The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-02-17
AIDED The REVOLT
The Destruction Of Portland, Me-,
In Colonial Days.
ACT OF AN ENGLISH OFFICER.
A AOyalist Woman's WIIss Caused the
AnnihlIatien Of the City and sassd
Portsmouth, N. ~ For Which PeA-
Iand's Fate Had Been Planned.

One Of the causes Of the Revolution
airy war, and quite as important 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.
Not so generally known, however, Is
the tradition that 1t 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 harb0r, 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 1875, he ran up the royal
ensign on his feet and at o'clock
began d bombardment that lasted I'M
interruptedly until @ o'clock at night.
Portland was unprepared for such
visitation, 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 frow
hot shot and exploding bombs. Before
Captain Mowatt had completed the sac
rifce he desired to lay before loves
shrine three-quarters Of the town was
totally destroyed, including the mu-
nicipal buildings, churches. public IL
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 1t practically certain that aid
could not come to the seaport by wa
ter be 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 1t was due to woman
that they were not carried out as writ
ten
Captain Mowatt and his feet had
anchored or 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 a daughter.
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 concernedl. and he found
II necessary TO be rowed from his ship
many times In order to spend the even
lngs with attractive Mary Sparhawk.
Her wit. beauty and brilliancy Of
conversation fascinated him and
through her influence. II is said. the
Intention Of bombardlng Portsmouth
was abandoned. and Portland suffered
In the stead OF the town which held
the charming little loyalist.
So what ore hist rian termed "a
wanton. lndefensible assault upon AT
undefended and peaceful city" came
about through woman's smile, ana
every volley from the fifty guns OF
Mowatts feet doubtless carried his
thoughts back to the lass who had won
his heart. The aolderlng 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
romancs do. for after the Revolution
was over the fair and fascinating belle
married physician and patriot
Il Detrolt Free Press