Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

ticut river, in the evening of the 7th April, and arrived at Pettipaug-Point, about 4 o'clock in the morning of the 8th. It was quite a surprise on the few inhabitants, who had no means of resistance. They immediately landed and burned all the vessels at the wharves, and on the stocks, except a brig, a schooner, and two sloops, which they carried down the river, on their retiring, after 10 o'clock; but the wind shifting, they burned all except the schooner, and not being able to proceed, they came to anchor a short distance below Pettipaug, where they lay until night, then burned the schooner, and departed, without interruption, or any attempt to annoy them, except that a few guns were fired on them after they had passed the mouth of the river, to which they returned three cheers, and passed off.

During the 8th, the militia collected to the number of about 1000, with six field pieces; an officer, with 150 sailors and soldiers, from NewLondon, had also arrived. Gen. Williams, under authority of the State of Connecticut, assumed the command. Nothing seemed more easy than to capture the enemy, yet no attempt was made to do so, unless a summons to surrender can be so considered. Much censure was then attributed to the general for his dilatory conduct, and it seems not to have been hitherto accounted for. About 25 vessels were destroyed, many of them large and valuable.

Com. Hardy, of the Ramilies 74, addressed a letter in May, to the British agent for prisoners of war in Boston, stating that he had arrived in the bay, with an adequate force to carry the blockade into effect, and requesting him to make it known to the neutral consuls and agents in that town and state, that the blockade would be

rigorously enforced, agreeably to the proclamation for the same.

The following copy of a letter from Commodore Lewis, commanding the United States' flotilla at New-York, to the secretary of the navy, dated May 29, 1814, will show that the Yankees determined to have some trade, notwithstanding the mighty force of the enemy on the ocean.

"Sir-I have the honour to inform you, that on the 19th I discovered the enemy in pursuit of a brig under American colours, standing for Sandy-Hook.-I ordered a detachment of 11 gun-boats to proceed to sea, and pass between the chase and the enemy, by which means to bring him to action, and give opportunity to the chase to escape, all which was effected; the enemy, after receiving my fire, bore away-and the brig in question entered the harbour, proved to be the brig Regent from France, with a very valuable cargo. And on Monday the 23d, I engaged the enemy before New-London, and opened a passage for 40 sail of coasting vessels; the action lasted three hours, in which the flotilla suffered very little; No. 6 received a shot under water, and others through the sails-we have reason to believe that the enemy suffered very great injury, as he appeared unwilling to renew the action the following morning; my ob ject was accomplished, which was to force a passage for the convoy. There are before New-London 3. seventy-four's, 4 frigates, and several small vessels, the latter doing great injury, from their disguised character and superior sailing. I have the honour to assure you of my high respect,

J. LEWIS.

As soon as the engagement ceased, the flotilla came to anchor before the harbour of New-London, within gun-shot of the enemy, with a view of renewing the action in the morning, when we found that the enemy had collected all his force,

X

[ocr errors]

in number seven ships and several small vessels, in consequence of which great accession of force, the project of renewing the action was abandoned, and signal was made to proceed up Sound, whither the enemy pursued as far as Faulkner's Island.

Capt. Sawyer, of the smack Resolution, from Stonington, informed, that, in the gun-boat battle, one shot passed through the mainsail of the Sylph, and another cut away her ensign; that one shot passed through the bow of the Maidstone, one through her foremast, and one into her hull; and that on the day after the engagement, a number of men from these vessels were buried on Fisher's Island.

A British squadron, consisting of a 74 gun ship, several frigates, and smaller vessels, with numerous launches, spread terror along the coast of Massachusetts, and succeeded in doing considerable injury to coasting vessels. About 200 men landed, on the 13th May, at Wareham, in Massachusetts, and burned 12 or 13 vessels, valued at about 20,000 dollars. They also set fire to a stocking factory, which was extinguished by the citizens, before much injury was done.

Capt. Allen, of the schooner William & John, of Sedgwick, Maine, was bound to Boston with a cargo of lumber. Capt. A. put into Dyerscreek, on the 20th May, but finding himself chased by the barge of the British schooner Bream, he hailed the barge, when she reached within about 50 yards, but received no answer, Capt. Allen then ordered the barge to "keep off." The captain, discovering the men in the barge about to fire a swivel in her bow, ordered his men to fire, and take good aim. Four shots were fired in succession, and the captain had ta

ken his aim, when one of the enemy cried out, "I'll give up to you;" and the barge was instantly surrendered to Capt. Allen. Of seven men, who were in the barge, two were killed, and two wounded.

After the capture of the barge, the British commodore sent a flag of truce to Capt. Allen, with propositions, which were rejected. After, however, the exchange of four flags, it was agreed, that in consideration of Capt. Allen's giving up the British prisoners on parole, the commander of the Bream was to give Capt. Allen $90 in cash, return two American prisoners belonging to Goldsborough, give up a Chebacco boat, with the property on board of her, valued at $700, and Capt. Allen to retain the twelve cared barge, with all her armament, consisting of one swivel, six muskets, five cutlasses, six cartridge-boxes, some blue lights, a compass, one trumpet, and a quantity of canister and grape shot, all of which Capt. Allen values at $300.

Soon after this transaction, a boat captured by the Bream schooner, was sent into MountDesert, with seven Englishmen on board, to cut out a vessel, the crew of which, on their approach, fled to the shore, and were joined by several of the inhabitants, armed-having concealed themselves among the rocks or bushes, they opened a fire on the enemy, killed three of them, wounded two, and compelled the others to surrender.

The enemy entered the harbour of Seituate, (Mass.) in June, in consequence, as he stated, of having been fired at from a signal piece of cannon, near the light-house, and set fire to several vessels.

Two barges, from the British frigate Nymph, went into Squam, and destroyed the schooner Diligence, laden with lime. The crews threatened, that if the captain attempted to extinguish the flames of the Diligence, they would destroy the house on the point; which being attempted, they fired a twelve pound shot through it, and returned and effected the destruction of the schooner.

On the 11th July, Eastport was taken posses sion of by the enemy, in the name of his Britannic majesty, and, as afterward appeared, was claimed as being part of the British territory, by the terms of the treaty of 1783. The British force consisted of 2000 men. The American garrison of 59 men, including 11 siek, was commanded by Major Putnam. The inhabitants were offered the alternative to take an oath of allegiance to the king, or to depart within seven days. A great proportion, perhaps more than two-thirds, took the oath. This place remained in the enemy's possession to the end of the war; and, as will appear by reference to the treaty of peace, was to continue in possession of the British until the dispute relative to territory could be settled by commissioners, to be appointed for that purpose.

Eastport is on an island, called Moose, on the west side of Passamaquoddy-bay; the island is about five miles long, and one mile broad, containing about 1000 inhabitants.

On the 9th August, at 5 P. M. the Ramilies 74, Pactolus 38, a bomb-ship, and a heavy brig, arrived off Stonington; and a flag was sent on shore, with a note, of which the following is a copy:

« AnteriorContinuar »