The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-12-29

following spring. by the time the leaves were as
large as mans thumb nail, prepared to drive all
before them who refused allegiance to King George.
This rumor proved substantially correct. The
English had long been sensible that military sta
ton on the Penobscot, would be of the utmost
wee IN checking the raYaSeS of American pri-
yateers and in restoring the inhabitants loyalty.
Accordingly, i'll June, 1873, 4 force of about one
thousand men arrived at Castine, or Bagaduce,
1t was thencalied and commenced erecting fort
the heights of the peninsula. One of the first acts
o the British commander, was to send proclama-
ton, requiring all the male residents of Belfast to
repair ON board the fleet, within five days, and to
take the oath OF allegiance, or to expect the most
severe punishment. The contents of the procama-
ton was soon communicated to all the heads of
families, in town. who at once assembled to man
for consultation, ''What to do,'' writes of
them, I'VE knew not, There was road to travel
on for thirty or forty miles, and if there had been.
we could not have travelled thar way, for we had
some large families of women and children, and
we could not carry provisions, or get any the
way, for there were no Inhabitants. And besides,
we had no money to purchase with. After debat-
ing all the forenoon, nothing was done or likely to
be.' Finally, John Davidson said. 81 have log
canoe, anu before taking the oath, will take my
wife and three little children, and try to reach my
friends at the west" Capt. solon Stephenson re-
piled. ''If You so in that way. ''I will accompany
YOU SO the next night they commenced their
weary journey, having employed two young men
to drive their cattle to Georges After passage of
three weeks, they reached Newburyport in safety.
1t has been repeatedly stated that instead of TAX
ing the OATH the inhabitants rejected the PROPOSE
ton OF protection and that, sto the last man, they
abandoned their homes, leaving their tiocks in the
pasture. and the corn in the fields ready for har-
vest" This is not strictly true At least ten of
their number obeyed the requirements of the
proclamation for reasons which will hereafter be
gwen. among them, all the town officers, except
ing John Brown, Samuel Houston, Soon Stephen
son and Tolford Durham
Massachusetts, determined to dislodge the invad-
ers from her territory, and within month, fitted
out large expedition, of forty three vessels mount
ing over three hundred guns. Upon arriving in
the Bay counter proclamation assured those who
had responded to the demands of the British that
the oath imposed was illegal, and that unless with
in torty-eght hours those who had taken it did not
repair to the American camp, and give proper evil
dence OF determination to adhere to the United
States, they would be regarded traitors. In this
dilemma, Mitchell and others obeyed the summons,
| and participated in the battle which took
place After the disastrous defeat of our forces
alternative remained for the settlers but flight
Gen. Wadsworth, the second officer in command,
and the grandfather Of Henry " aiiswort I.onsfcl
low, succeeded in reaching Belfast, and shoulder
ing his pack. advised the people to proceed to Cam
den, where he was bound on foot. Taking some
OF their most valuable effects, and hastily conceal
ing the remainder in the woods and in wells, they
embarked at sundowa in such boats as could be OBJ
tanned, and reached Clam Cove, near Rockland.
| early next morning. Several proceeded from there
to New Hampshire. The Durham, Miller and
few other families remained, and returned to their
homes before the war closed. But few depreda-
tions had been committed on the western side of
the river. But on the opposite side they found
many articles gone. A party of British maraud ders
had burned the house and barn of Joseph Houston.
to revenge the death of one of their number, who
was killed in an aray which occurred in the yicin-
ity with some soldiers from Camden.
In 1871, James and Robert Miller gave evidence
of their patriotism by afording protection to Gen.
Wadsworth and Major Burton, who had escaped
from Bagaduce where they were prisoners. Con-
ceang them in the woods until after the sharpness
of the pursuit was over, they were enabled to
reach place of security. The British held the
Whole PGn0bScOt country under the most TiUOrOlS
control. neighboring citizen, for advising some
soldiers to DESERT received three hundred lashes.
TOWN EE-oCCUPIED. DISTRESS AND sUFFEGINGs.
No formal attempt to reestabsh the settlement
was made until after the declaration of peace in
49,. During the following spring, number Of
families returned. Their destiution cannot be bet
ter described than by the following extracts from
petition which John TUFTS and nine others addressed
to the General Court of Massachusetts, for cx-
empton from taxes. After recounting the difficulties
under which the first settlement was effected. thew
proceed to state the reasons which induced their ad-
herenee to Great Britain. "Your memoriasts."
they say were not behind the best friends of their
country in exertons for its defence; hence, it
at that fatal crisis, when the enemy took
post IN their vicinity. that they were among the
foremost, whom the commanders OF that force COM
PEELED to submit to an an oath of allegiance to their
master. Yet, as that oath known to all to be
compulsory-as allegiance and protection recip-
rocal~as that protection ceased Oh the part of the
king upon the arrival OF the American fleet and as
the cause in favor Of which that oath was exerted
aplealeo 10 your petitioners scn as tney coud not
support, wlIhout sihnnS against tIod, thev were
iuy convinced that such oath ought not TO lay any
pohd on thelf consclences therefore, they readily
opeVeu 'ne pfociam1tioh OF Gen. LoVcli. repaired
WIN lner arms 10 MS camp, ana oy thls means,
Whth 1ie eSpeditloh came 10 'ts dis?racefu END.
your nettiohers FOUND themselves obliged to take
10 lllsht as carry as the troops The event proved
, that they had evacuated the place in Just time
enough to escape that British vengeance which fell
so severely on their habtations and all they left be-
hind Their crops were lost in the ground, and the
greater part OF their cattle, furniture and other
movable property shared one common destruction;
their families, eighteen in number, consisting of
one hundred and eight persons, most of whom
We're women and young children, were tan to seek
their way through the wilderness, bevond the
enemys reach. Since that time, they have lived in
various places enduring dstresses painful to relate
but more painful to bear. With no small
eagernesS have they anticipated the time when the
vpcrnc nest at Penobscot should be broken up.
Now that this happy Geliyerance is ACCOMPLISHED
they find themselves in such broken and impoy-
erished circumstances that Il mere subsistence is
obtained with great difficulty. They therefore pray
to be excused from taxation until their condition
has improved" This representation was fayorably
received and the desired abatement granted
Io,c.~,, .r,o>- rrs,,,pr ,os, o,,,,,,,, ,,,r.,
oi''A-''1Niio, "''oMnD. re- 'ffio'' - Ah
'''"hn'
IN l'oo. ~ llio 10y was ,'io"e9 70 resume n.h
Jdnathan R,Irk E.n anrominrnt cit;zen Of Rmcks
towu to call meeting for tbe nnrnose On the