The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-02
BY HON. WILLIAM GooLD.


Famous Capture Old "Dart" Rum and
"Admirat' Rum.
BY HON. WILLIAM GooLD.
AT the close of the war OF 1924 the writer
was six years old and like most bows of that
| s9o szs3s eime was interested in the narratives
OF the reformed priVateersmen whom looked
upon with as much wonderment as / shouid on
"Sinbad the Sailor If he had made his an
pearauce AS grew older my interest in the
history OF the vessels and men increased, aud
began 70 connect the narratives with the YES
sells, and Try to get dates. la later years. when
l found the actors in this unwrirten LEGAL war
drama, were fast passing away, set 10 work
to question the few survivors and make notes
but found their recollections were deficient
as to the size of the vessels and The number Of
men on beard, and also as to the same facts
regarding the prizes taken. Lately have
come into possession OF much of this valuable
information. had been led to believe that
eserstaiDg relating to the privateers of this
c's'rlc1, was destroyed when the old costom
house was burnt; but lately Collector Dow has
discovered number of the journals kent on
board the private armed vessels OF the dis
trict, aad Of others hich were fitted out here
and sent their prizes to this port. By tbe
poiteness of the Collector, L have had every
facility Tor copying from these log books by
which, With my former notes, am enabled TO
write correct sketch of the principal vessels.
OF this mosquito feet. The officers of these
priyateers heye nearly all passed AWAY. 1
know of only one remaining Capt Reuben G..
York Of Portland, who was frs. officer of the
privateer schooner "Mary" He is pnw mast
ninety years of age
AT the commencement of the war of 1872
Portland barber contained numerous dis
masted ships and other vessels; soma hauled
up IN the secure coves, sume swinging ut
anchor IN the stream, while the wharves were
lined with others in the same stats of inaet,vi-
ty. This state OF the towns principle IL
dustry, was caused by the restrictions upon her
commerce by our own government, aud BY the
belligerent nations Of Europe. The officers and
mon who had sailed these vessels were idle
aid ready for any adventure Mhieh wonld
afford them remunerative employment.
When the war was declared Portland had
bat few vessels which wsrs built for speed.
She had no frst-ciass pilot boats, aud the fish
ing vessels were very much inferior to those of
the present day. With one-half OF the present
New England fishing feet, each vessel with a
long pivot gun amidship, the Americans would
haved cleared the Atlantic waters of all Brit
ish merchantmen and OF all their cruisers, ex-
cept the largest ones, in six weeks Portland
had two or three clipper brigs and schooners
which were previously built to run the English
blockade of the French West India Islands. but
they were not in port, as their owners
thought them able to take care of themselves
among the belligerent cruisers of contending
Europe; and they were pursuing their preoari-
GUS business in any sea, where venture prom.
ised success.
Fer want OF a suitable navy we were COM
PEELED to suffer from the insolent attacks on
our shipping By France and England. The
government was compelled to depend chiefly
on private armed vessels to protect in 8 meas
ure the coasiing trade and the fisheries tsLet-
ters of Msrque and Reprisal' were first issued
by Isasc Ilsly, collector of the port June IS.
1872
Encouraged 10y the government, the owners
OF any small, fast vessel, in any port from
Maine to Georgia, began to think of making
her private cruiser. and at the start men were
not wanting to enter on wages. CT TO take a
share in the profits the same as on fishing
trip. They were not all ssamsn, but many
idle landsmen with taste for adventure, able
to handle q musket, and to pull and hanI.
shipped as marines.
Where facilities were at hand green timb
was taken from tho woods and keels laid down
for cheap vessels for which the only object or
quality sought seemed to BIO speed, to enable
them to overhaul or escape from an enemy, as
the circumstances might require.
THE DART"
One of these vessels hurriedlY built was the
three-masted schooner Dart" This vessel
was built, armed and fitted for a cruise In
five weeks from the declaration of war; She
was built on the Cape Elizabeth side OF the
harbor, and was owned By Joseph Cross and
others OF Portland. OF course she was not
built of the best materials, and was only OF
forty tons burthen. Contrary to the fashion
for vessels of the time, she was built low and
long, and with pink stern; and for the facil-
itS OF hiding from an enemy in cove or at
sea, her three masts were Joined above the
deck, allowing them to bs dropped like those
OF a canal boat. She carried four guas This
description obtained years ago, from sn old
privatsersman, but the log book does not men
tion the lowering of the masts-perhaps they
had no necessity for it. fad by tho log that
she carried flying topsails on yards that were
sent down or up at pleasure. Tbs commander
OF the "Dart" during her career was Capt.
John Curtis father of him of thu same name
and profession, who died in Gorham within
years. l have the journal of his first cruise
with this captain.
LOG BOOK FOR THE PRIVATE ARMED THREE
MAsTED SCHOONER DART OF PORTLAND,
JOHN CURTIS, COMMANDER"
The "Dsrt" does not appear to have been
desirable vessel to serve on board Of, in the
estimation of the sailors, although men were
plenty. Perhaps from the jointed masts, low
gunwale, and long sweeps, they discovered
that she was intended to depend much on
"white ash breezes," as they called rowing,
from the species of wood of which the sweeps
were made. The first entry in the log is:
Monday, July 81, 1Sl2.-This day begins
with a calm. at IL meridian got underway
and beat out of the harbor-the wind at SW.
The crew amounting to q in all, bound to
Townsend (BoothbaS) TO recruit men. At one
p. m. passed Fort PEBBLE. Latter part calm
took to our sweeps. At IL at night came to
anchor miles below the harbor.
July 28.-At sunrise, got under way and
came up to town. The captain went on shore,
but could not get man. Got under way
bound to Thomaston to recruit men,"
The Dart arrived at Thomaston on the 3Otn
On Saturday, Aug. ]. got all lands on board,
amounting to 46 in all.
The next day the schooner went to sea, and
On the 23d OF August took tao English brigs
from ireland. Put prize crews ON board, and
ordered them to Portland. On the 9th cap
tured the brig Eliza of Lancaster, bound to
Mirimichi; manned her and ordered her to
Portland.
The next capture made the Dart famous, and
raised the spirits Of all Portland. 1t is thus re-