USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 5
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 5
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It seemed to be the part of the tories to lead these plunderers against their fellow-countrymen, and in the case just recited the pilot was a tory by the name of John Long. After the war closed Long one day happened to be at Peter Ott's tavern at Goose River, when that tory-hater, the doughty Robert Jameson, rode up and entered the tavern. As the weather was cold he told Ott
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THE REVOLUTION
to build up a big fire, as he wished to warm himself, at the same time remarking that there was one man present whom he was going to put on to burn. Ott, supposing Jameson was joking, piled on the wood, and in a few minutes had a roaring fire. Jame- son, who was a giant in strength, then seized Long and threw him on the fire as if he were a stick of cord wood. Before he could get out of the fireplace his face and hands were badly blis- tered, his clothing burned and his hair singed. "There," said Jameson, "burn the harbor village again, will you?"
Neither was this incident the last trouble Long had on account of his dastardly conduct, for on one occasion more than twenty years after the burning of the village, Long came to Cam- den, and according to the old tale, met Leonard Metcalf on the street, and recognizing him, extended his arm to shake hands with him. Metcalf contemptuously ignored his proffered hand, saying, "Let every dog shake his own paw," and pointing in the direction of the destroyed saw-mill, exclaimed, "There, look at that mill, sir." Long turned his head to look, when Metcalf struck him a stunning blow in the face, which felled him to the ground, and then finished paying the old score by giving him a severe pommelling. Col. Erastus Foote hearing the noise caused by the quarrel, rushed out of his office to learn its cause, and when Metcalf explained, he laughed heartily, declared the retalia- tion to be just, and handing Metcalf a dollar told him to go and drink his health.
On another occasion at about the same time (1779), the active and redoubtable Metcalf had better fortune in repelling the invader. An American coasting vessel being pursued by a British barge, ran ashore at Ogier's Cove. Metcalf, who lived in that vicinity (where, by the way, one of his descend- ants lives today), gave the alarm and roused the neighboring settlers, who, with the vessel's crew, secreted themselves near the shore and fired a volley into the approaching enemy. Metcalf would then run out from the woods and fire at them, when he
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
would return, load and repeat the act. The British, kept at bay by the settlers' guns, at last rowed away. The next day the set- tlers mustered their neighbors at Goose River and stood ready to repel the enemy, should they attempt to take the prize at high tide. The English, however, did not deem it best to return, and on the next tide the vessel sailed for her destination.
It is said that at this time the Scottish commander at Castine, Gen. Campbell, sent his son in an armed vessel to burn the set- tlement at Camden, but finding nothing but log huts and know- ing the temper of their occupants, he failed to do so, excusing himself to his father by declaring that he "wouldn't risk the life of a man for all the soo hooses (pig styes ) there were in the place."
Eaton in his "Annals of Warren" relates an incident in the history of Camden, that occurred at about this time as follows : "A kind of tavern in a log house was kept at Clam Cove by Wm. Gregory, a jolly, light-minded man, much fonder of a merry story than a political discussion, and more eager to amass a fortune than to maintain the rights of either country. He was reckoned a tory and his house frequented by illicit traders, though he was frequently plundered by both parties. On one occasion about this time, a knocking was heard at night at his door. He, answering, was requested to open his door to a friend. When, as he did so, in rushed a file of men, all, excepting the commander, speaking a foreign tongue, probably the Scotch highland. They inquired if two deserters, whom they described, were in his house ; and being satisfied that they were not, compelled Gregory to go with them as a guide, to the ferry at Thomaston. On their arrival the boats were all on the other side, but after a little talk not understood, one stripped off his clothes in an instant, notwith- standing the coldness of the weather, and plunging in, soon returned with a boat. Leaving him to dress and warm himself as he could, the rest went over to Watson's house, found the desert- ers, returned to Clam Cove and embarked before the dawn."
These stirring events kept our settlers on the qui vive during
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THE REVOLUTION
the first half of the struggle, but the Penobscot was soon to become the scene of real war.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MAJORBIGUYDUCE EXPEDITION.
After the occupation of Majorbiguyduce 1 by the British the Massachusetts government directed that a force of 1200 men be raised in the counties of Cumberland and Lincoln, to dislodge them. The number of men actually raised, however, was less than 1000, the most of whom were raw recruits. Quite a formidable fleet was also collected consisting of the flag-ship Warren, a new frigate of 32 guns, together with nine ships, six brigs and three sloops, all carrying 344 guns, and 24 transports. The fleet and army rendezvoused at Townsend (now Boothbay Harbor), among the soldiers being Camden's quota, consisting of William Gregory, Peter Ott, Andrew Wells and Leonard Metcalf, as shown by the pay-roll in the secretary's office at Boston. On July 24, 1779, the fleet set sail for Penobscot Bay, commanded by Commodore Saltonstall, and having on board in addition to the sailors, between three and four hundred marines and about one hundred Massachusetts artillery-men under the command of Col. Paul Revere. The commander of the land forces was Gen. Solomon Lovell, and the second in command was Gen. Peleg Wadsworth. 2
1. We also find the forms Majorbagaduce, Majibigwadnce, Biguyduce, Bagaduce, etc., all derived from the Indian name, Matchebiguatns, meaning "At a place where there is no safe harbor "
2. Gen. Wadsworth of Duxbury, Mass., settled in Portland after the war and built the brick house on Congress street, known as the "Longfellow House." He was the grandfather of the poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
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THE MAJORBIGUYDUCE EXPEDITION
This expedition is of interest to us, both because four of Camden's early settlers took part in it, and because it was one of the important events of the war and took place in our imme- diate neighborhood. It was a bitter failure owing to the cowardice and incompetency of the commanding naval officer, but the defeat has come down to us in history brightened by one of the most bril- liant displays of heroism on the part of the raw recruits, that the annals of the war afford.
When the expedition appeared in sight of Castine on July 25th, the British commander, who had heard several days before that it was coming, and had been doing all in his power to pre- pare for the attack, decided that he could not defend his position with what force he had, and immediately sent to Halifax for aid. On July 28 the American fleet was drawn up in a line before the British position and four hundred men were sent ashore under the guns of the fleet, to commence the attack. The landing was made under a steep bluff, which is from one to two hundred feet in height, in the face of a galling fire from the ambushed enemy. The force divided itself into three parties, one ascending the declivity in the center and the others at the right and left. So precipitous was the ascent that they were obliged to make it without order, each man depending upon himself. They gained the heights and drove the enemy to the fort, leaving thirty British soldiers killed, wounded and prisoners. This brilliant engage- ment lasted but twenty minutes, and is but another illustration of the magnificent valor of the Revolutionary heroes. According to Gen. Wadsworth's account, when the victorious Americans found themselves in possession of the heights, they had lost one hundred men. This exploit has been compared to Wolfe's ascent to the plains of Abraham, and Gen. Lovell wrote in his journal: "When I returned to the shore it struck me with admiration to see what a precipice we had ascended, not being able to take such a scru- tinous view of it in time of battle ; it is at least, where we landed, three hundred feet high & almost perpendicular, and the men
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
were obliged to pull themselves up by twigs and trees. I don't think such a landing has been made since Wolfe." 1 Had this action been properly followed up by the fleet, the place would have surrendered before succor could have reached the British and the whole expedition would have been a brilliant success. At this point a council of war was held and it was proposed by the officers of the army that a demand be made upon the enemy to surrender immediately, but this was opposed by Commodore Saltonstall. Then the army desired to storm the fort, but the commodore refused to co-operate and threatened to recall his marines who were on shore. Finally it was decided to send to Boston for reinforcements. In the meantime a fortnight was used up in desultory skirmishings, giving time for the enemy to get assistance from Halifax, and on August 14, it was learned with dismay that a British fleet was entering Penobscot Bay. This fleet, commanded by Sir George Collier, proceeded at once to Castine and poured a broadside upon Saltonstall's fleet. Confusion at once ensued. Most of the vessels had been pressed into service and were commanded by their owners who desired to save their property and who fled, some without making any resistance. Some of the vessels ran ashore and were set on fire and aban- doned, others were blown up with powder and some escaped up the Penobscot, the soldiers taking to the woods. 2 A part of them made their way with great suffering across the country to the Kennebec, while another party came down along the shore through Belfast and Camden. They came into this settlement worn out and hungry, and ravenously devoured raw green pease and whatever came to their hands, among other things a churn of buttermilk standing at the door of Mr. Richards' house. After obtaining rest and refreshment here, this party, which consisted
1. Coll. of Me. His. Society, Series II, Vol. X, Page 62.
2. Soon afterwards a court of inquiry was held at Boston, and the Gen- eral Court adjudged that " Commodore Saltonstall be incompetent ever after to hold a commission in the service of the State, and that Generals Lovell and Wadsworth be honorably acquitted."
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THE MAJORBIGUYDUCE EXPEDITION
of about forty men, the most of whom lived in this vicinity, departed for their respective homes.
The Biguyduce disaster caused much consternation through- out this section and along the whole coast, and it was feared that the exultant enemy would commit greater depredations than ever upon our unprotected people, and even attempt to cut off the eastern part of the state and annex it to Nova Scotia, or form it
into a separate government under a British administration. 1 This fear led to the sending of troops to the Maine coast for its pro- tection. There had been a force stationed at Clam Cove, under command of Gen. George Ulmer of Lincolnville, just prior to the expedition to Castine. Ulmer had erected a breastwork on Pine Hill 2 and mounted an 18-pound gun. Every vestige of this fortification disappeared long ago, although the logs forming it remained as late as 1837, and grape and chain shot were often found near them. After the defeat at Castine, Camden was looked upon as the best place on the coast for protection and many families left their homes and came here. The people of Belfast, rather than take the British oath of allegiance, evacuated that place on Aug. 15, 1779, and came to Camden, a part remaining here while the rest went on to Warren, Bristol, Saco and some to New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Those who remained in Camden found shelter principally at Clam Cove, at the houses of Gregory, Tolman and others, at Goose River with Mr. Thorndike and at Mr. Richards' house at the Harbor.
The force stationed at Clam Cove under Gen. Ulmer, con- sisted of two hundred men. The barracks were situated a half- mile back from the fort near the location of the present Hanson Gregory house. The barracks were simply a temporary shed- like structure for the protection of the soldiers, situated on the land of Wm. Gregory, and a part of Mr. Gregory's log house was
1. See Col. Freeman's letter of Aug. 18, 1779, to the council at Boston. Coll. of Me. His. Society, Series II, Vol. X, Page 75.
2. Pine Hill is a beautiful eminence near the shore just below "Oakland Park " and is now the property of Mrs. Sallie H. Henry of Philadelphia.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
occupied by the officers. Soon afterwards he gave them pos- session of the whole house and moved into a new house he had just completed down towards the pond. Mr. Gregory acted as commissary, and some of the officers of the company were Lieut. Kelloch of Warren and Capt. Blunt. There was a company of Penobscot Indians connected with the force 1 and John Marsh of Orono acted as interpreter, being appointed as such by the gov- ernment, and given charge of all the Indians in the territory between Maine and Rhode Island. His family lodged in the barracks and amid these rude military surroundings, his son, Benjamin, was born Oct. 29, 1780. At the same time that Gen. Ulmer's force was stationed at Clam Cove, Lieut. Benj. Burton with a smaller force was stationed at Camden Harbor. When the settlers left Belfast their unripe crops were left standing in the fields. As harvest time came on it was thought best to undertake to gather a portion of them, so Peletiah Corthell was despatched in a boat for that purpose. Skirting the shore he arrived unmolested at deserted Belfast, filled his boat with the corn of the absent farmers and returned safely with his cargo to Camden.
Notwithstanding the forces stationed in this vicinity, British raiders still skulked about the coast and, when opportunity offered, committed their usual depredation on the patriotic settlers. Goose River was unprotected by soldiers, and on the day that Sir George Collier's British fleet appeared in Penobscot Bay (Aug. 14, 1779), a boat containing twelve men crept into Goose Harbor in search of cattle, and landed near Robert Thorndike's house. Mr. Thorn- dike and his brother, Paul, were at the time away from home, having gone to the mill at Westkeag (So. Thomaston. ) The first intimation that Mrs. Thorndike had of their approach was the report of a gun near the house. Thinking that one of her sons had been shot by the marauders, she seized her son, James, then
1. The Penobscot Indians in the Americans' force, performed good ser- vice, and were faithful friends, notwithstanding that the British tried hard to corrupt them.
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THE MAJORBIGUYDUCE EXPEDITION
three weeks old, and awakening a daughter who was asleep, she fled to the woods just back of the house where she remained concealed until morning, when with rapidly beating heart, she cautiously approached the house. To her joy she found the house empty and its contents undisturbed. The shot had killed a calf and the robbers doubtless thinking the noise would alarm the men of the neighborhood, hurriedly left. A few weeks later the name of the leader of this gang was ascertained. As usual he was a tory, although he was not generally known to be such, but "one night," says Fletcher in his Annals of Camden, 1 "his toryism was all knocked out of him by 'vigilantes.'"' At this period Goose River seemed to be the favorite resort of the marau- ders. On another occasion about the time of the one just related a band of these robbers visited the cabin of John Harkness on the western side of the harbor, and despoiled it of everything of value, including his gun. Harkness was then unmarried and occupied his log house alone. He was a veteran of Ticonderoga and afterwards fought at Bunker Hill. Being wounded in the latter engagement, he came to Camden to settle. It may thus readily be understood that he possessed a fearless nature, had no great liking for the English enemy, and would not tamely submit to any indignity or loss at their hands. It seems that the visitors, after rifling Harkness' cottage, carried their plunder to their boat, and leaving three men to guard it, went in search of other booty. While thus guarding their ill-gotten plunder, Harkness espied them from the opposite side of the river, and surmising what they had done, crossed over and approached them unobserved. After getting very near to them, he suddenly rushed out of the thicket, unarmed as he was, leaped into the boat and secured his gun. Cocking it, he aimed it at the men and commanded them to stand quiet or one of them would die. Keeping his gun thus aimed, he moved backwards into the woods and made his escape, leaving his astonished foes to content themselves with what he
1. Printed in the Rockland Opinion in 1883-84.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
had left them.
In this connection naturally comes the story of the bravery of Elizabeth Ott, the daughter of Peter Ott, 1 whom Mr. Harkness afterwards married. Another band of British pillagers visited the "River" and going to Mr. Ott's tavern undertook to plunder it. They went into the cellar and began to draw liquor from a barrel, when Miss Ott appeared among them and indignantly exclaimed, "Stop, you villains ! Let that alone!" As they paid no attention to her she rushed forward and pushing them to one side placed her hand over the aperture to stop the flow of the liquor from the barrel. One of the band covered her with his gun and threatened to shoot, but the resolute maiden was undismayed and persisted in protecting her father's property. At last, moved with admiration for her beauty and heroism, the plunderers desisted from their attempt to rob and departed without harming the girl or her father's property.
These incidents serve to acquaint us with the many hardships and dangers with which our early settlers had to contend during the struggle for independence and to illustrate the resolute and heroic characters of the noble men and women who laid the foundation upon which the grand superstructure of our free gov- ernment has been erected.
1. Mr. Ott was one of the German settlers at Broad Bay (Waldoboro), but being dissatisfied with what he found there, he moved to Camden and took up Lot 20. Mr. Harkness had the adjoining lots, No. 21 and No. 22. Some of the descendants of John Harkness and Elizabeth Ott are among the leading inhabitants of Rockport at the present time. The name has since been written and pronounced "Oat " by some of the family.
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OTHER REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS
CHAPTER IX. OTHER REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS.
Among the events of the Revolution which our early settlers saw "and of which they were an important part," was a cruise of Captain, afterwards Commodore, Samuel Tucker, of Marble- head, in an American privateer on the coast of Maine, in which Robert. Thorndike of Goose River was a participant.
Com. Tucker, one of the almost forgotten heroes of the Revolution, who lived for many years and died and was buried in the town of Bremen in Lincoln County, was a native of Marble- head, Mass. He was one of the most distinguished naval officers in the history of our country and had a career never surpassed in its romance and success. He early went to sea and as a boy became an expert navigator. When seventeen years of age he saved the ship in which he sailed, from two Algerine pirates that were chasing it, after both the captain and mate had become too frightened to navigate the vessel. Afterwards he served as mid- shipman on an English frigate, and then commanded a merchant ship. Being in London when the Revolutionary War began, he was told that his most gracious majesty would give him a com- mand in the British navy if he would accept it, when he is said to have exclaimed, "D- his most gracious majesty !. do you think I would fight against my native country?" For this rash speech he was obliged to conceal himself, but escaped by strate- gem and came to America. He soon afterwards received from
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
the Continental Congress one of the first commissions issued authorizing the fitting out of armed vessels to prey upon the enemy. He took command of an armed schooner and in that and other vessels, performed services to his country on the sea second to none of his fellow patriots. Although twice captured and held as a prisoner of war, in both cases he soon, either by exchange or escape, gained his freedom, obtained command of another vessel and again became to the British a scourge of the ocean. So great was the confidence in which he was held by the government, that he was selected to convey Mr. John Adams as envoy to France, which duty he safely and successfully accom- plished, although his departure was closely watched by several British men-of-war and although during the voyage he was chased by three frigates of the enemy, and engaged and captured the armed British ship, Martha. During the war he captured sixty-two sail of vessels, more than six hundred pieces of cannon and three thousand prisoners. In 1792 he moved to Bristol, settling in that part of the town that afterwards became Bremen, where he resided until his death in 1833. 1
During one of his exciting cruises, while in the vicinity of Blue Hill he fell in with an English East Indiaman bound from Halifax to Biguyduce with a rich cargo of East India goods which he took as a prize and headed for Penobscot Bay. News of the capture reached Biguyduce and the infamous and notorious Capt. Mowat started in pursuit of Tucker and his prize. In the mean- time, Tucker came across a fishing craft among the islands oppo-
1. Com. Tucker's remains lie in the Bremen cemetery and the grave is marked by a humble slate tablet bearing the following inscription :
In memory of COM. SAMUEL TUCKER, who died March 10, 1833, A Patriot of the Revolution.
Some exceedingly interesting articles on the life and career of this old hero, written by Lieut. Samuel L. Miller of Waldoboro, were published in the Lincoln County News, issues of Sept. 30, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14, 1897.
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OTHER REVOLUTIONARY EVENTS
site Camden, on board of which was Robert Thorndike, and being in need of a pilot he took Thorndike on board somewhat against his wishes, to act in that capacity. The enemy gave Tucker a close chase and fired at him, but the privateer was skillfully pilot- ed up to New Meadows, near Harpswell, and anchored in by the Jedges beyond the reach of the British vessel, which was larger and drew more water than the vessels pursued. Fearing to make an attack with boats, Mowat decided to blocade the entrance and await reinforcements. Tucker, fearing he would in the end be captured and his prize be retaken, consulted with his pilot who was thoroughly acquainted with the coast and who told him to wait until the first dark night and he would safely guide him out. After waiting for three days the wished for storm came on, and that night guided by the skillful hand of the pilot the Yankee slipped quietly out past the enemy, driven through the intense darkness by the strong northeast wind, and sailed away to Portland. 1 The next morning Mowat ascertained that his quarry had escaped and started again in pursuit. He was too late, however, and although he caught sight of the fleeing Yankee near Cape Elizabeth, he was unable to overtake him, and soon afterwards Tucker brought his prize safely into Salem. Thorndike was invested with the authority of prize master and was left on board alone, with an empty chest, with the understanding that he might fill it with anything he might find on board the prize as compensation for his valuable services as pilot. Thinking such an irregular method of procedure smacked of piracy, his con- scientious scruples would not allow him to accept pay in that manner, so the empty chest was lowered into a boat and taken ashore. The cargo of the prize was then transported by land to Boston, and there disposed of according to the usual rules of war, and Mr. Thorndike received his proper share of the prize money, with which, well satisfied and amply remunerated for his
1. Known as Falmouth before the Revolution and burned by Capt. Mowat on Oct. 18, 1775.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
time and trouble, he returned home to Camden.
Capt. Tucker did not forget the skill of his Camden pilot and afterwards when, being in command of the famous "Boston" a sloop of war carrying thirty-six guns, he was despatched to search for and capture Mowat, he first came to Goose River and took Mr. Thorndike on board as pilot. He then sailed to the eastward, but on reaching Cranberry Islands, he learned that spies or tories had apprised Mowat of his danger and that the British captain had hastily departed from the Maine coast. The enemy having made his escape, the expedition was abandoned and Thorndike again returned home.
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