USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 12
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 12
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The state election in the spring of 1812 showed the Demo- crats still in the ascendency here, Elbridge Gerry receiving 140 votes for Governor, while the Federalists cast 104 for Caleb Strong.
The record of the town election shows a few changes in offi- cers. Calvin Curtis was again elected Town Clerk, and Nathan Brown, Treasurer, while the Selectmen were Joshua Dillingham, Robert Chase and Banajah Barrows. Among the names not already mentioned, appearing upon the records of this year, are, Ira Brewster, Job Ingraham, Noah Brooks, Peter Josselyn, Eben'r Cleveland and Joseph Trafton.
In apprehension of the coming war, the town voted, May 30, " That the Town allow the Musicians, officers and privates, Detailed or Drafted, five dollars per month in addition to the pay allowed by the Government, after being Called into active service." On June 19 the President issued a proclamation formally declar-
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ing war against Great Britain, and on that date the war sometimes called the "Seaman's War," but known in history as the "War of 1812," legally began. The citizens of Camden, thoroughly alive to the fact that their exposed situation in an unfortified coast town made them liable to attacks from their sea-going enemy, began at once to consider means of protection. On July 2, a few days after the declaration of war, a town meeting was called, at which it was voted "that a Committee of seven be chosen to draft a memorial to be sent to the proper authority to request some assistance for the safety of said Town against foreign inva- sion." After choosing this committee, the following gentlemen were chosen a "Committee of Public Safety :" Erastus Foote, Benj. Cushing, Phineas Bowers, Nath'l Martin, Wm. Eaton, Nath'l Hosmer, Thomas Mansfield, Daniel Mansfield, Nath'l Dillingham, Wm. Gregory, Jr., John Pendleton, Charles Morse, Hosea Bates, Wm. Porterfield, Wm. Brown, Joseph Sherman, Sam'l McLaughlin, Calvin Curtis, John Eager, Eben'r Thorndike and John Gregory. "Voted unanimously that every Citizen (whether exempt from Military Duty or not) forthwith arm and equip himself for actual service, to be ready at a moment's warn- ing to assist in repelling foreign invasions or any other emergency for the defense of the Town." It was also voted to purchase fifty good muskets and other equipments for the use of those not able to equip themselves, and on July 13 the town raised $150 to purchase ammunition in addition to the town stock required by law.
The military spirit had for a number of years been strong in Camden. As early as 1806 and 1807 our people seemed to have premonitions of trouble with a foreign power and in the former year had petitioned the General Court as follows :
To the Hon. the Senate & House of Representative of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled, in the year 1806. The undersigned Inhabitants of Camden and vicinity, in the 4th Regt., First Brig., Eighth Division of the Militia of the Commonwealth, beg leave to state the necessity of raising a
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Company of Artillery in said Regt., Although there is the number of Companies contemplated by law in the Brigade, having an extent of at least sixty miles of sea coast - To wit : From Lincoln- ville to Wiscasset - in which are two Regiments of Militia and no Company of Artillery. From this local situation, the raising and disciplining of Artillery may eventually be of public utility. Your Petitioners, with many others, some of whom are exempted . from military duty, considering the importance of a well arranged and disciplined Militia, are anxious to be authorized by the Legis- lature to raise another Company of Artillery within the Brigade and Regiment aforesaid, and 'flatter ourselves the request of Your peti- tioners will be more readily granted when it is understood that such a Company may be raised without reducing the Standing Companies below the number pointed out by law. Wherefore your Petitioners Pray the Legislature to take the subject into con- sideration, and authorize the raising of a Company of Artillery as aforesaid, and make the necessary provision for Field Pieces, Apparatus and Ordinance Stores, to enable your Petitioners to discipline themselves in a Soldier-like manner.
(Signed) Ephraim Wood, Erastus Foote, John Harkness, Farnham Hall, Calvin Curtis, Abner Howe, Nathaniel Dillingham, Oakes' Perry, Alden Bass, William Parkman, Samuel Jacobs, Moses Trussel, John Simonton, Noah Brooks, Jr., Jonathan Merriam, Sam'l Jacobs, Jr., Tilson Gould, Jonah Howe, Joseph Mirick, Nathan Brown, Simeon Tyler, Jr., Simeon Morse, Job Morse, Samuel Tyler, Jacob Patch, Abel Brown, Benjamin Reed, Nathaniel Hosmer, Jr., Hosea Bates, Robert Chase, A. Tyler, Joseph Sher- man, Jr., Arthur Pendleton, Stephen Rollins, John M. Thorndike, Ephraim Barrett, William Hewett, Dudley Tyler, Simon Barrett, Benjamin Cushing, Eben Thorndike, Joseph Eaton, Jr., Lewis Ogier, Joshua Palmer, B. Jacobs.
We, the undersigned Commissioned Officers of Camden, within the before mentioned Regiment, do hereby Signify our full appropriation of the Prayer of this Petition.
DANIEL MANSFIELD, Capt. ISAAC BARRETT, Lieut. SAMUEL JONES, Ensign.
Samuel Thatcher, Esq., Lieut. Commanding, being absent, we, the Commanding officers of the 4th Regiment in the First Brigade & Eighth Division of the Militia of the Commonwealth of
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Mass., hereby certify that in our opinion, it will be advantageous to the Militia of this Brigade, and Regiment in particular, to authorize the Petitioners to raise a Company of Artillery agreeably to the Prayer of this Petition.
OTIS ROBBINS,
Major Commanding 4th Reg., 1st Brigade and 8th Div.
The following year (1807) another petition was sent to the General Court, asking that the petitioners be incorporated into a Company of Light Infantry as follows :
' To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The undersigned petitioners of Camden, humbly Represent that they consider a certain proportion of Light Infantry as requisite to the complete organization of every Regiment of foot in Militia. The several Militia laws expressly recognize this principle. Your Petitioners would also represent, that there is but one Company of Light Infantry in the Fourth Regiment, First Brigade and Eighth Divis- ion, to which they belong. Your Petitioners would further repre- sent that a Light Infantry can be raised in Camden, and not reduce the Militia Companies below the number required by law. They therefore, humbly pray your Honors, to incorporate your petition- ers and their associates into a company of Light Infantry, and so in duty bound will ever pray.
Camden, April 21st, 1807.
(Signed) Tilson Gould, Robert Chase, John Eells, Farnham Hall, William Brown, Jr., Alden Bass, Stephen Rollins, Amos Foster, Jonathan Merriam, David Rollins, William Carleton, Benj. Burns, Simeon Morse, Jno. Bowers, Jr., Eleazer Hart, Eben Thorndike, Israel Thorndike, Joseph W. Thorndike, Ephraim Barrett, Abel Tyler, Royal Munro, Abram Ogier, Arthur Pendle- ton, Samuel Jones, Eben Hobbs, Luther Blodgett, George Start, Eben Goodnow, Asa Hosmer, Joseph Mirick, Nathaniel Dilling- ham, Abel Brown, John Harkness, Dudley Tyler, Oakes Perry, Royal Prescott, Hosea Bates, Nathaniel Withington, William Brown, Jacob Read, Noah Brooks, Abner Howe, Simeon Foster, Jr., Calvin Curtis, Samuel Richards, Joseph Bowers.
We, the undersigned Field Officers of the within mentioned Regiment, do hereby signify our full approbation of the prayer of
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this petition.
JOSHUA ADAMS, Major, SAMUEL THATCHER,
: Lt. Col. Commanding 4th Reg., 1st Brig., 8th Reg. 1
We understand that the prayers of both the above petitions were granted and the companies formed. And thus, by drilling these and the regular militia companies, did our fathers "in time of peace prepare for war," and put themselves in readiness for the exciting and important events in which they were about to participate.
Prior to the year 1812, the militia of Massachusetts consisted of eleven divisions, four of which were in Maine. The different companies had been arranged into brigades called the 1st and 2d Brigades. Hon. William King of Bath was chosen Major General of the divisions in Maine. Feb. 12, 1812, a new arrangement was made by creating a fifth regiment, which was composed of three companies in Camden, two companies in Thomaston, one company in St. George, and two companies in Hope and Apple- ton, and was annexed to the 2d Brigade and 11th Division of the militia. This division was made out of Lieut. Col. Sam'l Thatcher's third regiment, which then left under his command, two com- panies in Warren, two in Union and one in each of the towns of Cushing, Friendship and Putnam. 2
After the declaration of war on Aug. 4, 1812, Wm. Carleton of Camden, Adjutant of the 5th Regiment, 2d Brigade, 11th Division, issued a Regimental Order, calling upon the Military and Light Infantry Companies of Camden, Hope, Thomaston and St. George to assemble at places designated in their respective towns, between the 17th and 19th days of August "armed and equipped, as the law directs," prepared to fill all the vacancies of officers, and parade on the occasion. Pursuant to this notice, the Camden companies met at John Eager's tavern on the 17th
1. These petitions were copied from the records of the Legislature of Massachusetts by N. C. Fletcher and printed in Chap. XXIV of his Annals of Camden, Rockland Opinion, issue of February, 8, 1884.
2. Washington.
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where vacancies were filled, and the troops inspected and paraded. The companies present were Calvin Curtis' 1 Light Infantry, the 1st Infantry (which had a captain's vacancy to fill to which Asha Palmer was elected) and Capt. Wm. Brown's 2d Infantry. 2 But the above were not the only companies ready to engage in the conflict when called to do so. Soon after war was declared, Lieut. Isaac Russ raised a company of volunteers in Camden and adjac- ent towns, which numbered about 70, a quarter of them belong- ing in Camden. John Spear of Thomaston was captain of this new company; Isaac Russ of Camden, 1st Lient .; Leonard Smith of Camden, 2d Lieut. ; Thomas Tolman of Thomaston, ensign. Asa Richards and Asa Sartelle are mentioned as being among the Camden members of the company. This company was stationed in St. George during the following winter and in March sailed for Castine, where they were joined by a Montville com- pany under Col. Cummings. From Castine they sailed to Machias and on the passage thither saw the Rattler, a British ship of 20 guns, which was lying in wait for them near the Machias river. Keeping close to the shore, they avoided the enemy's ship and reached Machias in safety. A month later they sailed by night for Eastport, where they remained until about the following Christ- mas, engaged principally in detecting and suppressing contraband trade, finding quarters in houses that had been deserted from fear of the enemy. They were then discharged without a cent of pay to take them home. Some of them found it necessary to go to work chopping wood, etc., to earn money with which to return home, but we think they afterwards received a bounty from the government.
During the year 1812 a recruiting station was established in a part of the Moses Richards house. 3 Capt. Caleb Young was 1. Capt. Curtis received his commission Jan. 2, 1811, and resigned it April 20, 1815.
2. See Locke's Sketches, Pages 94-95.
3. This house stood on the corner of Mechanic street in Camden Village, on a part of the lot known as the " Johnson Knight lot." The lot where this
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recruiting officer. The men enlisted were to serve as "one year men," and to be annexed to the 9th Regiment. This company numbering about 30, was sent to Portland and thence to Platts- burg, N. Y., where they participated in the battle fought there. They also engaged in the battles of Chippewa and Bridgewater. In the company was Chesley Blake, a brother of Capt. Wm. Blake, who distinguished himself at the battles of Chippewa and Bridge- water and at the siege of Fort Erie and was promoted by Gen. Scott to a lieutenancy. After the war he remained in that section taking up his residence at Detroit, Mich., and commanded the first steamboat that plied between Buffalo and Detroit. After- wards he was familiarly known on the lakes by the sobriquet of "The Lake King." He died at Detroit about 1855.
house was located is the same now owned by the Camden Odd Fellows' Building Association.
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CHAPTER XX.
"THE WAR FOR SEAMEN'S RIGHTS."
1813. It has been said that the war of 1812 was waged to maintain the rights of our sailors, and nobly did the American sailors sustain their part of the conflict. While the army, for a time, had many reverses, the little American navy displayed a skill, bravery and heroism, both on the sea and the great lakes, never surpassed by the sailors of any other nation. Their mag- nificent success in battle, especially when it is remembered that they were fighting the mistress of the sea in her own dominion, was phenomenal. One of the great sea fights of this war, which took place on September 5, 1813, was the engagement between the British brig, Boxer, and the American brig, Enterprise, off our coast, between Monhegan Island and Pemaquid. The fight lasted forty minutes, the Enterprise being the victor and capturing the Boxer. In this battle both of the captains were slain and carried to Portland and buried in one grave. The firing was distinctly heard in Camden and some of our people witnessed the fight from the summit of Mt. Battie. Of this battle Longfellow wrote :
" I remember the sea-fight far away, How it thundered o'er the tide; And the dead captains as they lay In their graves o'erlooking the tranquil bay, Where they in battle died."
During the war Penobscot Bay was infested with British war
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vessels of all classes, from the battleship down to the small priva- teer, making it extremely hazardous, and much of the time practi- cally impossible, for our shipping to put to sea, and this state of affairs completed what the embargo began, viz .: the utter pros- tration of our commerce. As our people at that time depended largely upon the ocean for their means of livelihood, many of them were deprived of their support, and often felt obliged to undertake some dangerous venture to gain the means of maintain- ing their families and themselves. An illustration of the risks they ran on such occasions is the story of Capt. Charles Fogler's attempt to make a trip to Boston in his coaster with a cargo of wood. Capt. Fogler, who was a resident of Camden, started out under apparently favorable circumstances, but before he reached Owl's Head 1 he was pursued by a British privateer and seeing no avenue of escape, he put on all sail and beached his craft on Owl's Head.
This same summer Capt. Hosea Bates was captured by a British privateer and he and his crew set ashore below Camden, and a prize crew put aboard the vessel, which, however, did not hold her long, for, while in the vicinity of Islesboro, a crew of armed citizens of that place re-took her and brought her into Camden harbor within about four hours from the time she was taken by the British. In the following September, Capt. Bates sailed again for Boston in the sloop, Sea Flower, of about 90 tons, with a cargo of wood. He had a crew of two men, and a young lady passen- ger. After passing Owl's Head, with most favorable prospects, he was suddenly brought to and seized by the British privateering schooner, Fly, which had been lying back of the Head flying the American flag as a decoy. Capt. Bates was again put on shore with his crew and passenger, while the privateer kept her former position until she had captured two other coasters, one from Isles-
1. Owl's Head received its name from Gov. Thos. Pownall, who visited Penobscot Bay in 1759 in the Province sloop-of-war, King George. He says in his account : " The sailors imagined it to bear some resemblance to an owl's head. "
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boro and the other the schooner, Oliver, of East Thomaston, 1 Capt. Wm. Spear of that town, master. Mr. Locke gives an account of the affair which he had clipped from the East Thom- aston Recorder, narrated by an eye witness, as follows :
"During the afternoon of the same day that the schooner was taken, the privateer made signals to her prizes to get under weigh and follow. The privateer standing on the wind endeavored to beat out of the N. E. entrance of the har- bor. In executing this summons of John Bull, some two or three of his prizes managed to have their sails fill on the wrong tack, and by so doing plumped them purposely on the beach. Capt. Spear was managing to execute the same manœuvre, when the privateer opened her battery, and per- emptorily ordered him to desist and follow, or 'he would blow him out of the water,' and with reluctance, Capt. S. was compelled to obey the command. Disappointment, perhaps, or a malicious feeling towards the shrewdness of those who had eluded his grasp, provoked the captain of the privateer to give vent to his feelings by firing a parting broadside. A spent round shot lodging against the sill of the house on the point, and another bespattering with mud the garments of its occupant, were the only visible effects of this outward mark of civility. With her three prizes the pri- vateer stood out of the harbor and stretched across the bay towards the southern extremity of the South Fox Islands, where, in one of the most romantic havens ( White Island Harbor) on our coast, they all came to anchor. The sun had now set and a brisk N. E. wind which had been sweeping over the water during the day, had now died away, leaving a long ground swell heaving in upon this rockbound, and apparently uninhabited island. In this secluded harbor, in anticipation of uninterrupted security, the privateer commenced putting goods on board the schooner, which were taken from the other prizes. Not a Yankee fisherman could
1. East Thomaston was incorporated as a separate town, July 28, 1848. In August, 1850, the name was changed to Rockland, and the present city government wa's organized in 1854.
1
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be seen from the deck of either vessel, for it may be well to observe that the inhabitants of this island, at the time, were, almost to a man, fishermen. There was something ominous in the silence which prevailed ashore -it seemed as though every human being had deserted and left it a solitary isle in the ocean. A small whale boat, it is true, was seen to enter the harbor, but was soon lost sight of among the rocks amid the intricate windings of some narrow passage. From this boat the inhabitants had been warned of the proximity in which they were to a privateer. But as soon as the dusk of the evening had begun to gather around, men collected from every nook and corner, with muskets, fusee and fowling pieces, ready to give the privateer battle at early dawn. Morning came, and the men of the privateer were busily engaged in finishing the transportation of the goods. The fishermen watched unconcernedly the operations, having, during the night, taken positions to best annoy or capture the enemy.
"'What schooner is that ?' cried a voice from the shore.
"'The Shear Water of Baltimore; won't you come on board ?' replied the privateer.
" 'No, but we invite you to come ashore.'
" 'I'll see you d- d first,' replied the officer.
This abrupt answer caused a simultaneous fire from land in all directions. The captain of the privateer fell at the first dis- charge, having two balls shot through his body. Taken so com- pletely were the officers and crew, by surprise, that they sought safety below. The boat, in the meantime, was ordered ashore and captured. In this predicament many were the ways and plans devised to effect an escape. The dying injunction of the captain, 'not to be taken,' had the effect to arouse the courage of one of the crew who volunteered his ser- vices to cut the cable. But while in the act of passing below the halliards of the jib and mainsail, he dearly paid for this act of temerity, for the luckless bullet of some correct sighted fisherman, shattered his under jaw- he fell, but succeeded in
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creeping below. A gentle breeze and favor- able current came to their assistance, and by hoisting the jib and mainsail and protruding through the skylight a bayonet affixed to a musket, (by which device they managed to steer the vessel) they got out of harm's way and finally made their escape.
"Of this gallant skirmish, in which were recaptured three vessels and a boat's crew of the privateer, too much commenda- tion cannot be bestowed upon the hardy sons of Neptune, the fishermen sailors of Fox Islands.
"On board the privateer, confined below, were two American prisoners. Their apartment was adjacent to the cabin -so near they could easily hear the groans of the dying captain and wound- ed seamen. The pattering of bullets against the wooden sides of their prison, like hail from some distant cloud, with the wailing of the wounded and dying, caused mingled emotions of sorrow and ecstatic joy. The wind now being S. W., the privateer shaped her course for the Wooden Ball, an uninhabited island in Penobscot Bay. While pursuing her way thither the lieutenant allowed the prisoners to come on deck, and perceiving a small boat at some distance, they requested the lieutenant to hail the boat and give them their liberty.
"One object in being thus minute in this narrative is to exhib- it the true character of the Yankee sailor -one of whom was taken from the schooner, Oliver, and possessed a good share of that universal shrewdness, which characterizes the Yankee nation. . This man 1 made a request or desire to see the corpse of the captain. This human feeling, of course, could not but meet with approbation from the lieutenant, who escorted him to the cabin. Pistols, sabers, pikes, boarding-axes and all the minor implements of marine warfare were arrayed about the cabin in such a manner as to aid in giving it an appearance of wild embellishment, while at the same time each was convenient to the hand. Around the mast was placed a stand of muskets. The
1. Capt. B. Webb of Thomaston, the narrator of this adventure.
:
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entire arrangement proclaimed that the cabin was considered a citadel of itself. In a berth lay the corpse of the captain. * * *
The unfortunate result of the late encounter was freely discussed, the disastrous effects of the fishermen's fire was pointed at by the downcast looking lieutenant, who thus gave vent to the turbulent state of his feelings : 'There, you can see the murderous design of your countrymen ;' pointing to some charts which hung in the beckets on the side of the cabin, and while in the act of taking them from their places of security, two leaden bullets rolled out at his feet. 'Oh, my God !' ejaculated he, 'what a miracle that we have thus escaped with the loss of no more lives.'
" 'I should think there must also be some visible effects on the vessel's deck, if I were to judge from the rattling of the bullets and buckshot against the side of the privateer from my place of confinement,' rejoined the sailor.
" 'Yes, truly there is evidence to satisfy the most skeptical, for sixty-two balls are lodged in our masts, and sixty-four can be counted as having passed through our mainsail below the two reef gearings!'
"'You have lost your captain and received other damage which you charge against my countrymen. I might retort by say- ing, you have taken from my captain his vessel-his only means of support to a large family. But, sir, it is the fortune of war and we must submit to the good or ill which befalls us,' continued the shrewd Yankee ; and perceiving now was the time to carry into effect the object of his visit to the officer's cabin, respect- fully asked the lieutenant if he would restore the papers of the captured vessels, as they might relieve the distresses of many a poor family (not forgetting at the same time his heartfelt sorrow for the bereaved family of the deceased captain). The desired object was accomplished - the papers were restored. On ascend- ing to the deck, the boat was found in waiting; and the prison- ers stepping into the boat with inward feelings of satisfaction, the 'hat was raised ' and a cordial salutation given - and thus parted the rival sailors of the two belligerent nations." 4
4. Locke's Sketches, Page 100.
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The captured vessels were shortly afterwards taken from Fox Islands to the places whence they had sailed and delivered to their owners.
Capt. Bates soon afterwards made a trip in the lucky Sea Flower to Portland, and had the surprise and satisfaction of lying alongside the Fly whose guns had summoned him to surrender a short time before. Thus was the happy ending of one of the most interesting of the episodes of the war on the Knox County coast.
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