The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-25
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| fifty feet of ne vessels, one of the wheels sunk
| in the enud md the machine became immova-
| BILE. One of the Frenchmen jumped off to
rase the Wheel, and "Storer shot him down."
Another stepped out. and ''Storer shot him
town. The tide rising" says Mather, upset
their chariot so that the men were open to the
slo0Ps and they got away as fast as they
were. unsuccessful They continued their fir.
ing tlil the close of day. Defeated in all their
Vaccinations, they called on the Spartan he
roes to surrender. But they only responded to
the call by loud laugh. They had lost none
OF their courage, though thus assailed by an
almost overwhelming force.
The battle of the first day thus closed with.
out any success on the part of the enemy, ex-
cept the killing of one man on board the slOops.
Thongh the Indians knew that the brave de-
tenders on board the vessels were few, they
were probably somewhat embarrassed in their
movements by the continual fear that rein
f0rcements might come upon them from the
West. Just before they came upon the garr-
son scout of only six soldiers had been sent
toward Berwick. These returning the next
morning suddenly came upon the enemy. The
corporal with great presence of mind and quick
ness OF thought, cried out, "Captai, Conyers,
dogs arg TfQar men round the bill and these few
at hand, and pSsupposing Convers was close
trapped, they all fed we were about 70 Dc been en-
ana the scout safely entered the gai spe'''
Inc next morning, Sunday, the enemv.-b.--
ing recovered their courage. resumed their on
eratlons ON the garrison. For awhile dead
silence had prevailed all around. But they
now approached ia the full confidence of suc
cess, nuch to the terror of some within the
IorI. one OF the soldiers whose heart tainted
within him at their approach, feeling that il
was impossible for the small company within
10 withstand the assaults of the enemy and
tnat death must be sure fate of all il thew at
.eihptea TO resist, called on Captain Convers to
Convers 'and you are d deaui Iaaain . ranlied
cloyn and dO NOT fra tIptl vnu ara surp Of axo-
cution." The assailants marched steadily to-
ward the garrison and gave three hideOus
shouts, while some one called out in English,
Fire and fall in brave boys" and the whole
at once discharged their guns But the. gari-
son returned their fire with capnon and mus
kets. The women az this terrible crisis brave
ly competed with the men in touching off the
canon, handing the ammunition, and doing
whatever was required, until by the extraOril-
nary exertions of all, male and female, the enc
my was driven from the ground and abandoned
the assault upon the garrison. But once more
they directed their forces to the destruction Of
the vessels, trying a new strategem. They coz
structed raft about twenty feet square a1d
| loaded it with combustible matter. This they
| towed down che river as far as they could safe
| ly venture, set fire to it, and then left itto
| float down to the sloops. But q higher than
human power interfered; The wind charged and
| blew the raft on the opposite shore, and thus
| defeated this well-contlved scheme. Baffied
surrender, or to cspture the vessels, and think
ing it hazardous to continue the siege longer
they retreated, doing all the damage in their
Ths ssvera naa Lost St Their Lab
English lost only one sailor on b0s.-i the ros1
SELL Disappointed in their hopes, mortih.s at
their complete discontinue, and angry at the
obstinacy of the unyielding English, they
vented their malgnity on the Unhappy Dia,
mond whom they had captured, manning and
m1rderng him in manner too shocking to
describe. L
The men and women gathered at Wells in
| trained up by attrition with the adyersities OF
| life, to meet any difficulties or dangers that
| might beset them on their earthly pilgrimage.
| They had faith in man and faith in God, which
| made them strong and fearless in an emergen.
| cy, that would have paralyzed most men and
women at the present age. Mathe- says this
| was ''as worthy an action as in our story" We
| feel that this is "a very inadequate description
/ of this memorable conflict. History does not
| record struggle more worthy of perpetual re-
ted against seven or eight sailors, on board two
small vessels lying against the shore;
| and yet these few men, with an un-
| faltering courage, kept this whole army
at bay, defending themselves and their vessels IS
flushed with the certainty of success, wer1
| obliged to retire from the contest. There was
scarcely probability that they could with
stand the assault for a moment; but calmly
and unmoved by the awful potent. they stood
by their posts and foied all the artIfices OF the
l enemy. Tho names of those noble men, Gooch
| and Storer, should never be forgotten by the
townsmen of Wells. We know not who else
on board these vessels, and engaged in this
desperate conflict; but known or unknown, the
| whole crew were more worthy of monumental
remembrance than the thousands of more
| modern times, whose memory is sanctifed IL
| the hearts of their conntrymen and by memo
rials outlvng the frail human tabernacle.