The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-28
CongressmAn Wiley EuloSizes
 New England Hero of Revolution

@seseeSeeeN<<es@Sse<s<s tage until further order of this or some future Congress or House of Representa- tives."
 The sword of Lieutenont Moore is held to this day by an o'Brien descendant as precious family heirloom.
 The Margaretta was subsequently,, in 1776. refitted and renamed The Hare. Cap tain Jeremiah o'Brien commanded and used her as a privateer until she was chased by a British man-of-war and run on the flats near Jonesport, on the Maine coast. where she was set on fire and burned to the waters edge. The Unity was fitted out as a cruiser and the arma- ment.of the Margaretta being transferred to Mer, 1t was decided to change hem Aame to Machias Liberty. Je O. Rrien was placed in com tsHA6& 0f Der by the Machias committee of sa6 ty. fn July. 1775 Jeremiah, in the Machias. Liberty, and Captain Foster. in q eehooffsf from East Maehias, captured thA DiIig#nt. a 10-gun sloop, with 50 m&i and fFostoE seized the Tapanaquish, a s}od Accompanying the Dilisent. Jere- mi6h afterwards took captive several British vessels at St. Johns, New Bruns- wick. 0'BrIen and Benjamin Foster were
 
 capture of these ships to General Wash ington at Cambridge. which they accord ingly did; and from there they went to Watertown, where the Provincial Con gress was in session, which body in their presence passed resolution of thanks to them for these valuable prizes. At this time Jeremiah was appointed ''cap- tain of the marine of Massachusetts Col ony'' and given command of both the Machias Liberty and schooner Diligent The Machias Liberty, with a crew of 40 men. became the flagship of the flying squadron. William O'Brien, a younger brother. was his first lieutenant. The ar mament of the Machias Liberty was Ave guns and ten swfvels. John Lambert was appointed to the personal cofnmand of the Diligent, and John O'Brien, another brother of Jeremiah was made first lieu tenant of that vessel
 This squadron of two vessels cruised along the coast from about August. ITS, until September. 1T76. The pay of a cap tain in these days was s4 month. but was subsequently, increased to E8 Both ships werc put out of commission in Co., tober, 1776, and their officers and crews were discharged. In August, 1777, Jere- miah o'Brien was commissioned by the State of Massachusetts as commander of the privateer Resolution, and soon after wards captured the Scarborough, of four guns and two swivels. He subsequently, commanded the privateers Cyrus and Lit- tie Vincent. each having ten guns and sixteen men, as we'll as the Tiger. a schooner with six guns and fifteen men. In the early part of ITS he returned to Machias. where he was appointed captain of the Ranging Company. a formation or ganized for the purpose of protecting the fr7 h "a Ao nkw John and Joseph O'Srien built at New buryport a privateer named the Hanni- bald, of 260 tons. carrying twenty-four guns and lS0 men. Her first cruise was made under command of John ORrfen, and when he returned to Newburyport it was upon his petition that the council of state of Massachusetts appointed his brother, Jeremiah, on September 8. 1Ts0, to the command of the Hannibal as her captain.
 Jeremiah having been captured in the Hannibal by two British frigates off New York Harbor, was taken to New York City, then in the occupation of the British and plaed upon the British prison ship Jersey in Wallabout Bay. where the Brooklyn Navy Yard Is now located. Af- ter being kept there for six months he was transferred to England and jmpris- oned at Plymouth in the Mill pri &on for longer than a year. Escaping. he crossed the English Channel in a small boat and reached the shores of France in safety. when he came back to Machias. where he continued to live until the day of his death. In 1911 he was appointed collector of customs for the district of Machias, retaining the otlce until 1915. Tn 1914 dur ing the war of 1872. then 70 years of age, he endeavored to raise troop with which to oppose the advance of the British, but met with little success. His house was searched by the British soldiers, but be- yond that he was not molested. He died | September 15, ISIS. "A years old. and was laid to rest in the O'Brien burial ground at Machias.
 Full of years and with honors "crowd- | ing thick upon him." at the end of use flu career, with a rainbow of glory span ming the rich flush of autumns gold, the dread summons came to him. He died with the approval of a good conscience. | his many excellencies with holy sorrow and a sweet tenderness.
 
 There is something that irresistibly | touches our noblest sensibilities in the herolsm of duty fearlessly performed-a heroism which Is willing to sacrifice self | in a righteous cause. even though the atonement can not make 1t victorious. | In this instance success crowned the ef- fort of our hero. Jeremiah O'Brien. He counted it a crime mo tear could ere | efface. to purchase safety with com | pliance base" He was
 In his honor impregnable,
 in his simplicity sublime
 In him was truth and nobleness-man's ' Nryfth Io