Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-06-20
A Heroine OF 1919.

There Is an interesting story con-
nected with Cedar Point, Scltuste
Harbor. Mass. The heroine Is Miss
Rebecca Bates. a bright, genial old
lady OF eighty-four. whose memory
continues remarkably clear. Tho
story, taken from her own lips. can be
depended on az thoroughly reliable.
Her father was Captain Simeon Bates;
he was light-keeper at the time, and
was the first who lit the light, In
April. 1911. In the spring Of the fol-
lowing year English cruisers were
numerous In Massachusetts, bay, and
on one occasion the launches Of an
English frigate were sent into Scitu-
ate Harbor. They set fire to vessels
at the wharves. and towed out two,
at the same time threatening to de-
stroy the town II any resistance was
offered. After this event q home
guard was formed, and detachments
were stationed on Cedar and Grow
points, and in front Of tho village,
with brass piece. When there was
no sail in sight, the guards were al
lowed to go of to their farms.
Nothing to occasion alarm occurred
again until the following September.
Rebecca, at that time eighteen years
of age. and her sister Abigail four
teen years old. and stu living, were
sitting toward evening sewing with
their mother. Capt. Bates and the
rest Of his largo family and the
guards were all away. Mrs. Bates
told Rebecca 1t was time to put on
the kettle. As Rebeccs went into the
kitchen she for the first time per-
ceived an English ship Of war close at
hand and lowering her boats. Il
knew the ship at q glance" she said.
st was the La Hogue. % Rebeccs! !!
says I to my sister, the La Hogue is
OF here again! What shall We do!
Here are their barges coming again,
and they'll burn up our vessels as
they did afore.' You see. there are
two vessels at the wharf, loaded with
-four, and we couldn't afford to lose
that in those times, when the embar-
60 made it 80 hard to live that we
had to bile pumpkins all day to get
sweetenlng for sugar. There were
the. .muskets Of the guards. / have a
good mind to take those out beyond
the light house and fire them at the
barges; I might have killed one or
two, but II would have done no good,
for they would have turned round
and fred the village. 'Tll tell you
what well do,' said to my sister
look here, says I. you take the
drum, I'll take the fife.' was fond
Of military music. and could play four
tunes ON the ffe. Yankee Doodle
was my master. piece. I lesrned on
the fife which the soldiers had at the
lighthouse. They had drum there,
too; SO said to her. You take the
drum, and I'll take the fife.' What
goodIl that dor says she. Scare
them,' says L AN you've got to do
is to call the roll, I'll scream the fife
and we must keep out OF sight; II
they see US, they'll laugh US to scorn.
I showed her how to handle the
sticks, and we ran down behind the
cedar wood. So we put In, as the
boys say, and pretty soon I looked,
and / could see the men In the barges
resting on their oars and listening
When / looked again ! saw q flag fly
ing from the mast head OF the ship
My sister began to make q speech
and I said. Don't make noise; yor
make me laugh, and I can't puckel
my mouth When I looked again
saw they had seen the flag. and the,
turned about 30 quick q man fel
overheard, and they picked him uI
by the back Of his neck and hauled
him in. When they went of. / playst
Yankee Doodle" Is not this hero
inc. who saved two ships laden will
-four, and perhaps other valuables
from destruction. entitled TO q pen