Year: 1875

was lost to the Americans chiefly be-
cause they had not enough powder.


The King having opposed, by every
in his power, the manufacture OF
munitions of war in the Colonies, the
patriots at first found great difficulty in
ammunition; and the supplies
for the early part of the war were OBJ.
tanned in such adventurous ways that
accounts Of these exploits are very In
teresting. Indeed, portion Of even the
scanty stock which our people had at
Bunker Hill had been brought over the
sea to be used against the enemies Of
Great Britain.


l have only recently found out Just
how this powder came to do service for
the patriots, instead of their British OBJ
pressors and being quite sure that the
story has never been fully told, / have
undertaken its recital for the pleasure of
the numberlesS young patriots who read
St. Nicholas: r


Adjoining the town Of Rye, in New
Hampshire, and directly north of its
Boted beach, is the town Of Newcastle.
On the site Of the present Fort Constitu-
ton in this town, there was, in the days
OF the Revolution, quite formidable
work called Fort William and Mary"


No visit from foreign enemy being
anticipated, the fort was manned at this
time by captain and FIVE privates only.
A weak garrison, surely; but it was sup.
posed that, in case of danger, the friends
Of King George in the neighborhood
would amply reinforce the guard, even
we're there not time for the royal gov
ernor, Wentworth to bring the militia to
the rescue. AS to any serious attack by
disafected inhabitants, it was too bold
an act for belief; and if it were possible,
in any case, that the militia should
prove insufficient, General Gage, with
three thousand regulars was in Boston,
and British feet was in its harbor


What subject however rebellious,
would dare to touch his Msjesty's prop
erty, or its custodisns, under these cir
cumstances2 The act would be treason,
and the life and possessions Of the Of
fender would be forfeited; and who conld
save him from the King handsp Prob
ably not even the most ardent patriot
thought of it, until Paul Revere came
riding into town from Boston one even
ing


The news he brought was startling.
An order had come from the, King that
all military stores in the colonies be
seized at once.


Msjor John Laugdon (afterward Gov
ernor) the same evening received call
from his friend, Captain Thomas Picker
ing. After the complimeutsot OF the hour
had been passed, the Captain surprised
his friend by an invitation to accompany
him to Fort William and Mary to take a
glass Of wine with its commander.


Twill not do, replied the Major,
cautiously evading declaration of his
own sentiments 1T will not do under
the present state of public affairs"


Major Langdon's sympathies were
with his oppressed countrymen; and he
revolted at the idea of receiving the
hospitalities Of one whose duty it might
be on the morrow to shoot down his
guests as foes OF the government.


Captain Pickering next disclosed q
design Of securing the arms and smmu-
nition of the fort; showing his purpose
to be quite other than the invitation in.
dicated.


"Ii twenty-eight like ourselves could
be found" said he, II would undertake
to lead in the capture"


To this purpose Major Langdon
heartily assented ~.


Before noon Of the next day a drum
and fife were sounding about town to
bring the people together; and the
order Of the King for securing the am.
munition was made known The effect
Of this news was increased by report
that the armed vessels Scarborough"
and "Cauceaux" were on their way from
Boston with British troops to possess
the fort and hold the town in ave-


When Governor Wentworth heard Of
this meeting Of the citizens he warned
them against committing any rash act;
and as the people soon dispersed, it was
supposed that nothing would come OF
the meeting But this was mistake.


A little before twelve that night--it
was the l4th Of December, l774-the
nearly full moon looked down upon
some two hundred men setting out in
boats from Portsmouth wharves and
heading for Newcastle.


Half an hour later their boats
grounded near the island, and the men
waded ashore through the shallow water,
which froze upon their clothing Yet
the landing had been so quiet that no
attention was attracted at the fort.
Captain Pickering, being in advance Of
the others, scaled the grassy rampant
unattended, and, seizing the sentinel
with one hand and his gun with the
other, he demanded silence on pain Of


instant death.


Crowds Of men we're now clamberine
up the wallis and leaving the sentinel
iu their charge, the leader hastened on
to the quarters Of the commandant. HI


entered the room before that officer wal


fairly awake, announcing to him that
the fort was captured and he a prisoner.


he had previously been warned that an


attack upon the fort was meditated, ye


his garrison was not on the alert; auC


he ct once surrendered to the only MAT


that appeared. He gave his sword tC


Captain Pickering, who politely re
turned it, saying.


You are a gentleman, and shall re


tain your side-aems.


} Pickering turned to leave him, wheI
} the dishonorable officer, having him a