The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-30
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
Captain Isaac Parsons's Company at
ThOmastOn in 1850.

ThOmaston in 1850.
Some Cumberland County Heroes-Events
Relating to the Occupation of Castine
by the British.
Capt. Isaac Parsons's company was enlist
ed in 1880 for service in Col. Joseph Primes
regiment at Thomaston, to restrain the
tories and to protect the inhabitants or the
shores of Penobscct bay, against the depre-
dations of the British who were at Castine.
After the failure of the Bagaduce ex pedi-
tion in Aug. 1!19, the British feeling secure
of their position at Castine, began to COM
nit depredations upon the Inhabitants on
both sides of Pen obscot bay. being piloted
and assisted by The tories. To count eract this
state of affairs troops were sent to Thomas
ton, Camden, and Machias, AID Gen. Peieg
Wadsworth was in command of the whole
eastern department with power to raise
more men il needed. For the purpose of
protecting his friends, the General found
it necessary to draw a line of demarkatlon
between them and their foes, issuing a proc
lamation pro hibiting any intercourse with
the enemy with penalty of military exc
cution for any infringement of it. The
people of the islands east of the Penobscot to
Union river, from their exposed situation,
were ordered to hold themselves as neutrals.
All persons joining the enemy we're to be
treated as deserteIs from the American
army. but this did not have the desired
effect The British Gen. McLane disap-
proved of the plunderings of the British
and tories, but Capt. Mowat, who was in the
lu1v Fnv,<
aged the depredations and they became very
aggressive.
staunch friend of the American cause
at Broad bay, named Soule. was shot in his
bed and his wife wounded. Gen. Wads-
worth issued another proclamation making
the penalty death to any one secret1ng or
giving aid to the enemy. Soon after weak
minded man named jeremiah Baum. who
resided back of Damariscotta, was convict
ed for secreting and aiding tories to reach
Castine, and Gen Wadsworth ordered his
execution by hanging the next morning,
which effectually checked the intero curse
with Bagaduce (Castine), but Gen. Wads-
VOL tn was greatly distressed at being OBJ
hged to execute this penalty
service like this has no battles to dis
tinguish it, but to the soldier it is full Of
Parsons's company did picket and coast
guard duty. and any detailed history Of
their service would be individual history of
the soldiers of the company.
Cold weather put stop to the operations
on the Penobscot. This company was dis
charged Dec g. and returned to their homes
leaving only small guard with Gen. Wads-
worth at Thomaston. A spy Informed the
81, e rafn o1orc rnpl inr
which led to his capture the next February.
The year 1880 will always be remembers
as the one of the clark day" which occur1 ed
Friday May 10. The winter OF 1880 was a
remarkable season. auroral displays being
frequent, large spots appearing upon the
face of the sun, the weather was unusually
severe, and snow four feet deep remaining
on the ground from the middle of November
to the middle of the following April. Long
Island sound was fl oxen over and heavy
artillery crossed upon it. The spring was
backward and it is said that previous to the
dark day there was smell of sulphur in
the air.
The day was overcast and for several
hours in the middle of the day the obso urity
was 30 great that those who had good eye
sight could scarcely see to read common
retired to their roosts as though it was act
ually nj hit and people were.oulfged 10 light
candles to zine b. During the whole time a
sickly melancholy gloom overcast the face OF
nature. The darkness of the ni-ht, notwith-
stanaing there was almost full IL oon, was
no less uncommon, and the darkness seemed
almost impe1 vioua to rays of lisht.
People sat at their tables but had no APP
for tl1,ip l:3hO
Abandoned; and in many places the inhabi-
hts fiuocked to their meeting houses and
heard telling sermons in relation to the
wrath to core Col. Davenport senator
in the Come ticut Legislature when the
motion made to adjourn opposed it say
ing, 81 am against the adjournment, either
the day of j. d. ment is i; hard or it is not
If it is not, there is no cause for adjourn-
lnant. If it is, wish to be found in the line
of my duty. / wish candles 10 lie brought"
The day was spoken Of as the BLACK Fri
day." and similar day was Sept [, 1881,
but not SO gloomy. The cons ernation was
greater probably, because this phenomenon
occurred during he dark da, of the war,
and no doubt these soldiers often told their
childen and ersndehidreL.o the dark day
that occurred when they were Wing with
Capt. Parsonss Company. in 1850.
Capt. Isaac Parsons was The son of Deacon
Isaac and Hannah fburnhamj Parsons of
Gloucester. Mass. and was born there April
q, l14O The history Of Gloucester speak
ing Of the family says leach generation of
Ills family Las Furnished distin 5uished
men,
Capt. Parsons went to New 6 louceser,
Me-, in June l16l, being then twenty one
years of age, and was one of the pioneer
settlers of that town. He built one story
gambrel rooted house,. still standing. which
i: probably the Oldest frame house in that
locality. A later house still standing sub.
tantially as built, is now onsits second Gen.
fury, and when built was said 10 have been
:he best house in the country outside
of POI tland. HIS farm and buildings are
owned and occupied by his great grandson
Charles r. Haskell ESQ.,, lie is brother OF
Judge Thomas H. Haskell of this city.
The settlers at New Gloucester could net
raise and ripen Indian coin enough TO sup
ply their wants, and Isaac Parsons after