The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-08-30
HISTORIC SWORDS
A Pair That Did Duty at the Bat
tie of Bunker Hill.
ENEMIES IN THAT CONFLICT.
Now They Are cIasped In Peace In the
Massachusetts, Historical Society
Building--A Legacy From the His
torian Prescott and His Wife.

the battk Of Bunker Hill are the huge
shaft over In Charlestown and a pair
of swords which hang crossed like a
pair Of clasped hands over the door OF
the building Of the Massachusetts, His
torical society.
Both these swords were used In the
heroic duel OF June II, 1915, the one by
the commander OF the patriot forces,
the other by the captain Of one Of the
British war vessels which bombarded
Charlestown and protected the cross
ing OF the English troops. And for
many years these swords. which had
not been beaten into plowshares after
the Scriptural prophecy. but which had
become the symbols Of peace neverthe
less. hung upon the wall OF great
American historian whose father was
the son Of the American commander
and whose wife was the granddaugh
ter Of the British captain
1t was to these weapons that Thack
cray referred In the very first para
graph OF his novel The Nirginians.'
which reads thus:
"On the library wall OF one OF the
most famous writer's OF America there
hang two crossed swords. which his
relatives wore I'm the great War of In
dependence. The one sword was gal
! lantly drawn in the service OF the
! king, and the other was the weapon Of
the brave and honored republican sol
! dier. The possessor OF the harmless
! trophy has earned for himself name
alike honored In his ancestors country
and his own. where genius such as his
has always a peaceful welcome"
William Hicklng Prescott, author Of
"The Conquest Of Mexico" Ferdinand
and Isabella" and other fascinating
! histories, the grandson In his paternaI
| line Of Colonel William Prescott. who
held the hill against the British grena
| diers and gave the world the first taste
Of the valor OF the Continentals and
whose wife was the granddaughter Of
! Captain John Linzee of the royal navy,
who commanded the sloop Of war Fal-
! con during the battle. was the writer
to whom Thackeray referred.
The only son Of Colonel Prescott Of
Bunker Hill. named for his father, was
| born thirteen years before the battle
was fought i'm Charlestown. This son
was educated at Harvard graduating
with the class Of 1888 Admitted to the
bar in 1897, he became eminent in his
profession and accumulated fortune.
His wife was Catherine Green Hick-
| ling. the daughter of Boston mer-
chant who was afterward consul in the
Azores. The future historian was their
son.
Captain John LinZee on that April
day In l775 was charged with the duty
Of cannonading the rebels and cover
ing the passage of the British soldiers
The British ships of war were moored
at various points in front of the
Charestown peninsula.
Three years after the battle, on Aug.
s, 1878, the Falcon was sunk off
Newport. r.. l., to prevent its capture
by the French feet under Admiral
DEstaing.
This Captain Linzees daughter Han
nah Llnzee. became the wife OF one
OF the leading merchants Of Boston,
Thomas c. Amory, and 1t was the
daughter of Thomas and Hannah
Amory. Susan Amory. whom William
II. Prescott married. Thus the two
swords came into the possession OF one
family.
The historian had degree OF pride
in his ancestry and liked to discourse
upon occasion about these swords. In
this respect he resembled Sir Walter
Scott. The weapons used TO hang over
the recess Of the great window in his
library used commonly rs n reception
room. where they were the more con
spicuous because of the thousands OF
books. the buSts and the pictures 10y
which they were surrounded II was
from the room OF the scholar that these
ancestral memorials were removed to
the quarters of the historical society
That happened in this wise.
Upon the death OF the historian Il
was found that the thirteenth item TN
his will read thus: The sword of
Colonel William Prescott. worn hy
him I'm the battle of Bunker Hill, |
give to the Massachusetts Historical
society as curiosity suitable to be
preserved among their collections. and
the sword which belonged to my
wife's grandfather, Captain Linzee OF
the British royal navy. who command
ed one OF the enemy's ships during the
tame battle. ! give to my wife"
when William II. Gardiner on April
~. 1850. sent letter to Robert G.
Winthrop. president OF the Historical
society. formally conveying the infor.
nation that the swords were TO be-
rome the property of the institution
he said as to the Llnzee sword. Mrs.
Prescott and the other heirs Of Cap.
tain Linzee unite in requesting me to
present at the same time In their he
half the sword Of their ancestor also
that the two. enriched by all the meip'