The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-07-07
VOL. LIMO. 27

| upon coasts, are the only efforts they
have made against us with success
Under these circumstances, and with
these sentiments, we have turned uAr
eyes to you, gentlemen, for relief. We
are informed that there is a very large
magazine i'll your island under very fee
bic guard. We would not wish to i'll
volve you in an opposition. in which,
from your situation, we should be unable
to support you; we knew not, therefore,
to what extent to solicit your assistance
i'll awaiting ourselves of this supply, but,
if your favor and friendship to North
America and its liberties have not been
misrepresented, l persuade myself you
| may, consistently with your own safety,
| promote and further this scheme, so as
to give it the fairest prospect of success.
be assured that, in this case the whole
power and exertion of my influence will
| be made with the honorable Continental
Congress. that your island may not only
be supplied with provisions, but expert
ence every other mark of affection and
friendship which the grateful citizens of q
free country can bestow on its brethren
and benefactors'
Captain Whipple sailed from Provi-
dence, but he had barely got settled to
his voyage when news was received that
| 100 barrels of powder had been taken
from Bermuda by two vessels. 1t was
known by the authorities that this was
the same powder Captain Whipple had
gone to procure, and orders were given
the captain of the other Rhode Island
vessel to overtake Captain Whippe and
notify him that his GRAND would be fruit
less. Both vessels, however, reached Ber-
muda about the same time, where they
were received with friendship, particular
ly after General Washington's address
was circulated among the inhabitants.
The plundering of the magazine is still
shrouded in mystery and in justice to
! the Bermudans it must be said that only
a few of them had hand in the transac-
ton. The powder was stored in a cut of
Government Hill, which rises above the
town of St. George About half a mile
| north of the hill are several watersheds
built of masonry called the Naval Tanks
which run down to the coral-bound coast
| line. Here the barrels were placed in
| whaleboats and conveyed TO two Bcr-
muda sloops lying outside the reefs near
| a point called North Rock The boats
are said to have been in command of a
Capt. Morgan, and tradition to this day
tells of a heavy rain cloud that hangs
over Bermuda at Il certain time of the
year, known as 'Old Morgan" whose
spirit cannot rest until the descendants
OF the powder stealers are hung.
The humorous part of the raid was the
effort put forth to make Gov. Bruere and
his staff appear as participants in it.
The story has been told that the keys of
the magazine were distracted from be
meath the governors pillow. and history
certainly relates that the barrels were
rolled through the grounds of Govern
ment House, which stood only a short
distance from the magazine. Gov.
his irascible temper, never ceased to ac-
cuse the Bermudans of disloyalty, but
his efforts to discover the delinqucnts
were unavailing.
1t is we'll known however, that the plot
was laid and executed by members of a
family whose descendants to this day are
prominently identified with the history
of both Bermuda and Virginia. The
Virginians undoubtedly kept in touch
with their relatives in Bermuda and while
no definite information on the subject has
been brought to light, it is not unlikely
that Gen. Washington knew that an
effort would be made to smuggle the
powder out of the island. The expedition
of Capt. Whipple may therefore have been
the second string to the bow of the COM
mander-in-chief
A curious discovery was made some
fifty years ago on Government Hill when
the skeleton of man was exhumed. The
skull showed fracture, and the manhad
evidently been buried in hurry, as the
grave was OLlN lNO lGGl uSGp. lie DuI-
tons, gold lace, spurs. and silvermounted
whalebone riding whip found with the
skeleton gave proof that their owner had
been French staff officer, probably Il
prisoner of war on parole when the
magazine was plundered. This man was
supposed to have escaped with the
powder stealers, but it is evident they
killed him in the belief that he was an
enemy sent to spy on their movements.
Thus the shallow grave indicated his
honor eighty years later.
Soon after Gen. Washington received
the powder he erected batteries and
moved on Dorchester Heights Despite
his many arduous duties the commander
in-chief did not forget his promise to the
Bermudans, for it was through his i'll
huence that Congress later resolved to
allow provisions in certain quantities to
be exported to that colony.
c. E. HEYWARD.