The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-06-13
A Surviving Heroine Of 1912.

. There is an interesting story connect
ed with Cedar Point, Scituate Harber,
Mass. The heroine is Miss Rebecca
Bates, now 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 detachments
were stationed at Cedar and Crow Points,
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
We're all away. Mrs. Bates told
Rebecca it was as time Is 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. 30 Lord = says
l 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 flour,
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 a 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; slook
take the fife.' 1 was fond Of military
music, and could play four tunes on the
fife. Yankee Doodle was my master
piece. 1 learned on the fife which
the soldiers had at the light
house. They had drum there, too !;
so said to her, sYou take the drum,
and I'll take the fife.' sWhat good'll
that do?' said she. 'Scare them, said
1. sAll 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.' l showed her how
to handle the sticks, and we ran down
behind the cedar wood. So we put in,
as the boys say, and preh ) soon l look
ed, and I could see the men in the
barges resting on their oars and listen
ing. When I looked again saw flag
fiying from the masthead of the ship.
My sister began to make speech, and
/ said, Don't make noise ;,you make
me laugh, and can'tpucker my mouth.
When looked again / saw they had
seen the flag, and they turned about SC
quick man fell overheard, and they
picked him up by the back of his neck
and hauled him in. When they went
ieoff, 1 played Y ankee Doodle. 20 Is not
this heroine, who saved two ships laden
with flour, and perhaps other valuables
from destruction, entitled to pension
She has five brothers and sisters still liv
ing, the eldest 85, and the youngest Z l
Her grandfather was 100 years and ont
month old at the time of his DEATH
s. G. W. Benjamin, in Hagper's Magazin I'M
for June. .,.z fs.t