The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-25
ANNIVERSARY OF LAST
 INVASION OF ENGLAND.


 It was just 118 years ago today, on Feb. 25, 1797, that the last inVasi on of an enemy on the shores of Eng land came to an ignominous end with the surrender of the French army which had landed near Fish guard Now that Great Britain is again threatened by raiding Germans a. century ago assumes new interest. L. On the twenty-second of Febru- aTy in 1797 three ships and a lugger, sailing under English coIors, were recognized them as French vessels, although they flew the British colors, and at once sounded the alarm. Ar rived off Fishguard, the fleet struck the English flag and sent aloft a French ensign. There was wild ex- patched in all directions to arouse the people to the threatened danger. The inhabitants along the coast loaded their belongings into all sorts of vehicles and set out for the in terior. There they told wild stories of the approach of a, fleet of vast pro- portions, with a tremendous army on board The men who remained be- hind, however, prepared to resist the invasion. The lead of cathedral roof was cast into bullets, and those unprovtded with muskets armed
 
 other crude weapons. By the time the Frenchmen landed at Pencaer, near F1shguard, several thousand Englishmen were assembled to give them a lively reception
 The French army consisted of 500 regulars and 800 convicts, who had been released from prison for the purpose of taking part in the inVa- sion. On the twenty-fourth several .English vessels sailed out to attack the French fleet, and the latter sail ed away, leaving the invading army to it's fate.
 By the evening of the twenty fourth a little army of soldiers and militia, under the command of Lord CaWdor, reached the scene and form ed in battle array. Citizens and even many women. wearing red clothing of uniforms, Joined the little army, and the French commander, Tate, was so impressed that he offered to surrender, provided that he and his men should be placed on ships and sent back to France.
 Lord Cawdor replied that irnn edi- ate and unconditi onaI surrender was the only terms he had to offer, and that unless the enemy capitulated by two o'clock of the twenty fifth he would march against them with 1o,- 900 men and drive the invaders into 
 in the English commanders inagina- tions but he had so displayed his lit tie force as to give the appearance of large army.
 Ger. Tate was not disposed to doubt the word of the British leader, and on the morning of the twenty fifth the equalization was signed and the French troops laid down their arms. The invaders were marched to various prisons, where they were confined for some time. Nearly 200 of those confined in a jail in Penn broke contrived to escape by digging a. subterran san tunnel 180 feet long and several feet beneath the surface.
 Before the Frenchmen surrendered a party of twelve of them, who had wandered from the camp, were cap tured by Jemima Nicholas muscu- lar woman of the neighborhood,f and marched at the point of a pitchfork to the guardhouse at Fishguard. Jernima became a. national heroine, but, as the men she captured were convicts, and had no stomach for fighting, perhaps they were only too will to be arrested.