prize master was found to have been instantly killed; contrary to the intention of Snow, who meant to have given a stunning but not a fatal blow. Having now recovered his vessel, he proceeded to his destination, and resumed his business. On his first trip, however, when returning from Boston off the Isle of Shoals, he was met and again captured by the same privateer, which had been to St. John and there refitted under a new captain in place of the one killed at Fox Islands. There were enough on board, however, who remembered his former capture, and now threatened him with drowning, shooting, and various other punishments; from all which he was finally delivered, with the loss only of his vessel, the steering of which he was not a second time intrusted with.*

About this time Charles Holmes, then an apprentice to C. Spofford, and 19 years of age, shipped on board the privateer Dart of Portland, and made a six weeks cruise. Soon after his return, the American privateer Wasp, coming into the Shore harbor in want of hands, he, with six others of that place, was engaged and sailed for the Bay of Fundy. In about three weeks they were captured by a British ship of war, thrust into the St. John's jail, and, after six weeks, sent to Liverpool. There, by a stratagem, he escaped, and endeavored to find his way to France; but was pressed, and, to escape the British service, delivered himself up a prisoner of war. Thrust into the lower hold of a sloop-of-war, in utter darkness during the twelve days' voyage around to Plymouth, he, after two days confinement in a prison-ship lying in that harbor, was, with sixty other Americans, marched to Dartmoor; a prison covering 20 acres, and of such famous and cruel memory, there as here, that the farmers call it the Devil's land, and do not dare to pass it at night. Here, among 10,000 French and 1000 American prisoners, the poor lad found himself, with only his hammock, his chest, and $6 concealed in his boots. The first was immediately stolen from the stanchion where he had hung and left it a few moments, to buy some coffee and lunch at a stand; and the second night his boots were taken. He succeeded, however, after sharing and borrowing a time, in obtaining a good cot bed and blanket from the officers; but took a cold and fever, and was removed to the hospital, where he was taken care of by a kind hearted surgeon, and kept six weeks. Finding the prison allowance of one pound of barley and peas bread, one

Capt. B. Webb, and others.

third pound of beef, and a pint of soup, too scanty for his returning appetite, he purchased goods of a trading French prisoner, and, retailing them at a small profit, managed to supply his wants. Having been joined by 7000 other Americans, who, after the release of the French prisoners, were collected from Halifax and the prison-ships, he found among them his brother Elijah and his old ship mates, and remained to witness the memorable massacre of sixty fellow-prisoners by Capt. Shortland, April 6, 1815, from which Holmes escaped by diving among the legs of the crowd into the prison out of the yard, as did Paul Thorndike of Camden, by jumping into one of the cook-room windows. Being released April 26th, and sent home from Plymouth in a Dutch ship bound to Norfolk, Va., he, with his fellow-prisoners, mostly from the north, chose a shorter cut, took charge of the ship, and brought her into New York after a passage of 45 days. Finding his way to Boston, he there exposed for sale a ship about one foot in length, made of bones, rigged with human hair, and mounting 136 guns, the work of a French prisoner, which he had bought in Dartmoor, and now, with some difficulty, sold for $53. Remaining there three weeks, he took passage in a coaster, landed at Owl's Head, and reached on foot his welcome home at Mr. Spofford's,—after an absence of two years and two months, of which one year and a half was spent in Dartmoor Prison.*

Human foes were not, it seems, the only objects of hostility at this time, as the town, May 10, 1813, voted to give a bounty of $2 for every wild-cat killed within its limits. The dependence of the people upon home-made cloth, rendered, at this time, the protection and improvement of sheep an object of great interest. Mr. Paine, this year, imported a French Merino or two, the half-breeds of which sold readily at $50 apiece, greatly improving the wool in this vicinity. He subsequently imported largely of other improved breeds, and was considered in this respect a great public benefactor. On the 24th of July, a meeting was called "to see if the Town will agree to settle with Otis Robbins, Jr., as Collector for 1809, 1810, 1811, and 1812, and choose some person to receive the bills and complete the collection in his stead.” But the town voted not to do so. This gentleman, having filled several town offices, was now seeking reputation in a different field. Devoting himself to the defence of the country, he joined the regular army, and, July 11, 1814, was ap

* Narrative of C. Holmes, Esq., Rockland Gazette, April 20, 1855.

pointed 1st Lieutenant in the 34th regiment of U. S. infantry, although his commission was not made out till the 20th Feb. following. Among those enlisted under him, were Waterman Fales of the Shore village, and others not remembered.

The year was distinguished by the continuance and increase of the burdens and dangers of war, the wants and privations incident to a lack of business and employment, and the extreme scarcity and high price of provisions. So dependent were the people along the coast of Maine on the profits of trade and navigation, and so great was the temptation arising from the scarcity of foreign goods, that many contrived, by one means or another, to continue such pursuits in some degree during the war. At one time, British licenses were obtained; and vessels clearing for a neutral port carried their cargoes to Bermuda and other British places, where they were allowed to traffic. After a while these licenses were annulled, to the jeopardy of those sailing under them. Just after this annulment was made known at Bermuda, one of the vessels belonging to Mr. Paine of this port, arrived at that place, unsuspicious of any change. As soon as she hove in sight, however, Mr. Winter of Bath, and other Americans there, put out to meet her with the Swedish consul, and, before entering port, she was furnished with a complete set of Swedish papers. These were not very closely scrutinized, and she was allowed to enter and clear as a neutral vessel.

1814. The disheartening pressure of the war so far prevailed over the spirit of the Democratic party, that, in May, 1814, two Federalists, J. Gleason and E. Thatcher, were chosen to represent the town in the General Court. The town also appointed J. Adams, M. Marsh, and Jos. Ingraham, to instruct them in relation, and probably in opposition, to a State insolvent or bankrupt law then in agitation.

The coast was much harassed this season by ships-of-war and privateers, prowling among the islands and headlands for plunder, as well as by more serious attempts at invasion. Among these, besides the "Fly" before mentioned, were the brig Bream," the ship "Rattler," and the "Liverpool Packet;" the last of which was particularly successful and troublesome. Their policy, with regard to prisoners taken from private and unarmed vessels, was now changed; most of whom, instead of being set on shore as formerly, were sent to Halifax and detained as prisoners of war. The "Bulwark," an English battle ship of 74 guns, was well known by the people here to be on the coast, cruising in the bay,

and occasionally sending a barge among some of the adjacent. islands, with no ostensible object but to plunder and frighten the fishermen of the region. Few or no coasters were willing to venture out of port; but on the 22d June, 1814, captains McKellar and Sayward, in a lime coaster of 50 tons, impatient of further delay and against the remonstrances of neighbors and friends, dropped down the George's River, resolved to take advantage of the prevailing N. E. wind and a dense. fog that enveloped the whole bay, to elude the enemy and reach a market. They were met, however, near the mouth of the river by two of the Bulwark's barges well manned and armed proceeding up the river, and were captured at once. The officer in command immediately entered into a negotiation to restore their property on condition the prisoners would pilot them up the river. This they agreed to do, it is believed, as far up as George's Fort, a small unimportant work in the town of St. George built by Government in July, 1809, under superintendence of Capt. Thomas Vose of Thomaston. A Major Porter was also there from June 28th to July 11th, probably to inspect or direct; and H. Prince, still of St. George, was employed to get sods and timber for the work. It consisted of a rampart in the form of a crescent towards the river, upon which were mounted two if not three 18-pound iron guns. Attached to this were the barracks, a small block-house, and magazine of brick; and the enclosure was completed in the rear by a high board fence. At or soon after the commencement of the war, a guard of soldiers was stationed in this post, under command of Serg't Nute; but these having been withdrawn for service elsewhere, Nute, June 8th, 1813, left the establishment in the charge of H. Prince, who engaged an elderly man, Ephraim Wylie, to stay there and keep things in order.

*

When the barges came up, this sole defender of George's fort and the river, was within doors, preparing his evening meal. Advancing with a quick but steady pace, the enemy mounted the parapet of the fort, and the officer in command, with a stentorian voice, ordered a surrender. No one appearing at the door, the officer ordered a musket to be fired at it; the ball of which passed through the upper panel, and, grazing the shoulder of Mr. Wylie, lodged in his bunk. "Surren-der!" again shouted the officer. On this, the occupant sallied out, and peremptorily ordered the intruders from the premises. Not intimidated by the appearance of one man only,

* Common place book of H. Prince, Esq.

however valorous, the officer inquired for the commander of the battery. "I am the commander!" replied Wylie; "this is 'Squire Prince's Fort, and he has put me in charge of it." Others of the force had, mean time, spiked the guns and the officer, finding no impediment in the garrison, ordered the whole establishment to be blown up. Powder enough for this purpose not being found in the magazine, the little they did find was scattered to the winds, and Wylie was ordered to bring forward and surrender his flag. "I told you once," was the reply, “that this was 'Squire Prince's fort, and if you want any flag, you must go to 'Squire Prince." Not far from the

fort were several sloops, which the barges proceeded to capture or destroy. The Fair Trader, Capt. Andrew Robinson's vessel, in Collins's cove, on the Cushing side, and a vessel on the stocks, belonging to Capt. Burton, were set on fire, which, however, went out of itself or was subsequently extinguished; while the Ex-Bashaw, Capt. Matthew Robinson, and another sloop, belonging to Capt. John Lewis, (on board which was Christopher Curtis, who vainly endeavored to escape in a punt,) were cut out of Broad cove and towed off. The sound of firing and the sight of the flames had by this time brought many of the people to the scene of action. Capt. Joseph Gilchrist, seizing his gun, ran across and rallied Burton, telling him he would fire and scare away the enemy. Accordingly, putting a bullet and three buckshot atop of a charge already inserted for ducks, he discharged his piece, and, repeating the fire, the enemy desisted. In the mean time the Kellerans, McIntyres, and others, had arrived on the ground, and not perceiving, in the darkness, how affairs stood, and mistaking Gilchrist and those who now joined him for the British, commenced a brisk fire upon them. Esq. Malcolm, then in age, who had also got down to reconnoitre, hearing the balls whistling by his head, was obliged to retreat precipitately to a safer situation, and yelled out so lustily to the combatants as to bring about an explanation.

By this time a great part of the night was spent; yet the design of the enemy was not fully accomplished. Thomaston was a higher mark, and promised richer booty. The young man, Christopher Curtis, before mentioned as taken prisoner in Lewis's vessel, was compelled to act as pilot, and the barges proceeded on up toward this place. This lad, though he dared not disobey orders enforced by threats and a pistol at his breast, did what he could to prevent further mischief, by exaggerating the distance and the time necessary to reach Thomaston; and so well succeeded, that when almost