Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-22
First Nautical llate.isrtSc.

First Nautical Iate.prtsc.
ArrLR rus nArrrt OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS or
Tur NEWS " MAcurs, ~ MAINE.
The first nautical enterprise that sue
purely Of private adventure. The in
telligcnce of this conflict was brought
to Machais, in Maine, on Saturday,
the 9th May, 1915. An armed schoo-
.ncr in the service Of the crown, CaF!cd
the MarSaTctta, was lying IMPORT, with
two Scoops under her convey, that were
lo~aing with lumber on behalf OF hcr
Kings Government. The bearers of
the news were cnloincd to be silent, Il
plan to capture the Margarcta having
been Immediately projected among
some Of the more spirited of the inhabl-
tantS The next day being Sunday, il
was hoped rhut the officers of the schoo-
ncr might be seized while in Church :;
but the scheme failed in consequence
of the precipitation of some engaged.
Capt. Moore, who commanded the
Maruarctta. saw the aSsaIlantS, and
with ms officers escaped through 'thc
windows of the church TO the shore,
where they were protected 10y the guns
of their vcssca The alarm was now
taken. springs were now got on the
Marrarettas cables. and Il few harms
less shot were fired over the town by
way of intimidation. After a li1t'c de-
| law, however. the schooner dropped
| down below the town To a distance eN-
cccdnIg a league. Here she was fol-
| lowed, Summoned 10 surrender, and III
red OH from hiyh bank which her own
| shot cou+d not reach. The Margaret
Ia again weighed, and running into The
| bay at thc'comluencc OF the two rivers,
anchored.
The following morning, which was
| Monday, the llth of May, four young
men took possession of one of the lun>
Der sIoops, and bringing her alongside
of wharf, they gave three cheers as a
signal for volunteers. On explaining
that Then intentions were to make an at
tack On the Margarctta, party OF Il
bout tt,i,ty-ive athletic men was soon
coik>cte1. Arming themselves with
firearms, pitchiorks and axes, and
throwing a small stock Of provisions
into the Sloop. these spirited treemcn got
under way, With light breeze at North
West. Whcr tho Margarclta observed
the approach OF the sloorA size weighed
and crowded sail 10 avoid conflict
that was every way undesirable, hct
commander not vel being apprlscd Of
al 4hc facts that had occurred ncal
Boston. In libinG, Inc sc4sooner car
ricd away her main boom, but contlnu-
ING to stand on, she ran into Holiness
Bav. and took spar out OF vessel that
was living there. While these repairs
were making, the sioop hove III S'gh'
again, aud tho Margarctta stood out to
sea. in the hope ol avoiding her The
br,c2e freshe,sed, and with the w,ad o.'
tho quarter. the sloop proved 10 be the
better sailor. So anxious was the Mar
garetta To avoid collision. that Capt
Moore now cu, away his boats; bu'
finding this Intellectual. and that his as
SailanlS were fast closing with hlm. he
/ olltiltu IL Ult. lilt SNftfthtl WI
armament of four light guns and four
teen swivcis. \ man was killed on
board the Sloop. which immediately re-
turned the fire with a wall piece. This
discharge killed the man at the harga-
rcua's lcln, aud cleared her quarter
deck. The schooner hroached TO-
wl,cn Tie Sloop gave general dis
charge. Almost NJ the same instant
the two vessels came foul "t each other
4 short conflict now took place with
muskcry, Capt. Moore throwing hand
grcnadcs with considerable effect III
pcrson. The officer was shot down,
however, when The people of the Sloop
boarded and took possession OF their
prize.
The loss of lie in This affair was moi
very great, though twenty men. on both
sides. are said TO have been killed and
wounded, The force Of the Margaret
IA even Iu men. MAS much lhe most