The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-09
REUBEN GAGE no nix.
Che Last of the Omcers of Portland
Raeers of the War Of 1SH2.


Capt. Reuben G. York, the ancient mariner
whose death was noticed in the PRRss q
April 9th, at the age Of 81 years, was born 81
Falmouth Foreside on the 10Th Of July, 1872.
He was one of thirteen children of Capt. VIII
liam r. York. He, with his father Whs
owned and sailed the sloop Ranger, arrived in
Boston harbor in October, 1877, then five
years old. 1t was the day of the final launch
of the frigate Constitution. which he wit
messed. There had been two unsuccessful st
tempts to launch her before, but this day she
first floated.
Captain York, the father, owned shares in
several coasters, and in these the son made
frequent trips as soon as he was old enough TO
pull and haul. In 1910, at the age OF eighteen,
he went as a foremost hand in the brig Orient,
Capt. Ephraim Sturdivant, to Baltimore, and
from there to Liverpool.
The young sailors first service as an officer
was in the privateer schooner Mary, owned By
his father and Capt. Joseph SturdivAnt Of
Cumberland, who was her commander, and
young York was first officer. The schooner
sailed for the Bay OF Fundy about
midsummer, 1878. She was Of only twenty-five
tons, carried two guns and fourteen men. The
Mary had been cruising several weeks with
when she ran into Owls Head. Here the
captain learned that the British privateer
schooner Fly, which had been very trouble
some on the coast, had the same morning
taken three American vessels out of Owls
Head and escaped with them. The owners
begged Captain Sturdivant to pursue the Ely
and attempt to recover the vessels, which he
promptly did, although the Fly was larger and
of more force than the Mary. After search
the captain discovered the enemy with his
prizes at Birthstone Island harbor, at anchor.
Captain Sturdivant ran boldly in and coHa-
menced firing on the Fly with his two cannon
and small arms. The enemy replied with the
same arms. This continual nearly an hour,
without decisive result. York and his four
teen men now manned their two boats, 81
tackled the Fly at close quarters and drove her
men below. 1t had been o dead calm In the
harbor, but now a breeze sprang up and .
negro ventured on deck on board the enemy,
threw the halyards down the hatch and cut
the hemp cable. The crew below hoisted the
sails, and with tiller under deck steered the
Fly out of the harbor, running by the Mary,
whose crew was in the boats, and Of coarse
her guns were powerless. The Fly escaped, bat
her three prizes were returned TO their owners.
On her passage from Owls Head to Portland,
the Mary discovered the British brig Boxer %
anchor off Boothbay, where she was watching
for the Enterprise, which was known 70 be
either at Portsmouth or Portland. The Mary
knew the Boxer, and ran into Christmas Cove,
out of sight of the enemy; but the officers Of
the Mary kept boat manned, in which they
watched the Boxer, hoping to see her get mp
her anchor and depart. This watching and
hoping continued three days. On rowing ont
to their station on the morning OF the third
day, the officers Of the Mary discovered the
Enterprise, with a very light wind, bearing
down on the Boxer to offer the gage OF battle.
This was in the gray Of the morning, and the
Boxer evidently had not discovered the Amer
lean brig. This quietness was not Of long con-
tinusnce. Very soon the drum was heard ON
board the Boxer, beating to quarters, and all
became life and hustle on board the Briton.
The Boxer got up her anchor and hoisted
her boats to their places There was hardly
what there was was favorable to take the yes
sci seaward. All the forenoon theso hostile
vessels maneuvered for the choice Of position,
aud hoping for fighting breeze to spring up.
1t was nearly three O'Clock when this came.
How these vessels and their gallant officers
and men went into battle, and how they came
out, is well known. How the confident Capt.
Blythe nailed his two ensgns to the mast
heads, and how his successor IN COM
mand was compelled to beg for q ces-
sation of the firing to enable him to
get them down, is a matter Of history.
After the firing had ceased and the Boxers
colors had come down the officers of the little
privateer concluded that their blockade was at
end, and they sailed up to Portland In COM
pany with the victorious Enterprise and her
prize, feeling, no doubt, that they were en-
titled to a share of the honors, for their long
confinement and watching. The Mary under
the same officers made a second cruiss 70 the
eastward with little success.
After the close of the war Mr.. York went .
voyage as master Of the sloop President be-
longing to John Collins Of Portland. In 1918
| he was in command of the brig Delegate be-
longing to Daniel Gilbert, and continued
| shipmaster until 1880 and never lost a vessel.
| On leaving the sea Capt. York commenced az
| shipbroker on Long Wharf, where he con-
| tiuued more than halt century.
Capt. York's mother was a daughter Of
| Joseph Drinkwater of Cousins Island, who
| had nine sons, who with himself were all
masters of coasters. 1t so happened near the
| end of the Revolution that they had all been
blockaded at home and when the coast was
| clear they ali sailed for Boston and arrived
there the same day. All vessels were then
| compelled to go near enough to Castle William
| (Fort Independence to answer the hail of the
| officer of the day. When the last one Of the
| family of ten was hailed to know the name OF
the skipper, he replied "Drinkwater." The
officer became excited and replied "You lie
every skipper that las passed in to-day has said
| his name was Drinkwster."
A boat was manned and sent up to town to
| investigate which reported on return that
there was no treason in the case.
Capt. York, think, was the last OF tho
officers OF the privsteers sailing from Portl and
| IN the war OF 1872. W. G.
| Windham. Nav 9Th,