hold as long as the captain of the packet should think advisable. The farce was actually exhibited, and the prisoners have gone down the creek and river for Baltimore." This letter warmly urges the propriety of appoint- ing a deputy Provost Marshal to take charge of prisoners. However, no harm came to any one by reason of the freedom granted to the pris- oners, except the poor girl whom Galloway made love to and then compulsorily or willingly deserted.
By this time the principal part of the fleet had been withdrawn from the upper portion of the bay, and the larger ships were stationed off Tangiers, while expeditions were fitted out for depredations in Virginia waters. But occasionally a ship would make her appearance above, while at all times the smaller vessels, barges and tenders were to be seen picarooning in different parts of the bay, seizing upon such small craft as came within their reach. The last injury to be suffered by any citizen of Talbot was the partial loss by Mr. Sears, of Bayside, whose losses of one kind or another had been severe, of a second of his packets early in January, 1815, which being pursued by the enemy, was scuttled by the crew and abandoned. She was taken possession of, the holes bored in her bottom plugged up, and then set on fire by the British. The fire, however, did not effect her complete destruction, and the ves- sel was reclaimed.
Negotiations for peace had been for some months in progress, and early in February, 1815, the news of its ratification by the British government arrived, and in a few days after the American government assented to the terms of the treaty of Ghent. Thus terminated a war which, pronounced by one party to be righteous in its motive, glorious in its conduct, and happy in its results: by the other as having been commenced without prudence, conducted without skill, and indecisively concluded. But all united in welcoming peace, and none more heartily than the people of Talbot, who for more than two years had been har- assed by apprehensions, and tantalized by petty injuries and annoyances, perhaps more hardly to be borne than greater calamities, because they irritate and inflame and do not obtund the moral sensibilities.
In the preparation of this account of the incidents of the war of 1812-15, as they occurred in Talbot and upon her borders, the writer has availed himself of every source of information within his reach. The general
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histories of the United States and of Maryland have been consulted, of course. But the newspapers of the day have furnished the most abundant and the most valuable material. Of these Nile's Register and the Federal Gazette, of Baltimore, and the Republican Star and People's Monitor, of Easton, may be mentioned. A few private letters, which have by chance escaped the almost universal destruction that has come upon all collections of such documents in our county, have fur- nished some interesting and valuable items of information. The journal of Mr. Thos. H. Dawson has supplied many memoranda. The testi- mony of a number of aged men, taken down immediately from their lips, has been of great assistance. It is proper to say in this connection that much difficulty has been encountered in the attempt to reconcile conflicting statements made in every case more than sixty years after their occurrence. But the differences were upon trifles. In the main the stories of these witnesses agree. The persons who were consulted and gave the fullest and most connected recitals were Captain Thomas Auld, of Bayside, son of Colonel Hugh Auld; Mr. Jeremiah Harrison, of St. Michaels, a member of Captain Kemp's company; Mr. Stephen Denny, of Ferry Neck, a member of Captain Wayman's company. All of these participated actively in the affair at St. Michaels in 1813, and their memories of the events were full and accurate. Mr. Thomas Parrott, still living at a very advanced age, at Easton Point, and Mr. John H. Barrott, of Cambridge, possibly still living, the son of Solomon Barrott, the last surviving Talbot soldier of the Revolution, were able to give very full accounts of affairs in and around Easton. The Rev. Robert Kemp, late minister of the Wilmington Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, though a non-combatant, charged his mind with almost every minutia concerning the movements of the troops during the summer of 1813, and rehearsed them with great fullness, and, it may be added, positiveness, in the year 1874. Besides these, many other aged persons, whose names need not be mentiond, have given additional and confirmatory testimony, all of which has been used so as to present a connected and authentic relation of the incidents of the war of 1812-15, happening in Talbot. Because many words have been em- ployed and many petty details noticed, it must not be inferred that any illusions have possessed the mind of the writer with regard to the impor- tance of the occurrences related; or that he has wished to impress the minds of others with their importance. Their insignificant or nugatory character as materials of history is as distinctly acknowledged as it is sensibly felt: and if justification or apology for their presentation with
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so much fullness should be sought, it will be found in this, that these occurrences possessed a more absorbing interest for our people, because they were near and personal, than those grand events of which Europe was at that time the scene; and what so interested our fathers, should in some degree interest us, their descendants and the heritors of their opinions and of their feelings.
P. S .- Since the forgoing contribution was placed in the hands of the printer, a partial list of the names of the officers of the Maryland militia serving in the war of 1812, from Talbot, has been received from the office of the 3rd Auditor of the Treasury, at Washington. This list comprises the names of all the officers named in the muster rolls, as far as such have been filed; but it is very evident that many companies are not mentioned.
List of the names of Officers of Maryland Militia, war 1812, from Talbot county :
Robert Banning, Captain; Feddeman Rolle, 1st Lieutenant; William Roberts, 2nd Lieutenant.
9th Regiment
John Carroll, Captain; James Haddaway, Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Auld.
William Dickinson, Captain; Isaac Bowdle, 1st Lieutenant; Daniel McGinnis, 2nd Lieutenant; Jabez Caldwell, Major 4th Regiment.
Robert H. Goldsborough, Captain; William Harrison, jr., 1st Lieuten- ant; Edward N. Hambleton, 2nd Lieutenant; E. Lloyd, Lieutenant Colonel; Daniel Martin, Major.
Amos Hale, Captain; Thomas Cooper, Lieutenant; John Meredith, Major 4th Regiment.
Oakley Haddaway, Captain; Jas. Jones, Lieutenant; Hugh Auld, Lieutenant Colonel 26th Regiment.
Thomas Henrix, Captain; Thomas C. Nicols, Lieutenant; John Mere- dith, Major 4th Regiment.
William Jordan, Captain; William Austin, Lieutenant; Hugh Auld, Lieutenant Colonel 26th Regiment.
John L. Kerr, Captain; John (William?) Hayward, Jr., Lieutenant; also William H. Groome, Lieutenant; William B. Smyth, Lieutenant Colonel, 4th Regiment.
Joseph Kemp, Captain; John Graham, Lieutenant; Hugh Auld, Lieutenant Colonel 26th Regiment.
John Merrick, Captain; Tristram Perry, Lieutenant; Jabez Cald- well, Major 4th Regiment.
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James Newnam, Captain; William Brown, Lieutenant; also, Matthew Higgins, Lieutenant.
George Parrott, Captain; Jno. Dudley, Lieutenant; William B. Smyth, Lieutenant Colonel 4th Regiment.
Jonathan Spencer, Captain; George Moffett, Lieutenant; also, Edward Price, Lieutenant, Hugh Auld, Lieutenant Colonel 4th Regi- ment.
Samuel Stevens, Jr., Captain; William Jenkins, Lieutenant; Jabez Caldwell, Major 4th Regiment.
Clement Vickars, Captain; Thomas A. Fisher, 1st Lieutenant; Thomas Parrott, 2nd Lieutenant; Artillery attached to 4th Regiment.
Thomas Wayman, Captain; James Colston, Lieutenant; Hugh Auld, Lieutenant Colonel 26th Regiment.
Of General Perry Benson, the chief in command, at the affair of St. Michaels, an extended memoir was printed in the Easton Star. Colonel Hugh Auld, the second in command, was the son of Edward and Sarah Auld, and born at Wade's point, which afterwards became his own resi- dence, July 20th, 1767. He was a gentleman of good capacity, genial manners, and unquestioned courage as a soldier. He died November 3rd, 1820, and is buried at his old homestead. He left a large family of children, among whom was the late Thomas Auld, Esq., who is likely to be remembered as the owner and master of Frederick Douglas, the distinguished orator, and most considerable man of the African race in this country. Col. Auld has descendants in the wives of Mr. John C. Harper and Mr. William H. Bruff, respected citizens one of St. Michaels, the other Texas.
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