The Lake County star., 1876-05-25
Another Revolutionary Hero Turned
I'm.
Boston Advertiser. !

Boston Advertser.I
The 18th ofMay, 1776, was q critical
moment for General Washington. The
British troops had evacuated Boston in
March, and there was lull i'm hostili-
ties because both parties were short OF
powder. Efforts had been made for a
year to manufacture powder in the Col
Onies with very little success. General
Washington was anxious for the future.
The British squadron lay in Nantucket
Roads waiting no less anxiously for trans
ports from England. Shortly before
this James Mugford, Marblehead man,
twenty-five years of age, had been i'm
pressed on board one of the enemy's
sloops lying outside the harbor. His
wife said that if the people did not
rescue him she would do it herself, and
young Mugford was dismissed by the
Captain at her entreaty. While on
board the sloOp he overheard the talk
about the expected transports, and
ascertained that the signal of the
powder-ship would be a powder keg at
the masthead. AS soon as he reached
the shore he sent word TO Washington
for permission to fit out a vessel for its
capture, and then, impatient of delays
started from Beverly in the schooner,
Franklin, craft of sixty tons, armed
with four twO-pounders, and lay out in
the bay awaiting its arrival. On the
morning of Friday, the 18th, the looked
for signal was seen at the masthead of al
approaching vessel and Captain Mugford,
Offering his services as pilot and expos
ing but few men, received the welcome
signal to come aboard before the British
Captain understood the character of bis
visitor. Where is your commission?'
said the Briton. "You have two
aboard" was the reply, "and that's
enough for both of U.S." The British
feet was not more than mile distant,
and they were on the point of sending
their boats to welcome the powder-ship,
when Captain Mugford, having persuad-
cd the English officer to surrender was
seen bringing his valuable prize into the
harbOr. The citizens were just return
ing from their several places of worship,
the day being set apart for fasting and
prayer by the Continental Congress,
when the enemy's supply-ship, containing
three times as much ammunition rs the
whole American Army then had, was at
their very doors. 1t being ebb-tide, the
ship ran ashore north of Governors Is
land, where she lay till the following
night, but the people quickly transport
ed her valuable cargo to the city i'm
boats, and the joy at her capture was
felt even more keenly at the head
quarters of the army, where the distress
for powder was better known. The
only time when Washington was said TO
have laughed during the Revolution
was on hearing of the taking of this
pOwder-ship. II was a brilliant and
daring exploit, and made Mugford the
hero of the hour. The people received
him in State (tben King's) street with
great enthusiasm. and there was reioic-
ing throughout the city.
The following Sunday night he deter
mined to return with his own vessel to
Marblehead. In passing out of the har-
Dor the schooner ran upon the rocks at
Putin Gut, and they were obliged to
wait till the rise of the tide before she
could be foated of. Meanwhile, the
intense Indignation of the commander |
of the British feet led TO the sending of
thirteen boats, manned by two hun.
dred men, TO capture Mugford, and
utti suIlilihIy JuotiCc w IuO yOuuB DIlNd- |
teer The dark night favored their ap-
proach. The command of the expedi-
tion was intrusted to a young nobleman,
who begged this privilege of his superior
officer against the advice of down-east
pilot, then prisoner on the British fleet,
who warned him of the desperate charac-
ter of the men he had TO fight. Captain
hailed the boats as they ap-
preached, and warned them To keep of,
threatening to fire upon them If they
came any nearer. They disregarded
his threats, and Mugford received them
with discharge from his musket, his
men firing at the same time and then,
cutting his cable, he brought his broad.
side 10 bear and discharged his cannon,
loaded with musket balls directly i'm up-
On them. Before the cannon could be
charged second time, two or three
boats were alongside. Captain Mugford
md his men now met them so closely
with firearms and spears that two boats
we're soon sunk and all the men either
killed or wounded. The flash from his
run, as he fired at the enemy in the
leat of the cngagemet, revealed his form
% distinctly that the next moment he
eceived shot through the heart, and
ell mortally wounded. He did not
yield even then. His last words were
Don't give up the vessel. You will be