The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-05-23
A Surviving Heroine of 1912.

There is an interesting story connect
ed with Cedar Point, Scituate Harbor,
Mass. The heroine is Miss Rebecca
Bates, now a bright, genial old lady of
eighty-four, whose memory continues
remarkably clear. The story, taken
from her own lips, can be depended
upon as thoroughly reliable. Her faith
er 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 following year
English cruisers were numerous in Mas
sachusetts Bay, and on one occasion the
launches of an English frigate were
sent into Scituate Harbor. They set
fire to vessels at the wharves, and towed
out two, at the same time threatening
to destroy the town if any resistance
was offered. After this event home
guard was formed, and attachments
werestationed at Cedar and Crow Poiats,
and in front of the village, with brass
piece. When there was no sail in sight,
the guards were allowed to go off 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, fourteen
years old, and still living, were sitting
toward evening sewing with their moth
er. Captain Bates and the rest of his
large family and the guards
Were all away. Mrs. Bates told
Rebecca it was time to
put on the kettle. AS Rebecca went
into the kitchen she for the first time.
perceived an English ship of war close
at hand and lowering her boats. 81
knew the ship at a glance" she said
1t was the La Hogue. 0 Lordi' says
to my sister the old La Hogus is off
here again! What shall we dop here
are their barges coming again, and
they'll burn up our vessels just as they
did afore.' You see, there were two
vessels at the wharf, loaded with -four,
and we couldn't afford to lose that IN
those times, when the embargo made it
so hard to live we had to bile pumpkins
all day to get sweetening for sugar.
There were the muskets of the guards.
| was good mind to take those out be-
yond the lighthouse and fire them at
the barges; | might have killed one or
two. but it would have done no good,
for they would have turned round and
fired the village. 'I'll tell you what
We'll do said | to my sister; look
here,' says /, you take the drum, IN
take the fife.' / was fond of military
music, and could play four tunes on the /
fife. Yankee Doodle was my master
piece. learned on the fife which
the soldiers had at the light
house. They had drum there, too
so said to her, you take the drum,
and III take the fife. - What good'll |
that do?' said she. Scare them,' said |
1. 'All you've got TO do is TO call the |
roll, I'll scream the fife, and we must
keep out of sight; if they see us, they'll !
laugh us TO scorn.' ! 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 look
ed, and / could see the men in the /
barges resting on their oars and LISTEN
ing. When | looked again saw a flag /
flying from the masthead of the ship. I
My sister began to make q speech, and |
/ said, Don't make noise; you make |
me laugh, and Ican'tpucker my mouth
When | looked again I saw they had /
seen the flag, and they turned about SO !
quick man fell overheard, and they
picked him up by the back of his neck I
and hauled him in. When they went I
off, played Yankee Doodle.'" Is not
this heroine, who saved two ships laden
with -four, and perhaps other valuahles,
from destruction, entitled to pension?
She has five brothers and sisters still liv-
ing, the eldest So, and the youngest II.
Her grandfather was 100 years and one
month old at the time of his death Z
S. q. w Benjamin, IN Harper's Nagasi,e
for jane.