The Portland daily press., 1882-03-01
GEN. PELEG WADsWORTH.
CONCLUDED FROM EIRsT PAGE.l

who had gathered at Bagaduce ana III tne
vicinity To protect the people from this
plundering, the Continental Congress IN l7oo
ordered 600 men to be detached from the three
eastern brigades of the State. for eight months
service. Every soldier was ordered to march
well equipped, within twenty-four hours after
he was detached, or pay fine of sixty pounds
currency which was to be applied to procure
a substitute The command of the whole
eastern department, between the Piscataqua
and st. Croix, was given to General Wads-
worth, with power to raise more troops if they
. were needed. He was also empowered to de-
clare and execute martial law over territory
ten miles in width, upon the coast eastward Of
Kennebec, according to the rules Of the Ameri-
can army. His headquarters were established
at Thomaston. For the purpose of protecting
his friends, the General found it necessary to
drawa line of demarkation, between them and
their foes. He issued a proclamation pro-
hibiting any intercourse with the enemy. This
paper, of which I have a copy, is dated at
Thomaston 18th of April, 1880, and declares
the penalty of military execution for any in
fringement of it. The people of the islands
east of Penobscot to Union river, "from their
exposed situation" were ordered to hold
themselves as neutrals. All persons joining
the enemy were to be treated as deserterS
from the American army.
This proclamation did not have the desired
effect. The most bitter of the Tories supposed
that they would be protected by General
McLane, but he disapproved of their plunder-
ing. Captain Mowatt of detestable memory,
who was in command of the British squadron,
was Of different character, and encouraged
their depredations when they became very
aggressive A staunch friend of the Ameri-
can cause at Broad bay, named Soule was
shot in his bed, and his wife was wounded.
This drew from General Wadsworth another
proclamation denouncing death to any one
convicted of seereting or giving aid to the
enemy. Soon after man named Baum was
detected in secreting and aiding Tories to
zach Castine. He was tried by court martial,
found guilty of treason, and General Wads-
worth ordered his execution by hanging the
next morning. which was carried into effect.
This effectually checked the intercourse with
Bagaduce, A daughter of General Wads-
worth in writing of the circumstance, to a
son-in-l law in 1884, said, "My mother has
told me that my father was greatly distressed
at being obliged to execute the penalty of the
law" General Wadsworth's wife was with
him at the time.
After the term of service of the 600 troops
had expired General Wadsworth was left
with only six soldiers as guard at his house,
week or two. His family consisted of his
wife and son of five years, and Miss Fenno of
Boston, a particular friend of Mrs, Waas-
worth's.
Made acquainted with his defenceless con-
dition by spies, General McLane at Bagaduce,
despatched party of twenty-five men under
Lieutenant Stockton, to take him prisoner.
They left their vessel four miles off and
marched to his residence, arriving at about
midnight February IS, 1881. The general
had plenty of firearms in his seeping room,
and when his house was entered by the enemy
he made determined defence, until he was
shot in the arm when he surrendered and was
hurried off to the vessel. When he became
weak from the loss of blood, he was set on a
horse for the march. He suffered much from
cold and pain from his wound He was taken
across the bay to Castine and imprisoned in
Fort George. He knew nothing of the fate of
his family for two weeks, who had been ex-.
posed to the firing. At the request of General
Wadsworth General McLane sent lieutenant
with boats crew to Camden across the bsy
with letters to his family and to the governor
of the State, which were inspected previous to
sealing. Finally, a letter was received from
Mrs. Wadsworth containing an assurance that
they were unharmed. General McLane treated
his prisoner very politely, inviting him to eat
at bis own table, with guard of an orderly SER
geant, but refused him parole or exchange.
In the spring, four months after his seizure,
Mrs. Wadsworth and Miss Fenno, with a
passport from General McLane, arrived at
Bagaduce and were politely entertained at the
fort for ten days. In the mean time orders
had arrived from the commanding general at
New York, in answer to communication
from General McLane. Their purport was
learned from hint conveyed to Miss Fenno
by an officer, that the general was not to be
exchanged, but would be sent to some English
prison. When Miss Fenno left she gave the
general all the information she dared to-she
said, "General Wadsworth, take care of YOUR
SELF" This the general interpreted to mean
that he was to be conveyed to England and he
determined to make his escape from the for
tress if possible. Soon after vessel arrived
from Boston with flag of truce from the
governor and council, asking for an exchange
for the general and bringing sum of money
for his use, bat the request was refused.
Major Burton, resident of st. Georges
river, who had served the previous summer
under General Wadsworth, was prisoner in
the same room with him. After long prepa-
ration, and by obtaining gmlet from the fort
barber, they made their escape on the night of
the 18th of June, by passing through an open
ing previously and laboriously made in the
board ceiling with the gimlet-the marks of
which were filled with bread. They adroitly
evaded the sentinels, but got separated in the
darkness, both however, getting off safely.
They kept much in the shoal water of the
shores, to prevent being tracked by the blood
hounds which were kept at the fort for that
purpose. The two friends came accidentally
together on the next day. Major Barton
dropped glove in the darkness which pointed
out to their pursuers the route they had taken
on leaving the fort. They, however, found a
canoe, got across the river, and pursued their
course through the woods by pocket compass
to the settlements, and were assisted to
Thomaston, after much suffering. On arriv-
ing at his former residence, General Wads-
worth found that his family had left for Bos-
ton, whittier he followed them after a brief
stop at Falmouth, where he finally fixed his
residence.
Perhaps you would like to see my fathers pic
ture it was when we came to this town after the
war of the Revolution in 1884. Imagine to your
self man of middle size, well proportoned with
that many thought him tall. His dress, a bright
scarlet coat, buff small clothes and vest, full ruff
fed bosom rnfiles over the hands, white stockings
shoes with silver buckles, white cravat bow in
front; hair web powdered and tied behind in q
club, so called. OF his character others may
speak, but cannot forbear to claim ior him an un-
common share of benevolence and kind feeling.
Jan. ls4s.
In 1897, President Dwight of Yale
college, who had been a chaplain in the
American army, visited Portland and was the
guest of General Wadsworth, from whom he
says he ''received an uninterrupted succession
of civilities." He also received from the Gen.
eral, and wrote out a minute and thrilling
account of his capture imprisonment, and
escape, which cover twenty five printed pages.
General Wadsworth, at the time of its publ
cation, vouched for its accuracy.
The record Of the births of his
eleven children shows the places where
the General lived at the time. The
Oldest was born at Kingston, Mass, in
l774 and died the next year at Dorchester.
Charles Lee was born at Plymouth, January
1776, and died at Hiram, Sept. 20, 1S4S
Zilpah was born at Duxbury Jan. 6, 177S,
died in Portland, March IL, 1851. Elizabeth,
born in Boston, Sept. 81, 1779-died in Port
land, Aug. l. 1902. John, born at Plymouth,
Sept. l, 1881, graduated H. c. in 1900
died at Hiram, Jan. %, 1860. Lucia born
at Plymouth, June II, 1783-died in Portland,
Oct. II, 1864. Henry, born at Falmouth, Me-,
June 81, 1785-died at Tripoli, Sept. 4, 1904
GEORGE born in Portland jan g. l788-ded