The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-07-27
TWO BRAVE WOMEN.

Now 1 am going to tell You what two
young women did for their country 100
years ago-a true story which deserves to
be better known than it is, and which
will have no record in the Woman's De-
partment of the Centennial.
But first let us get out the map and
find the old town of Machias-Naj0is
the French called tin the eastern
part of Maine. More than two CEN
turies ago this place was well known to-
English and French adventurers, and
was the scene of many bitter quarrels
between them. 1t was first settled by
the French, who gave all that part Of
Maine the beautiful name of Acadia.
Soon after the battle of Lexington,
which you remember was fought on the
18th of April 1775, a certain Capt. Jones,
of Boston, arrived at MacIiias with his
two sloops. He was in the habit of
trading" with the Machias people;
that is, exchanging the goods and pro
visions he carried there for lumber.
Ills llult LC Cllt uOG COLIC buu
was accompanied by an armed schooner
and he was careful moi to land his goods
till the people agreed to trade with him
as usual. Probably this very caction
made them suspicious; and then it was
not pleasant to see british cutter an
chored In their river. They knew that
lumber was just what the Royal troops
needed for their barracks; the affair at
Lexington had aroused all their patri-
otto ardor; and they determined that
Capt. Jones should never return to Bos-
ton with his vessels. To understand
what this decision cost them, we must
remember that the settlers were wholly
depending on numbering" fer support.
To be sure, the men did not have to
make long journeys on their sieds into
the forests and there camp out for the
winter, as the lumbermen of Maine do
now. Every year these logging parties
go merriIy off to their rough life in the
woods, at night sleeping on spruce
boughs laid upon the floor of the camp,
their feet turned to the roaring fire,
with sometimes wolves to serenade their
slumbers; living largely on pork and mo-
lasses, frying bushels of doughnuts at G.
time, boiling their tea in great teakettles,
and having rather a jolly time of it, es-
pecially when their townsmen go to make
them visit, as they sometimes do.
There were woods everywhere about
the settlement which was at great dis
lance from any large town; and as there
were no roads, the only way to get re-
lief in time of need was by water, and
this way could be easily cut off by an en-
envy. Except scanty supply of pota-
toes, no.vegetables were raised there; and
the people owned very few COWS, and
only enough oxen to haul lumber in
winter. Many families often had moth
ing but CLANS to eat for weeks at time,
and when Capt. Jones sloops arrived,
there were not enough provisions in the
township to last three weeks But rath-
Ell than let King Georges troops have
any of their lumber, these destitute
people made up their minds to starve.
So they agreed to take possession
of the sloops and of the ssMargaretta"
also, the story of whose capture has
been told too often to repeat here. A
company of volunteers was organized on
Sunday, the 18th of June, but only
few charges of powder and ball could
be mustered for twenty fowling- pieces
Besides these, they had only thirteen
pitchfOrks and ten or twelve axes.
These weapons seem barbarous enough
to us; and you remember the red-coats
ii oaght SO, too, and longed for foe
men worthy of their steel when they
saw our rustic soldiery. But they
found afterward that brave heart and
steady purpose were more than match
for the deadliest firearms.
There was not much time to talk the
matter over, and a man was quickly sent
to Jonesboro, q settlement about sixteen
miles distant, for ammunition. But after
this messenger reached his destination
heactually refused toreturn. Very likely
he felt tired after his long walk through
the woods, and his courage gave out.
IS there was no other man to take his
place, all the Jonesboro men havin gone
to Machias that very day to assist If the
capture of the vessels, no wonder the
women were filled with Indignation at
this treachery, and set to work to see
what they could do. 1t always happens
that where there's will there's way.
and Hannah Weston a young bride of
seventeen, whose husband aud brothers
were among the volunteers, went round
to the various houses in the settlement
and collected all the powder lead and
pewter spoons she could find. Then she
and her sister Rebecca, who was only
two years older, determined to carry the
ammunition to Machias themselves.
They started on their rough tramp Mon
day morning with about forty pounds
of powder and lead, enough bread and
meat to last two days, and small Ratchet
All the women and children gathered to
see them off; meantime the one man in
the settlement the recreant messenger,
was hiding In the woods for fear of the
''Britishers' We may be sure that his
behavior earned the bitter contempt of
the women who were left behind. and
that they did not treat him very tender
~ when he made himself visible. You