USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Bath > History of Bath and environs, Sagadahoc County, Maine. 1607-1894 > Part 8
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The first war ship which appeared off the mouth of the Kennebec was the Bulwark, afterwards replaced by the La Hogue, both of large armament. Bath was justly alarmed. These large ships could not ascend the river, but they might land troops to march on the town, or send armed barges up the river. In undertaking either mode of attack they would have met with a warm reception. Eng- lish war ships made a rendezvous at Castine, and some of them had been sent up the Penobscot, destroyed the village of Hampden, and sacked Bangor; had molested Machias and given battle to one of our armed vessels off that port, and had threatened Wiscasset with bombardment.
Along in the first weeks of June, 1814, Major General William King was on an official tour to the east, and learned that seven of the English fleet had sailed from Castine, heading along shore to the westward. He hastened to Bath, and, anticipating danger from these ships, immediately ordered out an entire brigade of 1500 men to assemble at Bath on the 20th of June. According to the best information attainable, two companies of the Bath regiment were stationed at the mouth of the river under Col. Andrew Reed.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
The Great Alarm. - It was then that what has been termed "the great alarm" took place at Bath and along the lower Kennebec. The cause was that, during the night, the Bulwark had arrived off Seguin. Early in the morning it was seen from the shore that barges were at her side, into which armed men were placed. They soon put off from the ship, heading towards the river. But instead of entering it, they suddenly turned and made for Sheepscot and Arrowsic. Samuel Sewall, then the Phipsburg Congregational min- ister, thus speaks of their movements in his diary:
" June 20, 1814. From Stage Island I saw a British ship of war at anchor off Seguin; send seven boats with men; take two sloops and six boats; went up Sheepscot River.
June 22. Great alarm by the British and some skirmishing. .
June 23. Strong wind from the N. E .; many small boats a fish- ing; understand have gone to sea; mercy on them."
At this time the colonel of the regiment happened to be at Phipsburg Center. He was entirely destitute of field officers. A supply of new muskets had arrived in a vessel from Boston at a wharf in that village, and he rode up there in the night time to receive and give a receipt for them, as officially obliged to do; and while thus engaged, early in the morning, a courier came up from Cox's Head notifying him that the Bulwark had anchored off Seguin and was sending barges into the river. Col. Reed ordered an alarm to be fired by the cannon on " Meeting-house Hill" at the Center, in doing which one of the hands of Peter Carey, a mulatto, was badly wounded while ramming home a charge, and for which he was afterwards allowed a pension by the Massachusetts government. The colonel immediately dispatched John Langdon Hill, then a youth, on horseback to Bath to notify Gen. King of the word that had been received from the mouth of the river. On his way to Bath, young Hill, obeying instructions, notified all at home on the line of the road, capable of firing a gun, to come at once to the front, and they came, young men and old.
The courier found Gen. King in his office. As related by Col. Reed in after years, upon reading the dispatch, the general put his
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head out of a window and called out in his stentorian voice, "The enemy is coming, every man arm and to his alarm post instantly." Col. Reed mounted his horse and rode rapidly down to the "seat of war." In haste to have his troops in every possible readiness for action, he did not stop at his headquarters to put on his uniform, so that when Gen. King and his staff, who immediately came down, arrived, the general said to him, "What ! not yet in uniform ?" "It will not take long to do that," was the reply, and the uniform was quickly donned.
Major Zina Hyde, then adjutant of the Bath regiment, records the situation in Bath on that memorable day in his diary, and extracts from it speak for itself:
" Monday, May 9, 1814. Colonel McCobb's men stationed at this place, having received their uniforms, were mustered to a consider- able number for inspection, and marched about town.
Tuesday, June 7, 1814. A part of Colonel McCobb's regiment encamped for a few days past near the South meeting-house com- menced their march for Burlington, Vt.
Wednesday, June 15. Issued order for a meeting of officers at General King's to consult on measures of defence in case of the appearance of an enemy on our waters.
Friday, 17. Spent from half-past to I o'clock at General King's deliberating and agreeing on alarm posts, signals, &c, for the several companies of the regiment.
Afternoon. The citizens met at Captain Stockbridge's, when the exempts agreed to form themselves into a company for the defence of the town. Much engaged on Saturday in preparing orders for the commanding officers of the regiment.
Monday, June 20, 1814. The company of exempts, having on Saturday night elected Capt. H. G. Allen for their captain, Capt. James McLellan, lieutenant, and Capt. C. Waterman, ensign, met at 8 o'clock for the first time under them, and while in the act of choosing their corporals, an express arrived from Phipsburg to Gen. King with information that a British ship of war was at the mouth of the river, and that a number of barges were on their way up the
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HISTORY OF BATH.
river. I was in the act of delivering some artillery ammunition to Capt. Sprague and Lieut. Noble when the message arrived. Capt. S. and myself proceeded to Center Street, while Mr. Noble went to the gun house to be prepared to give the alarm guns. Here met Gen. King, who ordered me mounted and every man to his alarm post, the report being that a number of barges had passed the fort from a British ship for this place; was mounted on the first horse to be found and vigorously engaged in seeing to the preparation of munitions of war for the defence of the town. Gen. King pro- ceeded almost immediately to Phipsburg, leaving Gen. McCobb in command here.
About noon received information that the barges had gone up Sheepscot Bay, not having attempted to enter the Kennebec, from which fact Gen. McCobb sent a boat through the gut to give us the alarm in case of enemy's approach in that direction.
Evening, hearing that the barges had returned to the ship, which proved to be the Bulwark, 74 guns, having attempted nothing but a landing on Squam, from which they were driven by the militia after a small stay, and having met with a sharp fire from the militia on Pond Island. It was considered necessary to be no less on the guard during the night than for the day. Colonels Merrill and Thomas with about 600 men, including those of Col. Reed's regi- ment, had now assembled. Called on by Major Clap for return of troops for the purpose of detaching guard, making requisition for rations, which having been made, I made the necessary detachments for the night.
Tuesday, 21. Obtained an order for dismissing the companies of our regiment for a short time. Troops mustered for inspection. Gen. King departed for Phipsburg. On his return he discharged Colonels Thomas and Merrill's regiments; detached guards for the night.
Wednesday, 22. By orders, discharged troops from Ist regiment (Col. Reed's); much engaged copying and distributing orders,
Friday morning, 24. At 9 o'clock a number of citizens met at the Lincoln Bank and petitioned Gen. King to detach 100 militia for the defence of the place, which he accordingly did.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
Monday, June 27, 1814. A court of inquiry held in consequence of a scandalous petition to Gen. King for an inquiry into the cir- cumstances of Mr. Jenks and others having prepared to go to the British with a flag of truce, &c, on Monday last. The real fact being this: Mr. Jenks having been consulted by some private gentlemen as to the expediency of having preparations made for sending a flag of truce in case of the British appearing in force, decided by sufficient vote to bear down all opposition, that by giving up the vessels would save the effusion of blood and destruction of the town. Towards which Mr. Jenks expressed his approbation and willingness to assist in so far as his services might be of use, and also the pleasure it would afford him to be made a messenger of peace, not considering his situation as an officer. The petition was from Weld, Robinson, Boynton, and others, and the result was honorable to Mr. Jenks."
"The Rev. William Jenks, pastor of the South church and regi- mental chaplain, procured a boat to proceed down river, and with a white flag flying attempt to make terms with the enemy and prevent the effusion of blood. He was arrested before he was out of sight by a force sent after him, and came near being court martialed for such a gross violation of the laws of war in sending to treat with the enemy without any order from his commanding officer. So nearly was the fright universal that it was, for a long time afterwards, remarked that the only two men who appeared to have their wits about them were Gen. Denny McCobb and Capt. Horatio G. Allen. Gen. McCobb resided on the southeast corner of Washington and Union Streets, in the house since removed east to Front Street, on the southwest corner of Union Street, in order to make room for a more modern mansion " ( Jno. Hayden).
Other Account of the Alarm. - It may be of interest to insert what was written fifty years after the event by a citizen who participated in those stirring scenes of June 20, 1814, that are des- tined to be ever memorable to the people of Bath. In this personal narrative there are errors, some of which this author has corrected in the copy, while others have been allowed to remain to add
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piquancy to the story. Gen. King did not ride through the streets calling to arms; it was Adjutant Zina Hyde who did this alarm duty by request of Gen. King, as named in the account of Maj. Hyde himself elsewhere in this volume. No such word was officially sent to Gen. King on the morning of the alarm as named in this story. The general did not start for Brunswick, but did for the mouth of the river at once, as was told by the commanding officer there to this author. This sketch thus reads :-
"During the first half of the war the seaboard defences of New England were sadly, if not purposely, neglected by the national administration. There was a fort at Hunniwells Point at the mouth of the Kennebec; it had, however, but a few guns, and these were manned only by a handful of men. Bath was an important town, fifteen miles above the fort. Much shipping, as now, was built and owned there; but the ships were rotting at the wharves, or had been taken by British cruisers. The business of the place, of course, was prostrate; and the enemy, if he could not take all their vessels at sea, was resolved to burn them up in port, and if possible, burn the town with them. The fort was only a temptation - no terror - to the foe. The Bath people were aware of their exposed situation; and their military companies, consisting of an artillery, a light infantry, and three of militia, were tolerably drilled and kept in readiness. There was no knowing the day when the avowed design of the enemy would be attempted upon the town; but that the assault would ere long come, all believed. To be prepared for the emergency, and to increase the requisite force to the greatest extent possible, an exempt company was formed and put, voluntarily, on duty. By the law of Massachusetts, none were obliged to bear arms but able bodied men between the ages of eighteen and forty- five who had not held military commissions and been honorably discharged. All such, together with men above forty-five and young men under eighteen, were exempt from duty. The company alluded to was formed of such men, and it was a very large one, almost a regiment of itself, embracing, indeed, nearly every man or boy capable of defending his home and fireside with a musket. All wore citizen's dress, the officers being distinguished from their
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HISTORY OF BATH.
" fellow soldiers " only by a cockade on the hat, an epaulette upon the shoulder, and a crimson sash about the waist. The command of this excellent and truly patriotic company was given to Capt. Horatio G. Allen, who had formerly commanded the Bath Light Infantry and been honorably discharged. He was an admirable officer, calm, ready, active, and thoroughly skilled in military tactics. The lieutenant was William Torrey, and the. ensign J. Mclellan. We recollect the officers and many of the company well; for we were, at that time, clerk in a store at the "Corner," where the company met almost daily for parade and drill, and, of course, we were in the midst. Indeed, at the order of our uncle, the captain, we must needs join the company ourself, as we did, in the last emergency, and " went to war" with them. We suppose this com- pany never was known to the government, as such, it being purely a volunteer corps, and that, therefore, no records may now be in existence of its proceedings. It asked no compensation; it drew no pay; no Land Warrant ever turned up for the benefit of one of its members.
Did you ever hear an alarm of fire! fire! given by a hundred voices in the dead hour of midnight, when the wild winds of heaven, in hurricane fury, were threatening to envelope whole ranges of buildings in flame? But what was that, pray, to the more deadly shriek, threatening the massacre of men, women, and children, which suddenly rang through the streets of Bath, as the awful roar of cannon, peal upon peal, was heard below, and the war cry was loud before every man's door, - To Arms ! To Arms ! The enemy is coming ! Every man to his alarm-post !! Every man to his alarm- post, instantly ! ! !
In the " Bath Alarm" the conscious terrors of a deadly strife were as real to those who armed themselves for the defence of home as ever they were to the more highly disciplined ranks "pon the Canadian lines.
It was early on the morning of a summer's day in 1814, whilst many of the villagers were yet locked in the peaceful arms of sleep, that the reports of heavy cannonading, broadside upon broadside,
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HISTORY OF BATH.
suddenly broke the spell, and aroused the people of Bath to a consciousness of impending danger. The heavens were calm, and the earth was still; and the gentle airs that drew up river with the flowing tide brought the fearful reverberations with great distinct- ness, and rendered it certain that the enemy was attempting to pass the fort, in which case no doubt could remain that he would proceed to execute his long threatened work of demolishing the town and destroying its extensive and valuable shipping in port.
Anon, a courier on the line that had for some time been kept up between Bath and Phipsburg came running into town upon a fleet horse, and proceeded directly to the mansion of Maj. Gen. William King (afterwards Maine's first governor), and reported to these head-quarters that the British had engaged and silenced the fort and were advancing up river in force. The news flew like lightning. Forthwith the general himself, mounted on horseback, in citizen's dress, was seen galloping through the streets, flourishing a drawn broadsword, and exclaiming, at the top of his voice, the fearful words, " Every man to his alarm-post ! Every man to his alarm-post, instantly ! ! " It was an awful cry. Instantly the whole population were in commotion; the streets were full of people -children crying, women screaming, men running to and fro, and not a few looking as if the day of doom had fully come. The most frightful alarm of " fire !" that we ever heard was nothing to it; in that case, property alone is generally endangered; in this, life, dear life itself, was imperiled. The prospect was, that some who left their houses that morning would return no more alive. Meanwhile, families were engaged in removing their effects into the woods; and some, that had not been into the country for years, found themselves under special engagements, just at this time, to visit their friends in Brunswick and elsewhere. Gen. Wingate, who was collector of the port and district, a wealthy gentleman, was the owner of valuable services of silver plate, and this, it was said, at the happy sugges- tion of his accomplished lady, was thrown into the well. The treasure of other families was concealed in equally safe depositories. The business of the old turnpike was good that day, and Sewall's . woods were honored with larger whortleberry parties than usual.
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In a short time the major-general, having made his first circuit in citizen's dress, appeared in more dignity, mounted in military costume, and visited the several alarm-posts, where the military companies were rapidly assembling. We dare say, his directions were judicious; but soon he disappeared, and it was said had proceeded to Brunswick to call out the troops in that and the neigh- boring towns and send them in to the point of danger as soon as possible. We heard the suggestion made that he should rather have sent his aid-de-camp on this business and remained at home himself as the head in command; we know not how this is, but as it happened during his absence the command fell upon one who had been in actual service - the best officer we ever saw without exception - Gen. Denny McCobb, who, at that time, sustained the offices of brigadier-general of the local militia and the coloneley of a regiment of United States infantry, which he was then raising for the Canadian frontier, and which, happily, he had quartered then on the hill near the South meeting-house. Gen. McCobb had recently returned from the main army on the lines, where he had commanded a regiment in the bloody battle of Shattagee Woods. He manifested no excitement; on the contrary, he quieted it wherever he went. He was cool and calm as if at his every day's work. The people and the troops he inspired with confidence and courage. A friendly pat upon the shoulder of this one, a smile in the face of another, a cheering word in the ear of a third, and his perfect self-command in the presence of all, soon made the gathering troops feel that if they were to fight and die under the lead of any one, his was the pres- ence in which they would prefer to stand or fall. He passed rapidly from company to company, gave directions as to what must be done and how to do it; nay, we recollect how he set even our young hands at work making ball cartridges for the cartouches of the exempt company that had its head-quarters at our store. We have said above, and have often told him so to his face, and we insist upon it now, that Gen. Denny MeCobb was the most perfect officer, for actual service, we ever saw. His regiment of United States troops was not yet quite full; but it was in town and ready for service. Gen. McCobb had, therefore, rightfully a double command
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-one as colonel of the United States army, and the other as brigadier-general of the Massachusetts militia. We knew several of his subordinate officers, one of whom, we believe, is yet living in Bath, good Orderly Sergeant Hayes, who served faithfully through the war, returned to Bath, where he has long lived in the affections of his fellow citizens, and has done more good as the apostle of temperance than perhaps any other man on the Kennebec River. He will recollect the scenes of which we speak; we should be right glad to have a long " sit down " with the old apostle, and revive the history of his battles with King George and King Alcohol.
Never did firemen gather at their engine houses at an alarm of "fire !" more rapidly than did the members of the several military companies of Bath assemble at their usual places of parade. It seemed hardly half an hour before troops were marching through the streets to the spirit-stirring music of fife and drum, all ready for action. The corps to which we, though but a youth of sixteen years, belonged was the exempt company, and which had its rendez- vous at the store in which we were clerk. On the first alarm, we lastened to the spot, where we found our own company assembling, and saw the soldiers of other corps also hastening through that central point to their several armories. Our company was the largest, and being volunteer was entitled to the special gratitude and attention of Gen. McCobb, though really he had no right of command over it, farther than as this was most cheerfully and gladly accorded to him. We recollect he came into our store, which was opened for convenience on the occasion, and on his own responsi- bility purchased every keg and pound of powder in it, furnished the balls himself, and set our nimble hands, with others, to the work of making cartridges as fast as possible. Meanwhile, with Col. Reed of Georgetown or Phipsburg, who commanded the home regiment, and other officers, he was planning the scheme of defence. If we recollect aright, Capt. Noble's company of artillery was to take position on King's wharf, and all the old cannon and swivels that could be found in town were to be brought to the docks and placed upon the deeks of certain ships that were dismantled. The exempt company and light infantry were to be marched to the lowest point
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of defence, on the shore, towards Winnegance, and near an old windmill; the United States regiment was to support these com- panies; the militia were to have other stations above us, on the shore, and the troops from adjacent towns, as fast as they should arrive, were to complete the arrangements for the battle. Meanwhile the English were advancing. They had but fifteen miles to come, and no time was to be lost.
We do not think it was much over an hour, from the time the first alarm rang through the streets, before the exempt company, which had its head-quarters at our store, was ready to march to the post assigned it. When we had finished off the last cartridges, and the soldiers had stuffed their cartouches with them, and made them- selves otherwise ready for the patriotic duties before them, the drums beat " to arms !" the roll was called, and our uncle, Capt. Allen, who had command, stepped into the store where our duties hitherto had kept us at work for the company, and gently placing his hand upon our shoulder said, in his usually paternal mode of address to us, but not without some emotions of anxiety, "Come, William, we must go; God only knows the result, we must do our duty and leave events to him; are you ready ?" "All ready, uncle." "Well, then," said he, putting the gun into our hands, "step into the ranks." We did so. He gave orders, "Music; come in time! Company ! - forward march!" and we were on the way to what was, to us, the supposed scene of action. Nor were we alone. The sounds of martial music came up from the streets, and other companies were crossing our path for their allotted posts of duty. Meanwhile Gen. McCobb met us on the march, complimented us for our activity in preparation, and inspired us with his own calm and fearless spirit.
In less, we should think, than two hours, there were five com- panies of home troops, and what there was of a regiment of United States infantry, in position to receive the enemy. And it was wonderful with what alacrity the troops came in from Brunswick and the adjacent towns. They came, it seemed to us, sooner than fire companies, would have collected had Bath been in flames. Before noon, our ears and eyes were cheered with the sound and
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sight of co-patriot forces marching over the hill to our assistance. In such time, one feels the benefit of a common government, a common brotherhood, and a common cause.
Our position was the lowest on the river, and must be the first to salute the enemy when he should appear. Word, from time to time, was received by boats and persons from below that the British, after passing the fort, had embarked in a great number of barges, and in this shape would approach for a landing in the town. How much truth there was in the varying reports that reached us we do not now know, but we do recollect very well that there was no moment after we reached our station in which we were not looking with strained eyes for the fleet of barges to round the point and become the objects of our sharp shooting. It is said that a Yankee in battle has no fear if he can fire through the crevices of a board fence. We were better protected than that. Fortunately a large inill log laid upon the shore, abreast of where we stood, and after reconnoitering that to advantage, we found how securely we could crouch behind that fortunate bulwark, and, resting our gun over the upper surface of it long enough to take sight and pull trigger, dodge down again to prime and load, and then take new sight and give the enemy "a little more grape." Our courage was more in the log, however, than in our heart, for that, at times, we confess, was inclined to be faint. At one moment - we have no concealment now to make - we looked over the plain very wishfully, and if no eye but God's had seen us, most probably we should have fulfilled our desire to leave the open ranks and take a better position in the old windmill not far hence.
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