The Portland daily press., 1875-10-18
PORTLAND,s CENTENNIAL.
One Esundredth Anniversary OF the Burn.
ing Of Falmouth
A CHAPTER OF HISTORY.

One hundred years ago the 10th of this
month, British fleet, under command of Capt
Ao"att, arrived off the harbor OF Portland
The fleet consisted of four vessels, the Canceau
capt Mowatt's flagship, the Cat, two schoon.
ers and bomb sloop. The arrival of this
armament created no great ALARM for the in
habitants supposed that nothing more than a
raid on cattle and provisions was intended,
under this belief sending two companies to
guard tae island near which Mowatt had an.
chored and upon which were large quantities
of stock and hay. The first intimation of his
real design was given in letter from himself
on the afternoon of the 18th, when the fleet
had moved up the harbor and anchored. This
letter was sent ON shore late in the afternoon,
and bore the date of the preceding day. Capt.
Mowatt informed the town that he had been
commissioned to execute just punishment
for their many attacks upon the legal preroga-
tive of the best of sovereigns. This Gust pun
ishment' was nothing less than the burning O,
the town, and but two hours were given to re-
move the "human specie" In concluding his
note Capt. Mowatt cautioned the inhabitants
not to show the least resistance lest they should
free him of that humanity SO strongly pointed
out in his orders, as well as in his own inclina.
ton.
AS soon as the letter was received a town
meeting was called and committee, consisting
of Gen. Preble, DR.. Coffin and Gen, Pagan, was
appointed to confer with Capt. Mowatt to ascer-
tain the cause of the threatened calamity and
see If it could not be averted. The committee
went on board Carceau, but the commander
was peremptory and would only suspend the
bombardment on the most humiliating terms
At the earnest request of the committee hs
consented to postpone the execution of his
orders till o'clock the next morning if the in
habitants would deliver to him eight small
arms, and he was willing to agree to further
suspension until she could receive an answer to
an express which he would despatch to the
Admiral at Boston, if before o'clock the next
morning the people would surrender to him all
their cannon small arms and ammunition.
With Capt. Mowatt's ultimatum the commit
tee returned on shore and reported to the ia
habitants, who Indignantly repealed the humili-
atng offer, but in order to gain time decided to
deliver up the eight small arms. which they
sent to Mowatt in the evening, informing him
that the town would have a meeting in the
morning to decide whether or not to accept his
terms. The meeting was held, the offer rejec-
ted, and the same committee appointed to no.
tify Capt Mowatt. They found Mowatt impa-
tent to commence the bombardment, and only
half an hour was allowed them to escape.
The ships opened fire at nine O'Clock, and
the bombardment continued till six in the eve
nj, for, ~.
shower of bombs. carcasses, shells, grape shot
and musket balls falling upon the devoted
town. So little time had been allowed that the
women and children had not been removed but
terror stricken rushed through the streets en-
deavoring to escape, while the men were en-
deavoring to save the property from the burn
ing dwellings, and consequently were able to
offer little resistance to the parties which land
ed from the ships and applied the torch in
various parts of the city. The soldiers were
scattered on the islands, and there was not an
hours supply of ammunition, so that no effec-
tive resistance could be made. The buildings
were of wood and the flames spread rapidly,
and soon laid in ashes nearly the whole town.
The frat house set on fire was B. Baley's,
which stood on Middle street. near it's junction
with Federal. 1t was occupied by Mr.. Shaw
as dwelling house and saddler's shop, and
was fred by shell. The next was on the cor
ner Of King (now India) and Federal streets.
belonging to Capt. Hoole. A cannon ball pierre
ed the old First Parish church, and several at
tempts were made to set it on fire which, how
ever, were baffled. The total number of build
ings, exclusive of dwelling houses destroyed
Was 27S, which, with the houses, 1876 in all,
made tie total number Ala. About 100 fami
lies were rendered homeless with not more than
half their personal effects saved, and even these
were damaged by the rain of the two succeed
ing days. Fortunately no resident of the town
lost his life by the calamity, and only one man
was wounded, Reuoen Clough. Two of the
English were killed and several wounded. The
total loss of property amounted to G54, 527 13s.
The heaviest loser was Jedediah Preble, whose
loss footed up 1880. Among the buildings
destroyed were the court house, which had just
been completed, the Episcopalian church, town
house, custom house and almost every store
and warehouse in towrs All the wharves but
one or two short ones, and all the vessels ex-
cept two, which the British took away with
them, were burned. Only one hundred dwell
lngs were left standing, and many Of these
were badly damaged.
The situation of the inhabitants after this
disaster can easily be imagined. Many fami-
lies before well-to-do were IN abject poverty,
without shelter or food, ''not less than 1000
people Ito use the language of an appeal issued
ito all friends of humanity in Europe by the
town. including our wives and children, were
instantly reduced to state of unspeakabe dis.
tress." Winter was coming on, the country
was in the midst of war, business was ruined,
and the outlook for the future was even gloom
Ter than the present. In this emergency the
town held meeting on the 26th of October
and raised a committee to procure subscriptions
for the relief of the poor. On the 10th of No
vember the provincial Congress on petition of
Samuel Freeman, member from this town,
granted e250 for the sufferers and ordered Is
bushels of corn to be distributed to each fami-
ly whose loss deprived them of the means of
purchasing. In l776 one-half Of the taxes for
1875 were abated, and in 1879, on petition of
Enoch Freeman and others, grant was made
of $4,000 to purchase bread and other necessa-
ries of life for the poor-apparently a large
sun, uuG really SualI Que, aS Tue currency
was very much deprecated.
For many years succeeding the calamity the
people of the town sought rein bu rsement for
their losses. In 1776 application was made to
the Continental Congress, but without avail,
At the close of hostiities, however, the town
did succeed in obtaining from the General
Court two townships in Somerset county, each
six miles square. now called Freeman and New
Portland.
The causes which led to this calamity were
coincident with those which led to the war of
the Revolution-dlsloyalty to the crown the
British thought, patriotism the inhabitants be.
Heved. Along with Boston and other seaport
towns, Falmouth had been quick to resist Brit
ish oppression. When the stamp act was
passed Falmouth had protested in writing and
more forcibly by marchiug to the custom house
and there destroying all the stamped papers
When the act was repealed Falmouth rang the
bells, Illuminated, hurrahed, and according to
one historian, got very drunk indeed All the
encroachments of the British crown which
followed, were met in the same spirit, till, to
use Capt. Mowatts expression, ''the rod of
correction" must be applied But there were