The Portland daily press., 1890-12-19
FROM A LONG LOST MANUSCRIPT,
Tho Destruction OF Falmouth and
Mowat's Punishment for the Act.
Mr.. Baxter's Paper Read Before the
Maine Historical society.
Other Proceedings of the Meeting
Held Yesterday Afternoon.

The Maine Historical Society met at their
library room, in the Baxter building. yester'
day afternoon. There was not large at.
tendance, but a number Of the leading mem
bers of the society were present. President
Baxter presided.
1t was voted that committee Of three OF
which the President shall be one, be ap-
pointed to prepare and present to the next
legislature, communication from this
Society urging the enactmant Of bill en-
titled, 'An act to provide for the registration
Of vital statistics" that some provision may
be made by law, for an adequate system Of
collecting and utilizing the vital statistics Of
this state.
Hon. Oryille d. Baker, G. Z. Nash, ESQ.,,
and Hon. James P. Baxter were chosen as
the committee.
The first paper was read by the president,
Hon. James P. Baxter. entitled "a Lost
Manuscript" The paper is printed in full
Mr.. Bakers Paper.
On catalogue of books and manuscripts
issued In 1S43 by Rodd of London, an anti
quarian bookvender, appeared the title Of a
manuscript which In time fell under the
eyes of Maine historical students, and
awakened their interest.
Enquiries went to Rodd, but he had dis
posed of the ms, to whom it was not known
and. then, the hunt began. The British
Museum was ransacked; the Admiralty
Office appealed to, and collectors bored with
questions, which bore no fruit.
In 1857, Willis, In whom the mere see of
a musty manuscript awakened inexpre ible
delight, was still hunting forit, as we know
from letter received by him from brother
antiquarian. This letter is as follows:
CAMBRIDGE, 27th Feb. 1857.
send the Report of which spoke to you. 1
have not been able TO find the reference TO Now
scripts, published in London, l843, page 50, Is
this:
"Mowatt Capt Henry. r. NJ Relation of the
services In which he was engaged In America
fol. 1S shilings."
What has become of this know not, Rodd died
long since. 1t may have got into possession of
John Carter Brown OF Providence or Peter Force OF
Stevens Of Morley House. London. would be most
likely to know about it, through If he were written
to, ten to one he would not answer your letter.
Truly yours,
j. s. SIBLEY."
Following this letter, Willis, who INDUCED
the hope of finding the manuscript on some
happy day, wrote as follows:
1--WE trust we shall be able to procure some ac-
count of Capt MOwatt for . future volume Of our
collections; 1t seems he had long tour Of duty
on our coast.
He was with Gov Pownall 10 his expedition to
the Penobsc0t in 1852"
In 1858 our associate, Mr. Williamson, in
serted an inquiry for the missing manuscript
In London Notes and Queries; and In 1862,
published similar enquiry In the adyertis-
ing columns of the London Times; and
again In 1858. through the London Notes and
Queries, offered reward of Eve gulneas for
cure transcript of the manuscript All
these efforts failed, and in 1883, Mr.. William
son directed letters of inquiry to the libra
,ians of the Admiralty, Foreign Office, Colon
al and Royal United Service Libraries Of
London, which elected only disappointing
replies. But this persistent seeker afser
historic treasure was not to be discouraged,
and In 1887. thirty years after Willis first at
Tempt to fnd the manuscript, he issued the
following advertisement which he sent
abroad.
"Rodds Catalogue OF Books and Mss, London
lS43, D. 81 has the following title:-
"Moioatt (Capt. Henry r. NJ Relation of the
,ervlces IN which he was engaged in America,
rom 759 to the clsse Of the American War In
win pay five POUNDS tor evidence OF the exls-
JOSEPH WILLIAMSON
Belfast. Maine,
U. s. America.
August, l, 1887.
In spite Of these persistent efforts of Mr..
Will 4msOn the manuscript remained undis-
covered and was believed to be irretrievably
lost. When In London in 1876 was also
a. 90 hnW For for
we'll as others, and was as desirous as were
my predecessors, dead and living. of finding
his own account of his services In America:
but my search was attended with such un-
satisfactory results that l finally almost
abandoned hope Of discovering anything far
ther relating to Mowat. l was therefore
pleasantly surprised to receive In October
last lstter from my friend Dr. Samuel
Green Of the Massachusetts Historical So
ciety, informing me that Justin WiLsOr,
then in Europe. had seen Mowat manu-
script in the possession Of Mr.. William
Brown of Edinburgh, ond asking II / did not
want to procure It. Without loss of time
wrote to Mr.. Brown for the manuscript, and
on November Goth, as was on the point Of
leaving my house to attend the monthly
meeting of the Maine Historical Society, !
received from him a package containing IL.
As soor as looked at the manuscript, l was
convinced that 1t was the one which had
been so long sought in vain. l was not In
tending to call the attention of my c0nfreres
to my good fortune, until had found oppor-
tunity to estimate its Importance; but DUR
ing the progress OF the meeting Mr.. William
son having read paper upon the services of
Sir John Moore in Maine, narrated his expe-
rience In searching for the manuscript ad-
vertised by Rodd so long ago, wIich took me
by surprise, as l was hitherto unaware of
my friends efforts to find the Mowat manu-
script, and as 1t seemed cruel to permit him
to remain longer In suspense, could not
refrain from informing him, that the long
coveted manuscript was in my possession,
and that he should soon hold II in his hand,
without paying five pounds for the privil-
ege.
or course all who have searched for Now
ats account of bis services In America, from
Willis to myself, have expected to find a par
ticular description OF the destruction of Fsl-
mouth by the chief actor In that forbiddng
drama. In this respect the manuscript Is
disappointing, as 1t does not even allude to
that event; fact of great significance.
Before, however, considering the manu-
script we may well briefly review the facts
connected with the destruction of Falmouth !:
Captain Thomas Coulson had, In the
spring. of 1775. completed the building Of a
ship Of thousand tons burden, near the site
of the present Grand Trunk wharves. At
this time the non-imp0rtation act was in
force, and disregarding the feelings of his
fellow townsmen Coulson secured the assis-
tance of the British sl0Op OF war Canceau,
under the command of Captain Henry Now
at, and protected by her guns landed his
rigging, sails and stores and fitted his vessel
for sea.
While these events were taking place the
excitement of the public mind was increased
by the battle of Lexington, the news Of
which was carried to the remOtest hamlet IS
In Maine, and an expedition consisting of
tifty men was organized in Brunswick by
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Thompson, a
member of the Provincial Congress, for the
ayOwed purpose of destroying Mowat's shin,
then In the harbor of Falmouth. These
men, wearing sprigs of spruce in their hats.
ana bearing young spruce denuded Of
everything but its tufted crown for a stan
dard, marched to Falmouth and encamped
on the 7th Of May In pine grove on the
nOrtherly slope Of Munjoy. Not suspectlng
the presence OF these men in the vicinity, OF
which even the Inhabitants of the town were
ignorant, Captain MOwat with his surgeon
ami the Reverend Mr.. Wiswell, the Epfsco.
pal minister, were walking on the Eastern
Promenade when they were surprised and
made prisoners This act caused the inhab-
itants of the town much disquietude, and
when the officers In charge Of the Canceau
threatened to lay the town In ashes IL the
prisoners were not forthwith set at liberty,
the people were thrown into panic. Women
rushed from their homes with their children
In their arms, weeping ami screaming with
terror, and many hurried their effects into
countrymen's carts for removal beyond the
limits OF the town.
An earnest effort was made by the LEADING
prisoners at liberty, which he finally con
sented to do upon receiving their parole &
deliver themselves up the next dav and ths
guaranty OF Gen. Preble and Colonel Fraa