USA > Maine > Lincoln County > Wiscasset > Wiscasset in Pownalborough; a history of the shire town and the salient historical features of the territory between the Sheepscot and Kennebec rivers > Part 36
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On July 11, 1814, there arrived at Moose Island where is now Eastport, a small British expedition which six days previously had been secretly dispatched from Halifax where it was joined by a fleet from Bermuda. It was composed of the Ramillies, a seventy-four-gun ship, having on board Commodore Sir Thomas Hardy; the Martin, sloop-of-war; the Bream; the Terror, a bomb ship; and several transports, carrying a large number of troops, commanded by Col. Thomas Pilkington.
The commodore peremptorily demanded the immediate surrender of Fort Sullivan allowing but five minutes to Major Putnam for a reply. Major Put- nam though strongly opposed to capitulation, being unprepared to offer resis- tance to the enemy, was forced to accept the terms of the British, and the Eng- lish flag was hoisted at the fort. They dragged all of the American soldiers on board of their prison ships, and commanded all of the inhabitants of Moose Island and other islands in Passamaquoddy Bay to assemble at the school- house and take the oath of allegiance to the British Crown, or depart from the islands. Nearly two-thirds of the population submitted to these terms.
The British then determined to send another expedition against Penobscot (Castine) and Machias. On the first day of September, a fleet consisting of three seventy-four-gun ships, two frigates, two sloops-of-war, an armed schooner, a large tender and ten transports, with troops numbering upwards of three thousand, cast anchor in the harbor of Castine. Resistance was useless
her to the United States, as the owners had urgently and repeatedly ordered him to do. Permission had been obtained from the Spanish governor of Amelia Island for the American authorities to take posses- sion of the Diana, he being convinced that she was really an American vessel, belonging to the indi- viduals in whose behalf she was claimed. The ship was, however, lying under the battery of the British gun brig Plumper and schooner Jupiter, and, as she wore English colours, it was presumed that Tibbets had procured from the English commander a promise of assistance; a presumption rendered reason- able enough by the frequent outrages of every sort committed by British cruisers on our commerce. Lieutenant Perry immediately yielded to the request of the marshal that he would take possession of the Diana, and, having called to his assistance three gunboats stationed in the river St. Mary's so as to reduce the disparity of his force with the English force with which he was likely to have to contend, he proceeded to Amelia Island and took possession of the Diana, anchoring her off Cumberland Island. After an encounter with H. B. M. Goree, Captain Byng, Perry sent the Diana in safety to Savannah, Georgia, whence she eventually sailed upon her destined voyage. (Oliver Hazard Perry, American Biography, p. 86-90.)
15. Charles J. Dutton, Biography of Oliver Hazard Perry, p. 232.
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and the garrison, after spiking the cannon and blowing up the fortifications, took to the woods. Marjebigarduce once more became British property and remained such until the close of the war, being the last place evacuated by the enemy.
One of the British generals with six hundred men crossed the bay and cap- tured Belfast, and leaving a sufficient force to garrison the town proceeded up the river to Hampden in pursuit of the United States corvette Adams, twenty- four guns, Capt. Charles Morris, which Captain Morris blew up when Rear Admiral Edward Griffith attempted to capture her, and with his men retreated to Bangor. The English commander angered at losing his prize allowed his marines to wantonly sack the town for three days, before proceeding to Ban- gor. There the British anchored at the mouth of the Kenduskeag, burned fourteen vessels, threw Congreve rockets over the village and forced upon the inhabitants unconditional surrender. After remaining there for thirty hours the fleet descended to Frankfort where they foraged freely, and took from the people forty oxen, one hundred sheep and an indefinite number of geese. On September seventh the ships returned from this marauding expedition to Castine.
The whole eastern section of Maine from Passamaquoddy Bay to the Pe- nobscot now belonged to the British by right of conquest.
The day after Castine was taken by the enemy the following order was issued at Camden:
Second Brigade. Eleventh Division.
Camden, September 2, 1814.
The enemy have now occupied Castine and Belfast. The commanding officer of the Brigade considers the time has now arrived, when it becomes the indispensable duty of the militia to fly to arms. Lieut Col. Foote of the 5th Regiment, will order his whole Regi- ment immediately to assemble near Camden Harbor in Camden. The troops must be well equipped for actual service with three days rations.
DAVID PAYSON Brigadier General
The commanding officer of the 5th Regiment directs the above to be forthwith carried into effect. The field and staff officers of the Regiment will immediately repair to Cam- den. By order of Lieut. Col., Commander 5th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, I Ith Division.
WILLIAM CARLETON, Adjutant.
On the following day Colonel Foote arrived with his regiment and every- thing was placed on a war basis. Guns were mounted on the parapets at Jacob's
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and Eaton's Points, and several eighteen-pounders were mounted upon Mount Battie. Belfast, Union, Warren and Thomaston all sent reinforcements to repel the looked-for attack, but their alarm proved groundless for the hostile fleet sailed out of Penobscot Bay and headed eastward.
From the violent manner in which the enemy had seized upon the Penobscot towns there were strong apprehensions that the British would extend their conquest westward and that the next engagement would be staged in the valley of the Sheepscot. Therefore when information reached General William King of the sailing of the British squadron from Castine, and the appearance of the British frigate La Hogue at the mouth of the Sheepscot River gave rise to the report that the squadron was off Cape Newagen, King issued orders for his entire division of militia to appear in arms at Wiscasset, where he made his headquarters, although most of his troops were stationed at Edgecomb.
When the news of the presence of British vessels in the lower bay reached town an "all-out" alarm was sounded. The whole quota of militia was called out to drill and kept in readiness for instant action. Every man and boy who could shoulder a musket responded, as did the volunteers from thirty miles around. Troops flocked in from Kennebec and Franklin counties as well as from Washington, Hancock and Lincoln counties, and it was probably due to the promptness with which the inland militia, as well as the men from the neighboring settlements, responded to this emergency that Wiscasset escaped the gruesome fate of Hampden village.
Fort Edgecomb, though strongly garrisoned, had not a sufficient number of United States troops to guard all of the exposed places in this vicinity, and it became necessary to draft men for that purpose. Enrollments of volunteers, pursuant to an act authorizing the President to accept and organize a voluntary military corps, were soon made and a garrison of volunteers was located at Decker's (or Clough's) Point, just across the Narrows from Fort Edgecomb.
For a number of weeks the barges from La Hogue kept the people in a state of continual alarm, and the predatory raids of the British were looked upon as a precursor of an attack; therefore every precaution was taken to protect the town. Chains were stretched across the Narrows16 to forestall any attempt of the enemy vessels to enter the harbor; wharves were barricaded and cannon mounted for defence. Several families left town carrying with them their valuables and household effects. The specie was removed from the banks of Wiscasset and Bath and secreted elsewhere; the funds of the Fire Society then
16. Statement of Fuller Clifford of Edgecomb.
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on hand were distributed among its members to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy.
It was at this time that Moses Carlton sent his treasures up to his cache at Head Tide, where his "metal money" was hidden in a jug vault in the cellar, which when flooded with water gave the appearance of a perfectly innocent cistern.
A son of Squire Hodge, sharing the general belief that the British were com- ing to destroy the town, packed a silver chest with valuables and gave it to his negro servant with instructions to "bury it west of the house." His land then extended back as far as the county road which led to Sheepscot.17 So securely was it concealed that it never came to light, for when the threatened danger of invasion had passed and Hodge told the man to dig up the chest, the negro began to stammer and quake, and Hodge enraged by the belief that he had either sold or stolen the valuables, struck the negro with his riding crop, where- upon the man went crazy and was never able to divulge the spot where lay the hidden hoard.
Military discipline was ordered to be strictly enforced. On the ninth of August, the guard at Cross Point was ordered to bring up the cannon with all appurtenances and quartermaster's stores to Wiscasset. During the ensuing month guns were procured and companies prepared for active service.
On Saturday morning, September tenth, La Hogue with the Chesapeake and convoy lay off Seguin. The day was cloudy,18 and just as eight bells had been struck some large barges from this vessel loaded with armed men rowed di- rectly for the Sheepscot River. They made a landing somewhere on the inside of Barter's Island, spiked four guns found there and stole some sheep. Col. Andrew Reed was in command at Cocks Head and had his headquarters in the large square two-story house of Capt. Ellis Percy. Colonel Reed detailed one Phippsburg company and the Parker's Island company, the latter under com- mand of Capt. Richard Hagan and the former under Capt. Ellis Percy to cross the river to the island. The troops crossed in gundalows. The two com- panies landed at Rogers Point; the tide was out and the men waded over the flats to Parker's Island, across which they immediately proceeded. When the military force reached the eastern shore of Parker's Island the barges had commenced their return voyage as far as Sand Beach Cove, a strong southeast
17. See deed Samuel Groves to Henry Hodge, Lincoln County Court House, Lib. 20; fol. 146. March 21, 1787.
18. See log of La Hogue. Photostat copy sent by the Lords of the British Admiralty.
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wind driving them in shore. An advance of twenty men reached the cove to reconnoitre. Finding the barges there they immediately began firing, while the main body of troops was stationed farther south. The barges were within two or three hundred yards of the shore where the main body had concealed themselves behind a high rock. As soon as the barges were abreast of this point the men arose and gave them a sharp volley. This caused the barges to shove off, the rowers pulling to their utmost, while the Parker's Island men loaded and fired as fast as possible. The barges replied with small arms, the balls whizzing over the heads of the men on shore. A musket ball struck the barrel of a gun held by John Hunt, shattered it, ricochetted, and glancing upwards went through his hat.
One barge had a swivel cannon on board which was put into action as soon as possible, but the shots did little damage. This skirmish between the men at Parker's Island and the British marines from La Hogue is locally known as the "Battle of the Barges."
It is a tradition that when the barges were heading for the Sheepscot River they were kept close to land and a voice could be heard on shore giving direc- tions for steering, which led those hearing it to say "Tories on board." It is also said that the British ships in the offing were supplied with mutton and provisions from Wiscasset, where there was at the time a lively demand for sheep.
At another time a detachment of Georgetown militia was stationed near Riggsville to guard the approach through the Little Sheepscot River when a barge from La Hogue landed in a cove near Five Islands. While the men were foraging on shore the tide ran out and left the barge aground. The militia doing guard duty, becoming aware of the enemy's presence hastened to capture them, but before it was possible to reach that vicinity the tide had turned and floated her off, and with the crew aboard, the boat was heading for the ship. The militia, however, got near enough to give her one full volley, but before the muskets could be reloaded the barge had been rowed beyond their range and went out of the river to the noisy accompaniment of drums and fifes.19
On a subsequent occasion when a barge was returning from the Little Sheep- scot River, Benjamin McKenney, being alone and in ambush fired three well- aimed shots at a lieutenant who was walking back and forth on the barge. As the lieutenant disappeared, McKenney believed that he had been struck by one of the shots.
19. P. M. Reed, History of Bath, p. 107.
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On Sunday, September eleventh, while in attendance on public worship, General Sewall2ยบ at Augusta received a dispatch by express from the Com- mittee of Safety of Wiscasset, requesting a reinforcement of one thousand men, in the expectation of a descent of the enemy upon the coast. Colonel Stone's and Colonel Sweet's regiments, with the Hallowell artillery were ordered to march forthwith, by companies, to Wiscasset. Some of the com- panies reached Wiscasset next morning (September twelfth) at seven A.M. Four other regiments were ordered to move to the banks of the Kennebec and there await further orders. General Sewall repaired to Wiscasset himself and took command of the troops, where he was met by Colonel Sumner, aide-de- camp of the Governor. These troops crossed the river and encamped on Clif- ford's Hill, Edgecomb heights, opposite Wiscasset. A vidette came in with the information that an English man-of-war was in the river preparing to land troops.
Capt. Edward Swan with Gardiner Rifles, Dearborn with Hallowell Light Infantry, Burbank with the Augusta Light Infantry, and Captain Child's com- pany from Winslow were formed under command of Maj. Samuel Howard, and marched to a point down the river where it was expected a landing would be attempted. Captain Swan and his company bivouacked at the old Sewall homestead. The force slept on their arms, but no enemy showing himself, it returned to camp next day. The soldiers remained in camp for less than two months.
Directly back, half a mile from Folly Island, Edgecomb Heights became flattened into an elevated plateau, several acres in longitudinal extent, over- looking the fort, its river approaches and the town of Wiscasset. It was for- merly cut by the old road from Edgecomb to Boothbay which formed its southern boundary. Until recent years it was marked by rock heaps used for campfires, which were relics of the bivouac of General Sewall's division of one thousand men encamped there for over forty days.
While the castramentation of this encampment was in progress, troops were pouring into the village and the task of billeting the soldiers taxed Wis- casset's housing problem to capacity limit. Taverns, public buildings and barns were commandeered by the soldiers until they could be assigned to their various positions. There is a tradition that some of the officers slept in the meeting-
20. Henry Sewall (1752-1845), a native of York. After the Revolution he settled in Augusta. He held in succession the commissions of Division Inspector, Brigadier and Major-General of the Eighth Division of the militia comprising the counties of Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset for thirty years. North's History of Augusta, p. 227.
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house, and the Day Book of the selectmen for 1813 shows an entry of money paid in April to B. Allen for his shop for quartering soldiers and another record later that year of a payment made to Jane Foster for housing soldiers in her store.
At Cushman's Point the men sent to guard Cowsegan Narrows against an attempted approach of the enemy through Back River crowded into the workshop of Kenelm Cushman who lived there, and used the place for bar- racks. Captain Hiscock's company of sixty-seven men recruited at Sheepscot Bridge marched to Wiscasset and were quartered in the old wooden court house on the Common for two days until they were transferred to Edgecomb where they remained for a fortnight, during which time many of them were detached for special duty elsewhere.
This book also shows that Ebenezer Hilton received remuneration for transporting military articles from Boston; that Moral Hilton was paid for transporting arms, etc., from Boston to Wiscasset in August, and the next year for transporting military articles to Penobscot; that Calvin Pratt provided the militia with necessary articles; and that Whitney & Sewall were paid for furnishing supplies to the soldiers when called into service.
In the year 1814 William Pitt furnished powder and supplies for the Battery; Jacob Woodman and Samuel Jordan were paid for work on Battery No. 2; Zebediah Thayer for work on the fieldpieces; Thomas Silvester and Robert Trevett for labor on the gun carriage; George W. Prentiss was paid for powder, baize and cotton furnished the town; and Nathan Blanchard and John Johnson received an allowance for "forage while serving as cavalry."
Among the volunteer companies posted for defence against a hostile attack were the battalion of cavalry under Maj. Thomas McCrate stationed at Wis- casset, as were members of the Home Guard and other troops, notably those of the companies commanded by Capt. John Erskine, Capt. James Hunnewell, Capt. Henry Whitney, Capt. Robert McLean and Capt. Nathaniel Morse, composed for the most part of Wiscasset men; two Dresden companies com- manded by Capt. Joseph Johnson and Benjamin Goodwin; a company from Whitefield under Capt. Aaron Potter; two Jefferson companies under Capt. Abiathar Richardson and Capt. David Boynton; a company from Camden under Col. Erastus Foote, and the Broad Cove company of seventy-three men under Capt. James Yates, which was ordered to Wiscasset September ninth, but allowed to return soon after for home defence.
Fowle's Point was guarded by a detachment from Captain Erskine's com-
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pany and volunteers who lived at Westport, among whom was Timothy Hodgdon. Georgetown and Phippsburg companies were stationed at Sagada- hoc. A company of Woolwich militia, marching from that town to Cocks Head or Goose Rock to take part in the sea-coast defence, went first into the meeting- house for prayer by Rev. Josiah Winship.
The companies guarding the mouth of the Kennebec River were stationed at Hunnewells' Point, the site of Fort Popham, where Capt. John Wilson, Jr., of Topsham, commanded the United States garrison. Here also was stationed Capt. Nathaniel Russell, with a company raised at Farmington, at the brick fort at Cocks Head, where four of the sixteen cannon taken from the fort at Hunnewell's Point had been planted. The regiment of Col. Andrew Reed was at Cocks Head until the first of October. There was at Pond Island a body of troops detailed for special service; and a detachment of Georgetown men from Capt. Richard Hagan's21 company posted near Riggs Cove to head off any attempt to approach the Kennebec by way of the Little Sheepscot and the Sasanoa Rivers. Among them were George Harford, John Hunt, Benjamin McKenney, Matthew McKenney and his son, Matthew, Jr., one Clary and Moses Riggs, then a lad of sixteen, whose father, Benjamin Riggs, had some lumber-laden vessels in the Back River between Barter's Island and the main- land of Boothbay.
Moses Riggs was on watch at the window of a house overlooking the cove, when barges from the British vessels lying off shore came up the Sheepscot to seize or burn the lumber-laden craft further up stream. He discovered them off the point of Robinhood Cove, fired an alarm gun and ran to warn Captain Hagan as ordered, loading and firing his gun on the way. In two hours' time he had gathered a force of one hundred men, but the invaders, hearing the musket-shots and realizing that they had been discovered, turned into the main river, crossed to Barter's Island, entered the Back River where they set fire to the Riggs vessels, whose crews had fled on the approach of the British. After the departure of the enemy they came back and put out the fires.
A party of men summoned by Riggs's alarm crowded on a gundalow and crossed the Sheepscot to the opposite shore to intercept the barges as they went down the river, but could do nothing. The man named Clary went out on a rocky point, and by taking good aim, shot one of the men as the barge went by, and though the bullets were flying around him, he ran back unscathed.22
21. Spelled Heagen in the Records of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in the War of 1812.
22. Moses Riggs's statement to Rev. H. O. Thayer.
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The British landed for supplies at Herman's Harbor. They went to a house and got milk. When they were returning towards the shore one of their num- ber turned and fired his gun at a woman, but the bullet lodged in the doorstep.
At Boothbay Capt. William Maxwell Reed was stationed at MacFarland's Point, but the principal defence was at Fort Island in the Damariscotta River, where there was a blockhouse similar to that on Davis Island, in charge of Capt. Daniel Rose and a company of volunteers. At Gamage's (Cavis? ) Point, on the eastern side of the Damariscotta River, Captain Hiscock was stationed. At West Harbor was posted Lieut. Rufus Sewall of Edgecomb who belonged to Capt. Samuel G. Wilson's company, and was sent with a detachment of soldiers when the British vessel came into the Sheepscot to turn out and watch the shore.
Captain Sproul's company was detailed to watch the coast in the south part of the town of Bristol and give alarm in case of danger. On September twelfth they were called out and stationed at Pemaquid Falls, seventy-five in number, and guards of seven or eight each were stationed at New Harbor, Round Pond and Rutherford's Island,28 where were guard houses at which unceasing vigi- lance was maintained, a sentinel being kept on duty from the sun setting to the sun rising to watch for and report any signs of approach of the enemy from the eastward. On September fifteenth they were dismissed but ordered to hold themselves in readiness to be called out at a moment's notice.
The British fleet at Castine departed for the eastward on September eight- eenth, but it was not known here until several days later.
Letters and records written in the late summer of that eventful year show the anxiety and perturbation prevailing, and the state of ferment which char- acterizes a garrisoned town.
Extract of an unsigned letter from Wiscasset dated September 12, 1814:
British Eastern Expedition
We are now experiencing in the Eastern country all the horrors of war except being captured and destroyed. Since the British squadron left the Penobscot we have hourly been expecting an attack. The militia are gathering from all quarters for our defence and we have stationed here in this vicinity from 1,500 to 2,000. Seven of the enemy's vessels were lying off Bristol Saturday and three were yesterday lying off the mouth of our (Sheepscot) river. We have every reason to suspect that an attack will shortly be made on some of our seaports, and in case we are defeated there is not much to be looked for as to private property. The destruction of property at Hampden was very great. I do not learn that the number of vessels destroyed exceeded 25 or 30. I imagine that the destruc-
23. Johnston, History of Bristol and Bremen, p. 412.
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tion of private property there was from the lawless spirit of the soldiers and not directly authorized by the commanding officer, as the burning of vessels was stopped by orders of Sir John Sherbrooke, and several sailors were arrested for pillaging the dwelling-houses.
P.S. We have just received news by express that 30 sail of the enemy's vessels are off the mouth of the Sheepscot River. Our force is considerably increased and I am told by one of the officers that we shall have for our defence by tomorrow evening nearly 4,000 men.2
As late as November third in the letter book of Abiel Wood, Jr., a communi- cation to Charles Howard, Esq., reads:
Your favor would have long since been replied to, but owing to a continual alarm oc- casioned by the Enemy's being at Castine, & as we have supposed bound here, Troops have filled this place & all Books, Papers, &c. have been removed, so I have not had any opportunity of examining your Company accounts. . . .
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