Machias Union 1881 War of 1812 Date: 97-09-16 03:53:15 EDT From: ctyankee@bigfoot.com (Ken) (c) 1997 by Kenneth A. Dill please send corrections to: e-mail ctyankee@bigfoot.com or snail mail: Kenneth A. Dill 581 Crown St #27 Meriden, CT. 06450 This is from the August 16, 1881 issue of the Machias Union (printed in Machias, Washington, Maine) Machias: War 1812 This town did not receive much notice from the British commanders till in Aug. 1814: Castine and Eastport being in possession of the British they planned an attack on Machias. In August or September five British men of war heavily armed appeared in the river about three miles below Machiasport and came to anchor near Birch Point. The British forces numbered 700 regulars and two companies of Riflemen, between 800 and 900 in all. The Americans had a force of 16 raw militia in the Fort on Sanborne's Point under the command of Col. Samuel Morse. Nearer the shore and below Morse's barracks was Fort Manning under charge of Lieut. Manning. As soon as it was known at the village in Machias that the British were preparing to move against the town, Col. Jeremiah O'Brien mounted his horse and rode through the streets appealing to men to volunteer, declaring that "If I can get twelve men to go with me, I will go to Col. Morse's relief." O'Brien could not get a man! It is said he became so incensed at the lack of patriotism that he galloped his horse across the bridge and to the top of the O'Brien hill! uttering imprecations not of gospel tone! Meanwhile, the British Commander ordered boats and barges lowered and manned, each barge carring a small cannon on the bow and officers and troops to the number of about 800 commenced moving up river. Col. Morse not being re-inforced as he had expected ordered evacuation and retreat from Sanborne's Point to Machias village. The British took possession of the Fort, burned the barracks and destroyed everything within reach, and continued their march unmolested to Machias. It is said that one Jones met the British officer near the Meserve hill, and waved his hat in friendly salutation and rode on his horse in advance conducting the British to town. Mr Oliver W. Crocker, who was then about 18 years old, now living at Marshfiels, was 84 years old April 10, 1881, and recollects distinctly, went to Machiasport to see the British. When the British officer came to Meeting House hill at Machiasport he seized young Oliver by the arm saying "Show me the way to Machias!" Young Crocker had war in his heart, and he feigned insufficient acquaintance with the road, but the corporals with fixed bayonet kept him ahead and made him travel towards the town! The British took possession of Machias not a gun fired by the Americans. The officers were tolerably well disposed while the troops robbed the hens' roosts and pig pens and "cut capers" generally! Most of the men in town were anti-war......[unreadable].....: Governor Strtong refusing to call out troops for defense anywhere in Massachusetts, and Maine was Massachusetts then. If the war had any supporters they were in a minority and individual volunteers. The O'Brien family, George Burnham, S.A. Morse, John Holway, Obadiah Hill, Benjamin Harmon, Samuel Harmon, Simon Crocker, Henry Harmon, were about all among the prominent men who supported the Federal government. Years afterwards his political opponents reflected on Col. Morse's courage and patriotism, unjustly as will be seen. Early in commencement of the war S.A. Morse, John Burnham and others fitted up a cruiser to prey on British vessels and merchandize on the Coast between Quoddy and Mt. Desert. Their vessel was captured in the early part of 1814, Burnham was carried a prisoner to Dartmoor and Morse to Halifax. What became of their companions or who they were is not known. Morse was paroled. He came direct to Machias and being full of the war spirit he volunteered to take command of the forces on Machias river, Jabez Sanborne a Corporal being in immediate command of the militia in the Fort. Col. Morse was aware that if he made useless resistance to the British or made no resistance if captured by them, by the law and usage of war, he would be shot without trial or ceremony, hence, prudence dictated retreat in good order! Morse was no coward! A coward on parole would not put himself voluntarily in way of danger and certain death if captured by the enemy! John Holway was outspoken in denunciation of the "cowardice" of some of his fellow townsmen! The British officers made threats of burning Holway's and the O'Briens houses and property. They failed to carry the threat into execution. The only musket discharged at, towards or over the British troops on their march by road or by barge on the river from Birch Point to Machias was by one of the militia in the Fort named Dinsmore who came from Narraguagus. He was so humiliated and so full of resentment that nothing less than "One crack at 'em" would appease him. William King, who was Provincial Governor, afterwards the first Governor of Maine after separation from Massachusetts, did issue a proclamation calling for volunteers and means of defense. Men and means in the Eastern Counties in response to King's call were very limited. The people were few and poor who sympathised with King. Without reference to the sentiment that prevailed in Machias, whether patriotic or otherwise, it was no doubt better for the people that resistance was not made, as the town would no doubt have been captured and probably destroyed. Col. Morse proceeded to Hampden procured a small vessel had her furnished and manned and very shortly captured a British merchant vessel, which came under the "Bounty act" of Congress for such captures. The bounty was not paid, however, until after Col. Morse's death in 1862, his heirs receiving its benefit. In October 1814 while the British held Machias, they made a foraging march to Jonesboro, intending to go to Pleasant River, Addison, but the roads and bridges were so poor and few, so much woods to pass through, not mentioning the whiz of a bullet now and then coming from some King man's musket, they abandoned the march and returned to Machias. The same fall, word came from the British officer at Eastport that three of his soldiers had deserted. Expecting they would cross the bridge at Machias three sentinels with shot guns and bayonets were stationed on the bridge. Early in the morning they came to the bridge; they were ordered to "halt," but not obeying the sentinels fired, one fell dead and was buried in Machias; the remaining two were recaptured and returned to Eastport. Mr. Levi Bowker, now living (June 1881) who will be 86 August 20, 1881, was "Drummer boy" and Orderly sargeant, in the Fort. Mr. Bowker remembers the pratice of troops in the Fort while out on picket at Larrabee's Cove and Bucks Harbor; occasionally a musket would be discharged indicating prospective quiet, no invader near. Again "All's well" could be heard over the tree tops as passed from Sentry to Sentry. In Summer of 1814 while Morse was in the Fort his men captured a drove of beef cattle from the western part of Washington and eastern part of Hancock county destined for St. Andrews, supply for the British garrison. Morse's men kept the cattle for several days in the woods near East Machias and Machias. Sept. 19 when the British attacked and burned the barracks they obtained possession of the cattle or so many as they could find, Morse a few days previous having ordered the cattle driven to Machiasport. Machias was held by the British forces but two or three weeks. When they evacuated the commander ordered all houses searched for arms, ammunition, etc. The troops gathered all they could and the guns were loaded on to a cart in the road near the site of the recent "Old Machias House," and trucked to Machiasport, thence by transport to Halifax. Some of the more patriotic hid their guns but the town was pretty thoroughly "cleaned out." A platoon of British soldiers fired on one man, who was making off with his two guns. He had been down river bird hunting. When he came to town not knowing of the British order being enforced he thought the men "fooling", so he shouldered arms and foward. The commanding officer was notified, meanwhile, the man with his muskets had crossed to the westerly side of the river, so that when the platoon (8 men) fired they had a long shot, the fleeing man fell over a log, pretending that the shot had struck him; the British officer ordered his surgeon to go across the river and see to the man who was wounded over there, but before the surgeon arrived where he lay he gathered up and made a hasty retreat to the woods beyond! He was not a citizen of Machias, name not known. -- Kenneth A. Dill ctyankee@bigfoot.com ctyankee@home.com http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/7229 (c) 1997 by Kenneth A. Dill please send corrections to: e-mail ctyankee@bigfoot.com or snail mail: Kenneth A. Dill 581 Crown St #27 Meriden, CT. 06450 NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. 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