Morris tribune., 1911-11-17
AIDED The REVOLT
The Destruction of Portland. Me-,
In Colonial Days.
ACT OF AN ENGLISH OFFICER.

A Royalist Woman's Wiles Caused the
AnnihiIaton of the City and Saved
Portsmouth, N. H.. For Which Port,
lands Fate Had Been Planned.
One of the causes of the Revolution
ary 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 a Maine regiment which
was added. to the meager forces of the
Continental army.
Not 50 generally known. however, is
the tradition that 1t was due to the
faseinations Of beautiful woman
that Portland was destroyed and an
other town preserved.
When the British comma nder. 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 bright October
morning in lIT5. be ran up the royh
ensign on his feet and at O'clock
began bombardmpnt that lasted un
interruptedly until = O'Clock al night
Portland was unprepared for such y
visitation, and there was no attempt
at defense. the inha bitants simply
swarming the streets with their 0:
carts and horses and attempting t,
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 bCm
bardment they landed sailors who pe'
vaded the town. setting fire to slIcl
buildings as had ESCAPED damage from
hot shot and exploding bombs. Befor
Captain Mowatt had completed the sac
rifice he desired to lay before loves
III VI tiO Lo"h WA
totally destroyed including the mu
nicipal buildings. churches. public !!
brary, fire engine houses, warehouses;
wharfs and shipping
All that he left was handful of the
poorer bowels. every residence of i'm
oortance being bombarded or set on
ire and 5000 inha abitants left sheI
.erless at the approach of winter
fo make it practically certain that aid
.ould not come to the seaport by WI
,er he destroyed all but one wharf and
ook with him on his departure all the
7essels anchored in the harbor that |
lad been spared from the torch.
Truly he had q glorious bonfire and |
n explanation he exhibited instruc
ions which read: "Come opposite the
own with all possible expedition. ANA
here burn. sink and destroy" hut the
,ossips Of the time said that these ur
lers originally related to Portsmouth
Y. H.. and that 1t was due to a womaL
hat they We're not carried out as writ
en-
SaptdIn MOWatt anu uiS IleeI uau
off Portsmouth harbor some
ime previously to his assault upon
Portland, and while there he had gone
Iuietly on shore and secretly visited
he family of the royalist Tor Tory. as
he cofonists called them). Nathaniel
;parhawk. Nathaniel had daughter.
girl of eighteen. famed the country
ound for her beauty as her father was
AIMED for his obnoxious loyalty to
King George. and when the sailor cap
ain saw her he proved an easy con
uest like most sailors where pretty
7omen are concernedl, and be found
necessary to be rowed from his ship
many times IN order to spend the even
St&M