Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-05
Incidents of the war.


hab tant OF the small ea-girt village
Of Rockport, Mass. The first events
of note in his history are connected
with the war of 1872. which are gwen
in his own language. ''When the war
of 1912 broke out (Rockport then San
dy BAY. was part of Gloucester at
that time). l enlisted in company
called the Sea Fencibles. One day a
large Engl sh frigate was seen in the
ofling headed directly for Sandy Bay.
1t soon became evident that she intend
ell to sack and pilage the village.
Bells were rung. and the little compa-
ny Of Fencbles hastily mustered. de-
termined to do their best and defend
the r homes. Couriers were hastily
despatched 20 Gloucester and adjoining
towns for help. The frigate sailed b.
Folly Cove and anchored near Halibut
Point
"A boats crew made an attempt to
land but were repulsed by the Fenci.
bles, who were reinforced by compa-
MES from Gloucester, Salem, Newbu-
the spot within twelve hours of the
first alarm. The ship then sent an
other fleet OF boats and tried to effect
landing. but were again beaten back.
General Appleton. OF Gloucester,
marched 1000 men down on Halibut
Point, which had The effect of Overaw-
lug the commander of the frigate. and
he soon after got under way and
sailed of. firing some parting shots
which strcuk perilously near some of
the men.
Shortly after this took place ship
ped aboard the privateer Orlando. of
Gloucester, to prey on the enemy's
commerce. We went out in her and
somewhere near the Grand Banks we
captured topsail schooner from. ia
maica and put a prize crew aboard.
We hadn been aboard of her twelve
hours when it set in thick fog. During
the time we thought We heard the rus
Ting of vessels sails. and soon voices
could be distinguished. The fog lifted
up q bit and disclosed an English
frigate close alongside. They soon
had their boats out and our prize was
retaken. We were carr ed aboard and
put down ia the lower hold and the
gratings fastened down over the hatch
way. There was also another frigate
accompanying her.
This was on Friday and the two
shi ps were cruising on the American
shore. The captured prize was sent to
Halifax. On the following Saturday
the ship struck on the Brazil rocks off
Cape Sable and began to ill rapidly
with water. The hatchways were
Knocked off and the prisoners Chamber
ed to the decks. aud victors and van
pushed with common zeal did every
thing to save themselves.
"Ihe ship could not sink below the
deck, however. because the rock on
which she lay prevented her founder
ing.
ut was thick fog at the time, and
the companion ship had come TO
anchor near by. We cut away her
rigging and let the masts go over the
side. and hove her guns overheard.
We fired m mute guns as signals of dis
tress. and the boats of both ships were
soon engaged carrying the crew OF the
wrecked ship to her compan on. Each
vessel had a hundred men for crew.
with hundred prisoners. We were
carried into Halifax. not in the harbOr,
but up river which runs to the west
ward OF the city, and up at the head oil
The river is a great basin OF water. In
the center Of the bias II was an island
on which prison was built We were
marched up there by the soldiers. TAX
en- into a counting room and every
name taken down. There we're one
thousand American prisoners there
then and about five hundred French
mon. They were parted of the
Frenchmen living in one end and the
Americans in the other. The officers
lived in the attic. We were there
about sixty days. When we were cast
away we lost everything we had but
what we stood in. and that was a very
slim costume, / assure you. The wa
ter around the island flowed into the
prison, and we used to 60 down and
them up. and stripped to the skin.
watch them until they were dry and
put them on again.
I'VE were there sixty days. and they
were pretty lively days. too. The Of
ficers organized band of music and
they would 90 upon platform and
deliver patriotic orations. Once in II
while the music would strike up
Yankee Doodle, to the great amaze
ment of the soldiery. You know the
'Const tuition sank the Guerrero.
and the crew of the latter were taken
to Boston. A ship from the latter
port exchanged 507 prisoners, among
whom were the Guerriere's crew, and
we came to Boston. go
Il came home and stayed few
days, and then went to Glou cester
again and shipped aboard the 'Macedo-
MIA schooner privateer of about 800
tons. She carried one twenty-four
FOUNDER. mounted on pivot am d.
ships. and twelve nine-pounders. The
twentv-four was mounted about six
feet high. On the carriage there were
four falls. When not in use the gun
laid on deck. but when wanted we
hoisted 1t by the falls to its position
with the aid OF white oak beam.
I'VE had orders TO burn, sink and
distroy. We took new schooner,