USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 13
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 13
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As many of the men of Camden followed the sea, naturally a portion of them found themselves on board of American war ves- sels and privateers. Among them William Metcalf and William Tarr were in their country's service on board of a man-of-war, the name of which history has not given us. Falling in with a British frigate they began pouring broadsides into each other and con- tinued to do so until the ships came near together, when prepara- tions for boarding were made. When the vessels were sufficient- ly near to each other, Metcalf was the first to board, leaping alone on the enemy's deck, where he was assailed on all sides. Fight- ing desperately, after killing several of the enemy, he was wounded in the knee and taken prisoner. His comrade, Tarr, was mortally wounded and the rest of the American crew were made prisoners. Metcalf was held a prisoner until the close of the war, when he was released and returned home.
Another one of our citizens, Paul Thorndike, Jr., sailed in an American privateer, and, at about this same time, while his vessel was cruising near the English coast, it fell in with a British merchant ship bound for Quebec. She was captured, and Thorn- dike was put on board as a prize master. He started homeward with his prize, but while in the English Channel it was recaptured by a British cruiser and all on board taken ashore and incarcerated in Dartmoor prison. While on their way to the prison, the offi- cers in charge of the prisoners stopped a short time at an inn for rest and refreshment, and while there, many gathered around and
-
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
looked with curiosity upon the Yankees. One of the crowd began to interrogate Thorndike about the "rebels" (as they still called them) in America, asking what our strength was, what kind of fortifications we had, etc. "Why, sir," replied Thorndike, "every stump is a place of defense, and every pile of rocks is a fortifica- tion, and you might as well think of subduing Satan in tophet as to try to subdue the Yankees by fighting them." Thorndike and his shipmates remained in Dartmoor prison until the close of the war, when they, too, were released and allowed to return to their native land.
Another Camden man, Moses Thorndike, was also this same year on aboard an American privateer in the capacity of pilot. Imitating the practice of the enemy, the privateer had hoisted the English ensign so as to thereby deceive English vessels and entrap them and at the same time escape the enemy's cruisers and privateers. Seeing an American coaster, belonging in this vicin- ity, the privateer bore down upon her to learn if those on board knew of any English vessels being in the vicinity, but the British flag deceived the coaster and she headed under full sail for the main land. The privateer then ran up the American colors, but this only confirmed the captain of the coaster in his belief that he was being pursued by a British privateer. The privateer then tried to head her off to prevent her being beached, but it was of no avail, and the frightened captain stranded his coaster, and seizing his pocketbook containing his money and papers, with his crew went over the bow, and fled to the near-by woods. The privateer sent a boat ashore, with the pilot, and several of the crew, to apprise their countrymen of the mistake they had made. Peeping from behind stumps and bushes at the landing boat's crew, and finding that they were showing no disposition to plun- der their vessel, and that they appeared to be of a friendly char- acter, one by one the coaster's crew approached the beach. Recognizing the pilot, one of them sang out to him, "Hello, Thorndike, is that you ?" "Yes," replied Thorndike, "come
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here you scarecrows, what d'ye run your vessel aground for ?" Explanations then followed, the coaster was soon gotten off and . continued on her voyage, while the privateer again started in search of her legitimate prey.
Thus did the sailors of Camden do their part in prosecuting the war upon the sea during this second year of the war for sailors" rights.
1
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XXI.
THE ALARMS OF WAR.
1813. While affairs were thus progressing on the sea, our citizens were not idle on the land. Among other things done for defense against the invader was the formation of a company of cavalry composed of men from Camden and Thomaston, of which Dr. Isaac Barnard of Thomaston was appointed captain. He was succeeded in that office by Philip Ulmer. While the troops were being gathered and disciplined, the older citizens of the town felt desirous of doing their part in defending their homes, and organ- ized a volunteer Alarm List, composed of men of all ages from 45 to 65, some of whom had seen service in the Revolution, and all of whom were exempt by law from military duty. This veteran company numbered about 40 men, and they elected John Pen- dleton their captain.
This year the political parties were very evenly matched as is shown by the gubernatorial election held April 5, 1813, at which Gov. Strong received 111 votes and Joseph B. Varnum 113.
At the town election held the same day, Moses Trussell was elected Town Clerk, Robert Chase, Joshua Dillingham and Moses Trussel, Selectmen, and Nathan Brown, Treasurer. We notice but few new names in the list of officers elected this year, among them being Moses Parker, John Nicholson, Zach'r Wood, Enos Cobb, James Blossom and Aaron Stackpole.
May 3 the voters met to choose a Representative to the Gen-
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eral Court, when Nathan Brown received 72 votes and Moses Trussell 105 votes, and was elected.
This year died James Simonton, on March 4, at the age of 78 years and 3 months. Mr. Simonton was an early settler, coming here among the very first, and settling in that part of the town that is now Rockport. He is the ancestor of all the Simon- tons living in this section. He came from Falmouth (now Portland ) and his three sons, John, James Jr., and Abraham, all settled in this section. John in So. Thomaston, James Jr., in Camden, and Abraham in Rockland. His daughter, Elizabeth, married Capt. John Gregory.
A greater portion of the Knox County Simontons are the progeny of James Simonton, Jr., who married Susan Gross. He settled on the farm at Simonton's Corner, now owned by his great grandson, Abram S. Buzzell. A portion of the large Buzzell farm- house is the old original Simonton house. James Simonton, Jr., was the father of ten children. William, Margaret, (who married a Mr. Fiske and removed to Ohio, but who afterwards returned and married Daniel Howard of St. George) James (3d), Susan, (who married Josiah Hemingway) Abraham, Joanna, (who mar- ried Deacon Wm. Brown) John, Sarah, (who married Daniel Ames) Dr. Putnam and Charlotte, (who married Wm. Burkett). James Simonton, Jr., died in Camden, Dec. 2, 1839, at the age of 72 years and 8 months
1814. The state election this year was held April 4 and showed a stronger Democratic sentiment among our voters than the year before, Gov. Strong having 104 of the votes cast, and Samuel Dexter 142, while two of the voters evidently preferred to have someone nearer home for chief magistrate, as one of them voted for Erastus Foote and the other for John Nicholson, both of Camden. The same day the old Town Clerk, Selectmen and Treasurer were re-elected, except 2d Selectman, to which office Banajah Barrows was elected.
At a meeting of the selectmen held April 16, various citizens
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
"bid off" ten town charges to keep at the rate of from $1.00 to $1.80 per week, it being the custom at that, time to "put up" the support of town's poor to be "auctioned off " to the lowest bidder, a proceeding that is today forbidden by statute.
This year Alden Bass was elected Representative receiving 96 votes to 78 for Moses Trussel.
For some time there had been growing a feeling of dissatis- faction regarding the town's settled minister, Rev. Thomas Cochran, which culminated this year in a town meeting being called with the following article in the warrant: "To see if the town will appoint a committee, honorably to dissolve the con- nection between the town and the Minister, agreeble to the call & articles of Settlement- of the Rev. Thomas Cochran." It was voted to appoint such a committee by a "yea and nay vote," 109 voting in favor and 26 against the proposition. The com- mittee chosen consisted of Samuel Brown, Joshua Dillingham, Robert Chase, Hosea Bates, Nath'l Martin, Nathan Brown and Erastus Foote. These gentlemen were also instructed to consult with "the Church Respecting a Council and to give the Neces- sary notice agreeable to the articles of Settlement."
In the meantime, military affairs in this section were being prose- cuted with vigor. At a town meeting held July 6, it was voted to pay the Militia draughted for the defense of said town, Six dollars pr. month in addition to the Regular pay, for 2 months from the first day of July Inst., should they not be discharged sooner;" and the sum of $200 was raised for that purpose. At this time the officers in command of our military companies were as follows : Light Infantry Company : Calvin Curtis, Captain ; Edward Hanford, Lieutenant ; Arthur Pendleton, Ensign; Wm. Brown, 1st Ser- geant ; Simeon Tyler, 1st Corporal. This company numbered 27, including officers. 1st Infantry Company : Asha Palmer, Captain ; Noah Brooks, Lieutenant; Joseph Hall, Ensign; 2d Infantry Company, West Camden : Sam'l Tolman, Captain ; James Pack- ard, Lieutenant. The Camden companies belonged to the 5th
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ALARMS OF WAR
Regiment as has been stated, which regiment, Col. Erastus Foote of Camden commanded.
It was during this year that the town was thrown into alarm causing the militia to turn out and march to the south, expecting to face the enemy in battle, only, however, to find that the alarm was a false one. It happened in this wise. About two miles south of Broad Cove, at McCobb's Narrows, of the St. Georges river, there had been erected a stone garrison to protect Thomas- ton and the river from British attack. One evening it was the turn of a soldier by the name of Daniel Payson to stand guard, but he being anxious to visit a neighboring farmhouse for the purpose of telling the "old story ever new," to the farmer's rosy cheeked daughter, prevailed upon his friend, Thomas Rivers, to stand guard for him for a certain specified period, at the end of which he promised to return. Absorbed in his romantic occupa- tion, Payson stayed beyond the time appointed, and his tired and sleepy substitute becoming impatient, discharged his gun to remind the lover of his forgotten duty. Rivers had forgotten for the moment that a gunshot was a signal, understood throughout the whole section, that the British were coming. The alarm was taken up by sentries the entire distance from there to Camden, and the militia turned out ready to repel the invaders, giving to the courtship of Daniel Payson a notoriety, undoubtedly embar- rassing to the couple.
During this year occurred many events and incidents of interest and importance connected with the war in which the people of Camden or some of them were actors. In March an American vessel belonging in New York, was cruising in this vicinity under letters of marque and reprisal, and cap- tured an English merchantman, called the Victory, which was also sailing under letters of marque. 1 A Yankee prize crew was put on board, with one James Scott as prize master, and the
1. It was found after her capture that the Victory had on board ten carronades.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
Victory was brought into Camden and moored at Pierce's wharf at the head of the harbor. Her cargo consisted principally of coffee, cocoa and logwood and the ship was evidently direct from Jamaica. Ten days later the owner of the New York vessel that had captured her, came in to arrange about disposing of the cargo. Collector Farley of Waldoboro, gave a permit for landing the cargo on March 26, but the owner or agent did not arrive until April 5, and circumstances making it necessary to make a new entry, the lading was not delivered until between the 6th and 12th of the month. The prize master, Scott, was for landing certain articles without paying the duties on them, on pretense that they belonged to the list of articles not subject to duty. Mr. Farley, in a letter of instruction to Deputy Collector Curtis, dated April 11, said : "The prize master must not land handkerchiefs or anything else without entering and paying the duties. The customary cabin stores and cabin furniture we shall not exact the duty upon, nor upon the wearing apparel or personal baggage of the officers or crew, but 67 flag handkerchiefs look too much like merchandise to be landed without permit." The owner decided to dispose of the cargo at auction, and on the day of the sale several merchants from Boston and elsewhere were in attendance and the bidding was brisk. Much of the cargo was stored in the cellar of the old Masonic building and other places. The Boston merchants immediately started the transportation of the goods bid off by them across the country in ox teams, which made good jobs for our farmers. It took them about two months to make the round trip to Boston and return, which would seem pretty slow work to modern transportation companies. A great deal of the merchandise had been injured by leakage of the vessel, and these damaged goods were disposed of to the poorer people of the neighborhood, while a large quantity of damaged coffee was thrown away or used around apple trees, etc., as a fertilizer. After the cargo had been discharged the Victory remained in port until the latter part of the following August, when she was taken up river
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ALARMS OF WAR
to Hampden to be secure from the reach of the enemy, as the United States corvette, Adams, was at that place undergoing repairs. A week or so later, the enemy entered Penobscot river and for the second time in its history, took possession of Castine, and a few days later went up the river to dispose of the disabled Adams, which had been a most troublesome enemy to British shipping. As in the case of the Revolutionary "Biguyduce" disaster, a diversity of counsel resulted calamitously to the Amer- icans and the British drove away the militia, captured and looted the village of Hampden, and when they departed took away with them the vessels, including the Victory, to Castine. When the news of the Victory's re-capture reached Camden, a dozen of our citizens, under the lead of Nathaniel Martin, went to Castine with the plan to re-take her by strategem, under cover of the night. In some way the British learned of their intentions, and took the ship around by the fort and adopted the necessary precautions to prevent a surprise. The Camden adventurers went to where she was first anchored, intending to get possession of the vessel by overcoming the keepers, but finding that she had been moved and that their plans were known to the enemy, returned home empty handed.
In 1813 the government had levied a property tax of $3,000,000 to assist in carrying on the war, and $74,220 of that sum was apportioned to be raised by the District of Maine, col- lectors being appointed to collect the assessments in the different localities. For this and several of the neighboring towns, Robert Chase was appointed Collector and these duties were collected here in 1814 and the following year. Our people were willing as a rule, to contribute their proportion of the money needed to pay the expense of fighting the enemy, but, as is always the case, a few were found by whom the money was paid with great reluc- tance. Mr. Locke tells the following amusing incident that happened when Mr. Chase was on one occasion trying to collect
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
this tax in the town of Appleton : 1 "Calling at a house when the woman's husband was absent, he announced to her his busi- ness, and walked in. Sitting down he began to take an invent- tory of the taxable articles in the room. He next inquired about the furniture, etc., in the other part of the house, taking the matron's statement for granted. 'Have you any time piece, madam, except that watch ?' said Mr. C., pointing to one over the mantel-piece. 'No,' replied she, 'we have no other watch, nor clock in the house.' As it was near dinner time, Mr. Chase remarked that he guessed he would tarry and dine with the family, as it was some distance to an inn. Acquiescing in his proposal, the woman tendered him a seat at the table. No sooner were the family seated with their guest, than a clock in the adjoining room, with strokes, loud and clear, began to announce the hour of twelve! The woman's face began to assume alter- nate hues of ruddy and pale, while her daughter, partaking of her mother's irrepressible emotion, began to grow agitated and cast furtive glances at the stranger, and then at her guilt-like looking mother. The clock kept striking like a faithful sentinel; eyes glanced askance, but not a word was spoken. When the bell hammer concluded its strokes, there was a silence of some moments. Chase continued eating, and seeing the mental pertubation of his entertainers, he deemed it improper to make 'confusion worse confounded,' and so left the matron to the upbraidings of her own conscience. After finishing his repast, Mr. C. departed without making the slightest allusion to the fact that there was a clock in the house, and that it was not entered on his schedule. It was always with peculiar zest and a hearty laugh that Mr. Chase used to relate the above incident."
While the British occupied Castine, many of the people along the coast continued to trade with them to a considerable extent, by the use of Swedish neutral vessels; there were also methods of trading with the enemy by the purchase of British 1. Locke's Sketches, Page 107.
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ALARMS OF WAR
goods by a partner abroad, to be captured at a given place and signal, by a partner at home, and other expedients. To what extent the people of Camden engaged in this illicit trade, we have no record, which would seem to indicate that they had very little connection with it. The duties and alarms of war, among them the necessity of defending their exposed town from threat- ened destruction from the many vessels of the enemy patrolling these waters, and rendezvousing just across the bay at Castine, kept the citizens of this town continually on the alert and doubtless gave them little time or inclination to dabble in forbid- den traffic with their country's enemy.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER XXII.
THE TOWN FORTIFIED.
1814. In July, 1814, two British armed vessels appeared off the mouth of the St. Georges river and after dark, sent two or three barges filled with men, to take the fort below Thomaston, which they easily accomplished, from the fact that the block-house was tenanted only by an old man and his wife. They destroyed the powder in the magazine there and spiked four 18-pound guns and two brass artillery pieces, and set fire to the building and one vessel, towing away two others. Upon one of these vessels was a young man by the name of Christopher Curtis, who was compelled, with a pistol at his breast, to act as pilot for the enemy on the way up river to Thomaston, which was their objective point. Notwithstanding the duress he was under, young Curtis represent- ed the distance to Thomaston to be so great that the enemy became discouraged, as morning began to dawn, and returned to their ships after setting Curtis ashore. 1 This adventure alarmed the country-side and Col. Erastus Foote called out a greater part of his regiment to defend this town. Our citizens were aroused to taking greater precautions against a surprise from the enemy and guards were stationed from Camden Harbor to Clam Cove, the strictest military surveillance being maintained. At about the same time it was determined to fortify the town by erecting forts
1. See Eaton's History of Thomaston, Rockland and South Thomaston, Vol. I, Page 297.
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THE TOWN FORTIFIED
at the harbor, one on Eaton's Point and the other opposite on Jacobs' Point. Both forts were erected at the same time and something like a hundred men are said to have worked upon them, completing their construction in two or three days. The fort on Jacobs' Point was situated just southerly of the lime kilns about where the house owned by Mr. Ralph E. Richards, on the It
easterly side of Bay View street, now stands. is described by Mr. Locke as being of crescent form and about 40 feet in length. It was made in part of timbers belonging to Capt. Nathaniel Hosmer, who had procured them for the building of a vessel, which enterprise was blocked by the embargo. 1 The height of the fortress was 8 or 10 feet and its thickness 3 or 4 feet, the space between the outer and inner walls being filled with dirt. A platform was built inside which raised the soldiers to the right elevation to enable them to rest their muskets on the top of the breastwork. On this platform were two 12-pounders mounted on carriages, pointing through embrasures. Barracks were built on the northerly side of the fort, while twenty rods to the south, near the shore, was a guard house from which the movements of the enemy could be more easily observed. The fort on Eaton's Point was located near the steamboat wharf on land now owned by Mr. Williston Grinnell. It was practically a counterpart in size, armament, etc., of the one on Jacobs' Point. Much of the bank near where it was located has since been worn away by the elements, and the lapse of time, aided by the "hand of utilitarianism," has now destroyed all traces of these old forts, portions of which remained for many years to remind our people of the strenuous times that tried the souls of their forefathers. Having completed these fortification, a party of Camden men with several yoke of oxen went, down to Fort George and got one of the 18- pounders that had been spiked by the British and hauled it to Camden. This and two 12-pounders were then placed on the
1. Locke's Sketches, Page 109.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
summit of Mt. Battie. 1 It was something of an undertaking to get them up there, and John Grose took the contract for $25. He cleared a road up the western slope of the mountain from near the old "Fay House " to the summit, over which the guns were taken up and planted on the summit. 2
Barracks were also erected on the mountain and the necessary munitions of war provided, and six men were stationed there. Locke, however, gives us the names of but five, viz .: Jona. Leighton, corporal ; Jesse Derry, Isaac Sheldon, James Metcalf and Robert Corthell, privates. Guards were stationed throughout the town as follows : The main guard was stationed in an old red building that stood in Camden village, not far from where Mr. Eugene Clark's store now stands on Bay View street, a picket guard was stationed on Ogier's Hill and another guard was located at Clam Cove. 3 Having made these preparations for defense, our people breathed more easily and felt capable of giving the enemy a warm reception should he intrude upon them.
At about this time the American sloop-of-war, Adams, of 24 guns, commanded by Capt. Charles Morris, which had been cruising about between Savannah and Maine, and which had been a scourge to British vessels, arrived on our coast and ran ashore in the fog on Isle au Haut, August 17, damaging her to a con- siderable extent. She was gotten off in a critical condition and brought to Camden for repairs, firing a signal gun as she arrived off the harbor. Camden being too much exposed to view, it was afterwards decided to take the Adams up the Penobscot both for repairs and safety. After landing here about 25 men disabled
1. Many years afterwards an 18 pound ball, probably belonging to this 18-pounder, was found on Mt. Battie, and a 12 pound shot was found in James Richards' field. Afterwards a smaller sized ball was found by workmen while digging near the Capt. Isaac Sherman house on Union street. The two latter were probably fired by the British during the Revolution.
2. The six 12-pounders (two in each fort and two on the mountain) are said to have been sent here from Boston by Gen. Dearborn.
3. The soldiers on duty in the forts and as guards were designated as " the 30 days men."
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THE TOWN FORTIFIED
by the scurvy, and about 60 prisoners, she sailed for Hampden, where she arrived Aug. 20, and where she was afterwards cap- tured, as has been already related. The sick from the Adams' crew and the prisoners were landed at Eaton's Point, the former being conveyed by Nathan Hobbs in an ox team to an old house in town, where they were cared for until they regained their health. The prisoners, five of whom were officers, being under parole, were allowed to go at large to different parts of the town. Shortly after being landed one of the prisoners died, his death being caused, according to the belief of his comrades, by his being deprived of his customary "grog," which, being a hard drinker, had become necessary to his existence. After his burial, Lieut. Edward Hanford with an armed guard of about 30 men, with Asa Richards as orderly sergeant, prepared to take the prisoners to the jail at Wiscasset, but the British officers had broken their parole and were not present, nor after an extended search could they be found, so the guard proceeded to Wiscasset with the rest of the prisoners. After a short incarceration in the jail there they were taken to Portland and thence to Salem, where they were exchanged.
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