The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-06-12
A REVOLUTIONARY HERO.
Captain Mugford Ran the British
Blockade and Captured Powder Ship.

Had Great Britain made peace with
the American colonies after the Brit
ish army had been driven from Bos-
ton, James Mugford would be a pop
ular hero today. But Great Britain
continued the war for eight long
years, and so many heroes were made
that the name OF James Mugford,
1.-The world forgetting, and by the
world forgot" was lost.
Mugford died 1877 years ago today
in an insignificant fight that the lar
gest histories barely record now. He
and his q companions were attacked
by 200 British marines. They fought
most all night, and the British were
whipped, but the gallant captain was
killed by a pike thrust.
The British under General Gage
evacuated Boston, in March, 1776.
The British fleet remained behind in
Boston to blockade the port. General
Washington hurried to New York
with the main Colonial army to dis
pute the proposed British landing
there General Artemus Ward was
left in command of pretty sizeable
American army around Boston; but
Washington had taken all the powder
and most of the guns.
The Americans were at the mercy
of the British ships, only the British
didn't know it. General Ward zeal
ously guarded the fact that his pow
der supply was nil, and planned to
fill his magazines at the invaders eX-
pense.
Accordingly two small ships, the
schooners Hancock and Franklin,
were outftted and ordered to sea for
the purpose of capturing supply
ship. Captain Samuel Tucker COM
manded the Hancock. James Mug
ford, citizen of Marblehead, Mass,
was appointed master of the Frank
lin. His vessel carried a crew of 21
including himself.
On May Captain Tucker captured
two brigs laden with valuable sup
plies; but no powder. He took his
prizes to Lynn. General Ward COM
municated with Captain Mugford and
explained to him the desperate straits
the army was fronting.
'I'll get some POWDER said the
short-spoken Marblehead. And he
did. ..
The British ship Hope, carrying
war munitions for the British, was
due. 1t had powder for the fleet.
Captain Mugford heard of it's expec-
ted arrival and put out to sea.
Almost within sight of the British
fleet he met the Hope and captured
it. But how to land the prize? He
didn't have men enough to take it to
Lynn or any other port very distant.
The British fleet lay between him and
the American army in Boston.
Captain Mugford choose to run the
British blockade and fight the whole
fleet of dozen ships or more, if nee
essary. He put few of his best men
aboard the Hope and made the Brit
ish crew sail it. Then, in the Frank
lin, he arrogantly sailed toward the
British fleet and dropped few can
non balls its way.
The British were astounded. What
could this crazy skipper mean by at
tacking a fleet with one dinky little
schooner? They would teach him
lesson. The whole feet maneuvered
round to blow the Franklin off the
bay. Meanwhile the Hope sneaked
in the harbor, and then Captain
Mugford outsailed the British fleet
and got in himself. In the hold Of
the Hope the Americans found rs
tons of powder and other war stores
needed just then more than men or
gold. Mugford had made good his
word.
Very naturally the British were
angry. The admiral issued an order
that James Mugford was to be cap
tured by any hook or crool- and
promptly killed. Somebody told Cap
tain Mugford about the order.
"Oh, piffle." he said, or something
like that. I'll run by this derned old
feet every day in the week and twice
on Sunday if l want"
The Sunday following, May 19, IT.
IS, Captain Mugford, in the Franklin.
with p men, and Captain Cunning
ham, in the privateer Lady Washing
ton, a vessel carrying seven men and
few small swivel guns, started to
puncture the British blockade again.
They would have succeeded, but the
Franklin grounded. A f1otilla of