The Republican journal., 1913-05-22
Annals of Belfast for Half q
Century.
BY AN OLD SETTLER
(Hon. VIM. G. Crosby.)
CHAPTER XII. (l814)

ance at Castlne and took possession VI
the place. Its appearance was not un-
expected there, and the people here
were ON the lookout for it. Very soon
three of the vessels belonging TO the
fleet-whch proved to be frigate and
two transports-weres seen to be head
ing in this direction, and several others
in the direction of the mouth of the Pc
nobscot; the latter, as afterwards learn
ed. in pursuit of the United States cor
vette, Adams, which was then up the
river for repairs, having been on shore
at Isle au Haul a few days before;
she was burned by order of her comman-
der, Capt Morris, on the third OF the
month, to prevent her capture by the
enemy.
The wind being light the vessels bound
for this place did not arrive until after
noon, when they came to anchor not far
southerly from where the monument
now stands Somewhat later in the day
a barge was seen to put Oft from the
frigate and lay it's course for this shore;
it landed just northerly from the upper
steamboat wharf, rather from where
that wharf now is. The officer in COM
mand of the barge, bearing flag OF
truce, requested an interview with the
Chief Magistrate of the place. There
was quite a crowd assembled at the
point where the barge landed. and the
compiler we'll remembers the anxious in
terest with which he and others saw an
individual, long since deceased, bfimful
OF rum and patriotism, hustled back out
OF sight and hearing through fear that
the terrible British might hear his NUT
tered curses against "the id red
coats.'
The officer was conducted to Huse's
tavern, the building now occupied by
tie Messrs Howes, and introduced to
Asa Edmunds, ESQ.,, as the chief magis-
trate of the place, he being Chairman
OF the Board of Selectmen. The chief
magistrate was thereupon informed that
body of His Majesty's forces proposed
to take and hold possession of the place
for few days, peaceably if possible, if
not, forcibly; that if they were permit
ted so to do without molestation, the
persons and property of the inhabitants
would be respected, ana that for all
supplies required an adequate compensa-
ton should be made. The reply of the
chief magistrate was in effect that if
HIS Majesty's troops saw fit to take
possession of the place they would not
be molested by any of its inhabitants
that our means for furnishing supplies
were limited, but that they should be
furnished to the extent of those means
adding that eff we had received earlier
notice of your coming, we should have
been prepared to give you different re-
ceptlon.' This somewhat equivocal re-
mark occasloned no slight merriment on
the quarter deck of the frigate when re-
ported by the officer to whom it was adj
dressed
Sometime in the night preceding the
brass feld-pieces belonging to the artil-
lery company had been removed beyond
reach OF the enemy, and during the day
many of the towns people removed their
families and most valuable household
goods; most of them but a few miles
out of the village; some of them as far
as Searsmont.
Shortly after dusk the troops began
to disembark, and when the sun rose the
next morning the good people of the
place, whose slumbers had been but
slightly disturbed by the military move
ments, so quietly were they conducted,
awoke to find themselves in possession
of the redcoats, and guards stationed Oh
the roads leading to Northport and Bel
mont, and at the westerly end of the
bridge. The number of troops landed
was about seven hundred General
Gosselin, commanding the forces, made
his headquarters at the Mcfarland
house; the old meeting house, the acad-
envy and the clubhouse were used as
barracks, and the town-pound; standing
on the easterly side of High street, a
little southerly from the academy. was
converted into battery. The troops
remained here unmolested and molesting
no one for four days, when they re-em-
barked and returned to Castine. No re-
QUESTIONS were made for supplies, but
while they remained here quite a lively
retail trade was going on in the articles
of milk, bread, butter, eggs, potatoes
and all kinds of garden vegetables.
Our people, who had surplus of those
commodities, faithfully obeyed the Scrip
tural injunction, eff thine enemy hum
ger feed him., and were not unmindful
of the other clause, which does not ap-
pear in the common version, ''and make
him pay double what the feed is worth. !"
Ten cents a quart for milk, fifty cents
for brown loaf, twenty cents pound
for butter, seventeen cents per dozen
for eggs, and fifty cents for the smallest
sized basket full of potatoes or vege-
tables were the ruling prices.
The next day after the British left,