USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bremen > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 40
USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Bristol > A history of the towns of Bristol and Bremen in the state of Maine : including the Pemaquid Settlement > Part 40
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One of the prizes of the Young Teazer which arrived in Port- land harbor in safety was the English schooner, Grey Hound, of 100 tons burden, loaded with fish and lumber. She belonged to Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and was bound for the West Indies, and had been out but a day or two when captured. A prize crew was put on board, who were ordered to take her into Portland ; but soon La Hogue, an English 74 gun ship, hove in sight, and they saw there was no hope of escape, except by stratagem.
So it was hastily arranged that when the English officers should come on board they should claim to be the proper officers and (the Yankees the crew of the craft), 1 named in her papersjust taken from & Halifax office. This they actually did, the captain aud crew for the time assuming the names upon her papers; and so well all acted their parts that the schooner was allowed to pass and arrived safely in port.2
The Young Teazer closed her career by the explosion of her magazine, under circumstances which led to the belief that the match was applied intentionally by her lieutenant, whose name was Johnson.
He had been a prisoner in the hands of the enemy a little time before this, and by enlisting again in the Young Teazer, had broken the parole granted him ; and of course had little rea- son to expect mercy if he was again captured. They had been cruising several days at the eatstward, and had taken several English merchant ships near the mouth of Halifax harbor, being constantly in great danger from the enemy's ships of war, but avoiding capture by persistent vigilance, and adroit management. At length, as they were passing the mouth of a small bay, a few
1 Bost. Pat., July 7th, 1813.
Com. Ado., (N. Y.), June 4th, 1813. The War, July 20th, 1813.
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miles west of Halifax, carly in the morning, a British 74 gun - ship hove in sight, and to avoid her the Young Teazer put in near an island where the water was too shallow for the heavy Englishman to follow, who therefore sont after them several of her barges. As the latter drew near and it became apparent that they could not escape, Lieutenant Johnson suddenly went below and the explosion occurred in a very few moments. There were on board in all 37 persons, of whom ouly 8 escaped. Capt. Dobson and Lieut. Johnson both porished.
A boy, who was one of the 8 that were saved, was said to have told a story a little different from the above. Ile said that just before Lieut. Johnson went below, Capt. D. reprimanded him sharply for some disobedience of orders in regard to the manner he had loaded the large gun on board ; and it is left to be inferred that in his rage he blew up the ship in consequence. Both stories may be substantially true. Seven of the 8 that were saved were in the forecastle at the time of the explosion, and the other was in a boat alongside, and they all made their escape to the shore near Malagash, in the boat, but some or all of them were afterwards arrested and sent to Halifax as prisoners of war. Among those that were lost was Wm. Sproul (ante. p. 835) brother of the Inte Capt. John Sproul of Pemaquid, who had shipped on board in Portland.
The most important naval action that occurred in this region during the summer of this year (1813), or indeed during the war, was the capture of the British brig Boxer by the United States brig, Enterprise, on Sunday, the 5th of September. The action took place in a line nearly midway between the extreme end of Pemaquid Point and the island of Monhegan, and was witnessed by many of the inhabitants of the south part of the town.
This heroic naval contest has been too often described, and everything connected with it is too well understood to require a repetition of the details. The Boxer had been lurking in these waters several months, and had made many prizes and done con- siderable mischief; and it afforded the people much relief when it was known that she was out of the way.
A few days before the battle the British ship had boarded a schooner showing the Swedish flag, which had come in and anchored in Pemaquid harbor. She was really a Yankee craft commanded by Captain Thos. Child, of Bristol, but had been put under the Swedish flag because of the neutrality of that nation at
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.
the time. Saturday afternoon, Sept. 4th, the Boxer camo in and anchored near John's island, and the next morning sent a flag of truce up to the harbor, requesting permission to board the foreign ship. The Harrington militia company, Capt. Sproul, had been called out that afternoon for drill; and word being sent them of the appearance of the British ship in the mouth of Pemaquid Harbor, Capt. S. with a part his mon repaired to the site of the old fort, and were there on the approach of the flag. Capt. S. after consultation thought proper to grant the request, and the British officer proceeded on board the schooner. Soon signals were made from the Boxer, and the boat made haste to return ; and in a very little time, the big ship, as she appeared to the people ou the shore, with all sails set was heading out to sea. About the same time the United States ship, Enterprise, made her appearance at a considerable distance outside, coming from the west; and it became evident to the people on shore that a fight was probable. Many loft their homes to seek better places ofobservation, and multitudes on the shores and hills waited with anxiety the result of the contest. The firing did not begin until about 3 P.M.
The afternoon was perfectly clear, with only a gentle breeze from the N. N. W., so that the movements of the combatants were not rapid. During the fight the people on shore could know nothing of the comparative damage received by the combatants; therefore when, at the end, the ships were seen to turn their prows to the west, there was great rejoicing.1
The Enterprise had one man killed and 13 wounded. The loss of the Boxer is believed to have been much greater, but is not acurately known.
The two ships after the battle, made their way to Portland harbor, and a week afterwards the British brig, Ratler, appeared off the mouth of the harbor, with a white flag at her mast head, and sent a boat ashore requesting to exchange the prisoners
' Bost. Pat., June 26th, July 5th, 28th ; The War, Sept. 23, 1813 ; Cooper's Hist. of the Navy II, p. 109 ; Hadley's Second War with Eng., I, p. 249.
The event is distinctly remembered by the author, who, with his parents, was a witness of the fight from the high land near Long Cove. The wind was light, and occasionally for some time neither ship could be seen for the smoke that en- veloped them. Soon after the firing ceased the two ships turned their prows to the west, and the people on the shore then first know which party had gained the victory.
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takon in the Boxer; but the authorities had received no autho- rity to act in such matters, and were therefore obliged to decline.1
When the capture of the Boxer became known in England it produced a profound sensation. The following extract is from a London paper of the time.2
Among the American news which is to be found in the papers just received from that country, it pains us to find a full confirmation of the loss of his majesty's brig Boxer, which has added another laurel to the naval honors of the United States. The vessel which was captured is repro- sented (falsely we believe) as of only equal force with herself; but what we regret to perceive stated, and trust will be found much exaggerated, is that the Boxer was literally cut to pieces, rigging, spars and hull ; while the Enterprise (her antagonist) was in a situation to commence a similar ac- tion immediately afterwards. The fact seems to be but too clearly estab- lished that the Americans have some superior mode of firing and we cannot be too anxiously employed in discovering to what circumstances that superi- ority is owing.
The three miltia companies organized in the town at the very beginning of the revolutionary war (ante, p. 357), it is believed had mantained their organization until this time, Capt. Robert Day now having command of the Walpole company, Capt. Sproul of the Harrington company, and Capt. Samuel Yates of the Broad Cove company. They belonged to the 2d regiment, 2d brigade, 11th division of the Massachusetts militia. They appear not to have been called out, or only for discipline, the first year of the war, and though Capt Sproul and a part of his company were present at Pemaquid fort when the Boxer came in there, Sept. 4th and 5th, 1813, they probably were acting as volunteers. August 24th, 1813, the town voted to make application for two twelve pound canuon, and two fourteen pounders, the latter to be for the use of an artillery company about to be organized. They petitioned also for 150 stand of small arms and the necessary ammunition.
In the autumn the proposed artillery company was duly organized, with Marius How as captain, and Barry G. Pomeroy lieutenant. In the course of the winter two brass field pieces were obtained, and on the opening of spring the " Independent Wash- ington Artillery," about 40 in number, in their new uniform, as they frequently met for drill and parade, made no mean appear-
1 The War, Sept. 13, 1813.
' The War, April 26, 1814.
1
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ance, and attracted no little attention. An armory was erected for the use of the company, and the organization was continued according to the records until 1840. The last meeting recorded was held October 15, 1840.
In the spring of 1814, two six pound iron cannon were ob- tained from the government, and some small arms and ammuni- tion. One of the cannon was kept at the Falls and the other at Round Pond. Some 50 stand of arms were sent on by government, a part of which was distributed between the Broad Cove and Harrington militia companies, and the rest committed to the custody of Aaron Blaney for safe keeping.
The capture of Napoleon, in the spring of 1814, and subsequent banishment to the island of Elba, was an event that boded nothing but evil to the people of this country, as it permitted the English government to bring much of the force heretofore employed in the mighty contest with him, into action against the United States. No attempt had as yet been made by the enemy to seize upon any of the territory of Maine; but nothing could be more probable than a movement of this kind. His ships ranged this coast almost unobstructed ; and attempts to land troops at available points might be expected at any time.
To guard against surprises constant watchfulness was required and as a warning to the miltia companies, it was ordered that two cannon reports, one immediately succeeding the other, should be considered a signal of the approach of danger.1
This preparation for self defense in the spring of 1814 was not without sufficient reason, as the sequel will show. Early in the season several British war vessels appeared on the coast, among them the Bulwark, a 74 gun ship, with smaller vessels and barges for running into the bays and harbors. April 25th, Ad- miral Cockrane, having his head quarters at Bermuda, declared
1 Mrs. Wm. Yates, and a sister of hers, both of whom lived near Round Pond, had a brother, Mr. McCobb, who lived on the upper end of Londs or Muscongus island opposite the harbor, and the sisters were accustomed occasionally to make a signal to their brother, who would come in a boat and take them to his house. In the time of the war they thus on a pleasant day signaled to their brother from the north point by raising a red shawl and waving it to and fro to attract his at- tention. Soon a gun was heard on the opposite or southern point and then another in another direction, and another still, andl another, and it was not until the milicia men began to come together from all directions with their loaded guns that the ladies were aware of the alarm they had so innocently created. - ALEXANDER YATES, Esq. July, 1808.
1
52
1. 4. 447
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the whole coast of the United States from Eastport to the mouth of the Mississippi in a state of blockade, no vessels to be allowed to enter or depart from any one of the ports. Admiral Warren, Nov. 16th, 1812, being then at Halifax, issued his proclamation declaring certain of our ports to be in a state of blockade, and then it was extended to all our ports -- on paper.1
But the aggressions of the enemy were not to be confined to the ocean ; in the month of June, the Bulwark made several at- tempts to land troops from her barges in this vicinity. Six of them, Monday, June 20th, entered the Sheepscott, river and effected a landing, though opposed by some 40 of the militia. A field piece left by the militia was disabled, and thrown into the river and then they commenced their march inland, intending, it is supposed, to reach the village of Wiseasset. When they had marched about 7 or 8 miles they were met by a larger force of militia, and, in their turn, obliged to retreat. Marching back to their boats, they reembarked and passed out in safety, only making some demonstrations opposite the fort in Georgetown.2
Several of the enemy's ships were now constantly on this coast ; and one of them, June 27th or 28th, sent some barges into the harbor of Boothbay ; but being fired upon by the militia assembled there they soon retreated. The militia of the whole region were frequently called out for drill, and in all respects were kept in readiness for action. June 29th the fog was very thick along the coast most of the time, and the evening quite dark but the practiced ears of the inhabitants and soldiers of Captain Sproul's company, many of whom had been temporarily sta- tioned at the old fort, could readily detect the sound of the oars of boats making their way carefully up towards the harbor. They could not be seen ; but it was deemed best to fire upon them though they could aim their guns only by the sound. This was done, and the fire returned, but probably without effect on either side. Certainly no harm was done to those on the shore. The firing lasted only a little time, and the unseen enemy re- treated.
1 The papers of the day atfirm that Capt. Dobson, of the Young Teazer, lying off the port of Halifax, early in July, 1813, declared that port in a state of blockade. If he did so -- which may be doubted - it was of course, intended, as a farce upon the previous action of Admiral Warren. Considering the magnitude of the work that Warren proposed for himself, if a real blockade was intended, and the means at his command, his declaration was scarcely less farcical than that of Capt. Dob- son. (Boston Put., July 1, 1813).
2 Bost. Put., June 25th, 1814.
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But before it was over Arthur Child was sent up to the Falls to fire an alarm, the cannon assigned to this neighborhood for this purpose being kept in the barn of Captain John Fossett. It was past midnight when he reached the place, with some others, boys and men. They were iu a great hurry, but it took some time to get the heavy iron piece out of the barn and. load it, and in their excitement neither men nor boys ob- served that the piece was pointed exactly towards Capt. F's house, so that when the gun was discharged nearly every pane of glass in one side of the house was broken. A second discharge of the piece immediately following the first, gave the people of the whole region decided intimation of their danger.1
After it became evident that the enemy had left the region of the fort, there was much discussion between Captain Sproul and his men as to the course the enemy's boats might be ex- pected to take, many predicting that they would pass around the point and make an attempt to land at New Harbor. This feel- ing soon became so strong that some that were only spectators or perhaps volunteers started to walk across ; and they were soon followed by Captain Sproul and his men.
Several nights previous to this guards had been stationed at several points on the coast, one of which was on the north side of New Harbor near its mouth, where a small guard house had been erected, Some remains of it were still to be seen only a few years ago. It was occupied at this time, it is believed, by a detachment of eight or ten men from the Broad Cove com- pany, Captain Yates.2
The morning of June 30th had but just dawned when three of the barges probably the same as were at the fort the night previous were suddenly discovered just entering the mouth of New Harbor. The fog probably had before concealed them. In fact only two of them actually entered the harbor, the third re- maining outside as a guard, and for observation. Though the hour was early Wm. Rodgers, whose house was very near, with a loaded gun, had walked down on the shore ; and was hailed by an officer on board, and with a threat ordered not to fire. He advised them to be off, as there would presently be a hundred
1 Tradition. John Fossett, 1872.
' Considerable effort has been made to determine their names without success, the orderly book of the company having been lost.
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men there ; and in spite of the threat fired his piece by way of alarm.
This seems to have been the first intimation the men on guard had of the enemy's presence, but they now rushed down on the shore ; and soon a rather heavy fire of musketry was pouring into the barges, especially the forward one. Each man on the shore took care to protect himself as much as possible from the shot of the enemy. and loaded and fired as rapidly as possible, several, it is said, firing as many as nine or more times.
The enemy returned the fire with much spirit from small cannon as well as muskets; and for a few minutes the pattering of the bullets on the rocky shore was lively and also the whist- ling of the cannon shot in the air, the aim being mostly too high to strike the men on shore. Soon the men in the forward barge - began to show signs of discomfort, and the next instant were actually backing out of the scrimmage ; but the other barge for a few minutes showed a disposition to take the place of her con- sort and continue the fight. But it was kept up only a few moments, and both the barges made haste to get outside of the harbor, some of the men following down on the shore and con- tinuing their firing at the enemy, even after he was far beyond the reach of their bullets.
Quite a number of men were killed, and many wounded on board the barges, but the exact number was never ascertained. On the Yankee side one man, Daniel Richards, was wounded in the thigh, either by a wad or a spent ball. Though the flesh was only bruised, the shock brought him to the ground.
The fight was but just over when the fastest runners from the fort began to arrive, and very soon after them Captain S. and his men, who had just reached the bridge over the stream running into the head of the harbor, when the first shot was fired.1
Besides the guard house at New Harbor there were several others erected and nightly occupied for some time in the summer and autumn of 1814, as at Round Pond and Rutherford's island.
1 Tradition. Capt. Sproul. 1859, Wm. Hackelton. Mrs. Wmn. Russell, who saw the barges as they were entering the mouth of the harbor before the first shot was fired. She saw them from her residence on the high land north of Long Cove. Early in the forenoon, a number of mon and boys, coming from the harbor, called at Mr. Hackelton's at Long Cove, and among them was Wm. Elliot of Round Pond, with his face and hands well blackend with gunpowder. It is believed that. he belonged to the Broad Cove company, and was one of the guard (previously mon-
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The condition of affairs in eastern Maine was now becoming decidedly interesting, not to say precarious, as we shall soon see. July 11th, a strong British force took possession of Eastport under the pretence that it belonged of right to Great Britain, having, with other islands in the Passamaquoddy bay, been improperly given up by the treaty of 1783. There can be no doubt that it had already been determined to seize upon and hold as large a part of the territory of Maine, as they might be able to conquer, but it was deemed best for the present to conceal this part of their real intentions, and hence the pretence was re- sorted to to blind the eyes of the inhabitants. But all was soon made plain by the course of events. The people of Bristol, as well as other adjacent towns, well understood the disasters that portended them ; but we, their descendants, cannot now well appreciate the feeling that for many weeks pervaded the public mind.
The enemy having made himself secure, on Moose Island, on which Eastport is situated, and collected there a large force of war ships and transports, an expedition with some 3000 troops was fitted out, which made its appearance at the mouth of the Penobscot the first day of September. As resist- ance to the strong force of the enemy would evidently be vain, the commander of the fort at Castine at once spiked all the cannons, blew up the magazine, and, with the few troops under his command, fled for safety up the river. Next the enemy took possession of Belfast, and quartered there a considerable part of his force, assuring the inhabitants if they were quiet and orderly no harm should be done to them. A considerable force was then sent up the river quite to Bangor, and all the territory of Maine, east of the Penobscot, was declared by right of conquest to be subject to the British Crown.1 A proclamation to this effect was issued by Lieut. Gen. Sir John Sherbroke, K. B., commander of the British land forces, and Edward Griffith, Esq., rear admiral of the White, commanding the British tioned) stationed at the harbor the night previous. All were greatly excited as a matter of course, and Elliot perfectly furious. He said he had been having the best sport he ever had in his life, shooting Englishmen.
It is believed that Col. Robert Day sent to Gen. King a full report of the affair at New Harbor, and that it was made use of in Washington 12 or 14 years ago, in establishing some soldiers' claims ; but at the author's request search was made at the proper office and the document could not be found.
1 Bost. Put., Sept. 10, and Oct. 19, 1814. Will. Hist. Maine, II, p. 50,; Locke Hist. Cam., p. 117 ; Niles's Register.
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squadron in the Penobscot. It was published in the Boston papers, Sept. 10th.
Next came the following general order from the commander of the British ship Endymion,
" Endymion, at sea, Sept. 15, 1814.
"GENERAL ORDER. The territory lying between the bay of Passama- quoddy and the Penobscot river having been taken possession of by His Maj. forces ; All vessels clearing out from any of H. Mas. North Ameri- can Provinces for any port or place within this territory, including the port of Castine, and the port and places situated on the east side of the Penobsbot river, are to be allowed to pass free and unmolested, to bring back return cargoes of lumber and provisions, also any vessels being from the port of Castine with a license from the Commanding Officers of H. Mas. land and 'naval forces at Castine.
" EDWARD GRIFITH"
'The enemy succeeded in his Penobscot expedition quite beyond his own most sanguine expectations; and it was confi- dently expected that another similar expedition would soon make its appearance in this region, prepared to attempt a land- ing at some favorable point. What place would be selected for the purpose ? Would it be Portland, or some place on the Kennebec, or Wiscasset, or some place more to the east ? Those were the anxious questions the civil and military autho- rities asked each other, and the people earnestly discussed.
To be in readiness for the enemy, whenever he might make his appearance, Gen. Wm. King, of Bath, ordered out his whole division of the militia; and establishing his own headquarters at Wiscasset, stationed his troops mostly in Edgecomb but some in other exposed places.
Of the three companies in this town the two at Walpole and Broad Cove were ordered to Wiscasset, but the other, the Har- rington company, Captain John Sproul, was allowed to remain at home for the protection of the exposed places on the coast. Capt. Hiscock's (Walpole) company received their orders Sept. 7th, and the next day 67 men answered to their names at Sheepscott bridge, from which place they marched to Wiseasset, and were quartered in the Court House. On the 9th, they were trans- ferred to Edgecomb where they remained some two weeks, except that several of them at different times were detached for special duty elsewhere. The last of them broke up their camps
1
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on the 25th. The Broad Cove company, Captain Yates, was ordered to Wiscasset at the same time, but it is believed were allowed to return to their homes sooner than the other.1 Sept. 30th twenty men were detached from Captain Hiscock's company and sent to Squam Island (Westport) for 15 days.
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