USA > Maine > Washington County > Machias > Narrative of the town of Machias, the old and the new, the early and late > Part 6
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The British officer in command at Bagaduce, (Castine, ) established desirable trade and intercourse between the Brit- ish soldiery and the inhabitants; it is not surprising that some of the latter by maintaining assumed neutrality, they would have better food, more clothing, and still be in po- sition to claim all the benefits of a prosperous or successful result of the war? And the tories-there were a few-took every opportunity to fan the flame of discontent and arouse discord among the settlers. No doubt it was under the pressure of such considerations and influences as the foregoing, that some of the leading inhabitants of the Penobscot valley, were very anxious to adopt some system, that would insure them a degree of rest and slacken the ten- sion, were influenced to join in an appeal to the more east- ern settlements, including Machias, in favor of adopting a strict neutrality while the contest was in progress between Great Britian and the Colonies. The patriots of Machias were not of the stuff to be thus tampered with. Fortunate- ly there is a record of how such proposal was received. In a full meeting on the 26th day of March, 1781, the question of neutrality was up for consideration. The record reads :
"At a full meeting of the Inhabitants of Machias assembled March 26, 1781, there was presented by Stephen
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Jones, Esq., a letter received by him from -- of Goulds- borough. with a representation that came enclosed to the said Jones :- the same being read in open meeting-the in- habitants adopted the following :
1. Resolved: That the said letter and representation be deposited with the Committee of Safety and Correspond- ence, to which Mr. Jones cheerfully agreed.
2. Resolved : That the Inhabitants of this Plantation do hereby express their utmost abhorrence both of the subject matter and the letter and representation signed by -- , who hath made it evident that he hath private interest at heart rather than the good of his country. And we do hereby declare that we are ever ready to defend the rights and Liberties of the United States of America against Great Britain, or any other enemy to the freedom and Indepen- dance of the States, whether internal or external and that we despise a neutrality in the present contest-holding it as an 'indisputable Truth that, those who are not for us are against us.
3. Resolved: That the committee send the proceedings of this Meeting, together with said letter and representation, to the committees of the other Plantations, West of us as far as Frenchman's Bay, desiring to know their determination in the matter.
4. Resolved : The committee be desired to prepare a letter to be sent to his Excellency. the Governor, and that the same be laid before this meeting for approbation ?
5. Resolved: That the committee be desired to wait on the commanding officer with the proceedings of this Meeting and consult with him as to what measures are best to be taken for the Safety of the place.
WILLIAM TUPPER, Clerk.
Machias, April, 1781
In accordance with the fourth resolve the Committee of Safety prepared a letter and sent to Governor Hancock also an Address-(with a copy of the letter and representation
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referred to)-from which are the following extracts: "We herewith send your Excellency a copy of said letter and of the paper which accompanied it, not doubting but your Ex- cellency will take such measures, as will not only frustrate the designs of our enemies but deter others from following such counsel as must end in their own destruction.
We have no doubt of the good disposition of your Ex- celency and the other Branches of Government towards us. We have often experienced your bounty and care; without which we would now be groaning under the tyranny which our internal enemies are now striving to bring on us under the specious pretext of neutrality. We therefore hope we shall not now be given up for prey, but that our political fathers will continue to protect us, and .animate us still to hold out and persevere in the defense of the Liberties to which we are entitled, and until the Independnce of America shall be Acknowledged by our enemies.
Your Excellency may rely upon the affection and fidelity of these Plantations in general, notwithstanding all their present difficulties; and that they will exert themselves to the utmost against all the enemies of the Peace and Inde- pendence of the United States of America ;- We therefore humbly request that your Excellency and the General Court will be pleased in their wonted goodness and gener- osity to grant as expeditiously as possible, such aid and assistance as may be neccessary to enable us to take proper measures to avert the designs of our enemies?"
The Committee at this time were Deacon Joseph Libby, Stephen Smith, Benjamin Foster, Jeremiah O'Brien, James N. Shannon.
General John Cooper, who came to Machias in 1789 and was for twenty-five years High Sherriff of the County, a gentleman of wide intelligence and close observation, in a communication to the Massachusetts Historical Society containing description of Machias, makes the following statement :
"After the British troops had taken possession of Penoh- scot in 1779, it was expected, that all the country to the east-
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ward of it, would submit to their jurisdiction, yet, notwith- standing their Proclamation announcing vengeance in case of refusal, the inhabitants of Machias with most of the townships, including Mt. Desert, still adhered to their Country's cause, and continued to act offensively to the close of the war. The extensive and well deserved influence of General Alexander Campbell of Narraguagus, which at all times secured the ready obedience of the militia; the exer- tions of Colonel John Allen who had the direction of the friendly Indians and the efforts of the people of Machias united, preserved to the Country a valuable extent of Terri- tory as the Boundary line between New Brunswick and Mass- achusetts when hostilities ceased ; was determined rather by possession than the Treaty of Peace or the compass" The narrative as given on preceding pages of the early settlement of Machias , which gives to the reader some knowledge of the trials and hardships our ancestors endured: having told of some of their patriotic deeds and successful defense with arms ; showing how much they dared to do in the most per- ilous days for the Liberty of our Country : having shown their firmness and loyalty at a later period, when the outcome was dark and as uncertain as at the battle of Margaretta. It is well to leave their memory an their example to be cherished and perpetuated by their sucessors as well as in monuments of stone .
The following papers, gathered from files in the War De- partment at Washington, records and books in the New Eng- land Historical Society, and from traditional utterances in the intervening years since the Revolution, show individual testimony of the doings of the steadfast and devoted men and women of Machias and neighboring settlements, in the seven years struggle for release from Great Britain's power.
What better in history can we ask for than statements of intelligent men participants in the acts, that make the His- tory? Hence we copy the following, that by Capt Chase under onth, one by Mr. Whenton and one by John O'Brien at an age in life when men seek to communicate truthful utterances.
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STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN EPHRAIM CHASE.
I was born in Freetown, County of Bristol, Province of Massachusetts, June 1, O. S., A. D. 1744. At the age of seven years my father took me to sea as cabin boy, in which capacity I continued nine years. I was then apprenticed to a carpenter, with whom I served my time. At the age of twenty-one I married and removed to Nantucket, where I lived four years, working at my trade.
I then removed to Machias where I arrived in June, 1769. and, where I have resided until the present time. I had labored at my trade six years when the disturbance between England and America commenced. At that time one Ichabod Jones, who for several years had furnished the town with provisions, being disaffected towards the American cause, applied to Admiral Graves, who had possession of Boston harbor, for a tender to convoy him into our river. The Admiral grant- ed him one, which accompanied him to White's Point, where he unloaded and stored his provisions. He then desired a town meeting. Being asked for what purpose, he replied, "I will inform you at the meeting." The town having met, he proposed our trading as usual and paying according to contract. A few only voted in favor of his proposition, and so he withheld his provisions from all ex - cepting those few. These circumstances, in connection with the situation of Boston, provoked our jealousy and roused us to assert and defend our rights. Mr. Benjamin Foster proposed taking Jones and his vessels by force of arms. He collected twenty-five of the most resolute of the inhab- itants, on Sunday, intending to seize upon Jones and the captain of the tender both in meeting. . Having approached within a few rods of the meeting house the captain espied us. He arose and exclaimed, "An army is approaching." Upon which Jones, accompanied by a friend, fled into the woods. His captain escaped and got on board his vessel. He had four cannon and we gave up pursuit, through fear of them. Jones' sloop lay about three miles below loading with boards. We suspected the captain would endeavor to escape out of the river and take the sloop in company. We
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therefore repaired to her in order to prevent him. He ar- rived according to our conjectures, and when within a short distance, we caused him to sheer off by telling him a ledge lay in his way. Being unacquainted with the river he ran aground where he was obliged to lay till flood tide. This gave us an opportunity of adding twenty-five more men to our little company. Next morning we manned the sloop that had thus got into our power and another smaller one, and pursued the enemy. We got pretty near before she be- gan to float. We overtook her at the outer islands where we attacked and captured her. A number were killed and wounded on both sides. The captain of the tender expired on the third day. We removed the guns and ammunition of the prize on board our sloop. A few days after a vessel which had been sent out from Halifax to survey the coast, entered our river to inquire into the affair and espouse the cause of our enemies. As she lay at anchor in Buck's Har- bor we ran our sloop alongside and boarded her, meeting with no resistance whatever from her crew. We then carried her up the river where we fitted her for our service. The committee of safety selected Benjamin Foster, George Stillman, Abiel Sprague, Nathan Longfellow, myself, and three others whose names I have forgotten, to carry our prisoners to Cambridge and deliver them to George Wash- ington. Two small vessels were fitted for the purpose, when we set sail and reached Cambridge in safety. We left cur prisoners with Washington and returned.
After the British evacuated Boston, March, 1776, I com- menced coasting from Machias to that place. In March 1777, or 1778 I am not positive which, Col. John Allan. commander of the troops in Machias and superintendent of the Indians, presented me with a commission from Congress wherein I was authorized to take command of the Salute, mounting ten guns, and cruise in the States' service and capture the enemy.
The Salute was taken from the English at Moose Island by Francis Joseph, Governor of the Indians in Machias.
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He called his prize the "Neshquoit." Before I entered the cruising service, Congress countermanded my orders and stationed me at Machias to "defend the harbor and supply the troops and Indians with provisions, and other nec- essaries." I engaged in this service, and performed my duties to the extent of my abilities till 1782. Colonel Allan then received orders from the General Court at Cambridge to send the Salute or Neshquoit to them. As I was out of health at that time, the command devolved on Elijah Ayers, my first lieutenant.
My commission and journal were both unfortunately burned about this time under the following circumstances :
In my absence the dry forest which surrounded my house, having accidentally caught fire, my furniture was removed into the green wood as a place of safety. But the wind blowing very hard, even the green trees were consumed, together with many of my effects, among which were my commission and journal.
The above narrative is the simple truth according to the best of my remembrance.
(Signed) EPHRAIM CHASE.
(Not dated. )
Ephraim Chase made an application for pension on August 28, 1832, at which time he was 88 years of age and resided at East Machias, Maine In this application for pension he alleged that he was commissioned a captain May 7, 1778, at Machias, Me , and served as captain on board the U. S. S. Salute and "Neshquoit" for a period of two years.
Appollus, Eleazer and Levi Chase, legal heirs of Ephraim Chase, made an application for pension on December 22, 1852, at which time they were residing at East Machias, Maine, and their pension was allowed them for the actual service of Ephraim Chase, who died April 17, 1836, at the rate of $480 per annum, and commenced March 4, 1831, and ending April 17, 1836. Their pension certificate being issued May 3, 1838, numbered 33,121, and paid at the Maine Agency.
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(Affidavit. )
I. Jacob Longfellow, of Machias, in the County of Wash- ington, 86 years of age, on oath do testify and say that I was acquainted with Captain Ephraim Chase, now deceased. I became acquainted with Captain Chase in the summer of A. D., 1779: he was then residing in Machias where I also resided : his father and mine wore quite intimate and I saw him frequently and knew him well. I came to Machias in
> June 1779. Captain Chase was then in command of a Government armed schooner of ten guns called the Nesh- quoit, and according to my best recollection remained in command of her to the close of the war. I was on board of said vessel and assisted in firing a salute either in July, / 1881 or '82. Ephraim Chase was then in command. At the close of the war she was ordered to Boston and I assisted in putting on board some of her guns which were (?) in the test. She was taken to Boston by Lieut. Ayers. Captian Chase being sick. It was always understood that Captain Chase had a commission and I understood that it and all his papers were afterwards burned.
(Signed ) JACOB LONGFELLOW.
Sworn to December 23. 1852. before Albert Pilsbury, Justice of the Peace.
( Affidavit. )
I. Daniel Foster, of East Machias, formerly Machias, in the County of Washington, State of Maine, do on oath depose and testify and say that I am 84 years of age: that I was ac- quainted with Captain Ephraim Chase, formerly of said Machias, now deceased. Captain Chase was commander of an armed vessel called the Nesquoit during part of the Rev- olutionary War. I think she mounted ten guns. Captain Chase Ind a commission from the Continental Congress, I think, and was ordered to cruise with said vessel from Bos- ton to Machias and to guard all the eastern department from Boston to Machias. Captain Chase commanded the Nesh- quoit more than one year, and. I think. more than two years. I think Captain Chase brought supplies from Bos-
?
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ton to the troops stationed at Machias. Captain Chase did no other business while he was commander of said vessel except on board said vessel. He kept the Neshquoit con- stantly employed in cruising from point to point in the de- partment from Boston to Machias. Two of my neighbors, Mr. Benjamin Harmon and Mr. Stephen Munson, serv- ed on board said vessel with Captain Chase. Mr. Elijah Ayers was first lieutenant, and Mr. Benjamin Harmon second lieutenant. Israel Andrews was a hand on board said vessel with Capt. Chase. I was well acquainted with Capt. Chase, Mr. Harmon, Mr. Munson and Mr.
Andrews. They all resided in Machias. I think Capt. Chase continued in command of the Neshquoit until the close of the war. I have recently lost my eyesight to such a degree that I cannot now see to write.
(Signed) DANIEL (his X mark) FOSTER. Attest: S. H. Lowell.
Sworn to before Simeon H. Lowell, Justice of the Peace, January 28, 1853.
Washington County, State of Maine.
I hereby certify that satisfactory evidence has been exhibit- ed before me, John C. Talbot, Judge of the Court of Probate held in and for the county aforesaid, and which is a Court of record, that Ephraim Chase, late of said County, deceased, a reputed Revolutionary officer and soldier, died on the 17th clay of April. 1836, at East Machias of said county and State; that he left no widow surviving him; that he left ten children and there are now living seven children, to wit: Appollus Chase, Eleazer Chase, and Mark Chase, Wealthy Stickney. Cynthia Foster, Deborah Annis, Levi Chase-who are the only surviving children of the said Ephraim Chase, and in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal at Cherryfield, this 9th day of February in the year of our Lord 1853.
Attest : (Signed) J. C. TALBOT, Judge of Probate.
A. F. Parlin, Register.
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The heirs of Capt. Chase experienced difficulties in securing what congress appropriated for their father's ben- efit. After employing services of unreliable attorneys and Pension Claim Agents, they employed Hon. Geo. F. Talbot in 1853, now living in Portland, and finally, as appears, by his efforts, payment was made.
Hon. George Walker of Portland whose wife is a daughter of Jeremiah O'Brien, for six years a member of congress from Maine, and a grand daughter of Gideon O'Brien, One of the heroes of the Margaretta capture, presented to the Maine Historical Society two letters of Joseph Wheaton, who lived for many years in Washington, D. C., where he held a government office, giving his account of the Machias sea fight in which he participated. The letter we copy is addressed to Gideon O'Brien, written in 1818, and is as follows :-
"Washington City, April 23, 1818.
With respect to the affair of taking the Margaretta schooner, so far as my recollection serves, was thus, and I beg you to correct, add to, strike out, as your recollection may serve you, for I can only state from memory, viz :-
Before the battle of Concord, April 19, 1775, the Margaretta schooner, Captain Moore, sailed from Boston and came to Machias, to convoy two sloops owned by Ichabod Jones with humber for Boston, and for the use of the British Government. While these vessels were loading, there came to Machias a vessel and brought the news of the battle of Concord, and communicated it to the people on a Saturday evening ; the next morning, Sunday, it was pro- posed to take the officers, when at public worship and there- by obtain the vessel in retaliation for Concord and Lex- ington. In attempting this the officers, Captain Moore and others escaped, and got on board the schooner and fell down to Scott's wharf, when they were fired upon by a party who had come down there, headed by Mr. Foster from the East river. But as it fell dark, the Margaretta fell down
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the river near where my family then lived: on Monday morning the people got together at Scott's , the schooner in view. Your brother Dennis and myself were standing on the wharf by ourselves, when I said to him, Dennis let us go and take that schooner? How will you do it? said Dennis; I said we can take Job Harris' sloop, get the people on board her, the sloop will outsail the Margaretta, we can board her, and take her; with all my heart, said Dennis. We then called to our aid two youths, and renewed the prop- osition, to which they agreed. We four immediately stepped into a boat, and went on board of the Job Harris sloop, and demanded him to take the sloop to Scott's wharf which with some little opposition was effected. So soon as we stepped on shore and gained the bank before Scott's house, we four took off our hats and gave three cheers, when your brother Jeremiah stepped forward, yourself and brother John, and called upon the people to undertake the enter- prise, to which all consented, who with one impulse collected the arms, three rounds of loose powder and ball, a number of axes, several hayforks, took on board one barrel of water, a small bag of bread, and a few pieces of pork, and made ready to pursue the Margaretta. While the people were thus employed the captain of the Margaretta, observing the movements of our people, going to and from the sloop, by his spyglass, got his schooner under way and proceeded down the river, and on passing the high point of land, some person fired at the schooner, which occasioned her to fire, and by which she carried away her boom, and when she had reached Holmes' bay met with a sloop commanded by Robert Avery, from her the captain took the boom and as soon as it was rigged our sloop came in sight of the Mar- garetta, when she made sail and stood to sea for Boston with Captain Avery on board and his boat in tow. Our crew in chase chose with one voice Jeremiah O'Brien commander, who arranged our men in ranks across the deck, from the windlass aft, and thus formed and posted. stood ready for action ; in a short time the Margaretta began to cut away her boats, and finding we gained upon her. they cut away all
-
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three of her boats and commenced a heavy fire in quick suc- cession. A man named MeNeal took our wall piece, the only one we had, while resting it on the bitts of the windlass to take aim, received a swivel ball in his forehead and fell. A man named Knight, took up the wall piece as it fell from the hand of MeNeal, and fired it, and wounded the man at the helm of the Margaretta, at which time she broached to. while our gallant little helmsman still was steering our sloop for the broadside of the schooner, and at which moment our men made a fair fire of musketry on the Mar- garetta , and as we made the second fire, our bowsprit took the shrouds of the schooner running through her mainsail. when Captain Moore put a hand grenade among us. But the moment our sloop's how struck the schooner's side, I believe you led the boarders, for I am sure I was near you. the captain, Moore, was shot down with two balls in his breast, the second officer slightly wounded, or much frightened, Robert Avery killed. When all was quiet and order restored. I ran up the shrouds and out the pennant halyards from the crosstrees and brought them down. Your brother Jere- miah took down the ensign. The boats were regained which had been cut away from the Margaretta, the rigging overhauled and put in order, when a southerly breeze sprang up, and we returned to Scott's wharf about sunset. As soon as the Margaretta was got up to Machias, a hospital pro- vided for the wounded, the dead deposited, Captain ()'Brien with the advice of the people, took possession of Ichabod Jones' larger sloop, named her the Liberty, mounted the cannons and swivels on her, and took the Diligence and Tapnagouch with which two vessels sailed to St. John and took the garrison and such merchant, English vessels that were in that port.
Any circumstances corresponding with those affairs I shall most thankfully receive etc.
I am very dear sir, your obedient servant, JJOSEPH WHEATON.
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Patriotism of the O'Brien family, of Machias, Maine, in the American Revolution, carefully taken down from the lips of Captain John O'Brien of Brunswick, for the Maine Historical Collection.
The war of the American Revolution was a war of feeling : it enlisted the sympathies of the great body of the people and hence were exhibited in so many places acts of individual and family heroism. Too often have instances of private toil, and sacrifice, and daring, been forgotten, amid the eclat that has been bestowed upon events of a more public nature, and on a larger scale. But it is due to our country and to justice, to correct this neglect wherever it can be done, and to mete out to every one, whatever may have been his rank or station, the fit measure of his country's gratitude.
The following narrative of the efforts of a single family in the great cause of the American Revolution, is given by Captain John O'Brien, of Brunswick, Me., at this time (May 1831, ) eighty-one years of age. Although very aged, he is still vigorous both in body and mind; and not only professes but appears, to retain a perfect recollection of the events of his early life. It is well known that the state- ments of old men in respect to the transactions of their youth may be more safely relied on, than in respect to more recent events.
At the commencement of the revolution, Capt. John O'Brien lived at Machias, a town of some note in the eastern part of Maine, being then about twenty-four years of age, the third son of Morris O'Brien who came to this country from Cork, Ireland. The feelings of the people of Machias, and the vicinity, were decidedly opposed to the usurpations of the English Government. In this state of excitement an indistinct and uncertain report of the battle of Lexington reached them. About the same time they received the Proclamation of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, authorizing and requiring preparations and efforts incident to a state of hostility.
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