The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-04-08
Portland in the Revolution.

o0oli opocuFeQ curing lNe past b"-
CAGE by the mighter contest of the Re
oelIloh' but now that the centennial an
. hlVersarles OF the earlier conflict are
crowding thick upon Us, our tbouobt,
turn to that great struggle which rave
the nation birth.
The year 1775 was marked l4y start'fu,r
events in the history of the colonies Then
the long discomfort with the tyranny OF
the mother country broke into open re-
sistance, and the first clash of arms uc-
CURED. In February there was 4 prelim-
nary movement at Salem, duly celebrated
last month, by the people of that ancient
town In April. took place the march on
Concord, to be commemOrated this month
by poets and orators at Il great gathering
OF the people. In May, Ethan Allen led
the Green Mountain boys to victory a
llconderoga, we'll planned enterprise
which the Nermonters will not allow 10
pass unnoticed. In June came the stout
hight at Bunker llill, never to be forgot
ten. Other events OF scarcely less mo-
ment though Of more local interest, rapid
ly followed, the centennial celebration OF
which might make the year one round OF
| patriotic jubilation.
Maine, tn ugh but an outlying province,
was not without her share in the excite
ment of the times Her sons We're nc less
! patriotic than those Of the older colonies
On the 18th of June, l775, brave band
OF Machias men began the fight upon the
sea by capturing, in Machias Bay. after
sharp and bloody struggle. the kirg
| armed schooner Margaretta, carving four
| guns and fourteen swivels For this gll-
liant act they received the thanks Of the
| Provincial Congress, and commissions No.
do the like as often as they chose
| Our own city, then the town of Fad
mouth, has good reason to remember this
year of bloody beginnings Cur fore
fathers We're the first to feel the tull bruut
Of brutal warfare Upon Falmouth tell
the vengeance OF British commander a>
upon no other town during the war Ih.+
year brings the centennial annigcisu, Of
its burning by Capt. Mowatt
The people OF Falmouth were w.t-
| awake to the issues Of the times Iarv
early expressed their Indignation at lht
acts Of Parliament bearing on the coipuie,
AS tar back as l7G5 they had 7r.7rH tIi
| burnt the hated stamps sent 1E.r au dr
posted in the custom-house IN l17l r1el
resolved that they would '.nul tu" u.l
sell any India tea whatever, altl.usr
| there was stock of two Thousand f...
| hundred pounds in the hands 0t tae d..I.-
ers in town When the news of t4c I.t.
| tie OF Lexington arrived here on ihr -t-'
| OF April, company OF soldiers s,t ,*
the same day to aid the people ~ '..'
neighborhood of Boston
1t was not these acts however, wI-0"'
brought down upon them the rereaEv.
stroke which destroyed the town ], i,.
curious fact that the burning Of Falmuuti
~ I'm H.
Maine forests. She marked all the best
trees for her own navy, and any one who
cut marked tree down was subject tpl
heavy penalty Ships came here annual
| ly to carry the masts to England. and .-
became business of much Importance t.
the town. One Coulson, an EBglishmuu.
who had settled here and married 70
daughter of DR.. Coffin, who was engaged
in this trade. but being q Tory, violently
opposed to the popular sentiment ot the
colonies, the people refused t. allow Aiu
to rig or load his new ship OF one th1u
sand tons, which he had built at the t,ai
OF what is now India street This action
Of the people was in accordance with
compact between the colonies which E.r-
bade any Tory from taking his prop rtv
out Of the country COulson, euraged hE
their action, procured the assistance yt
Captain Mowatt, in the British 7lyop If
war. Canceau. The people ct the -rr-
rounding towns. making common c1u3e
with Falmouth, conceived the design uI
destroying Mowatts ship and Colonel
wick, with fifty men, to accomplish thar
purpose. Encamping in q thick grove ot
pines on the northern side OF MHuiDv=
Hill, they seized Mowatt. his Surgeon.
and the Rev. Mr. Wiswall as they were
walking on the hill The officer in COM
mand OF Aowatt's ship threatening to ire
upon the town il he We're not surrendered
the leading citizens at last prevailed upra
Thompson to release him ON parole Nov
att broke his parole and sailed away, vuW-
ing vengeance. Thompsou's soldier COM
mtted some eXcesses in the town, sack
ing the house of Coulson and other Ipri,-
The people of Falmouth voted their j
appreciation Of these proceedings but -U'
tered none the less from the iudl @cTrr .l
of their country neiahbors
These events took place iu Mry, au'
when Mowatt returned here with flee
of four war vessels in the following 0't.-
Der, the people had no thought tbat hr
came tor any other purpose chan to pro
cure cattle and provisions IAey weg.
soon awakened from their dream uf -erur-
ity bv letter from him, 'luli ut tt
English and worse spelling, H. DIR p'H.r
said, announcing his purpose 70 bom1.,.'
the town at the end of two hours, g. '.
| lust punishment" for ii. "unplrlpa.,.."
| rebellion.n
| The announcement Of this harbuou-
purpose to the people assembled Iu the
town house must have presented a -ocl.
of thrilling interest, Lawyer Bradbury
voice shook as he read. the letter Ain 1e-
ment and CONSERVATION caused "a prlllu.t
silence tor q few moments Ibrl Il rIu.-
mittee was sent OFF who procured
MOWatt a pOstpOnement ot the lumlUr.-
nent until the next morning, ON condition
of the delivery to him OF eight sma-. aNlu-
All that night the town Was h ~ccur
alarm and confusion families hurry .
away with their household goods. In alot-
and on foot, as best they could.
Mowatt had proposed that if the taw.
would surrender to him four small ea0-
non, all its arms and ammunition. Ar
would suspend proceedings until he cll.i
receive further instructions from Ainirt.
Graves. The people, to their credit 3c Il
said Indignantly spurned this proposal.
| and at half past nlne o'clock on the m9Un-
| ing OF October 18th. 1878, the firing com
| IueuCeu ltOul All lOuI vi lIIC NC9SNL7 4'4 tli'
harbor, and was kept up all day, a shove.
| of bombs. carcases, grape-shot and mus
ket balls raining ceaselessly on the deypt
ed town. Falmouth was then 4 little VII
lage, containing but two hundred and
thirty-six dwelling houses, scattered over
the declivity from Congress street dow
| to the waters edge, presenting q i,i,
mark for the guns OF the fleet Panlr~
landed and set fire to various bulliugs
and the town soon presented broad sheet
of flame One brave woman. widow Gree
lie, who kept a tavern at the head OF Hamp-
shire street, stood by her house to the last.
and saved it from the flames. The tota,
number of buildings burned Were tour
hundred and fourteen, including thirty