Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-09-05
"Reminiscences Of 4 Retired Printer

. No. II.
RS thr late Francis q FishI
THE B,TIIE OF PLATTsBUEGH THE EAClrl
$ MENr IN HUELINGroN-CEI EBRAIIoN q
m THE VICTORY.
Jf The year 1914 was one OF great anxiety I
y the people of that portion of Vermont boz
II dering on Canada and Lake Champlain. Tn
"a British fleet had once or twice passed up tn
r lake as far as the mouth Of the Otter Greek
n in the vicinity of Ncrgennes saluting Bur
II lington on the way with few shot, whicl
=. made visible impression on several Of tn
II buildings, and of course tended to increas
the general unoasincss. Some time afte
:, the enemy had returned To St Johns, Com
u modore Macdonough, having completed TIN
y equipment Of his little squadron, sailed t,
Plattsburgh, tn he in readiness TO resist any
hostile movement. About the Sth and 9tl
: Of September the news was rapidly spread
: that the Canadian Governor Provost wa,
e approaching Plattshurgh with large LAND
force, and that "A naval contest was not to h6
l avoided. Accordingly, thousands of citizens
= in the northern, central and western sections
| Of the State, without regard 10 occupation on
; party preferences arose as with one I'M
+ pulse, put on their armor, and hasiened to
the scene of expected conflict, mostly taking
, burlington in their way, as here were the
{ greatest facilities for crossing the Lake. On
Saturday, the 10Th of September, the town
was in a state of extraordinary excitement
and hustle, and during the day and ensuing
night almost everything that water could
float was put into requisitiOn 10 carry the
volunteers TO the opposite shore; 50 that by
eight O'Clock on Sunday morning the 18th,
the wharves were completely naked of water
craft and burlington was almost a "deserted
village" The sound of artillery had been
heard at short intervals from sunrise, which
was supposed to proceed from the land
forces, but about half-past nine the canon
aiding became inccSsani, and it was now
rendered certain that the fleets We're engaged.
The writer of this was then young man
and had Just become a resident of Burling-
ton. Anxiety was depicted on every counte-
nance hope and fear alternately prevailing.
The churches were attended rs usual by the
remnant of inhabitants left, but the idea that
if the enemy proved successful his ships
would soon be pouring hroadsides into the
town, oCcasioncd uneasy seats and liStlesS
attention About four o'clock in the after
noon several persons who had asccndcd the
college belfry, saw by means of a spy-gass a
ship towcd into the harhor Of Plattsburgh;
but whether a British ship fallen into our
hands and the harbor still in our possession,
or whether the enemy had been successful
hy land and wafer. AMI the disabled vessel
was our own CommodOrcs, were questions
still 10 be solved. The sanguine believed all
WAS safe the more dcsponding were faith
less.
At length, about . o'clock in the evening,
a person who had viewed the naval engage
| Isl.. Ito ,l,a,
land Head, came in with the cheering intel
ligence that the naval victory was ours, and
that the British land forces had prccipiIatcly
fled. The news was eagerly spread, and the
| Sabbath stiffness was broken by hearty
cheering on all sides. Tar barrels were
| procured and bontircs assisted to proclaim
the general rejoicing.
Next day the good news was circumstan-
TALLY confirmed hy several of our naval
officers from the scene of strife, and was
| evidenced also by the arrival of British army
| officers rs prisoners of war admitted To
| parole. These last had belonged Ia the Duke
| OF Welllngtons thanking companies in the
| Spanish PeninSular War, and exhibited some
chagrin At losing their worldwide reputation
So s,',n after placing their feet upon Yankee
soil. One of the prisoners, however. was
Canadian chaSscur AN ensign or Cornct) and
| from the oidity of his manner. his corrupted
English, his talkativenrSS and cgotisnl. and
occasional Wlttlcisms. provoked alternately
The mcrrlmcnt and the contempt Of the un-
alloycd John Bulls
Bakers hotel, in 'Millss Row" was the
rendezvous of both the American and Brit |
ish officers, and many interesting and some |
times highly tnIusInls incidents of The naval |
action and the land operations were related. |
The story of the cock that flew into the yards |
Of "A. /
the moment when all was about to be given /
up, and which gavcncw inspiratOnto officers .
and men and a favorable turn TO our affairs, |
was repeated with great fcrvencv and rlec |
The ''n''n vsaa doomed an assurance of tri- .
umph; the ship was brought around, another /
broadside was poured into the enemy and |
the victory was won. The British commander .
was among the slain, and his little fleet was |
sadly cut Ia pieces What horIid work for |
a beautiful Sunday morning.
II has since been related on reliable author
iiy that as Commodore Macdonough's flotilla
appeared in sight, Capt Downic called to
his men aloft t. KNOW what they saw: The
answer was, They are all around the masts |
kncelng in prayer" All" exclaimed the |
Captain, That is very good for them. but
very had for us" The first shot from our
side took away his life,
Young Lieutenant Perry raymond H., |
think had been sick at Bakers for some
days previous To the battle, and had mani
Tested great desire Ia Join his ship in expect
alton Of the event, and this desire became
apparently intense as he heard the cannon
AIDING ON the morning Of the action, but the
doctors would mol Coust ut TO his removal
and to their Introduction were superadded
the intrcatics 10 the same effect Of his young
wife, a daughter of the rich merchant De