Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-07-02
How the " Margaretta" Was Captured
One Hundred Years Ago.

ALMOST at the extreme Limit of Down
East" in Maine, and on a river and, bay
Of the same name, lies the good old town
of Machias At the date OF the Revelation
it contained about eighty families and 100
single men,
In the spring Of 1775 there REACHED
Machias the proclamation of the Massa-
chusetts Congress, authorizing prepara-
tions for resistance to Great Britain; and,
in few days, u tall liberty-pole was erect
ed by the patrons of the village.
On Saturday, the 9th of May, intelli-
gcnce Of the battle Of Lexington reached
them, having been broughtby the crews OF
two lumber sloops from Boston. The
vessels had come for "pickcts and planR,"
to be used by the British in defense of
their position at Boston against the Ameri-
cans. In order to secure the desired car
goes, and the safe return of the vessels, the
British armed schooner " Margaretta" at
tended them as convoy
When che Captain of the schooner saw
the liberty-pole, he went on shore and in
formed the people that il must be taken
down, or he should fire upon the town.
A meeting OF the inhabitants was held
within a few hours, but they voted not to
take down the pole. The owner of the
| two sloops, q wealthy merchant trading in
Boston and Machias, represented to the
Captain that the meeting was not fully at
tended; and he induced him to wait for
| the action of another meeting, To be called
on Monday, before carrying out his
| threat.
The nextday being Sunday, Capt Moore,
| of the " "Margaretta,n attended worship
at the village church. During the serv-
ice he saw through window some twenty
men, with guns in their hands, crossing
the river on the logs. Suspecting de
sign of scizing him in church the Captain
made his way over the seats TO the nearest
window, and, leaping through it, he ran
to the shore, closely followed by his
| officers.
The party which he had seen, joined by
others, hastened along the bank of the
river in pursuit But the crew of the
+" Margaretta" had observed the move
ments on shore, and, bringing her guns
TO bear, succeeded in keeping the pur-
suers at bay until the Captain and his COM
panions were on board.
The schooner soon dropped down the
river, firing few shots over the town as
she got under way.
The party which had come across the
river were from the Pleasant River settle
ment. about twenty miles westward-hav-
ing been sent for the day before by the
Machias people, who by no means in
tended to have their liberty-pole taken
down.
The Pleasant River men had only two
or three charges of powder apiece; and
the next day woman arrived at Machias,
having come all the way through the
woods alone to bring her husband a horn
of powder which she had found after he
had gone.
Early on Monday morning four young
men took possession of one of the lumber
soops, and, bringing her up to the wharf,
gave three cheers, to call the attention of
the villagers ThiTty-five athletic men
were soon gathered at the wharf, and II
design of capturing the Margaretta"
was made known to them. Aiming them
selves as we'll rs they were able at so brief
notice they set sail in pursuit of, the
! British vessel, which was lying at anchor
few miles below.
AS vet they had no commander; bat an
: election was held on the way by which
Jeremiah O'Brien, the eldest of six noble
brothers on board, was unanimously
chosen Captain. He Immediately gave
permission for all who did not wish to
; venture in the attack to leave the vessel
and three men accordingly went ashore III
the boat.
When the " Margaretta" observed the
, approach of the slOop she weighed an
chor and crowded on all sail TO avoid q
Z. conflict. In changing her iib she carried
I away the boom; but, continuing her
fight, she ran into Holmes Bay and took
; a spar from q vessel lying there.
While repairs were making the sloop
hove in sight and the " Margaretta" stood
Il out TO sea, in hope still of avoiding her.
So anxious was Capt. Moore TO avoid a
), collision that he cut away his boats to in
crease the speed of his vessel; but this,
/ too, was Intellectual Finding the sloOp
filstclosing upon him, he at length opened
(, fire upon her.
! The "Margaretta" had an armament OF
4 four light deck guns and fourteen swivels,
/ while the slOop had only single cannon,
I rudely mounted, with which to return the
y fire. The first discharge killed the " Mar
u garetta 50 helmsman and cleared the quar-
: ter-deck The schooner broached sudden
u , ly to windward, throwing the sails bach
!. and bringing her deck into full view o
It her pursuers Those of the patriots whC
: had firearms instantly discharged them
In a very few moments the vessels came
together. Then ensued a contest witt
musketry, Capt. Moore himself throwing
hand. .grenades into the sloop with consid
erable effect. An attempt was made by
the patriots to board the schooner, bu
> only one man-John O'Brien, brother o
e the commander-reached her deck. Sever
L of the British crew discharged their gum
I at him almost at the same moment, bu
II not IA ball struck him. Then they charged
!, upon him with bayonets, but he escape,
! these by jumping overheard. The yessel
y had fallen some thirty yards apart, but h
u u swan to the sloop and was taken ol
! board, without having received any wors
. harm than wetting
The American vessel was again brough
:, alongside the enemy, and twenty men
- armed chiefly with pitchforks, sprang o.
~ board the schooner. Capt. Moore had al
!, ready fallen, pierced by two balls; an'
y the conflict was so fierce that the Office
i left in command fled panie-stricken to tn
.f cabin.
~ ~ Thus the schooner and her stores Iel
~ nearly uniniured into the hands OF thes
W brave freemen of Machias. The loss q
- the Americans was four killed and elgll
u or nine wounded that OF the BRITISH wa
~ more than twice as many.
lI The Margaretta" was the first Br1tis
a. armed vessel captured by the American
=, in the War of Independence. This en-
~ ~ terprise was entirely a private one, tn
y Continental Congress not having author
~ lied any nautical force until the followin
u October.-Geo. j. Rar1ey, On st. Ntci'0to
re- re- forJuty.
5r -Hairsprmgs, says a writer in tn
i e. ~.