Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-06-16
AN ARMY OF TWO.
How the Bates Girls Saved Scit.
uate Town.

The obscquies of Miss Abigail Bates,
one of the heroincs of the war of 1912,
was held lately from her residence
in Sctuate town. Rev. +. ID. Sar-
gent, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, conducted the services. The
remains were incloscd in coffin COW
cred with broadcloth, with heavy sill
yer trimmings. On silver plate was
the inscription:
ABIGAIL BATES,
Aged So years, months,
10 days.
There were numerous floral tributes
The remains were inferred i'm Union
cemetery beside her sister, who died
December -, 1881, in her eighty-ninth
year. Her tombstone says that
"she lived beloved,
And died iamentcd"
"A heroine of 1872"
Miss Bates will be greatly missed by
the summer visitors, who always called
upon her to hear her relate the story
of how she and her sister Rebccca pre-
vented the town being invaded by the
British sailors, and saved two schoon-
ers lying in the harbor at the tipe, with
cargoes of flour.
The story was in effect that about
nine o'clock one morning ship APP
pcarcd. II was British war ship.
What would she do? Would she tack
about in the bay to pick up strange
coasters as prizes, or would she land
soldiers 10 burn the town? In either
case there would DC trouble enough.
Those were sad days in 1912. The
sight of British war ship in Boston
bay was not pleasant. We had no
monitor to fight the enemy. The good
people of Scituatc harbor were in great
distress over the strange ship that had
appeared at the mouth of the harbor.
The town was great fishing place
in those days, and the harbor was full
of smacks and boats of all kinds. The
British soldiers could have easily
entered the harbor and burnt up every
thing. There were men enough to
make a good fight, but they were
poorly armed, and had nothing but
fowling-pieccs and shot-guns. The
tide was down during the morning, so
that there was no danger for. a few
hours, and all the people went but on
the cliffs and beaches TO watch the
great ship, and to sec what would hap
pen next.
On the end of the low, sandy spit
that forms one end of the harbor stood
the little white tower known rs Scitu-
ate light In the house behind the
lighthouse lived the keepers family,
consisting of himself, wife and several
boys and girls. At the time the ship
appeared the keeper was away, and
there was no one at home save Mrs.
Bates, the eldest daughter, Rebccca,
then about nineteen years old, and
Abigail, then about fifteen years of
age, and two Of the little boys. Re-
becca had discovered the ship while
she was up in the lighthouse tower pol
ishing tho reflector. She at once de-
scended the steep stairs and sent the
two little boys to the village to give the
alarm.
For an hour or two the ship tackled
and stood off to sea, then tackled again
and made for the shore. Men, women
and children watched the ship with
anxious interest. The tide turned and
began to flow into the harbor. The
boats aground and on the fats floatcd,
and those in deep water were swim
ming around their moorings. Now
the soldiers would probably land. II
the people meant to save any thing II
was time to be stirring. Boats were
hastily put out from the wharf, and
such clothing. nets and other valua-
bles rs could be handled were brought
ashore, loaded into hay carts and car
ricd away. 1t was of no use to resist.
The soldiers, of course, were armed,
and If the people made a stand among
the houses, that would not prevent the
enemy from destroying the shipping in
the harbor. As the tide spread out
over the sandy flats II filed the harbor,
so that, instead of small channel, Il
became a wide and beautiful bay. The
day was fine, and there was gentle
breeze ripping the water and making
1t sparkle in the sun. About two