The Portland daily press., 1890-12-19
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him that the country people, VINO occupies
i the town, were beyond their control. Afte
several days OF riUting, the townspeopl'
| succeeded In persnading the countrymen u
return home, and Falmouth was again quiet
| The acts Of "the armed body, which they
| had been unable TO resist" were formally
| disapproVed by the inhabitants, and wher
| the Canceau sailed, all apprehension fr0u
| that quarter ceased. When therefore, on
| the 10Th Of October, five months later, the
| Caucean appeared of the town, accompanied
0y Tour other vessels, no danger was appre-
hended, as 1t was supposed they were seek
| ing cattle and forage, Of which there were
| considerable quantities on the Islands In the
bay. What then was the CONSERVATION OF
the Inhabitants when they recel yed on the
afternoon Of the 18th, a missive from MOwat,
informing them that he had been sent ito
execute just punishment upon the town Of
Falmouth" and that but two hours would
be allowed to remove "the human specie out
Of the said town."
When this letter was read In the town
house by Theophilus Bradbury, Mr.. Bailey
tells us, that "a frightful CONSERVATION ran
through the assembly," and "a profound
silence ensued for several moments" A
committee, consisting Of some OF the men
who had before befriended him, was dis
patched to the Canceau, TO treat with Mowat,
but they could only persuade him TO suspend
the execution of the cruel orders. y mich he
professed to have, until he ceaid receive an
answer to message mich he would dis
patch L. -ss TO Admiral Graves, and
this upon condition that the cannon and
small arms In the town. should be delivered
TO him before eight O'Clock the next morning
The small arms were sent to the Canceau In
accordance with this condition; but the four
small cannons belonging to tue town were
not given up.
AT nalf past nine, "the flag" says Bailey,
was hoisted at the TOP of the mast, and the
cannon began to roar with incessant and
tremendous fury"
1t Is not necessary to describe the terrible
scenes which ensued; the suffering OF the
people; OF Innocent women and children; of
the sick and inirm, forced to fly from com
Portable homes In the face of New England
winter, with no prospect OF shelter, but such
as the reluctant hand OF charity might be-
stow upon them. 1t is sufficient for as to
say, that Henry Mowat ruthlessly and need
lessly destroyed a thriving and we'll ordered
town, peOpled with men and women Il his
own race, aud sea tered them abroad exposed
TO suffering and death from want, hardship
ana exposure.
One would naturally suppose that when
be deliberately set to work to describe his
services to the crown, MOwat would
particularly describe this event, the most
Important In which he was engaged during
his whole career; but he does not even al
lure to 1t. except In the following terms:
That In 1775. 'he was appointed by Admiral
Samuel Graves to command the Expedition
Against the Seaports to the eastward OF Bos-
ton. and this done, he cruised In Boston
Bay to January, 1776." His services at the
siege OF Pen0bscot, where he played minor
part, are made as important as possible, and
upon these services he largely bases his
claims to recognition, which he bitterly CON-
plains have net been regarded; indeed, he
asserts that junior officers, one Of whom at
raised above him. We may well ask why
this silence respecting the destruction of
Falmouth? aud why this studious neglect
OF an active officer. who was evidently not
backward In pressing his claims upon the
attention Of his superiors? If he had per-
miral Graves, with discretion, why did not
that officer support his claims, and why did
Sir George Collier, who raised the siege of
Penobscot, and Lord Howe persist In turn
ing their backs upon him, and leave him as
he foIcibly says to exert himself on the the
atre Of war, admidst the daily modification
for seven years of seeing every Post Promo
tion, excepting three. put over his head?"
These are pertinent questions and one may
solve the other.
In this connection, a letter in the Office of
the Public Records, written by Lord George
Germaine to Major General Howe, becomes
significant. In it Is the following relating to
the destruction Of Falmouth:
am to suppose that Admiral Graves
had good reasons for the step he took TO
destroy the town of Falmouth, and that he
dld not proceed to that extremity without
an absolute refusal on the part of the inhabi-
tants to comply with those acquisitions stat
ed in the orders he received from the Lords
of the Admiralty tChich h0tcerer does not
appedr from any account hare seen Of that
Transaction"
May we not have here one of the keys to
Mowars failure to secure promotion?
At this point 1t may be we'll to ascertain
what the orders were which Admiral Graves
I'd of NO huaf Ifx "a.
which Lord Germaine refers. Upon receiving
the Mowat manuscript Immediately wrote
TO London and caused search to be made
for these orders, and yesterday received
copy Of hem. u appears that they were
issued Sept IA, 1775. and were issued Sept
18th, in accordance with a letter from Lord
Dartmouth, desiring that the Lords Of the
Admiralty would instruct Vice Admiral
Graves TO send such transports as he could
spare under convoy of His Majesty's
ships to the several ports of the rebelliOus
colonies, with orders TO their commanders tu
demand OF Inhabitants of maritime towns u
furnish at reasonable prices provisions ETC.,
for the use of the fleet and navy. The
orders issued to Admiral Graves were a. fol-
lows:
1t having be n represented that the Kings
subjects in North America In Rebellion against
HIS Majesty's government have found means Of
preventing His Mai-sty's Fle-t anu Army from
as are necessary for their Subsi tence and may b.
procured in several OF the colonies: You are
hereby required and directed, In pursuance Of His
Maiesty's pleasure signlfed t1 US by the Earl OF
Dartmouth, one Of his principal Secretaries Of
State. In his Letter OF the 18th nst TO send from
% time to , time, such Of the Transports. as eau be
those Olonies in North America which are In
Arms against the King. under convoy of oae or
quire, with directions to the Commanders Of sueh
Ships to demand OF the Inhabitants OF the Mari
time Towns that they do furnish at a reasonable
essarles as may be procured there, for the use Of
His Majesty's Fleet and Army, and In case OF re-
fusal to comply with so just asd reasonable de-
are In Open Rebellion.
Given &c l4th Sept, 1875.
Vice Admiral Graves &c. &c. Sandwich
No. America at Boston j. Butler.
By &c r. s. G. Spencer.
These orders certainly do not Justify the
burning of Falmouth. They were
issued for the single purpose of
compelling the inhabitants OF maritime
tewns to furnish supplies at a reason
was made upon the Inhabitants of Falmouth,
indeed 1t Is questionable how far the order
to proceed hostilely was intended to go; not
necessarily. 1t Is certain to the. destruction of
defenceless town. But view the matter a.
we please to view 1t, the cruel act, which
Mowat performed in the burning OF Fal-
mouth, cid not command the appreciation OF
those high In command. Whether he rashly
6Xc6eueu the commission gwen MIN Dy Au-
miral Graves, or whether that officer rashly
gave him orders, for the execution of which
he was not willing TO be responsible we may
not know. That there was reason for his
non-promotioD, which he did not care to dis
cuss, Mowat himself suggests in the follow
ing paragraph:
"The representation will naturally carry
the insinuation of blame, however those, tn
whom the chief part Of 1t belongs, may have
reconciled it TO themselves. 1t Is hoped the
picture, which may justly excite surprise,
will not be found overcharged,"
This passage certainly adds significance TO
the view, that the disappointment which
Mowat experienced In failing to receive pro-
motion, was the resalt Of his destruction OF
Falmouth, which citizens Of Portland will
doubtless regard as a fitting punishment fol-
such an act; an act, which has been general
| ly regarded as lnhuman; indes 4, in French
document of his time, he Is spoken of a!
Captain Mo,cdt. that miscreant ,oho burn
Falmouth"
Mowat died of apoplexy at the age Of GA
| April IA, 1898, on board his ship the A.
sistance, near Cape Henry, and his BODY wa
carried to Hampton, Virginia, where It wa
| inferred.
A paper by Hon. George F. Emery wa
read, giving full account Of the politca
| career OF Hon. John Appleton. when ne wa