USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Boothbay > The shipping days of old Boothbay from the revolution to the world war : with mention of adjacent towns > Part 26
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Wien, THOMAS. In 1794 he commanded the B'bay ship Townsend and later ship Harmony and the new topsail sch. Rebecca. Anent the last- named an indefinite custom-house endorsement reads: 'Lost with the ves- sel, returned Dec. 31, 1800.'
NOTE: Of those early sca-captains, few, if any, rounded the world as masters. Their activities were confined mainly to coastwise and West Indian trade, with occasional trans-Atlantic voyages.
II BOOTHBAY
ADAMS. Builders of ships needed men to sail them, consequently their sons frequently followed the sea. At E. B'bay three sons of Andrew Adams be- came shipmasters as follows:
Merrill (1840-1889) began his career in fishing vessels which visited the Banks for cod and halibut. He commanded the Village Belle, the Nellie M. Short and the new Winona for McDougall and Race; followed by coast- ing with the Benjamin Reed. During this period he was washed overboard on two occasions. With larger vessels, the Kate M. Hilton and the Celina, Merrill engaged in foreign trade. The Celina (Bath 1882), named after his wife, was built by Adams and Hitchcock. The Captain preferred B'bay men for mates; several remained with him for years to their mutual in- terest and satisfaction. He was fortunate in not losing a vessel and only one man overboard. Once when his family was with him a severe gale car- ried away topmast, jib boom and started a leak. Although both anchors were lost, the Captain made port safely. While the Celina lay in the river Parana at Rosario, S. A., he died and was buried there. Superstitious sea- men refused to remain with the schooner, if the body were to be taken home.
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John (1843-1907) became a fishing skipper at an early age, sailed for R. and L. Montgomery in command of the clipper fisherman Alice C. Fox, and later followed coasting with the Douglas Haynes. In 1878 three-master Normandy was constructed at Bath for his command; another was the Ira D. Sturgis, which he relinquished in 1883 to take a new three-master built at Wiscasset, perhaps the Bessie H. Rose, which he commanded in South American trade. His last and largest vessel was the four-masted sch. Henry J. Smith (Thomaston 1890). Captain John had no serious disasters and his seagoing career was a successful one.
Andrew (b. 1857) made fishing trips when fourteen, and six years later was skipper of the Helen A. Chase. He also followed coasting and West Indian trade in the Ira D. Sturgis, Mary L. Newhall, Henry F. Kreger and the Andrew Adams. The last one was built at Wiscasset for Andrew's command and on the first trip in the spring of 1887 grounded on No Man's Land, near Martha's Vineyard. The Adams was floated with great difficulty and at heavy expense. Early in 1908 the Captain sailed from Port Tampa in the four-master Mary L. Newhall, and off Hatteras en- countered heavy weather, which continued more or less severe for ten days. In a helpless vessel on the point of foundering all were rescued by a boat's brave crew from a liner. Captain Adams said: 'It was the worst storm that I ever experienced during my thirty-eight years of continuous service on the sea.'
John (b. 1804), son of shipbuilder David R., was the first master of top- sail sch. John Adams, constructed by his father and uncle. He also com- manded schs. Tiberius, Oraloo, brigs Ava and Helen.
Paul P. (1830-1906) and Zina H. (b. 1832), brothers, and grandsons of David R., sailed for John S. Emery of Boston. In youth Paul was mate of deep-water ships and later commanded brig William Mason.
Of other Adamses, A. C. was skipper of the Ellen M. Adams; Charles C. was mate of the Emma S. Briggs when Capt. Alonzo Lewis was lost. Charles was at the wheel and entwined his arms amidst the spokes and held on for grim life, as a heavy sea pooped the schooner and swept the master into eternity. Later Charles commanded large schooners; in winter- time (1927-1928) one was dismasted off Hatteras and towed to Savannah. There the writer met him, a pleasant jolly sea-captain. William T. (a. 1861- 1896), attached to fisherman David Oster, was drowned accidentally. He had had sch. Titmouse.
ALLEY, SAMUEL (1819-1893) was a well-known skipper of bankers. He
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sailed for Allen Lewis in the Archer, Oasis, Sea Foam and the Superior; for Paul Harris in the Annie Sargent and the Anna M. Nash. Under Capt. Alley the Nash carried sixteen hands on her first trip, mentioned by George Emerson at N. Sydney, C. B. I., in July 1864:
We had a nice chance down to Canso and escaped the Rebels. I think the vessel will sail pretty well. Leonard McClintock went out sometime be- fore us and at ten o'clock that night we passed him; the next morning he was out of sight astern. I think there will be plenty of mackerel here this fall. We go out to-morrow and if none here we shall go up in the Bay. The Northern Chief arrived here last night; the Annie Sargent is not here and I suppose she and Char [his brother Charles] are up in the Bay.
September 12th. We have been up in the Bay six weeks and returned yesterday; have 404 bbls. mackerel. I saw Char before they went home, but not since the vessel came through Canso. Tell mother not to feel anxious till mid-November.
ANDREWS, JOHN JR. (1804-1891). He was skipper of pinkies Six Brothers, Finis, George and the Emily; established in fishing, he managed the Nauseag, Jew, Emily, Ocean Spray and the Ceylon. In 1852 two trips of the Nauseag netted $1620. John had a freightage service to Boston, too; later moved from town and operated fisherman Teazer.
AULD, AUGUSTUS, DANIEL, JACOB and JAMES were brothers. Augustus (1803-1851) was skipper of sch. Caroline and later was lost at sea: Daniel sailed for J. McCarty in the W'port sch. Mary and had sch. Larooka.
Jacob (b.1809) was a well-known master in fishing, coasting and foreign trade. Commands: Schs. Coquette, Eureka, Wave, William, Julia and Martha; brigs Argo, R. Spear (Richmond 1852), Crimea (Bath 1854) and the Waltham. One stormy night in 1853 the Spear dragged ashore in the Sound and bilged. Either he or James had the bark Gan-Eden. Sometime after 1865 Jacob died at sea.
James (b.1813) commanded the new topsail sch. Benjamin Franklin of W'port, also the new brig Philip Larrabee (Bath 1854). Bound to Bath in 1857 the brig was nearly lost in a September hurricane. Sails were blown away like chaff, and heavy seas swept away boat and deck load. At one time the hold held five feet of water, and on arrival all hands were either sick or exhausted. Later James commanded bark Sagadahoc and brig Long Reach, each built at Bath in 1860's. On the brig's first trip she was damaged in a collision with a ship. While commanding Bath vessels Jacob and James lived there.
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James R. (1840-1903), son of Augustus, enlisted in the navy, was pro- moted acting ensign and honorably discharged late in 1865; John G. (1836- 1902) was fishing skipper of the Albatross, Astoria, Caravan, Eureka and the Wild Rose.
BAKER, LLEWELLYN (a. 1836-1883), was lost overboard from sch. O. M. Remington, northbound from Baracoa. He had been master of the Mary E. Oliver.
BARTER, ISAAC (1807-1883), was master of the fishing schs. Liberator, Tasso, Stranger, Light of Home and the Young Sultan. In the last-named he acci- dentally ran down a boat in B'bay harbor; two girls were drowned (1869). His son Marston, who died at Bath, succeeded him in the Young Sultan and also had sch. Cottage.
BARTER, NICHOLAS (1778-1814). In 1804 he was skipper of slp. Ranger. John Bartan (probably Barter), of B'bay, homeward bound from Canton in 1831, died on ship New Jersey. In fishing William had the Henry (or James) R., and E. H. Barter operated the Mary Edward. One Barter was master of sch. June Bright (Bath 1882).
BENNETT, BENJAMIN (1795-1869) and DANIEL (1796-1849) were brothers and fishing skippers; the former had sch. Evaline, the latter sailed for Jacob Auld in the Resolution and for Samuel Brown in the Favorite. William M. (1826-1910), son of Benjamin, followed the sea from youth, was master of various vessels and interested in the Primrose and the Water Ripple. Alexander and Luther were brothers; in the 1840's the former had sch. Two Brothers, the latter pinky Olive.
Alfred R. (b.1828), son of Daniel, commanded sch. Challenge, brig Tangent, schs. Dancing Wave, Julia and Martha, brig Rio Grande, schs. Telumah and the Standard. When well along in years (death came in his eighties) he used the fisherman Twilight in coasting.
BERRY, THOMAS (d.1892), lived at B'bay in 1856. He commanded the fish- ing vessels Abigail, Columbus, Fearless, Harmony, James Pool and the Olive H. Robinson.
BLAIR, BENJAMIN F. (1836-1908). His career began as a boy of fourteen as cook with Capt. John Love, boat Element, in off-shore fishing. Thus he passed the summer, frequently seasick, and in winter attended the village school. The next year he shipped on the Albatross, Capt. David Webber, as cook and boy at eight dollars per month, the crew to have the fish
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BOOTHBAY
he caught, which more than paid his wages. Ben or Capt. Ben Blair, as he was known throughout life, had a keen sense of humor, and was wont to relate that though the food was poor none of the crew was troubled with dyspepsia. The cooking was done in an old-fashioned fireplace built of brick below deck forward. Ben was often seasick, as before, but well remem- bered that trip to the Banks, for he was more fortunate than a number of B'bay lads that year (1851), when several fishing vessels were lost with crews. One was the C. G. Matthews, on which his father had tried to get him a chance, but the master thought the boy too light. Then followed trips to Bay Saint Lawrence with Capt. Samuel Wylie in the Mary A. and with Capt. William Harris in the Nevada.
Having served his apprenticeship in the fishing business, Ben turned to the coasters and square-riggers, making trips with Capt. Sumner Tibbetts and a summer voyage as second mate of brig Rainbow, Capt. John Emer- son. His first foreign voyage was to London in the new ship John G. Richardson. To fit himself for advancement in his chosen career, Ben took advantage of the winter term of a navigation school taught by Leon- ard Lewis. With this training, after a voyage or so, he joined brig Mazatlan as mate with Capt. S. M. Dodge, and also in the same capacity on brig Tangent. It was at this period that Ben wrote from Havana:
We had a rough passage out and arrived the 7th of January 1857. The first week out of port we had a continual gale from SE. to NW. with rain, snow and hail and for the first week out of Portland I did not have a dry rag to my body; scudding under bare poles and hove to all the time. A sea broke over us while scudding and broke into the cabin and wet our clothes and did other damage. We suffered very much.
Cardenas, 23d. We came out of Havana last Sunday morning and arrived here last Tuesday. Coming down we had a gale of wind and came very nigh going ashore. I expect we shall commence loading for Boston. I like my situation first-rate and have plenty to eat and drink and an abundance of hard work. We shall be ready to sail from here about the first of Feb- ruary. Oh, it makes me shiver to think of that Boston Bay! I saw Jacob Auld in Havana and also Captain Race in the H. G. Berry. My health is first-rate and I am as fat as a porpoise.
Came the most thrilling and dangerous episode of a long career, a vivid narrative by the mate:
On the first day of October, 1859, I started on a disastrous voyage, long to be remembered, in the schooner Golden Gate, Capt. Isaac L. Hammond, for Pernambuco with general cargo. On the fifth day out we encountered
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a West India hurricane. It blew as only the wind blows, tearing away all our sails and carrying away the booms until we were scudding under bare .poles. The sea ran high and about ten o'clock, in darkness as thick as tar, a sea struck under the boat at the davits throwing it over on the man at the wheel and knocking him helpless. The schooner broached to and went on her beam ends. I had secured a hatchet before dark and as she went over I sprang into the main rigging, and as the sea swept over the vessel cut the lanyards to let the mainmast go to relieve her. The sea at this moment waslied off the master and five men who disappeared from sight with cries of distress. Soon I too was washed overboard but fortunately grasped a rope, pulled in and found it to be one of the fore halliards and once more I scrambled up the fore rigging full of sea-water and half dead. Afterward, with much difficulty, I retained my hold for two or three hours.
The mainmast broke off about fifteen feet above the deck taking with it the head of the foremast. This loosened the head-stays and the foremast soon went over the stern, landing squarely over the after-house. Relieved of her masts the schooner began to right and soon was riding on an even keel almost full of water. I managed to get aft and found a man there, a small sailor, and soon we discovered that another man was still alive. I sup- posed all to have been lost up to this time except myself. The after-house was about five feet out of water when it was smooth and by lashing the foremast solidly so that it would remain upon it, we could lash ourselves to that and prevent being washed off. The weight of the mast also held the house securely. We were about seventy-five miles northeast of Bermuda, in the Gulf Stream and warm water. We had no provisions but the vessel had four as part of her cargo, which got stove in the hold and by watching an occasional lump could be secured. This was thankfully eaten sometimes mixed with salt water. Our greatest suffering, however, was from thirst. Our water-casks were stove and for three days we drank nothing. On the third night there was a shower and by spreading our shirts on the house and wringing them out we were able to get some water and somewhat allay the thirst that tortured us. In a later heavy shower we were able to get about four gallons and made it secured, as we thought, at the top of the stump of the mainmast. Imagine our despair in the morning after a stormy night, to find the sea had washed off our precious cask of water worth more to us than diamonds. Soon afterward we managed to catch two dolphins which swam in on deck. These we chased under the topgallant forecastle and caught by great effort, saving every drop of the precious blood to quench thirst and cutting the fish into stripes, we managed to sustain life.
We saw a number of sharks during the sixteen almost endless dreary days we passed on the wreck and sighted twelve vessels, but all efforts to attract their attention failed. At last, during half a gale on the 22d, we were
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seen by a small Nova Scotia schooner the Isabel and Maria. I climbed the stump of mast and signaled by waving my shirt. When they discovered us they set their colors in token thereof to our great delight. They came alongside and we got into the boat, having difficulty with one man who half crazy, sick and had almost succumbed to the hardships of the wreck. On reaching the vessel we found her short handed and short of provisions. It was necessary to shorten sail at once. I assisted in reefing and when the work was finished collapsed and fainted utterly exhausted. Our rescuers were very kind. They gave us warm tea and hard bread, carefully limiting as to quantity so that on our arrival at Halifax a week later we had par- tially recovered. Our consul there clothed us and gave us tickets home and never did my father's house appear more welcome than when I arrived under its sheltering roof.
Nothing deterred by this experience, Ben continued seafaring as mate of bark Mendi, and in 1863 obtained his first command, the War Eagle. He voyaged to the beautiful harbor of Saint Pierre, Martinique, touched at Turks Island for salt, and on arrival home the schooner was sold. He then shipped as first officer of bark Zalinda, previously having joined the Masonic fraternity, as did many masters during the trying times of the war. In that bark, off the Capes of the Delaware, his vessel was boarded by an armed boat from the cruiser Florida and the crew ordered on board as prisoners. Identifying himself as a Freemason, Ben asked permission to return to his ship for his clothes, a favor granted with a gruff order to 'get a pocket handkerchief full and be quick about it.' He improved the op- portunity to slip a valuable spyglass down his bootleg, thus saving it. Then they were placed with other crews of destroyed vessels on board the recently captured schooner Howard, and permitted to take her in by the Delaware breakwater. The Zalinda was burned before their eyes.
His ire aroused by this treatment, Ben joined the navy as a patriotic duty, and was detailed to the schoolship Savannah for instruction in naval routine. After a brief course he was commissioned acting ensign, and in October 1864 assigned to the sloop of war Mohican, a steam-propelled bark-rigged wooden vessel, under Commander Ammen. The following December the ship was off Wilmington and Ben wrote home:
After we left Beaufort we went out and met the rest of the squadron at a given place but were delayed till the 24th. At one o'clock at night the powder vessel exploded. She contained about 220 tons of powder and was sent in under Fort Fisher and fired by a slow match. All the squadron was out fourteen miles from the explosion but it shook us like hell from stem to stern. But what damage it did to Secesh I have been unable to learn.
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Soon after the whole squadron got under way and formed in line and steamed in slowly toward the land. At noon the ball was opened by the new Ironsides and the rest of the ironclads and then the old Minnesota began and then we came in followed by the Colorado and the rest of the squadron, sixty-three in number. It was a splendid yet a wicked sight. What a shower of shell we must have pounded down on their devoted heads. Our shells would bury themselves in the sand and earthworks, throwing them in all directions. We soon shot away the flag and exploded one of the magazines, but still they held out. At signal from the Admiral, we withdrew from the battle.
Sunday morning, as soon as the fleet could be got in position, we went at it again, going in nearer than the day previous and pounded broadside after broadside on them till dark. I guess it was the heaviest bombard- ment that ever happened, one continued roar like the heaviest thunder and the smoke so thick at times as to completely hide the sun. I got so deaf after a while as to be most entirely indifferent to it. My ears are ring- ing yet. Oh, it was a sight never to be forgotten! The Rebs did not take very good aim and most of the shells fell short or went over us altogether. Strange to say, we were not hit once although they fell and exploded all around us. As far as I can hear, seventy-five or 100 will cover the killed and wounded in the fleet. A double-ender got a shot in her boiler exploding it, scalding a large number, a short distance ahead of us.
Old Pickum Butler has made a complete fizzle with his land force. He only landed 2000 men. His skirmishers got in the fort Sunday night and got the flag and had they been supported, they would have got the fort with- out doubt. Three hundred and fifty Rebs gave themselves up. I am much afraid the whole thing is a failure. We are taking in powder and shell and are just out of range of the fort.
We left Beaufort Jan. 12, 1865, for the final attack. The 13th we arrived at Fort Fisher and I was detailed to take charge of boat to assist in landing troops while the ironclads went in and engaged the fort. We had to land them through a heavy surf and I got my boat swamped two or three times during the day. One boat near me went bottom up drowning two men. I had a small anchor and let go and veered her in through the breakers. At four P.M. went in and sent our compliments to Fort Fisher, 14th do., 15th, the whole fleet opened a perfect deluge of shot and shell on the fort. At the same time landed 2000 sailors from the fleet. The Rebs waited until they got up close under the fort and then opened an awful fire on them of grape and musketry, killing and wounding a great number and driving them back. We had only one killed from our ship and a dozen or so wounded.
In the meantime General Terry attacked them in the rear. We lay in plain sight. Our troops fought like tigers. We could see them going over
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the parapets and mounds like a flock of sheep, firing and bayoneting as they went-it was a hard sight. At ten in the evening, it being my first watch, all at once the firing ceased and I heard cheering on the fort, but did not know whether it was from friend or foe. Soon the word came the fort was taken. Didn't I give a howl. Most everybody up manned the rig- ging and gave three cheers, sending up rockets, burning lights and we had a regular jubilee.
The next morning I happened to be on deck to see the explosion in the fort. In the afternoon I went on shore and went all through the fort, and I never again wish to see the sight that I saw there - the dead and wounded lying in windrows. They had not got all the poor fellows that were buried in the explosion dug out. I wish they had put a lot of the Rebs in those magazines. I think it would not have happened. During all the bombard- ment we did not get hit once. There seems to be a sort of charm over the old ship. We had a big tree stuck up on our jibboom in all the fight, put there by the poor fellow that was killed and a brave man he was. We buried some of the sprig with him on the beach in sand under Fort Fisher.
Thus fell the last open port of the Confederacy-Wilmington. The Mohican steamed to Port Royal with Admiral Porter's dispatches for General Sherman and took part in the attack on Fort McAllister. Thence she was ordered North and en voyage the Ensign wrote in part:
Coming out with thick rain got ashore on the Bar and stopped there seven hours, thumping badly but we made out to get her off after a while but came very near leaving the old craft there. Got up to Port Royal next day ... where I saw Johnny Wylie there in Brig Waltham, the first person from old Boothbay that I have seen since I left New York.
We left there a week ago with our old antagonist-the Monadnock. In company off Hatteras our engine broke down and instead of our towing her she towed us in to Fortress Monroe, just in time to get clear of the late gale ... orders came for us to proceed up to Washington. I shall have the pleasure of seeing Ken [Kenniston] and Nettie and John Auld, if I can find them, and Old Abe and Gid [the President and Secretary of the Navy]. Don't expect me to spend all my leisure time with them. Oh, what a lovely day it has been! We have been steaming slowly up river all day and now are anchored just above Mt. Vernon, the home of the immortal Washing- ton.
March 21st. We arrived at the navy yard this morning. . . . I went up and found the whole tribe of Booth Bayites. Took them by complete sur- prise. George and Nett were sitting on their doorstep. They did not see me till I got close on board them. Nettie gave one of her customary shrieks and was clasped to my bosom. They were overjoyed to see me. Albert has gone
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to see if he can't strike oil. We are to stop here until our engines are re- paired and then go to New York for more repairs.
- The following July Ensign Blair was discharged honorably from the navy, but was soon afloat in the merchant marine. In 1867 he took the brig Ellen Barnard to Africa; from Cape Coast Castle in December, he wrote:
As a mail leaves for England via 'Accra' the 18th, I thought I would let you know that we arrived out safe and sound after a passage of fifty-six days from Portland, arriving on the morning of the tenth. Well, we left Portland October 13th, as you know. At four P.M. I could just see Seguin and Damariscove and went up aloft and took a good look at them, then steered to the northward of Georges; had fine weather until the 16th. We then took a gale from northeast and from then to the 26th had a continued gale from NE. to SE. Carried away one of our topmast backstays, bobstays and split some sails. After it cleared up we had a howling nor'wester for three days. The run that week was 1070 miles, was inside the Cape de Verde Islands on Nov. 9th, on the 13th was off the river Gambia and on the 18th down off St. Ann Shoals. We then took it calm and for two weeks did not have wind enough to blow out a candle with except now and then a squall and waterspout. We nearly had a visit from several of them on the 30th, Cape Mounts ENE, fifteen miles. At eight A.M. calm and squally; looking to leeward saw a waterspout and in about two minutes there were six in sight coming right after us. Clewed up and let everything come down posthaste just before getting to us. However, they broke and changed their course. They were ugly looking customers and were taking up water at a great rate. Tell John I had an old blunderbuss all ready to give them a dose. We were twenty-six days getting from St. Ann's, a little to the south of Sierra Leone, down to Cape Palmas and from there were forty hours to Cape Coast.
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