came in boats, and secretly encamped in a thick grove on Munjoy's Hill. It so happened that the day of their arrival Capt. Mowatt and his surgeon, accompanied by Rev. Mr. Wiswall, were taking a walk upon this commanding eminence. The captain and his surgeon were seized and held as prisoners. The rash measure excited general consternation. The houses were entirely at the mercy of the guns of the sloop. The second officer in command threatened, that, if the prisoners were not released before six o'clock, he would open fire upon the town.1

Some of the prominent citizens called upon Col. Thompson, and entreated him to liberate the captives. The colonel refused, declaring that relentless war was now raging between the two countries; but, finding the whole town against him, he, at nine o'clock, released them for the night, upon their giving their parole that at nine o'clock the next morning they would return to his encampment. Two citizens of Falmouth, Messrs. Preble and Freeman, pledged themselves as sureties of the prisoners.

Nine o'clock came, but Mowatt did not appear. Col. Thompson angrily arrested the two sureties, and held them all day without food. In the afternoon he sent to the sloop-of-war to inquire why Mowatt 2 did not keep his parole. He replied that his washerwoman had overheard threats to shoot him as soon as he appeared on shore.

The intelligence of the peril of Falmouth spread rapidly. Five or six hundred militia-men from the small settlements around, were in a few hours marching into the place. They were intensely excited. A sort of court-martial was established, to examine suspected citizens, that they might learn who could be relied upon as patriotic, and who were in sympathy with the enemy. Rev. Mr. Wiswall was summoned before this revolutionary tribunal. He declared, on oath, that he abhorred the

1 "Our women were, I believe, every one of them in tears, or praying or screaming; precipitately leaving their houses, especially those whose husbands were not at home, and widows; hurrying their goods into countrymen's carts, never asking their names, though strangers, and carrying their children either out of town or to the south end." - History of Portland, by William Willis, note, p. 509. 2 Mr. Williamson spells these names Mowett and Wiswell; Mr. Willis spells them Mowatt and Wiswall, as also Wiswell. I follow the spelling, and in the main the narrative, of Mr. William Goold, in his minute and graphic description of the "Burning of Falmouth."

He was

doctrine of passive obedience and non-resistance.
released. Several others were questioned, but none were con-
demued.

Capt. Coulson's house was entered, and his wine freely drank. An intoxicated soldier fired two bullets which penetrated the hull of the "Canseau." A musket was discharged in return, but no harm was done. Gen. Preble and Col. Freeman were still held as captives, and treated with severity.

It was Tuesday, the 9th of May, when Mowatt was arrested. On Wednesday afternoon, the 10th, the militia marched into Falmouth. Thursday, the 11th, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer for God's interposition. It was a day of fearful excitement. The soldiers succeeded in capturing one of Mowatt's boats. He threatened to lay the town in ashes unless the boat, were returned. On Friday, the soldiers left the town and returned to their homes. Thompson's men took with them the captured boat. On Monday, the 16th, Mowatt, still breathing threatenings and slaughter, raised his anchors, and sailed for Portsmouth. He took with him Coulson and his new ship. But the end was not yet.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION: FALMOUTH IN ASHES.

The British Fleet-The Doom announced - The Conference - The Bombardment The Expedition to Quebec-The Repulse-Friendliness of the Indians-New Towns incorporated - The British repulsed at MachiasAnecdote of John Adams-Arrival of the French Fleet - The Foe established at Biguyduce- Terrible Naval Disaster of the Americans - Barbarism of the English-The Capture of Gen. Wadsworth-His Brave DofenceHis Escape.

THE

HE storm of British vengeance was rapidly gathering, which was to doom unhappy Falmouth to destruction. On the 8th of June the" Senegal," a war vessel of sixteen guns, arrived, and cast anchor in the harbor. Four days after, the Tory Coulson came with his new ship, and anchored by the side of the "Senegal." Coulson hoped, under the menace of such a force, to obtain masts for his ship. But as he was a declared enemy of the town, and the Provincial Congress had passed a resolve to prevent Tories from conveying their property out of the country, the people would not allow him to take the masts.

Again both vessels departed, and nothing of special interest occurred until the 16th of October. That morning quite a fleet was seen entering the harbor. Capt. Mowatt led the way in the "Canseau." He was followed by a ship-of-war, the "Cat," two armed schooners, and a bomb-sloop. These five vessels anchored abreast of the town, bringing their broadsides to bear upon it. In consequence of strong head-winds, this was not accomplished until the next day.

Late in the afternoon a flag of truce was sent on shore, with a letter to the town authorities. The officer bearing the letter landed at the foot of what was then called King Street. An

immense throng of the excited people met him, and followed him, without noise or violence, to the Town House, where he delivered the letter. It was a document ludicrous for its bad grammar, but clear in its terrible announcement. In brief it was as follows:

"You have long experienced Britain's forbearance in withholding the rod of correction. You have been guilty of the most unpardonable rebellion. I am ordered to execute just punishment on the town of Falmouth. I give you two hours in which you can remove the sick and the infirm. I shall then open fire, and lay the town in ashes." 1

Terrible was the consternation which this letter created. For a moment there was perfect silence. All seemed stupefied. There was scarcely a moment's time for deliberation. Three gentlemen were chosen to visit Mowatt, and see if it were not possible to avert the threatened calamity. But Mowatt was inflexible. He said that his orders were peremptory, and that he had risked the loss of his commission by allowing his humanity so far to influence him as to give them any warning whatever; that he was ordered to anchor "opposite the town with all possible expedition, and then burn, sink, and destroy." 2

It is worthy of remark that the three gentlemen of the committee were all Episcopalians, and members of Rev. Mr. Wiswall's parish, and thus supposed friends of the English. It was late in the afternoon. A long, cold October night was at hand. Mothers and babes, the sick and the dying, were to be driven out into the bleak fields shelterless; there, with tears of agony, to see their homes, their furniture, their clothing, their provisions, all consumed by the cruel flames. A more barbarous order was never issued by a band of Mohawk savages.3

The committee expostulated with Mowatt upon the cruelty of his order. They were his friends. They had treated him

1 See this letter in full, in Willis's History of Portland, p. 517.

2 Burning of Falmouth, by William Gould, p. 12.

8 "The vessels came here directly from Boston; and no doubt can be entertained that the order for the destruction of the town proceeded from Admiral Graves, who then commanded in this station." — History of Portland, by William Willis, p. 518.

with great hospitality on his previous visit. There were several Tory families in the place who had already suffered much from their adherence to the British Government. Their homes must be consumed with the rest. The flames would make no discrimination. Mowatt was confused and perplexed, and manifested some shame in view of the barbarous order he was called upon to execute.

At length he consented to delay the bombardment until nine o'clock the next morning, if the people would consent to the humiliation of entirely disarming themselves, by delivering to him all the cannon, small arms, and ammunition in the place. If eight small arms were sent before eight o'clock that evening, he would postpone the destruction of the town until he had sent an express to Boston, and received further instructions.

The committee told him frankly that they did not think that the citizens would accept those terms. They returned to the town, and communicated them to the authorities. An anxious multitude was assembled at the Town House to learn the result of the conference. As with one voice the heroic people rejected the humiliating proposal. They however, in order to gain time for the removal of the women, the children, the sick, and as many of their effects as possible, sent the eight small arms, with a message to Mowatt, that they would summon a town meeting at an early hour in the morning, and give him a definite reply before eight o'clock.

In the morning the meeting was held. The citizens, with heroism worthy of Sparta in her brightest days, resolved that they would not surrender their arms to save their property. This answer was sent back at eight o'clock the next morning by the same committee. The members were allowed half an hour to row ashore and escape beyond the reach of the bombard

ment.

Promptly at nine o'clock, the signal of attack was run up to the mast-head of the flag-ship, and at the same moment the blood-red pennant of British vengeance was unfurled from all the other vessels. It was a beautiful autumnal morning, with

1 The Burning of Falmouth, by William Gould, p. 14.