The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1911-10-25
aided THE REVOLT
The Destruction of Portland, Me-,
In Colonial Days.
ACT OF AN ENGLISH OFFICER.

A RoyaIist Woman's WiIes Caused the
AnnihiIation Of the City and Saved
Portsmouth, N. H., For Which Port
lands Fate Had Been Planned.
One of the causes of the Revolution
airy war, and quite as important a one
as the stamp act. was the wanton de-
struction Of the city of Portland, Me-.
then part of the town of Falmouth.
1t was said that the patriots might
have forgiven Lexington and Concord.
but that the razing of this town. which
had been peaceably inclined until then,
incensed the colonies beyond measure.
One prompt result was the immediate
formation of Maine regiment which
was added to the meager forces of the
Continental army.
the tradition that it was due to the
destinations of beautiful woman
that Portland was destroyed and an
other town preserved.
When the British commander, Cap
tain Mowatt. on board his flagship, the
Canceau, anchored with his feet in
Portland's inner harbOr. he did not re-
veal to her citizens that the unscrupu-
lous little god of love had been his
pilot. Instead, on a bright October
morning in 1775, he ran up the royal
ensign ON his fleet and at 9 O'Clock
began a bombardment that lasted I'M
interruptedly until O'Clock at night.
Portland was unprepared for such a
vista ton, and there was no attempt
at defense, the inhabitants simply
swarming the streets with their OK
carts and horses and attempting to
seek safety by flight to the open cOun-
try back from the water front.
So close did the assailing vessels ap-
proach that under cover Of the bonn
bardment they landed sailors who per-
vaded the town. setting fire to such
buildings as had escaped damage from
hot shot and exploding bombs. Before
! Captain MOwatt had completed the sac
rifice he desired to lay before loves
shrine three-quarters Of the town was
| totally. destroyed, including the mu-
brary, fire engine houses. warehouses.
wharfS and shipping.
| All that he left was handful of the
poorer novels. every residence OF i'm
| pOrtance being bombarded or set on
| fire and 5000 inhabitants left shell
terless at the approach of winter.
To make it practically certain that aid
could not come to the seaport by wa
! ter he destroyed all but one wharf and
! took with him on his departure all the
vessels anchored in the harbor that
had been spared from the torch.
Truly he had glorious bonfire and
in explanation he exhibited instruc-
lions which read: ''Come opposite the
town with all possible expedition. and
there burn, sink and destroy" but the
| gOssips of the time said that these or
ders originally related to Portsmouth.
n. H., and that it was due to a woman
that they were not carried out as writ
ten.
Captain MOwatt and his feet had
anchored off Portsmouth harbOr some
time previously to his assault upon
Portland. and while there he had gone
! quietly on shore and secretly visited
the family of the royalist tor Tory. AS
the colOnists called them, Nathaniel
Sparhawk. Nathaniel had daughter.
a girl of eighteen. famed the country
round for her beauty as her father was
famed for his obnoxious loyalty to
King George. and when the sailor cap
tain saw her he proved an easy con-
quest like most sailors where pretty
women are concerned, and he found
| it necessary to be rowed from his ship
many times i'm order to spend the even
ings with attractive Mary Sparhawk.
/ Her wit. beauty and brilliancy of
| conversation fascinated him and
through her influence. it is said. the
intention of bOmbarding Portsmouth
was abandoned. and Portland suffered
In the stead of the town which held
the charming little loyalist.
So what one historian termed IA
wantOn, indefensible assault upon an
undefended and peaceful city, came
about through a woman's smile. and
every vOlley from the fifty guns of
Mo,vatt'S fleet doubtless carried his
| thoughts back to the lass who had won
his heart The smoldering wharfs and
| the flaming houses were his burnt Of
fering to his ladylOve.
The Sparhawk house, where the cap
tain lost his heart still stands; but.
alas. the romance ended as so many
romances do. for after the Revolution
was over the fair and fascinating belle
married a physician and a patriot
Detroit Free Press.
| She Flew.