USA > Maine > Washington County > Machias > Narrative of the town of Machias, the old and the new, the early and late > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
Meanwhile a constant watch and guard was maintained to prevent any surprise or sudden dash by the enemy. The residents had voluntarily assumed hostile attitude by taking a British armed vessel, hence apprehensions of signal retaliatory measures were feared, which might come to the place by any of the English armed cruisers, whose com- manders should hear of the Machias rebellion !
Guard boats were provided, well manned to cruise among the Islands in the Harbor and Bay. Efficient officers, like Jeremiah O'Brien, Col. Benj. Foster, Ephraim Chase were given command. These Guard Boats were instructed to sound quick alarm in case any ships of war were seen ap- proaching the Harbor. Captain Stephen Smith was placed in charge of this department as general manager. He estab- lished Head Quarters for several months at Bucks Harbor, seven miles from Machias on the West side of the river; occasionally Capt. Smith would take a run easterly to Quoddy Head and westerly to Narraguagus Bay.
A British officer of high rank, presumably Sir George Collier, was heard to remark while in the vicinity of Boston, that"The dam'd rebels at Machias were a harder set than those at Bunker Hill".
In view of the known, existing enmity of all grades of British authority, the people of this place realized their danger :- hence every man and woman resolved themselves into a "Committee of the Whole."
51
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
A few days after ()'Brien's return, on the 14th of July. the English schooner Diligence of eighty tons and her ten- der, the Tatmagouch, appeared in the bay and anchored a short distance from Buck's Harbor. The Diligence was commanded by one Knight : was armed with four, four pound enrriage guns. Capt. Knight said he was bound for Boston, and had only put in at Machias to learn the particulars about the capture of the Margaretta of which he heard be- fore leaving Annapolis. He with two of his crew had come on shore in a boat to make enquiries of Machias people living at the Harbor. Capt. Smith and his Cutter's crew, in the meantime had secreted themselves on the Island near by and near where Knight and his men must pass in their boat.
At the right moment Capt. Smith and his men showed themselves, and being well armed they compelled the Captain and his men to go on shore and remain! Captain Knight tremblingly informed Captain Smith, that he had no hostile intent in landing at Machias, only to inquire about the Margaretta. and urged very persistently to be released. He was informed that he must go to Machias with his boat and crew, where the Committee of Safety and the people would decide his case. On his arrival here, the next day. he was informed it had been decided that Knight and his crew should be held prisoners, and the committee directed Capt. Jeremiah O'Brien in the Liberty and Capt. Benj. Foster in the Falmouth Packet, to proceed to Buck's Harbor, take the Diligence and Tatmagouch up to the vil- lage. ('Brien and Foster as soon as the tide served went down accordingly and on reaching the vessel ordered their colors struck ! Lieutenant Spry then in command seeing so powerful force round him at once surrendered and vessels and prisoners were sailed up to Machias.
The Commitee of Safety despatched a special Messenger (London Atus) to the Provincial Congress then at Cam- bridge, with account of the capture of the Margaretta and other vessels.
On the 26th of JJune that body passed the following :-- "Resolved that the thanks of this Congress be and hereby are
52
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
given to Capt. Jeremiah O'Brien and Capt. Benjamin Fos- ter, and other brave men under their command, for their courage and good conduct in taking one of the Tenders be- longing to our enemies, and two sloops belonging to Ichabod Jones, and for preventing the Ministerial troops being supplied with lumber; and that the said Tender sloops their appertenances and cargoes remain in the hands of Captains O'Brien and Foster and the men under their command , for them to use and improve, as they shall think most for their and the Public's advantage, until the further order of this or of some future Congress or House of Rep- resentatives.
September 19, 1776, the Committee of Safety directed, with other orders, that Captain Stephen Smith keep one half of his men on duty at a time; that an advanced Guard of a Coporal and four men be kept cruising every day among the islands naming "Birch Point " as their head quarters, and that the main Guard be stationed at the Rim. A boom had been built across the river at the narrows, (Rim, ) the preceeding July. A breastwork on the south side of the River was partly built at the same time and completed in September.
Sylvanus Scott, who lived at the Rim, was directed also to build a sufficient breastwork near his house, together with watch-box or lookout and house for men. The remains of the breastwork or Fort Foster, on the East side of the river near the Rim are yet plainly to be seen, though built one hundred and twenty-seven years ago.
The Fort on the West shore of the river at Machiasport is yet well preserved in its outlines also the magazine. This Fort was named O'Brien. The O'Brien family had quite a hand in building it in 1775-also strengthening it in 1777. It was occupied in war of 1812-14, Lieut. Morse being stationed there with a limited number of men. Also, in the civil war during the raids of the Confederate ship Alabama on Northern shipping a company of troops occupied the fort.
During the Summer of 1776 John Allen, a man of recog-
53
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
nized ablity and an influential resident of Cumberland, N. S., because of his sympathy with the American Revolutionists was obliged to abandon his home and property and was forced to leave Nova Scotia. His wife and children were made prisoners, his property confiscated and a part of his buildings laid waste by fire. He came to Machias and from his recognized induence among the Eastern Indian tribes was employed by the Colonial Government and Com- missioned as Colonel of the American troops in the Province of Maine to the "Eastward of Mt. Desert." He was also placed in command as Superintendant of the Eastern Indian Department, with Head Quarters in Machias.
Owing to representations of the case with which. he believed that Nova Scotia could be taken, in conjunction with Rev. Mr. Lyon who shared in the opinion, it was that a number of schemes were debated and planned in 1776, '77 for an attempt to accomplish the work. While none of his plans were put into practical movement, enough was done to attract the serious attention of the British authorities. Machias being near to Nova Scotia it was made the central place of rendezvous, and arrangements were in progress to mass here the invading forces and store the necessary material for the Nova Scotia campaign.
This design in some way must have been disclosed to the British Admiral at Boston, who forthwith advised the Government of Nova Scotia of what would probably occur. It was alleged that large supplies of provisions, ammu- nition and clothing were already deposited in Machias; that some portion of the troops had arrived, - Colonel Allen. who was indefatigable in all that he was charged with, hav- ing carried there many valuable presents for the Indians who were to be allies of Allen's invading forces, and the enterprise was nearing completion.
The Governor of Nova Scotia believed the alarming re- ports. Convinced of imminent danger he made application to Sir George Collier, who was, with a fleet of several vessels under his command, at Halifax: also to General Massey who commanded the land forces, and stated that the
54
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
only way to prevent the threatened attack was to begin with the rebels at Machias, before their departure from that place.
General Massey declined, saying he was ordered to the de- . fense of Halifax, and that he had no power to move troops out of the Province.
Sir George Collier replied that he would sail and do every thing in his power to destroy the magazines at Machias and prevent the invasion. He immediately put to sea with the Rainbow and Blonde two armed frigates carrying forty- four guns ; the Mermaid, twenty-eight guns joined him on the way ; he also found the cutter Hope near Mt. Desert, which he had previously despatched to procure intelligence of what was doing at Machias.
Captain Dawson of the Hope reported to Sir George that. there was no doubt of the intended enterprise; that by a spy he had sent he learned reasons to suspect that many traitors in Nova Scotia intended to join the rebels as soon as they arrived there! Upon this news Sir George moved on and with his squadron, arrived in Machias, anchoring at Buck's Harbor the 13th of August.
News of the arrival of Collier's fleet in the Lower harbor was speedily reported to the town authorities, and the alarm in consequence of so formidable force appearing against the unprotected settlement, as existed here at this time, was serious in the extreme. But few troops had arrived destined for the Nova Scotia expedition, nor had any large supplies of ammunition and arms been received. Probably no question more momentous ever agitated the minds of our people than this on that day. An armed force was in the river capable of destroying the settlement in a few hours. They had neither experience or strength to cope with the ap- proaching power. Seeing that nothing could be gained by ignoble surrender whatever the odds against them, they deter- mined to make all resistance possible.
The women and children, with such valuables as could be removed of the dwellers by the river sides, were sent into.
55
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
the woods at a distance from the scenes of the coming conflict.
In the meantime the settlers made the best disposition of their resources for defense. The whole male population capable of bearing arms enlisted in the work. The Indians of whom there were about fifty with some of the whites were stationed at White's Point, near where the Railroad Station is now, where breastworks were hastily built under the com- mand of Captain Stephen Smith. Colonel Foster, who had seen something of war at the taking of Louisburg, had charge of the entrenchments on the North side of the river at the Rim while a detachment was sent, under command of Major George Stillman, to take charge at the South side of the river at the same place.
The Frigates came up river as far as the largest of them could with safety and having transferred to the Hope, which drew less water, a sufficient number of marines from the other vessels. Captain Dawson continued up the river, until he encountered the boom at the Rim. A hot fire was sent on the Hope from Foster's Guard on the one side and Still- man's on the other side, but Dawson landed a part of his men on the North side about one hundred rods below Foster's battery and under cover of the woods and fog that prevailed came very near capturing Foster's command. They barely made their escape. Dawson's men on examining the boom found a way to separate it and as soon as the tide served, the Hope and a coasting sloop taken by her , slowly pro- ceeded up river towards the village. Meanwhile Dawson's men had burned two dwelling houses and barns, the Guard house and a small structure used for a tannery. One of the houses and the tannery burned belonged to Sylvanus Scott, the other house to Ephraim Andrews.
The Hope came up to the mouth of Middle River where anchor was dropped. Captain Dawson sent men out in boats several men to sound the depth of water, with the in- tention of placing his vessel nearer the dwellings of the in- habitants, that his guns might effect the more complete de- struction
1
56
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
Next morning early it was seen that our force at White's Point under Captain Smith was quite within musket shot of the enemy, and was prepared to give him a "powder and shot welcome, " as soon as he could be reached.
Francis Joseph Neptune, a Chief of the Quoddy Tribe of Indians-impatient for strife interviewed Captain Smith and received permission to fire on one of the boats in which a British officer standing was chosen for his target ! Captain Smith thought it a waste of powder, the distance was so long. but Neptune persisting in earnest appeal permission was giv- en, and the Chief ventured out of the earthworks, crawled through the grass, weeds, and mud and water to White's wharf and fired at the red coat but the shot passed over him do- ing no harm. Upon this failure he accosted Captain Smith with the significant Indian grunt, -"Sartin me hit him next time, Cappen." With that true self possession of the Red man he reloaded his gun; the second shot hit his mark-the officer fell overboard dead !
There was evidently much confusion on the boats and the vessel. The men in the boats were immediately called on board, the anchor hauled in and the Hope commenced dropping down river. As soon as the officer fell the Indians elated by the deadly shot of their Chief induced by a supply of "much rum," gave utterance to their terrifying war whoops, in which the whites of the detachment joined, as heartily and as wildly as the Indians. The British marines had dread of the warfare of American Indian's and the yells on this occasion echoing and reechoing over the waters and through the forests sent deathly dread into their ranks and they appeared glad to make their escape as the "Woods ap- peared full of them."
As the Hope sailed down the river she encountered mus- ketry, wherever she came near to the South shore, from Major Stillman's forces. About dark the Hope became "stuck in the flats" near half a mile above the Rim. as the men disappeared below deck, Stillman came to the village.
In consultation with the Committee it was decided to fol- low the retreating foe. The next morning Colonel Foster
57
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
ordered his men into the batteries and arrangements made to attack the Hope before she floated. From this point a constant fire was kept upon her as she passed 'till she run nground the second time a few rods below the Rim Narrows. A remnant of Stillman's battery on the South side with- drew, by false intelligence that the enemy was landing in full force from the ships at Buck's Harbor, and were march- ing to the relief of the Hope.
In the meantime some of the people at the village obtain- ed a cannon, three pounder, and carried the gun where it could be brought to bear on the Hope. In passing an ex- posed point , those who had the piece in charge, made a bier upon which the gun was placed, and being covered by a blanket., so as to present the appearance of a funeral pro- cession, it was placed within a short distance of the Hope who , supposing it to be the body of some one dead from her shots, suffered the transaction to pass unmolested! Shortly the dead man spoke! The Captain became so greatly alarmed. that preparations were in progress to abandon the Hope, when the size of the balls was discovered. As these were small the crew ventured to stay by the vessel until high water when she again floated and proceeded to join her consorts below. The Captain of the Hope was much annoyed and his vessel not a little damaged by the cannon small though it was. A day or two later the fleet disappear- ed having sailed for Halifax.
It can be readily supposed that our people were rejoiced to be rid of so formidable onemy as the Collier fleet, as they might have been had Sir George known our actual weakness Such however was the spirit, vigilance and energy of Machias'brave defenders, their incessant fire of musketry on both shores of the river, that the defense appeared to the enemy ten fold stronger power than it really was.
Of the killed and wounded in the different engagements of the three months conflict, tradition places the British loss at nearly one hundred men. This is probably too large estimate. The English officers report was three killed and eighteen wounded. Of the Americans, a young man by
58
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
name of James Foster of East River, was killed while pass- ing an exposed place across the marsh, and Jonas Farns- worth was wounded in the head during the engagement at the Rim.
When he returned to Halifax in November, Sir George Collier made an extravagant report of the service he had rendered, and received the thanks of the Governor and Council therefor. He stated that there were three large magazines of clothing, provisions and ammunition, all very valuable, which, as the rebels increased fast and kept up a constant fire from the woods, there was no possibility of bringing any part of them away. The buildings were there- fore set on fire and the whole consumed, together with a large corn mill and three saw mills. The habitations of the people were spared, he said, because he wished to bring back the infatuated settlers by acts of lenity rather than severity ! Considering the force of the enemy all this was achieved with much less than might have been expected.
DECLARATION.
Shortly after his arrival at Halifax he published and cir- culated the following :
By Sir George Collier, Commander of His Majesty's ship and having charge of the Rainbow, King's ships and vessels employed on the coast of New England and Nova Scotia.
"The Inhabitants of Machias not satisfied with the quiet they enjoy, whilst a great part of America is suffering the inconveniences attendant on war, have thought proper with out the least provocation, several times to invade and ravage the possessions of their innocent and peaceable neighbors-faithful subjects of the King-in the Province of Nova Scotia, and likewise had the temerity last winter to invest Fort Cumberland, in the Bay of Fundy, belonging to his Majesty.
Such repeated outrages could not pass unnoticed and ac- cordingly, I thought proper to convince them, a few misled people, that their harbor was accessible and their town at our mercy, if it was judged necessary to reduce it to ashes.
59
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
His Majesty's ship Hope, therefore, after proceeding up to the town, in spite of all the opposition that could be made against her, showed the inhabitants at the same time, a proof of lenity and moderation, by sparing the place and doing no injury to individuals, in the wish that such for- bearance might be the means of preventing a repetition of the cruel and injurious inroads they have made on their neighbors wantonly and without reason.
In order however that these motives of the lenity and forbearance, shown not only at Machias but in Townsend harbor and other places, may be properly understood, and let the subjects of His Majesty in the Eastern parts of New England know, what they have to trust to in future, I think proper to declare that. if any more preparations shall be made for ravaging the Province of Nova Scotia, or that the inhabitants should attempt collecting fresh magazines or associating themselves for such a villanous purpose, the consequence will inevitably be laying in ashes every , house mill . storehouse and other buildings belonging to them, of which the inhabitants of Machias, Narraguagus, Goulds- borough and all other places on or near the seacoast will take notice :- besides which their harbors shall be so effec- tively blocked up by the ships and vessels of His Majesty. that even their fishing boats will not be suffered to come out before the rebellion is over.
With this generous caution before them the Inhabitants on the eastern coast will act as they think proper, but they must remember , if they draw the threatened punishment. that they have nobody to blame for it but themselves-and in order that every proper method to induce the King's sub- jects before mentioned to live inoffensivly and peaceably shall be used, I hereby declare that if they do so, His Majesty's ships of War will have orders not to injure or molest the fishermen in their occupation of catching fish, provided their vessels carry no arms, and that the number of men do not exceed eight in one of them.
Given on board His Majesty's ship, Rainbow, in the
60
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
harbor of Townsend, in New England, the 2nd day of Sep- tember, 1777.
GEO. COLLIER.
To the Inhabitants of Machias, Narraguagus and Goulds- borough, and the rest of the Settlements on the Eastern Coast of New England."
The facts of the case are that there was no destruction of property by Sir George, Captain Dawson or other British commander who visited Machias river, except the two dwell- ings, guard house and small grist mill on Butterfield's creek, as before mentioned. The visit of Commodore Collier accom- plished nothing towards the reduction of Machias or "laying it in ashes." The provisions and material for the N. S. expedition had not arrived, and if they had they would have been stored in the village, with no vessel of Col- lier's fleet, except the Hope approaching within seven miles!
In consequence of this attempt by Collier to capture Machias, General Washington ordered Colonel Jonathan Eddy, to raise a regiment and proceed to Machias to assist in the defense of that town. Colonel Eddy had met Wash- ington in Cambridge in 1776; so by Eldy's familiarity with affairs in Nova Scotia, where he had then resided for several years. Washington gave him a commission with the rank of Colonel, hence the order to Eddy to proceed to Machias in 1777.
Col. Eddy's regiment consisted of companies of Militia from Lincoln and Cumberland Counties. Capt. Daniel Sulli- van, of Sullivan, marched his company of fifty three men to Machias in September 1777. February 28, 1778. the Adj't General of Massachusetts audited Capt. Sullivan's account and a Resolve was passed allowing him 91 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence for "services at Machias."
Captain George Hasten's Company was also "Marched to Machias" with Sullivan's. The Muster rolls on file at the State House in Boston show the different companies who were in Col. Benjamin Foster's Regiment during the seige of Machias in 1777. and these rolls show that the men were not discharged until November and December of that year.
61
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The names of Nathan Whitney. Serg't. John Nash, Moses Wooster, George Tinney, James Campbell, who were years later known as residents of Columbia and Cherryfield did service in Captain Sullivan's company.
At the same time Colonel JJohn Allen had charge of sev- eral companies of Militia besides the friendly Indians, all of whom acted in conjunction with Colonel Eddy's forces in repelling the English invasion of Machias River.
There must have been in the near neighborhood of one thousand troops quartered in the vicinity of Machias for three months ending in November, 1777. How these men subsisted is the question suggested? It will be borne in mind that quite large supplies were provided for Colonel Eddy's and Colonel Allen's contemplated expedition against Fort Cumberland in Nova Scotia. These supplies were not risked by the blockade of British cutters, kept almost con- stantly in the lower harbor of Machias from July, 1777 to the time of the withdrawal of Collier's fleet Dec. same year, but tradition observes that the sloops conveying these supplies found the way into Englishman's River; thence the goods were easily brought to Machias. Besides in the season of 1776-1777 a large proportion of the families including old men, women and children left their homes, and quite a settlement of camps was made on "Old Stream," where they remained for two or three years before returning to Machias. ()Id Stream is in the town of Northfield, six to eight miles distant from Machias. As late as 1850 there were visible marks of the Old Stream camping-grounds; rows of corn hills. in the growth of sapling pines eight to twelve inches in diameter were distinctly traceable. Some of the young men of the Old Stream contingent were among the first settlers at Calais.
After the withdrawal of Collier's vessels Machias was not visited or molested in any way by the enemy during other remaining years of the Revolution.
No neglect of eureful harbor guard and outpost duty was allowed. The men took turns at the forts and in the entter cruising in the harbor. The inhabitants though often
62
HISTORY OF MACHIAS.
suffering for the want of the common necessaries of life, prized the approaching Day of freedom from the Mother land, far above physical and domestic comforts, at any sacrifice or concession to a Power they had already repudiat- ed, and did not intend to lose by any surprise or unlooked for attack on their settlement.
Early in the season of 1781, the Penobscot valley including Castine, had been for nearly two years under control of British army and Naval officials. The people between the Penobscot and Narraguagus river had met with con- tinued annoyance and hardship; children crying for bread and aged people weak for the want of nourishing food :- comfortable clothing scarce and household utensils few and primitive, while for want of farm implements the land was not properly cultivated, crops small and scantily matured.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.