LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMISH O'BRTEN Andrew M. Sherman 0/3 S55 Cornell University Library E207.O13 S55 y^i Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, iUlacfflsl olin 3 1924 032 737 656 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924032737656 O cs ■^ -c t 9 -Si J^ 'rt >i 5 " - S ■-.S '^'* o S W o « ■-^•' "w & ^ So ■r CO ^ g ~ o " E c V CC g M^ bow in a Si Oj o iij'a) »s LIFE OF Captain Jeremiah O'Brien Machias, Maine COMMANDER OF THE FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL FLYING SQUADRON OF THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION ::::::::: ILLUSTRATED By REV. Andrew M. Sherman Author of " Morristown, N. J., in the Spanish- American War," etc. George W. Sherman, Publisher 1902 ^7 •< /4 45'(cU^'l COPYRIGHT 1902 BY REV. ANDREW M. SHERMAN PRINTED AT THE JERSEYMAN OFFICE MORRISXOWN, N. J. Co tl)f |)onorablc Jolin 3D. Lonj a natitie ana a lopal son of tlje |Jine Crrc §tntr, anO tbe ftioill? cffiticnt .^ettEtatj of tfte Kniteb .Sitatca .Bab? buting a critical anb bciHiant ejiocb of our national biatotp, tbis toolume is KespectfttUp anB §tiujrflp CrBicatcB b? tbc autbor ERRATA. Page 229, 4th line from top of page, for Ealifax read Annapolis. Preface One of the most unique and interesting charac- ters of the War of the Revolution was Captain Jere- miah O'Brien, of Machias, Maine. The services rendered by him, as naval commander, as military oflScer and as privateersman during the period men- tioned, contributed in no inconsiderable measure toward the achievement of independence by the American Colonies. The subsequent career of Captain O'Brien as business man, as government official and as private citizen was also more than ordinarily interesting. To permit the details of such a life to lapse into oblivion would be an injustice to this famous Revo- lutionary character, and a positive loss to future generations of American citizens. With the excep- tion of casual references here and there upon the VI PREFACE pages of United States history, very little is record- ed concerning the stirring life of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, beyond the story of his two brilliant naval victories in Machias Bay during the summer of the year 1775; hence the publication of the volume now- offered to the people of this country, in which the author has aimed to place Captain O'Brien on record in suitable form for preservation for future genera- tions. It is no slight indication of the probable de- mand for a biography of Captain O'Brien, such as is now offered to the American public, that, in a recent communication from a native of the Pine Tree State who was aware of the preparation of this volume by the author, there occurred the following emphatic sentence : "It should have been done long ago !" It has appeared to the author that a more favorable sea- son would never occur than the present for the prepa- ration of a life of Captain O'Brien, since much of the data now available would doubtless have perished with the generation now passing away, had it not been gathered up and put into form for preservation. Twice has the author visited historic Machias, Maine, — the last time having been during " Home Week," in the year 1900 — for material and inspira- PREFACE vii tion for the preparation of this biography ; and in neither instance nor in either respect was he disap- pointed in his quest. With the aid of camera and kodak numerous photographs of historic buildings and famous localities and interesting spots were secured in Machias and vicinity, with which to illus- trate the volume now published. At the various re- positories of historical and genealogical lore in Boston an entire month was spent by the author in the search for data; and no little data has also been procured through a wide correspondence extending over a period of several years. Indeed, no expense or effort has been spared in the endeavor to make the biogra- phj' of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien as complete and satisfactory as the circumstances of the case would permit. Some data bearing upon the later life of Captain O'Brien has come to hand from interested friends too late for use in the present edition. The author hereby gratefully acknowledges his indebted- ness for several pieces of valuable information and several interesting photographs to the following named individuals : Mrs. Mary O'Brien Brown, Mr. George W. Drisko, Mr. William C. Holway, Mr. William H. Phinney, and Captain F. W. Bowker, PREFACJB of Machias, Maine; Miss Annetta O'Brien Walker, of Portland, Maine; and Mrs. Josephine O'Brien Campbell, of Cherryfield, Maine. ^^^^i^^JZj^^- '^^ 't-t^ CX'C^ Morristown, New Jersey, July 1, 1902. Cable of Contents CHAPTER I Page i CHII,DHOOD, YOUTH AND YOUNG MANHOOD Parentage and Birthplace of Jeremiah O'Brien — Removal to Scarborough — Karly Fondness tot theWater — ^Acquires the Rudiments of Navigation — Prospecting Trip to Machias— Removal to Machias — Engages in the Lumber Industry — Joins the New Military Company — One of the Original Proprietors of the Township — Builds a Colonial Residence on the Banks of the Machias River— Description of His Place — Chafing Under British Tyrann;^— One of the Foremost Leaders in the Com- munity — Jeremiah O'Brien Described— Tribute to His Character. CHAPTER II Page 24 OPENING OF THE REVOLUTION Imminence of War— Tribute to Machias Patriotism— Vague Reports of Lexington and Concord Engagements reach Machias — ^Jeremiah O'Brien Assists in Raising a Liberty Pole — Arrival from Boston of the "Unity" and "Polly" convoyed by the British Armed Vessel " Mar- garetta " — Discrimination of Captain Ichabod Jones in the Distribution of Provisions — Town Meetings Dominated by Jeremiah O'Brien and Brothers— Opposition to Lumber Bein^ taken to Boston for the British Army of Occupation — Threat of Captain Moore of the " Margaretta" to Burn the Town — Machias Patriots Thoroughly Aroused— Local Con- flict Imminent — Reinforcements Requested from Neighboring Villages — Jeremiah O'Brien Attends a Secret Meeting of Patriots — War Fearlessly Declared at "O'Brien's Brook "—Unsuccessful Attempt to Make Cap- tain Moore a Prisoner — " Margaretta " Pursued Down the River — Brisk Engagement — ^The British Vessel to be Captured at all Hazards — British Threats Received by Machias Patriots with Shouts of Derision— The " Margaretta " Safely Anchored for the Night. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER III Page 48 A PERII.OUS UNDERTAKING Meeting of Joseph Wheaton and Dennis O'Brien on Scott's Wharf—" I^et's Go After and Take that Schooner "—-The Sloop "Unity" Seized— The , Plan of Operations Explained to Jeremiah O'Brien — " My Boys, We Can Do It" — Arms and Ammunition Hastily Collected — Captain Moore from the Rigging Watches the Movements in Machias— Crew and Armament of the " Unity " — The American Sloop Described — She Sets Sail from the "Western Pales" — Jeremiah O'Brien Elected Commander of the "Unity" — Faint-Hearts Permitted to Return Home— The " Mar- garetta" Sighted Off Round Island — Captain Moore Tries to Avoid an Engagement. CHAPTER IV Page 59 CAPTURE OF THE MARGARETTA ICaptain Moore Unable to Escape — He Hails the " Unity " — Captain O'Brien Demands the '* Margaretta's Surrender — The Two Vessels Come To- gether and Separate — The Second Time the "Unity" is leashed lo the "Britisher" — ^A Sharp Fight Ensues — Captain Moore Hurls Hand- Grenades at Captain O'Brien — Order Given to Board — Captain Moore Mortally Wounded — Twenty Men with Pitch-forks Board the " Mar- garetta" — Hand-to-Hand Conflict — British Vessel Surrenders to Captain O'Brien — Captain O Brien Hauls Down the British Ensig^n — The " Mar- garetta " Taken to Machias — Great Rejoicings — Captain O'Brien Con- gratulated Upon His Brilliant Achievement— Captain Moore Dies I^a- mented — Overwhelming Testimony to the Brilliancy of the Victory, the First of the Revolution. CHAPTER V Page 71 WAR IN EARNEST Warlike Preparations — Committee of Safety Chosen at Machias — Captain Jeremiah O'Brien a Member of the Committee — Messenger Sent to the Provincial Congress — Communication from the Machias Committee of Safety to the Provincial Congress — Resolution of Thanks to Captain Jeremiah O'Brien — "Margaretta's" Prisoners Taken to Cambridge- British Prizes Condemned — Prize Money Distributed — Fate of the " Margaretta." CHAPTER VI Page 82 ANOTHER BRIIvI^IANT NAVAL VICTORY The " Unity " Fitted Out as an American Cruiser — Named " Machias I^ib- erty" by Captain Jeremiah O'Brien— He Starts Out on a Cruise — Cap- tures Two Britisti Vessels— Sent to Cambridge and Watertown— News of Captain O'Brien's Captures Received with Great Enthusiasm— He Di ues with Washington at Cambridge— Presents Petitions to the Provin- cial Congress — Bills of Expense for Conveying Prisoners Presented— Captain O'Brien Appointed Captain of the Marine— Appointed Com- mander of the "Machias I^iberty" and the "Diligent" — Money, Pro- visions and Ammunition Voted to Captain O'Brien. TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER VII Page loi COMMENCEMENT OF A SERIES OF CRUISES Captain O'Brieti Returns to Machias— A55sumes Command of the Fljdng Squadron — Gathers Crews for His Cruisers — ^Appoints His Officers— Wages of Officers and Men — Captain O'Brien Handicapped from the Start — Scarcity of Ammunition — Obliged to Hug the Coast — Growing Discontent of Captain O'Brien's Crews — Racial Prejudice — ^Tory In- fluence Brought to Bear Against Captain O'Brien — He Makes Several Important Captures— Communication of Captain O'Brien to the Provin- cial Congress — Appointed to Act with, the Newburyport Committee of Safety — Reply of Said Committee to the Provincial Congress — Ammuni- tion Voted to Captain O'Brien— Petition of Poor Seamen. CHAPTER VIII Page 124 CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ENCOUNTERS SNAGS Letters of Marque and Reprisal Against Great Britain Issued by the Con- tinental Congress — Form of Commission — Instructions to Privateer Commanders — Sundry Papers of Captain O'Brien Considered by the General Court of Massachusetts — Capture of the Sloop '* Polly " by Cap- tain O'Brien — Petition of Captain O'Brien to tlie General Court of Massachusetts. CHAPTER IX Page 141 '*AI.I.'S WEI.I. THAT ENDS WEI ij v; fji o oC* iT: i; C i^ aj u) nj " ?•*- !fl 0, u 3 cfl *r co'r IJ 1- f- i: i-jj S a "^ EW o Jii oj ,^ a; -res 2-g=£s°=5b U 1" 3 - C— _ 5 ^- [fl bJ3, a; ., O t- i- OJ -M 1, O JJ ui rt — '^ - ^ *i! SS S*? a 5 §, — r-^'C C s C O „o~,- - °5 = S££ga.::5g K o^ i _ s -- ct aj^ -5 ■ 2 >">-»=. § e,«^'o S Mora >.F;>- eg as*- ^ M cd njjH OJ aj ri ^•SJ LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN OF MACHIAS, MAINE. CHAPTER I. CHILDHOOD, YOUTH AND YOUNG MANHOOD Parentage and Birthplace of Jeremiah O'Brien — Removal to Scarborough— Early Fondness for the Water — Acquires the Rudiments of Navigation — Prospecting Trip to Machias — Removal to Machias — Engages in the Lumber Industry — Joins the New Military Company — One of the Original Proprietors of the Township — Builds a Colonial Residence on the Banks of the Machias River — Descrip- tion of His Place — Chafing under British Tyranny — One of the Foremost Leaders in the Community — Jeremiah O'Brien Described — Tribute to His Character. " Childhood shows the man As morning shows the day." — Milton. "The youth who hopes the Olympic prize to gain, All arts must try, and every toil sustain." — Horace. " Young men soon give, and soon forget affronts; Old age is slow in both." — Addison. ^T^O Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, of Machias, Maine, -^ unquestionably belongs the peculiar honor of having been the "Yankee" commander in the first naval engagement, resulting in the first vic- tory, of the War of the American Revolution; and, of having subsequently commanded, in con- nection with the same war, the first American armed cruiser, and the first American naval "fiying squadron." " I do not know of any feat in 2 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN all the war, that for daring and desperate courage can be compared with it," — (the capture of the British armed schooner, Margaretta, by the American sloop, Unity, in command of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien) says an intelligent historian*. The verdict of another discriminative writer of history is, that : ' ' All in all the capture of the Margaretta was one of the best conceived and executed plans of the seven years' war."f Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, the subject of this biography, was the eldest child of Morris O'BrienJ and Mary O'Brien, and was born in the year 1744, in the town of Kittery, Maine. The incompleteness of the family and town records as kept in Colonial days renders it impossible for the author to sub- stantiate from them the above statement, as to the exact place of Captain O'Brien's birth. That he was born in America there is, however, no question what- ever in the minds of those best qualified to judge in the matter. Indeed, Captain O'Brien himself ex- plicitly stated, but a few years prior to his decease, that his parents were married in Kittery, or in Old York, Maine, and that he himself was born in Kittery. The author can conceive of no more trust- * Hon. George F. Talbot, of Portland, Me. t George W. Drisko, Esq., Machias, Me. t For a life-sketch of Morris O'Brien, including his honor- able Irish ancestry, see Appendix. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 3 worth}' evidence as to Captain O'Brien's birthplace than his own explicit statement; and this, as it seems, should settle for all coming time the question as to the place of his birth, upon which there has been en- tertained and expressed such a variety of opinion. That Captain O'Brien was born in Machias, Maine, as several writers affirm is glaringly incorrect to the student of American history, since the town was not permanently settled by the English until the year 1763, which, as the reader will notice, was nineteen years subsequent to Captain O'Brien's birth. About the year 1750, as nearly as can now be ascertained, the entire family of Morris O'Brien, which included several small children, removed to Scarborough, Maine, situated on the sea coast, and about fift}^ miles northeast from Kittery. It was probably during his residence in the seaport town of Scarborough, that Jeremiah O'Brien, while still a youth of about ten years, acquired his fondness for the sea, of which the poet appreciatively speaks as : ' ' The impassioned orator with lips sublime, Whose ways are arguments which prove a God! " and it was probably here, also, that under the efficient tutorship of his father, he acquired the rudimentarj' knowledge, at least, of the science of navigation. In corroboration of the suggestion above ofifered the author begs to present the following extract from a 4 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN modern writer:* "He (Morris O'Brien) taught them (his sons) to read and spell, to handle the plough, the pitch- fork and the rifle, to raft timber and sail a boat." The rudimentary knowledge of the science of navigation thus acquired by Jeremiah O'Brien during his residence in Scarborough, effectu- ally aided him in after years in attaining to the con- spicuous and honorable place in the annals of American history which he now, by common con- sent, occupies. In the year 1764, Jeremiah O'Brien, then twenty years of age, accompanied his father and next eldest brother, Gideon, and a few other residents of Scar- borough, on a trip by water to Machias, Maine, situ- ated, as the maps indicate, in the extreme south- eastern corner of the state, for the purpose of viewing the country (of which they had already received glowing accounts) with reference to permanently settling there ; and, so well pleased were they with the prospect presented that in the spring of the following year (1765) the father and two sons above-mentioned removed thither for the purpose of engaging in the lumber business, and making for the family a new home. Machias, it may be here remarked, had been * Foxhall A. Parker, in "The First Sea Fight of the Revolution ; the Capture of the Margaretta. ' ' LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN O permanently settled by the English only two years previously (1763) and mostly by persons from Scar- borough, (of the eighty persons who settled Machias fifty-four were from Scarborough) who had been attracted thither by the abundance of timber and grass which the region afforded ; and upon the lumber industry, chiefly, the town, with its population of about twenty-five hundred, has since been developed to its present flourishing condition. From a local historian* the following interesting extract is pre- sented : "They (the prospectors in 1763 from Scar- borough) found hundreds of acres of marsh, covered with to them, invaluable grass, which had never known the mower's scythe, and which was rendered doubly valuable to them by its scarcity at home. And here, too, their keen practical observation dis- covered a wilderness of untouched pine timber forests, overhanging a water power of almost unlimited ex- tent, unoccupied, and at the head of tide-water navi- gation. What more could our enterprising voyagers desire? Was it surprising that their hearts should be light and joyous, and that they should return animated by visions of future success and prosperity which naturally sprang up in their minds, when com- paring the devastations at home, with these new * William Bartlett Smith, in " Historical Sketch of Machias." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN regions of unoccupied water power, interminable forests of timber and extensive marshes covered with grass ?" In the early autumn of the year 1765 the entire family of Morris O'Brien were brought to Machias, and were settled on the southerly side of the Machias river (which divides the northern and southern sec- tions of the village) and temporarily, at least, near the southerly end of what has for many 3'ears been known as the "lower bridge," so-called, because, of the three bridges in the village, this one is lowest down in the direction of the harbor. Soon after their arrival in Machias, the O'Briens, that is to say, Morris O'Brien, and his two eldest sons, Jeremiah and Gideon, in conjunction with five other of the more recent settlers, began the erection of a double saw mill on the southerly side of the Machias river ; and early in the month of March following (1766) it was completed and ready for operation. This mill, which was the secoad to be erected in the town, was named the " Dublin Mill;" the first— the "Phoe- nix Mill " — -having been erected on the northerly side of the river, in 1763-4. The " Dublin Mill " was so named in commemoration of the fact that Morris O'Brien, the principal owner, was born and bred in the city of Dublin, Ireland ; and for the same reason the entire section of the village of Machias lying on LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 7 the southerly side of the river, one of the most im- portant in the township, has for many years borne the name of " Dublin." A few years later than 1766^ Jeremiah O'Brien and his father and brother, Gideon, in conjunction with John Underwood of Kittery, Maine, erected another saw mill on the southerly side of the Machias river. The " Dublin Mill " above mentioned it may not be uninteresting to local readers, particularly, to know, was erected on the same site as that occupied by the present mill bearing the same name, which is, however, of more recent construction. Captain John O'Brien, the third son of Morris O'Brien, spoke of his father as having come to this country " from Cork, Ireland;" but in view of the incontro- vertible evidence in support of the fact that Morris O'Brien was born in Dublin, the explanation of the apparent discrepancy is to be found in the presump- tion that he came from the city of his birth (Dublin) to America via Cork, where he may have briefly tar- ried before sailing for this country ; or, he may have lived for a time in Cork before coming to America. The most convincing proof, however, that Morris O'Brien was born in Dublin, is the explicit statement to that efifect of his eldest son, Jeremiah O'Brien, made during the closing years of his life. Upon the organization, in the year 1769, of the first militia company in Machias, Jeremiah O'Brien became 8 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN a member of it; and in justification of this apparently UDGorrobrated statement we beg to quote from a local historian* of excellent repute the following; "In 1769, a military company of nearly one hundred men was formed. Stephen Jones was chosen Captain, Benjamin Foster (afterwards Col.) Lieutenant, and Sylvanus Scott, Ensign. Jones' commission is dated Aug. 7, ' in the ninth year of the reign of his majesty George the Third, appointing him Captain of a mili- tary company of foot, at a place called Machias, in the Regiment of Militia in the County of Lincoln, whereof Thomas Goldthwaite is Colonel. ' " Now as a com- pany of " nearly one hundred men,'' at the date of its organization as already given, would, without a doubt, have included the entire male population of Machias capable of performing militia service, it re- quires no elaborate argument on the part of the au- thor to substantiate the statement previously made, that Jeremiah O'Brien, then twenty-five years of age, was a member of the first " military company of foot " in Machias, From the thrilling story of his paternal great-grand father's military services in Ire- land, under the brilliant leadership of Patrick Saars- field, the eminent Irish patriotf , as frequently related * William Bartlett Smith, in "Memorial of the Centennial Anniversary of the Settlement of Machias." t It is probable that Jeremiah O'Brien's paternal great- grandfather participated in the famous "Battle of the Boyne," fought on the first day of July, 1690. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN by his father about the family hearthstone, Jeremiah O'Brien had, it is safe to say, early imbibed the mar- tial spirit; hence, it is not diflBcult to conceive that when the opportunity offered he was among the first to enter, with all the overflowing ardor of his young manhood, into the above mentioned military move- ment inaugurated in this new lumber settlement in what was then the wilds of eastern Maine. While actively identified with this military company Jere- miah O'Brien probably acquired- the knowledge of military drill, and the experience in military disci- pline, of which, as the reader will in due time learn, he made such eminently practical use, on land and sea, in after years. When, after several futile attempts to procure a grant of a Township of land (first from Nova Scotia, within whose jurisdiction they at the beginning sup- posed themselves to be, and subsequently from the General Court of the Massachusetts Province) the in- habitants of Machias again petitioned the latter named body for the same object, we find, among the list of eighty male petitioners (there was one female among them) the name of Jeremiah O'Brien,* as well as that of his father, and next eldest brother, Gideon ; and when, on the twenty-sixth of April, in the year * See page thirty of "Memorial of the Centennial Anni- versary of the Settlement of Machias." 10 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 1770, thetractof land was finally granted, he became, as one of the original proprietors, the owner in fee of two hundred and fifty acres of land situate on the southerly side of the Machias river, and extending from the river front toward the sea on the south. Jeremiah O'Brien's land had a frontage on the river of sixteen hundred and fifty feet, with a suitable depth to make up the area allotted to him. Among the conditions upon which this Township of land was granted were the following : " They (the petitioners) should within six years after they should obtain his majesty's approbation of the grant, unless prevented from so doing by war, settle the township with eighty good protestant families, build eighty houses, none to be less than eighteen feet square and seven feet stud clear and cultivate five acres of land on such fit for tillage or mowing that they build a suitable meeting house for the public worship of God, and settle a learned protestant minister, and make pro- vision for his comfortable and honorable support. ****** In July of the next year (1771) the Proprietors voted to hire a minister to preach the Gospel in this place, and raised the sum of eighty shillings on each right in the township for the support of a Gospel minister for so long a time as one can be hired for that sum. The whole amount raised was £84. The committee LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 11 appointed for this purpose engaged Rev. James Lj'on, a native of Princeton, New Jersey, educated in the college there, and had received a Presbyterian ordina- tion; and in the spring of 1772 he began his pasto- rate. He was to receive £84 salary, £100 as a settle- ment, together with a right or share in the Township. This offer he accepted, and continued to preach here until he died in 1794." Rev. Mr. Lyon was one of the leading spirits in Machias and vicinity in the war of the Revolution. * « * » " In 1774, the first meeting house was built * * near the site of the Town Hall in this village. It was one story in height twenty-five feet wide and forty-two long * * * Its cost was two hundred and twenty dollars. « * » Besides its church uses, this building was used for plantation and proprietor's meetings, as well as for schools; and when Washington County was estab- lished, the terms of the County Court were held there for several years."* As a proof of his excellent success in the lumber industry it may be said, that about the year 1774, Jeremiah O'Brien erected, on an elevation on the southerly side of, and overlooking, the Machias river, * "Memorial of the Centenial Anniversary of the Settle- ment of Machias," by William Bartlett Smith. 12 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN and about a thousand feet back from the same — a two-story dwelling house. This house had a gam- brel roof, and was of the same style, architecturally, as the famous "Hanscom House," still standing in Machias, a picture of which may be seen in this vol- ume. Jeremiah O'Brien had doubtless, up to this time, lived with his parents in the eighteen-by-eight- een house on the banks of the Machias river, which stood somewhat to the east of the house erected, as above stated, by himself. It is probable, that after the completion of Jeremiah O'Brien's house, his parents, until their decease, had a home with him. Like most houses in those early days and in that locality, the house of Jeremiah O'Brien was painted red. It was of somewhat larger dimensions than its prototype,* with a larger chimney, and having a one- stor}' ell, with a shed roof, running out from the southwestern corner, which was used as a work-room in connection with the adjoining kitchen. The O'Brien residence, which was situated on the road to Machias- port, and about half a mile below the ' ' lower bridge, " faced to the north, toward the Machias river, thus affording from the front of the house a splendid view to the occupants, of the northern portion of the vil- lage. A few feet in the rear of, and running parallel * The "Hanscom Hovise " is said to have been erected in the year 1770. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIBN 13 with, the house, was the road leading to Machiasport, which was about four miles to the southeast. From either river frout corner of the house there ran, in a slightly outward diagonal course, a row of hand- some poplar trees nearly to the water's edge, furnish- ing in the summer months a refreshing shade; and adding materially to the otherwise picturesque ap- pearance of the place. At the eastern end of the house was a plum orchard and at the western end an apple orchard. The diurnal rise and fall of the placid Machias; the handsome craft that, upon the bosom of the stream, plied their busy commerce; the ships that rose majestically from rude keel to tower- ing mast, in the adjacent shipyards ; the launching of the ships and all the circumstances attending these interesting occasions; the unceasing grate of saw and thud of hammer and swash of wheel in the vil- lage mills ; the beautiful tree-crowned hills that rose like ever- watchful sentinels, above, and in the rear of his home; the ever enjoyable view of the northern village across the glistening waters of the river — these made the site selected by Jeremiah O'Brien for his house, almost, if not quite, an ideal one for resi- dence. There is scarcely a doubt that the site select- ed for his house was suggested to him by the oft' re- peated descriptions given by his father of his own early home on the green banks of the LifEey river, 14 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIBN which, as the reader will notice, runs through the city of Dublin, Ireland, emptying into the famous Dublin Bay which has for many years been com- memorated in popular ballad. About midway be- tween the house and the river, and somewhat to the east as one went toward the latter, was a ledge of rocks embedded almost level with the ground-surface; and near this ledge, perhaps issuing from its fissures, there flowed during Captain O'Brien's lifetime, the water from which the household needs were supplied. The ledge remains, but for some reason the bubbling spring has ceased flowing. In this volume may be seen a picture showing the ledge of rocks, which may be readily located by the white spots visible on the bank sloping down to the river. About five hundred feet back, and up, from this ledge of rocks, and near several handsome elms, conspicuous, in the picture just mentioned, by reason of their unusual height, is the site, approximately, of Captain O'Brien's house; a depression in the ground surface, still to be seen by the observing visitor, marks definitely the location of the cellar. Another picture may be seen in this vol- ume, which shows the site of Captain O'Brien's house from a view-point on the Machiasport road, the site as shown in this latter picture is approximately indi- cated by a clump of thrifty hlac bushes; the house probably stood somewhat to the left of the bushes. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 15 Captaiu O'Brien, it may be here remarked, lived in the house above described until his decease, in the year 1818, except of course, while absent from Machias during the War of the Revolution. He occupied as his sleeping apartment the ground-floor room on the southeast corner of the house. The parlor was on the northeast corner ; and on the southwestern corner was the kitchen, and the one-story ell already men- tioned. There were also two small sleeping rooms at the northwestern corner of the house, both opening out of the large kitchen. On the second floor, and presumably over the spacious kitchen, slept Richard Earl, popularly known as " Dick," the colored servant who for many years lived in Captain O'Brien's family. On the second floor, and in the southeast corner, was the closet in which Captain O'Brien kept his Revo- lutionary relics. In the parlor of this colonial resi- dence hung a picture of Washington, of whom Cap- tain O'Brien was an ardent and life-long admirer, and whom he was frequently heard to extol in the highest terms, for his lofty character, of which, his disinterested patriotism was not the least noticeable ; and also for his commanding ability as a military leader. The fact that he had several times, by invi- tation, dined with Washington, was ever after a source of gratification to Colonel O'Brien. In the same room there hung also the family coat of arms, 16 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIBN and perhaps an old portrait of Brian Boru, an Irish king, who as early as the year 978, reigned in regal pomp in Munster, Ireland ; this portrait was brought from Ireland by Captain O'Brien's father. Several copies of this interesting portrait are extant. From an ancient Irish King Captain O'Brien claimed lineal descent. Among the other articles of special interest to be seen in Captain O'Brien's parlor, were two punch bowls, one of which had been broken, and the pieces of which were held together by a gold band and rivets. Captain O'Brien, in the latter part of his life, was a moderate user of snuff, and he was fond of ex- exhibiting to his friends a gold snuff box bearing, on its lid, a representation of Thomas Jefferson. We have been thus definite in the description of what, to the general reader, at least, of the present generation, may seem like trifling particulars; but the author feels quite certain that as the years of our national life increase, there will be a growing appre- ciation of any data, be it ever so insignificant com- paratively now, in connection with the home life of so prominent a Revolutionary character, as the sub- ject of the present biography will appear to have been, when the facts of his really brilliant career are fully and properly laid before the American people, and by them given unbiased consideration. Captain O'Brien's house was torn down about 5™a c S (u "J .-a LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BBIEN 17 the year 1835; presumably to make place for the con- struction of other and more modern buildings, by the new owners into whose hands the property had pass- ed ; thus removing what had been for many years one of the most conspicuous and interesting landmarks in historic Machias. A native of the village,* and a lineal descendant of Gideon O'Brien, the eldest bro- ther of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien,— in a recent letter to the author, says: " I remember how sorry I was to see the Colonel's old house torn down. I only wish it were standing now, for it was one of the pecu- liar houses of the period." The inhabitants of Machias, during the few years preceding the commencement of the War of the American Revolution, were neither silent nor submissive witnesses to the persistent encroachments of the mother country upon the liberties of the colo- nists, as sacredly guaranteed to them by the Colonial charter. Whenever the people met together, whether in private or public, the absorbing theme of coversa- tion was the discussion of "the situation," and the earnest expression of indignation against the govern- ment across the water ; and again and again was it insisted by the inhabitants of Machias, that the short- * Mrs. Henry F. Harding, wife of Rev. Henry F. Hard- ing, for several years pastor of the Congregational Church of Machias, and, subsequently of the Congregational Church of East Machias, Me. 18 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN sighted policy of Great Britain could not fail, if longer continued, to cause a rupture between the Colonies and the mother country. Deplorable as such rupture and its inevitable consequences to the colonists would prove, it was felt and declared to be preferable to the condition of slavery to which they were being reduced by a selfish and greedy home government. The state of mind of the citizens of Machias with regard to the tyranny of the mother country was aptly summed up in the following lan- guage to be found in a petition presented by them in the month of May, 1775, to the General Court of the Massachussetts Province, of which Maine was then a part: » * * " the iron chains of tyranny, which were forming for us, and from servi- tude equal to Egyptian bondage." Morris O'Brien, — we now quote from a relia- ble authority,* — "was a sturdy patriot, who hated everything English, the church not excepted, since, although he was not a Roman Catholic, he was an ardent dissenter; and he had taken care to instill his principles and prejudices into the minds of his boys (of which he had six) at all times and in all places, as he had taught them to read and spell, to handle the plough, the pitchfork and the rifle, to raft lumber "Foxliall A. Parker, in "The First Sea Fight of the Revolution; the Capture of the Margaretta." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 19 and sail a boat ; and the result of the old man's train- ing was made manifest in the conduct of his sons." It is not surprising, therefore, that among the con- spicuous leaders of Machias, in the vigorous and oft- repeated protest against British aggressions, was Jeremiah O'Brien, the eldest son of Morris O'Brien, the prosperous lumberman. Since his arrival, in the year 1765, in this isolated frontier town, Jeremiah O'Brien had been one of the foremost leaders in the sports of the new settlement, as well as in effort for its material developement ; and he maintained his prestige as to leadership in the community as long as he lived. He could swing a woodman's axe; raft the prostrate timber through the river to the mills; transform the rough logs into marketable lumber; throw a contestant in a friendly wrestling match, or drive a shrewd bargain for the disposition of lumber with the master of a coasting vessel, with equal ease ; and yet Jeremiah O'Brien was neither bully nor brawler nor miser, but a young man of ' ' excellent character." At the opening of the War of the Ameri- can Revolution he was thirtj'-one years of age. In height he was somewhat above the average, being probablj' about five feet and ten inches. He was in build well proportioned, and weighed about one hun- dred and seventj'-five pounds when in good flesh. In physical strength he was an athlete, both inherit- 20 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ance and his own mode of life having contributed to this effect; and he was not, by any means, lacking in agility. He was of light complexion, having blue eyes, and hair of a light brown hue. A prominent nose added character to an otherwise strong face; which, in the latter part, and presumptively in the early part, of his life, was beardless. Jeremiah O'Brien was large-hearted and kindly-natured, and generous to a fault; one of the sort — rare in this peculiarly commercial age — -who gave more than was asked or expected of him, whatever the nature of the thing contributed. As illustrative of this character- istic it may be said that one whose privilege it was to ask money of Colonel O'Brien, in the latter part of his life, has since remarked: "He never declined giving me money when I asked for it; and he al- ways gave me more than I asked for. " No less an authority than Horace has said that : — ' ' The truly generous is the truly wise ; And he who loves not others, lives unblest." From the disposition and ability to contribute to others' needs Colonel O'Brien doubtless derived much of the pleasure of living. " He was a worthy man, a benefactor of the poor " — is the eulogy pronounced upon Colonel O'Brien, by a recent writer; and that it is well deserved is not for a moment questioned by those acquainted with his character and life. He LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'bB.IEN 31 was impulsive in thought and action, rather than deliberate and calculating; and although he may have appeared at times to enter upon undertakings without having counted the cost, it was in appearance only, for by a sort of intuition he was able to see the end of an enterprise from the beginning, and, with reliance upon his powers of achievement, he engaged in it with unfaltering confidence of ultimate success. In his likes and dislikes Jeremiah O'Brien was strong. Into whatever undertaking he entered he threw his whole soul ; indeed, he could do nothing by halves ; he was, in other words, well endowed with the quali- ty of earnestness, of which a famous author* re- marks: "Earnestness is the best gift of mental power, and deficiency of heart is the cause of many men never becoming great." Of the O'Brien's of Machias, of whom Jeremiah O'Brien was an excel- lent representative, a recent authorf in an article in one of our popular monthlies significantly speaks, as " a bold and energetic Protestant family * * * * There is one element of the character of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien which should not go un- mentioned, as an explanation, if for no other purpose, of the persecution of which he was for several years, * Bulwer. t M. E. C. Smith, in "Machias in the Revolution and Afterward," in the New England Magazine. 22 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN during the War of the American Revolution, the object — reference is here made to his outspokenness, which, coupled with an intense patriotism, called down upon his head the fierce wrath of the tories of Machias, of whom there were not a few, and whose activity, owing to their proximity to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, was bold and aggressive. To say that Captain Jeremiah O'Brien was possessed of a high sense of honor is but to assert what his entire career as naval commander, business man and gov- ernment employee clearly confirms — honor, of which it has been said: " 'Tis the finest sense of Justice which the human mind can frame." As to his patri- otism, already casually mentioned— we may say, it was of the sort that withheld nothing from his country within the scope of his ability to give j in illustration of which statement it may be said that for the benefit of his crews, whose wages were insuf- ficient and irregularly paid, he expended, while in command of the Machias Liberty and the Diligent during the War of the Revolution, nearly his entire wages. " A gentleman has ease without familiarity; is respectful without meanness ; genteel without affec- tation, insinuating without seeming art."* It is the testimon}' of one whose acquaintance with Colonel Jeremiah O'Brien was intimate: — " He was a gentle- * Chesterfield. LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEEEMIAH O'BRIEN 23 man." It was no ordinary tribute to the character of Captain O'Brien, — the fact, — that among those whom Rev. James Lyon, pastor of the Congrega- tional Church, of Machias, was disposed to choose as companions in his contemplated invasion of Nova Scotia during the War of the American Revolution, was Jeremiah O'Brien, then (1775) thirty-one years of age. In writing to Washington concerning the proposed expedition to Nova Scotia for the purpose of adding it to the American colonies, Mr. Lyon says : " Your Excellency may enquire about me as much as you please, of * * * Captain O'Brien, and * * * for these gentlemen I should choose to have as companions. " CHAPTER II. OPENING OF THE REVOLUUION. Imminence of War — Tribute to Machias Patriotism — Vague Reports of Lexington and Concord Engagements Reach Machias — Jeremiah O'Brien Assists in Raising a Liberty Pole — Arrival from Boston of the Unity and Polly con- voyed by the British Armed Vessel Margaretta — Dis- crimination of Captain Ichabod Jones in the Distribution of Provisions — Town Meetings Dominated by Jeremiah O'Brien and Brothers — Opposition to Lumber being taken to Boston for the British Army of Occupation — Threat of Captain Moore of the Margaretta to Burn the Town — Machias Patriots Thoroughly Aroused — Local Conflict Imminent. Reinforcements Requested from Neighbor- ing Villages — Jeremiah O'Brien Attends a Secret Meeting of Patriots — War Fearlessly Declared at "O'Brien's Brook" — Unsuccessful Attempt to Make Captain Moore a Prisoner — Margaretta Pursued Down the River — Brisk Engagement — The British Vessel to be Captured at all Hazards — British Threats Received by Machias Patriots with Shouts of Derision — The Margaretta Safely Anchored for the Night. "Freedom's soil hath only place For a free and fearless race. ' ' — Whitticr. "To have freedom, is only to have that which is abso- lutely necessary to enable us to be what we ought to be, and to possess what we ought to possess." — Rehel. "Better to dwell in Freedom's hall, With a cold damp floor and mouldering wall, Than bow the head and bend the knee In the proudest palace of slaverie." — Moore. " 'Tis home-felt pleasure prompts the patriot's sigh This makes him wish to live, and dare to die." — Campbell. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 25 WHEN war with the mother country became imminent the people of Machias, nothwith- standing their remoteness from the commercial cen- ters of Colonial da^-s, and their proximity to the loyal British provinces of Nova Scotia and New Bruns- wich, fearlessly resolved to join the patriots of Lex- ington and Concord in their armed resistance to the persistently pursued aggressions of the home govern- ment, whose armies and fleets had already invaded American territory. " They were going to war with him " (King George the Third), says an authority* already quoted, "without one thought of the chances, and without waiting to know whether another colony or another man was likely to back them." Of these sturdy frontiersmen it may with special aptness be said : ' ' They dared be in the right with two or three." And the women of Machias, not a few of whom bore a highly commendable part in the struggle for national independence, may with splen- did propriety have said, with the women of long ago : "We are brave men's mothers, and brave men's wives, We are ready to do and to dare; We are ready to man your walls with our lives, And string your bows with our hair." Too much praise ean scarcely be given the inhabi- tants of this extreme frontier town for the truly noble part borne by them, in the early months, particularly, * Hon. George F. Talbot, of Portland, Me. 36 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN of the War of the American Revolution, for at the opening of this war there were less than one hundred single men in Machias (some authorities place the number at eighty) ; they were, as already remarked, isolated from the other colonists ; they were without the sinews of war; they had only provisions for a few weeks, and a further supply would almost certainly be rendered impossible by a vigilant foe — and yet, alone and apparently helpless, these brave spirits virtually declared war against Great Britain, and for a period of two years so harassed and humiliated their powerful foe, that Machias received from the British authorities the significant name of the "Hor- net's Nest." A vague report of the engagements at Lexington and Concord had reached Machias early in the month of the May following these occurrences, and, accord- ing to some authorities in the latter part of April. Some writers inform us that the report was brought by a sailing vessel from Boston, — which the author ventures to say seems the more probable source of information — while others tell us it was brought over- land by mounted couriers, and these latter authorities even describe the arrival of the fiery steed, white with foam, and jaded from the long and difficult journey across the intervening country, which was " a roadless, almost pathless wilderness, above which. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'bEIEN 27 in three or four places only, rose the smoke from the cabins of solitary settlers." As to the roads, which extended only twenty miles to the westward of Ma- chias — to quote a well-informed writer — they "were infamous" ; hence the chief means of communication with the colonists to the westward was by water. The sailing distance to Boston from Machias was not far from three hundred miles, which, with propitious weather, would occupy several days. It was not many days after the engagements at Lexington and Concord that the officials of Machias received the Proclamation of the Provincial Congress of Massachussetts, "authorizing and requiring prepa- rations and efforts incident to a state of hostility." Under the leadership of the bolder spirits of the vil- lage, among whom were Jeremiah O'Brien, and his brothers, Gideon and John, a liberty pole — or more accurately speaking, a liberty tree — was raised, as a symbol of the Freedom they and their compatriots were fully resolved to achieve. There is some differ- ence of opinion as to the exact location of this liberty pole, or liberty tree, which consisted of a tall, straight pine tree, with limbs and foliage all cut away except a large green tuft at the extreme top. By some it is said to have been set up in front and somewhat to the left of where Libby Hall now stands — as one ap- proaches it — and on the same side of the present 38 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN roadway. By others it is said to have been on the opposite side of the roadway near the site of the Smith residence. From a modern author* we beg to quote the following: " Accordingly, the next day a public meeting of the inhabitants was called, at which it was voted to comply fully with the requisi- tions of the proclamation of the Provincial Congress. and, as a symbol of their resolutions, it was b}" accla- mation voted that a Liberty pole be immediately erected. On the adjournment of the meeting, the O'Briens and a number of the more active spirits set about the work. Selecting the tallest tree they could find, they stripped it of its branches, leaving a tuft of verdure at the top. In the meantime a deep hole had been dug in which to plant it; and long be- fore sunset, amid the shouts of the assembled inhabi- tants and the discharge of muskets, the tall pole was «et and secured. This work accomplished, the peo- ple gathered around it and solemnly pledged them- selves to resist the oppression of the mother country, and if occasion called, to sacrifice their property and shed their heart's blood, in defence of the colony. A.fter this exciting scene they gradually dispersed, firmly but anxiously awaiting the course of events." * George W. Drisko, Esq., of Machias, Me., in "The Liberty Pole; a Tale of Machias." LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 39 On Friday, the second of June, 1775, there ar- rived at the mouth of the Machias river, from Bos- ton, two sloops, the Unity. a,nd the Polly, belonging to Captain Ichabod Jones, a well-to do merchant of the above mentioned city, who, almost from the set- tlement of Machias had been the broker and commer- cial agent — or, as another writer has expressed it, " the moneyed partner " — of the inhabitants. Cap- tain Jones was bringing the household goods of several resident families of Boston, including those of his son, who, to escape the distress of threatened war were fleeing the city, already in possession of the British, and removing temporarily to Machias. These vessels, which probably remained at the mouth of ihe river a day or two, confirmed the indefinite re port previously received concerning the engagements between the British regulars and the Colonists at Lexington and Concord ; and through letters received from friends in Boston and vicinity, brought by these vessels, the particulars were learned — hovsr forty-nine Americans had been slain ; how Jorathon Harring- ton, after being mortally wounded on the Green at Lexington, had dragged himself to his own front door, a few rods distant, where he dropped dead at the feet of his wife; how at the Concord bridge next day, Abner Hosmer and Isaac Davis, had been slain ; and how, from behind fences and stone walls, the 30 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN Colonists, among whom were old men and 3^ouths, had harrassed the retreating British regulars, caus- ing not a few of them to " bite the dust " of Massa- chusetts roads. On board the Unity were provisions for the in- habitants of Machias, who at that time had scarcely three weeks' supply on hand. It should be here re- marked that for a period of ten years Captain Jones had furnished the people of Machias with provisions, for which he had taken their lumber in exchange. Captain Jones' sloops were convoyed by the British armed vessel Margaretta, of about one hundred tons burden, and carrying four four pound guns and twenty swivels. She had a crew of about forty men, in command of mid-shipman James Moore, a rela- tive — some say a nephew — of Admiral Graves, com- mander-in-chief of the British naval forces in Massa- chusetts waters. On Saturday, June 3, which was the next day after his arrival at Machias, Captain Jones caused to be circulated among the inhabitants a paper, or contract, for them to sign, giving him permission to load his sloops with lumber for Boston, and agreeing, also, to protect him in so doing; and he made the signing of this contract the condition on which he would furnish the inhabitants with the pro- visions brought on the Unity, of which he well knew they were in great need. The paper did not, how- LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 31 ever, receive a sufficient number of signatures to satisfy Jones. Judging from the character of the man, as known by the author, he has no hesitation in saying that among those who declined to sign Jones' contract was Jeremiah O'Brien; who, forsee- ing war with the mother country, and mistrusting, as did a few others in the village, that the special kind of lumber desired for Jones' sloops was intended for the use of the British army of occupation in Boston, was opposed to its being carried thither, on the ground that it would be giving aid and encourage- ment to his country's enemies. The citizens of Machias were also required, as we have seen, by the paper put in circulation by Jones, to protect him in the loading of his sloops with lumber for Boston ; but Jeremiah O'Brien was the last man in the world to permit the British authorities to make "a tool" of him for the furtherance of their own selfish ends. Protect Captain Jones, as an agent of the British government? Not he! Failing in his attempt to thus procure the assent and protection of the inhabitants of Machias to the loading of his sloops with lumber for Boston, Captain Jones, with the aid of Stephen Jones, Esq., his nephew, a resident merchant of the village, had a meeting called, to be held on Tuesday, the sixth of June, that the matter might be submitted to a vote 32 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN of the citizens. At this meeting Captain Jones made a statement, in which he claimed that he was re- quired by Admiral Graves, as the condition of his being permitted to leave Boston with provisions, to make the promise that he would return with cargoes of lumber ; and that the Margaretta had been sent as a convoj' by Graves to insure the fulfillment, on his part, of this promise. Jones also presented to the meeting what purported to be a petition from the selectmen of Boston requesting him to return and re- move other families from the city. There is little doubt that among the minority who in this meeting voted against " Jones' scheme," as it has been called, was Jeremiah O'Brien ; but in spite of his strenuous opposition, and that of others who saw "eye to eye" with him in the matter, a majority of those present acceded to Captain Jones' proposition. This they did, however, as a matter of expediency, since the inhabitants were greatly in need of provisions; and since, also, they supposed themselves to be wholly at the mercy of the guns of the Margaretta anchored in the river but a few rods distant from their homes. It may be needless to remark that these conditions counted for but little with such bold, energetic and resourceful men as Jeremiah O'Brien and a few others, in whose active minds plans were perhaps already beginning to take shape for the deliverance Z HI y ~ -r OTJ o w s^u* u g-H^" .&£h rive Una: ison use. w > V^ H O M •=-^ 5j=i Pi s-°s-^ rp <1 X a<4- :j?^ t> P 0£ ^ < ■n'n*;^ ^ a «f^ B K ■"" •§ X a o ^U ■^ o-=i« fe J^Oj:.-S few edge d wi the °7:.i»f* X 3e seen te of th re suppl igh elm e page i o f- Oj s picture se mark househo en, near year i8.: ■s^.-j- s •-.«;«:: ora&o f?-oP-£ LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 33 of the distressed inhabitants from their dilemma. Had it been absolutely certain, however, that the lumber to be loaded on to Jones' sloops was to be used for the British army in Boston, the citizens of Machias in public meeting assembled would, without a doubt, have voted without a dissenting voice against Jones' proposition, in spite of their sore need of provisions, and of the helpless condition in which the majority supposed themselves to be. But the fact is that up to this time it had only been surmised, even by the more alert citizens of the village, that the lumber Jones desired was to be used for the British army in Boston ; a,nd not until a few days afterward, when it was too late to remedy the matter bj' a re- cission of their vote, was it ascertained, b}- an ex- amination of papers found on board the confiscated Unity and Polly, that both of Captain Jones' sloops were in the employ of the British government. The following extract from a public document* furnishes a striking confirmation of the statement above made : " Since the express left this by whom we transmitted an account of the 21argaretta, one of the King's tenders, we have discovered, upon examining the papers, that both of Captain Jones' sloops, of about SO tons each, were in the King's service." * Communication of the Machias Committee of Safety, of June 17, 1775, to the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. 34 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Upon the adjournment of the meeting of June 6, just mentioned, Captain Jones at once brought his sloops to the wharf in the village, and began the un- loading and distribution of the provisions to the ia • habitants, preparatory to loading his vessels with lumber ; but he discriminated in favor of those who had "favored him," refusing credit to such of the citizens as had opposed his carrying lumber to Bos- ton. If any proof of this statement is required, we beg to quote the following language:* "After ob- taining this vote. Captain Jones immediately ordered his vessels to the wharf, and distributed his provis- ions among those only who voted in favor of his carrying lumber to Boston." Jeremiah O'Brien and his two elder brothers, it is safe to say, were among the number to whom Jones, contrary to his custom, refused credit; since they had at every step endeavor- ed to thwart his pet scheme. If, as an ancient au- thor declares : " The first step to wisdom is to be exempt from folly," — then Captain Jones can hardly be credited with the display of wisdom in his poHcy of discrimination in the distribution of provisions, for he defeated the very end he sought. The liberty pole erected by the " heroic O'Briens" and other citizens of Machias soon after receiving the * From the communication of of the Committee of Safety, of June 14, 1775, to the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 35 report of the affair at Lexington and Concord, stand- ing as it did, upon an elevation in the village over- looking the river, was a conspicuous object, as indeed, it was intended to be; hence it is not difficult to im- agine that Captain Moore, from the quarter-deck of the Margaretta, Ij'iug at anchor in the river but a few rods distant, was deeply irritated by the sight of it ; for it greeted his eyes as he issued from his cabin each morning : as, day by day, he paced to and fro on his quarter-deck ; and it smiled significantly upon him as he doused his glim," and turned in for the night. The following extract from "The Liberty Pole, A Tale of Machias," will give the reader an in- sight into Captain Moore's state of mind with regard to the symbol of Freedom erected by the patriots of Machias: "Observing the Liberty Pole, Captain Moore landed, and demanded of a group who had collected around the landing-place, who had erected it. " That pole, sir," answered John O'Brien, " was erected bj' the unanimous approval of the people of Machias." "Well, sir," rejoined the officer, "with or without their approval, it is my duty to declare it must come down." " Alusi come down!" repeated O'Brien, with some warmth ; ' ' those words are very easily spoken, my friend. You will find, I appre- hend, that it is easier to make than it will be to en- force a demand of this kind.' 'What! Am I to 36 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN understand that resistance will be made ? Will the people of Machias dare to disregard an order, not originating with me, gentlemen, but with the govern- ment whose officer lam?' 'The people of Machias,' replied O'Brien, ' will dare do anything in mainte- nance of their principles and rights. ' ' It is useless to bandy words,' rejoined the officer, a little nettled at the determined spirit manifested around him;' ' my orders are peremptory and must be obeyed. That Liberty Pole must be taken down, or it will be my painful duty to fire upon the town.' " Stephen Jones, Esq., a nephew of Captain Ichabod Jones and a resident merchant of Machias, made it his business to see Captain Moore, with whom he had consider- able influence, whom he persuaded to defer the exe- cution of his threat, representing to him that if a public meeting of the citizens were called they might vote to have the liberty pole taken down. A meet- ing was, therefore, called, with the result that the pole was allowed to remain. Again Captain Moore; fear- ing the loss of prestige with his crew if his threat re- mained unexecuted, fixed a day for firing upon the town; but again he was dissuaded from the rash action by Stephen Jones, Esq., the peace-maker, who recommended to the British officer, that the first meeting not having been fully attended, another should be called to afford the citizens an opportunity LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'SEIEN 37 to suitably express themselves in the matter; but at this second meeting the vote was practically unani- mous not to remove the liberty pole; it was resolved to let it remain " until it rots away." These meetings, if we may rely upon traditional reports which have come down to the present generation, were dominated by Jeremiah O'Brien and his brothers. The attitude of Captain Moore with regard to the removal of the liberty pole, and his persistent threats to burn the vil- lage, so thoroughly aroused the slumbering indigna- tion of the inhabitants of Machias, including even the more conservative element of the community, that they spontaneously resolved, not only that the cherished emblem of Freedom raised by them should not be disturbed, but that Captain Jones' sloops should not be allowed to return to Boston with lumber. ' ' It is probable" — and we quote these words of an intelli- gent historian,* as a most striking confirmation of the above statement " that the permission (to re- turn to Boston with lumber) would have been carried out in good faith had not the Captain of the Marga- retta unnecessarily provoked a quarrel with the in- habitants." Captain Moore, who it appears began, when too late, to realize that he had overstepped the bounds of discretion, was again restrained from the * The Hon. George F. Talbot, of Portland, Me., in one of his historical addresses. 38 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN execution of his threat by the promise of Stephen Jones, Esq., to have a third meeting of the citizens called for Monday, June 12, 1775, at the same time reminding him of the parting admonition of Admiral Graves to him, on leaving Boston, to avoid provok- ing hostilities with the people of Machias. Before another public meeting of the citizens of Machias could be held, however, agencies had been set in motion which entirely changed the aspect of things, and rendered such meeting superfluous. Anticipating that a local conflict might result from the unswerving determination of the people of Machias to defend the liberty pole in the event of its attempted removal by the British, and realizing the disadvantages under which they would labor in such a conflict, swift messengers were therefore secretly despatched to several of the villages to the westward, requesting reinforcements to be hurried forward at once. In the meantime a small party of men had been gathered at East Machias, who, crossing the Machias river on Saturday afternoon, June 10, 1775, at a point about two miles below Machias, and to the southerlj'^ side of the stream, sent a delegation up to consult with the O'Briens, whom they recognized as among the leading citizens of the settlement, with reference to a plan of future operations. To Jere- miah O'Brien and his father and brothers, the LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN o'.) idea of seizing the officers of the Margaretta and the Jones while at church on the following day, and afterward capturing the British vessel, was suggested. From a gentleman who resided in Machias from the year 1830 to the year 1887, and who heard from the lips of old residents the early history of the village, the author received at first hand the statement that it was at the house of Morris O'Brien that the delegation from the East Machias party met for consultation with the O'Briens. This house stood about half a mile below the " lower bridge ' and a little off the Machiasport road down toward the Machias river. The cellar hole and not a few of the foundation stones are still to be seen. A picture of the site of this house may be seen in the Appendix in this volume. From a letter of an old and prominent resident of Machias,* written in the j'ear 1825, when he was 86 years of age, we quote the following leference to the pre-revolutionary his tory of that frontier town : '"Mr. O'Brien, (Morris) tried to persuade Mr. Foster and his partj' to desist and observed to them that considering our situation at so great a distance from anj- support, that our sup- plies must all come by water, that there was not any road by land and that the measure they proposed * Stephen Jones, Esq., in his '■Historic Account of Ma- chias, Me." 40 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN must inevitably bring on the destruction of the place; but nothing that they could say had any effect to prevent Foster and his party from attempting to exe- cute the measure they had set upon. Mr. Jeremiah O'Brien and brothers, and Mr. Elliott, (their brother- in-law) finding that they were determined thought they might as well join them as not and take the lead in the measure."* The author is disposed to credit the statements above made as to the reluctance of Morris O'Brien to approve of the plan of siezing Captain Moore and his ofiScers and the Jones while at church, and on the following grounds : ' He was well advanced in life, being at the time about sixty years of age, when, if ever, a man's judgment is ripe ; he understood the situation of the settlement — the scarcity of provisions, the difficulty of procuring a fresh supply, and the defenceless condition of the people. He very naturally, therefore, shrank from provoking the destruction of the property which with self-sacrificing labor had been acquired, and the loss of life, and the suffering it would entail upon the in- habitants, women and children, particularly. That he should, under the circumstances, have "taken counsel of his fears," as he seems to have done, is no discredit to this staunch American patriot. But the implication of Mr. Jones' letter of the reluctance of * The italics are the author's. tn it> « *j - (-{ •|.5i£|^ o Co oy * aJ iLJ ,, m r=i,^ ^ (fifl ™ flj a S ■" O jj ■^'O t; ^ M£-cgg.2 1-3 c (ft oJ^-MJi -j; to t; jn s to y Si g o a sg ^ 4j -I'm 2 - aj IGti - fft ^- fast's" o O u - < rt j= St ^T fr c -S 5 «i oj bo u) 3 &o O O (]> fi P..S o -- 5 - »S8S LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 41 Jeremiah O'Brien and his brothers to approve of the plan of seizing the British officers and the Jones at church, the author is positively indisposed to accept; Mr. Jones must, we think, have been misinformed; the O'Brien boys were " cats of another color." On Sunday morning, June 11, 1775, at about ten o'clock, a secret meeeting was held, in accordance with previous arrangement, on the Machiasport road, at a place then known as " O'Brien's Brook, " which ran across the road and down through Morris O'Brien's meadow, and thence into the Machias river. When, in the latter part of the month of July, 1900, the author last visited the scene of the above-mention- ed meeting, the brook was nearly dry; but earlier and later in the season it is considerably swollen. At the meeting of June 11, 1775, there were present the principal men of Machias and the surrounding vil- lages. The idea of seizing the officers of the Marga- retta and the Jones while at church, and of after- ward capturing the British vessel, and thus avoid, as they hoped, the shedding of blood, was thoroughly discussed. Opinion was at fir^t divided as to the feasibility and expediency of the scheme. Lieuten- ant Benjamin Foster, as a means of producing una- nimity of sentiment, declared that war having al- ready been inaugurated by the mother country with " the first drop of American blood shed at Lexing- 43 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ton, the sooner they took a hand in it the better." Not a few of the party still hesitating about commit- ting themselves to so hazardous an undertaking, Fos- ter boldly stepped across the brook (since known as " the Rubicon ") remarking as he did so: " Let all who are willing to strike for Freedom, follow me- Those who are in favor of British tyranny, and think it right to send lumber to Boston wherewith to build barracks for our oppressors, may stay where they are." A majority of those present, influenced bj' this fervent outburst of patriotism, immediately fol- lowed him. "Close at Foster's heels were the O'Briens, six strapping fellows," remarks a local historian.* The entire party soon crossed, and thus made the decision unanimous. The action of these men amount- ed to a virtual declaration of war against Great Britain by the citizens of Machias and vicinity. "The people of Machias are noted for having declared war against Great Britain and introducing the Revolution on their own responsibility," says the authority last quoted. Of this portion of the thrilling scene at "O'Brien's Brook" anotherf has facetiously remarked : " Every man soon followed him across the brook — the first instance I presume of ever ^polling the house ' in Machias parliamentary proceedings." * George W. Drisko, Esq., of Machias. t John C. Talbot, Esq., of East Machias. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 43 In those early days a morniDg and an afternoon preaching service on Sunday was the prevailing cus- tom in New England. Before the adjournment of the secret meeting at " O'Brien's Brook," it had been arranged that a portion of the party should attend the afternoon service in the village meeting house, and at a certain signal mutually agreed upon, (the blowing of a shrill whistle) the officers of the Mar- garetta and the Jones should be seized and held as prisoners ; and that the remainder of the party should surround the meeting house, and, in the event of the miscarriage of the attempted seizure, should prevent the escape of those selected for capture. John O'Brien, one of the advance party, it is said: "Carried his gun, and hid it under a board. He observed Captain Moore when he entered the church, and took a seat directly behind him, in order to take him pris- oner in case of alarm." The afternoon was warm and sultry. The windows of the little meeting house were all open. This modest sanctuary, erected only the previous year, was in an unfinished state, with- out pews, — rough boards having been temporarily arranged for seats. At one end of the room stood a rude pulpit. The building stood on an elevation over- looking the river. Almost opposite the meeting house, and off White's Point, a point of land running out between the Machias river and Middle river, lay the 44 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Margaretta riding peacefully at anchor. During the church service, conducted by the pastor, Rev. James Lyon — London Atus, the pastor's colored ser- vant, glanced out of one of the open windows and saw, about half a mile above the meeting house, a small party of men with muskets in their hands cross- ing the river on logs. " They were crossing the river on logs at a point above the tide waters," says a local historian.* Concluding that they were British soldiers — of whom he had heard much of late — ap- proaching for the purpose of attacking the village, Atus abruptly jumped to his feet, gave a loud yell, clambered with great haste over the backless seats to a convenient window, and, with a single bound (he was tall and athletic) reached the ground outside. " Pull- ing himself together," as best he could, he immedi- ately started on a headlong run for the adjacent woods, exclaiming lustily as he went: " Lord a- massy! Lord-a-massy!" As might be inferred, in- tense excitement and confusion reigned within the meeting house, in consequence of which the service came to an abrupt close. Captain Moore and the ofiScers with him, and Captain Ichabod Jones, were far from slow in realizing the situation, and amid the confusion of the moment all escaped from the * William Bartlett Smith, in "Historical Sketch of Machias." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 45 place — Captain Moore, in imitation of London Atus, leaping through an open window and hastening with unbecoming speed toward his vessel. Captain Jones outran Atus. reaching the adjacent woods ahead of his dusky contestant, where for several days he was secreted. Stephen Jones, Esq., less fortunate, was taken and kept under guard for a few days. Once Captain Moore and his under officer reached the water's edge, they stepped on board the gig awaiting them, in which they were hastily rowed to the Mar- fjaretta's side, and without waiting for the usual formalities hustled themselves on board. The vessel's anchors were immediately weighed, and, after dis- charging a few shots from his swivels over the vil- lage, to intimidate the pursuing party, Captain Moore dropped down the river a short distance, the embold- ened people following in small boats and canoes, and firing at the retreating "Britishers" with their musk- ets. A brisk engagement was kept up for several minutes. Again at anchor Captain Moore sent back word to the citizens of Machias that if any harm came to Captain Ichabod Jones or to his sloops he would return and burn the village; as he was deter- mined to protect Jones even at the risk of his own life. With shouts of derision the message of Captain Moore was received by Jeremiah C)'Brien and other 46 LIFB OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN village leaders. To a man of his fearless character such a threat was meaningless. ' ' Rocks have been shaken from their solid base, But what shall move a firm and dauntless mind ?' ' The liberty-loving inhabitants of Machias inspired by their heroic leaders became as one man in the deter- mination that Captain Jones' sloops should not re- turn writh lumber to Boston, and that the Marga- retta should be captured at all hazards. A selected party of men armed with muskets, at once hastened on foot toward the British vessel at her anchorage just below the village ; and from the banks on the southerly side of the river, opened a brisk fire upon her, at the same time demanding her surrender to America. Owing to the height of the river banks the Margaretta was unable to sufficiently elevate her guns to effectively return the fire of the attacking party. While broaching to in order to get out of range of the American musketry, the British vessel snap- ped her main boom, in consequence of which she be- came seriously crippled. Realizing the growing peril of the situation Captain Moore managed with no little difficulty to drop further down the river to Scott's Point, where he anchored for the night. As night came on the Americans gradually dispersed and re- turned to their homes. According to one account Captain Moore, on reaching Scott's Point lashed his LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BKIEN 47 vessel to the sides of an American sloop commanded by one Captain Toby, who was impressed on board the British vessel as pilot; the sloop was also robbed of its provisions to replenish the scanty larder of the Margaretta. 48 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH OBRIEN CHAPTER TIL A PERILOUS UNDERTAKING Meeting of Joseph Wheaton and Dennis O'Brien on Scott's Wharf— " Let's Go After and Take that Schooner"— The Sloop Unity Seized — The Plan of Operations Explained to Jeremiah O'Brien — "My Boys, "We Can Do It!" — Arms and Ammunition Hastily Collected — Captain Moore from the Rigging Watches the Movements in Machias— Crew and Armament of the Unity — The American Sloop De- scribed — She Sets Sail from the "Western Palos " — Jere- miah O'Brien Elected Commander of the Unity — Faint- Hearts Permitted to Return Home — The Margaretta Sighted Off Round Island — Captain Moore Tries to Avoid an Engagement. " How slow the time To the warm soul, that in the very instant It forms, would execute a great design." — Thomson. "He holds no parley with unmanly fears, Where duty bids he confidently steers, Faces a thousand dangers at her call, And, trusting to his God, surmounts them all." — Cowper. EARLY on Monday morning, June 12, 1775, Joseph Wheaton, a young man from New York residing temporarily in Machias,* and Dennis O'Brien, the youngest brother save one of Jeremiah O'Brien, were standing on one of the wharves, prob- ably Scott's, in the village, very naturally discussing the occurrences of the previous day, when Wheaton exclaimed : ' ' Dennis, let us go and take that LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 49 schooner." " How will you do it," said Dennis. "We can take Job Harris' sloop, get the people on board her, and take her," was Wheaton's reply. " With all my heart," said Dennis, ready for an ad- venture so big with promise. The agreement was no sooner made than two other young men who stood near were called and invited to join in the enterprise ; to which they readily assented. So entering a small boat moored near the wharf the four rowed out to the Unity, lying at anchor in the stream ; — boarded, and took possession of her, despite the vehement pro- testations of the captain, and took her to the wharf. On stepping ashore, these four young men, elated with their success thus far, swung their caps in the air, and gave three rousing cheers. This unusual proceeding brought a crowd to the spot, among whom were Jeremiah O'Brien, and his brothers Gideon and John. In his account of this scene on Scott's wharf a recent writer* remarks concerning Jeremiah O'Brien: "An athletic, gallant man, possessing a good character, and commanding the confidence of those among whom he lived." The project for cap- turing the Margaretta was explained by Wheaton to Jeremiah O'Brien, who, recognizing at once its feasibility, enthusiastically exclaimed, in a tone of voice raised above its ordinary pitch: " My boys, we * Henry B. Dawson in "The Action Oflf Machias." 50 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN can do it ! " That settled the matter for the entire crowd; for what " Jere " O'Brien said "went" in Machias; since, to employ the language of a modern writer* on naval affairs, he was " a village leader." Jeremiah O'Brien at once became the master-spirit of the occasion, and of the hazardous enterprize now on foot. Arras and ammunition and provisions were hurriedly collected and placed on board the sloop Unity; and amid the vociferous cheering of the throng, which by this time included nearly the entire population of the settlement — minister, women and children, not excepted — the sloop, (partially loaded with Ichabod Jones' lumber) with a favoring tide, and a breeze from the northwest, set sail, and to quote the choice words of anotherf — " The good sloop Unity left the Western Palos, and steered for the open sea — the pioneer vessel of the new world on the unknown, untried voyage of Liberty.^'' As to the character of the sloop Unity we beg to offer the following extract from a recent work on naval affairs •.% " It should be noted here that these sloops were single-masted vessels * * They were in form and rig very much like the one-masted vessels employed at the time of this writing (1897) in * Spear, in Hs "History of Our Navy." t Foxhall A. Parker, in ' 'The Capture of the Margaretta. " ' % "Spear's History of Our Navy." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIEN 51 carrying brick from the yards on the Hudson river to New York City, but they were not nearly as large as the brick carriers, though they probably stood as high out of the water, if not higher. A sloop-of-war was a very different vessel as will appear further on." As to the armament and crew of the sloop Unity the following extract from ' ' The Capture of the Mar- garetta "* will give the reader a satisfactory idea : " So with one impulse they collected and put on board twenty fowling-pieces, with three rounds of powder and ball, thirteen hayforks, a number of axes, a small bag of bread, a few pieces of pork and a barrel of water; the last thing being to mount an old wall- piece that they had found somewhere in the village, on bitts of the windlass. The crew consisted of about thirty-five athletic young fellows of the village «nd vicinity " — selected from the crowd at the wharf whence the Unity started. Among the crew of the Unity were five younger brothers of Jeremiah O'Brien, and the father of these sis sons, then sixty years of age, was only with some difficulty deterred from his purpose to accompany them on this perilous expe- dition, by the earnest and tender remonstrances of "theboj's," who considered themselves a suflScient sacrifice to laj^ upon their country's altar, without * By Foxhall A. Parker. 53 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN the immolation of their beloved parent. But to the honor of this heroic parent it should be said : ' ' The intent and not the deed Is in our power; and, therefore, who dares greatly Does greatly." . — Brown. Of the six stalwart sons embarking on that June morning in 1775, in the cause of Freedom, may we ■not pause to say ? — " Such earnest natures are the fiery pith, The compact nucleus, round which systems grow; Mass after mass becomes inspired therewith, And whirls impregnate with the central glow. ' ' If, as Aristotle says : "Justice is to give to every man his own " — then we ought not to neglect here re- cording, that among the crew of the Unity was " Dick " Earl, already referred to as the colored ser- vant of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien. Earl had a com- fortable home with Captain O'Brien until the decease of the former about the year 1800. Captain Moore, mounting the rigging of his ves- sel, had, from his anchorage below the village of Machias, with the aid of his spy-glass, witnessed across the low land intervening, the entire scene at the wharf where the Unity lay. He had intently watched the people as they hurried to and from the sloop in their preparations for the contemplated at- tack on his vessel; and, surmising at length their purpose he promptly weighed anchor, and in his crippled condition from the loss of his main boom, LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIEN 53 fell down the river and ran into Holmes' Bay. Here he found an American schooner just in from Nor- wich, Connecticut, of which Robert Avery was cap- tain. Avery was impressed on board the British vessel as pilot; his provisions were taken for the British crew ; the main boom of his vessel was hur- riedly transfered to the Margaretta and properly adjusted, and Captain Moore then put toward the sea, evidently desiring to avoid a conflict with the Unity. Lieutenanb Benjamin Foster had early on the morning of June 12 set out from Machias to East Machias, (his place of residence) where he procured a schooner — the Falmouth Packet — gathered a vol- unteer crew, and in due time started down the East Machias river with the intention of joining Jeremiah O'Brien at the "Rim" to participate in the attack on the Margaretta. It was, however, the misfortune of Lieutenant Foster and his crew to get aground on their way down the river to join Jeremiah O'Brien ; and he could not, as he soon ascertained, be floated until the mid-day tide. Foster, therefore, promptly despatched a messenger in a little fishing skiff to Jeremiah O'Brien to inform him of his predicament. The tes- timony of history is to the effect that "the blood of the young men" on the Unity, "was now up, and they swore loudly they 'could take the Englishman without the Falmouth Packet'; and giving three 54 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN rousing cheers, they despatched the boat back to Foster with the news of their spirited determination." The Falmouth Packet was floated too late in the day to take any part in the capture of the Marga- retta. The Unity had set sail from Machias without any duly appointed commander. On sighting the Mar- garetta, therefore, and beginning more fully to rea- lize the seriousness of the business on hand, the necessity of a recognized leader dawned upon the minds of the young men on the American sloop, who, moved by a common impulse had started out that June morning on the perilous task of capturing a British vessel, whose armament consisted of ' ' four (some say ten) six-pounders, twenty swivels- — (short and thick guns firing a one-pound ball, and mounted on swivels placed on the vessel's railing), two wall- pieces, forty muskets, forty cutlasses, forty pikes, forty boarding axes, two boxes of hand-grenades, and ten pairs of pistols, with an ample supply of powder and ball. She was manned with two com- missioned officers and thirty-eight warrant and petty officers and men — forty in all." Joseph Wheaton, whose quick judgment had recognized in Jeremiah O'Brien the requisite elements of successful leader- ship, nominated him for that position, and, without a dissenting voice he was elected, "in good Ameri- LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 55 can fashion," as commander of the Unity's crew. Being convinced of the necessity of unanimity of action in the important undertaking before him, Jeremiah O'Brien's first official act, after assuming command of the Unity was to give to any who were disinclined to see the undertaking through, the oppor- tunity to go ashore ; and three of the crew who had been the most demonstrative on terra firma availed themselves of the opportunity, and, entering the small boat placed at their disposal by Captain O'Brien, rowed back to Machias. " Now, my brave fellows, having got rid of those white livered cowards, our first business will be to get along side of the schooner yonder ; and the first man who boards her shall be entitled to the palm of honor." Such is the characteristic exclamation attributed to Captain O'Brien, as the three men above-mentioned rowed away from the Unity's side, as related bj- a local historian.* Before narrating the particulars of the engage- ment between the Unity and the Margaretta we beg to offer, what we are certain will be of deep interest to readers, the names of the Unity's crew, which we do in the words of a respected historical authority, f * George W. Drisko, Esq., in "The I,iberty Pole, A Tale of Machias." t William Bartlett Smith, in "Historical Sketch of Ma- chias." 56 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ' ' I have not been able to obtain the names of all the persons who were on board of the sloop (Unity) en- gaged in taking the Margaretta. Jeremiah O'Brien, afterwards known as Col. O'Brien, was in command as before stated; Edmund Stevens then of Addison Settlement, was Lieutenant; Gideon O'Brien, John O'Brien, William O'Brien, Richard Earl, a negro who lived with Col. O'Brien, Samuel Watts, Jona- than Knight, who afterwards removed to Calais, a man by the name of Steele from Pleasant River, Josiah Weston, John Merrit, John Barry, Isaac Taft, James Cole, Coolbroth, McNeil, Nathaniel Crediforth, John Hall, John Wheaton, William Fenlason, Joseph Libbee, (not the deacon) Ezekiel Foster, Simon Brown, Joseph Clifford, Bariah Rice, Jonathan Brown, Samuel Whitney, Josiah Libbee, Elias Hoit, and Joseph Getchell, are the names of all the persons I have been able so far to find, who were concerned in this attack. Of these, none are now (1863) living.'' To this list the author begs to add the names of Dennis O'Brien and Joseph O'Brien, both of whom were on board of the Unity. "Joseph was a lad of sixteen, and was very anxious to take a hand in the fray, but was forbidden to do so; consequently he secreted himself on board the sloop, and in the engagement proved himself a brave fighter, and later was given the sword (that of Captain Moore sur- LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 57 rendered to Captain O'Brien) as the baby of the crew."* Mr. Smith gives the name of John Whea- ton as among the crew of the Unity; there was a Joseph Wheaton on board, and the author presumes it is he Mr. Smith refers to. The lumber on board the Unity was utilized by her crew for breastworks for protection from the enemy's fire. When first sighted off Round Island, in Machias Bay, the Margaretta was still headed for the sea, as if desirous of avoiding the American sloop. The reason for this has never, so far as the author is aware, been satisfactorily explained. It may have been in obedience to instructions given Captain Moore by Admiral Graves on the departure of the former from Boston — which were to avoid pro- voking a quarrel with the Americans. It may have been because there were (as may be inferred from what seems to be a reliable report) on board the Mar- garetta two ladies, relatives of Captain Ichabod Jones, to one of whom Captain Moore was engaged to be married; and they may have been on their way to Halifax where the marriage ceremony was to be performed. If this were the case Captain Moore would very naturally wish to avoid a conflict which * Extract from a letter to the author from Mrs. Mary O'Brien Brown, of Machias, Me., a descendant of Gideon O'Brien. 58 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN might result in the injury of his feminine passengers. Or, again Captain Moore may have endeavored to avoid a conflict with the Unity from humane con- siderations. (Captain Moore) "seems to have been a brave man, intent upon his duties, and who, as he must have believed, in a time of peace, did not con- sider that it would be actually necessary to turn his heavy guns upon a nearly unarmed party of fellow British subjects. "* It could not have been for lack of courage that the British captain sought to avoid the Unity, — subsequent events afford no ground whatever for this conclusion. * Hon. George F. Talbot. LIFE OF CAPTAIX JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 59 CHAPTER IV. CAPTURE OF THE MARGARETTA Captain Moore Unable to Escape — He Hails the Unity — Cap- tain O'Brien Demands the Margaretta' s Surrender — The Two Vessels Come Together and Separate — The Second Time the Unity is Lashed to the "Britisher" — A Sharp Fight Ensues — Captain Moore Hurls Hand-Grenades at Captain O'Brien — Order Given to Board — Captain Moore Mortally Wounded — Twenty Men with Pitchforks Board the Margaretta — Hand-to-Hand Conflict — British Vessel Surrenders to Captain O'Brien — Captain O'Brien Hauls Down the British Ensign — ^The Margaretta Taken to Ma- chias — Great Rejoicings — Captain O'Brien Congratulated upon His Brilliant Achievement — Captain Moore Dies Lamented — Overwhelming Testimony to the Brilliancj- of the Victory, the First of the Revolution. " It is praisworthy even to attempt a great action. ' ' — La Rochefoucauld. ' ' Then more fierce The conflict grew; the din of arms — the yell Of savage rage — the shriek of agony — The groan of death, commingled in one sound Of undistinguish'd horrors; while the sun, Retiring slow beneath the plain's far verge, Shed o'er the quiet hills his fading light." — Southey. ' ' A very good piece of work, I assure you. " — Shakespeare, MT^HINKING thereby to accelerate the speed of his ■*■ vessel Captain Moore hurriedly cut away his small boats from the stern and set them adrift in the choppy sea of the bay. The Un ity being the better sailer was steadily gaining on the British vessel, not- withstanding the latter had the advantage of a full 60 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN hour's start in the race. As the American sloop neared the Margaretta, Captain Moore, convinced that he would be overtaken, called out from his quarter-deck: "Sloop ahoj'! keep off, or I'll fire!" Undaunted by this ominous threat. Captain O'Brien's voice rang out over the intervening waters : " In America's name I demand your surrender ! " The threat to fire upon the Unity being repeated, one of her ofiicers replied : " Fire away and be damned ! " These words were scarcely out of the ofiBcer's mouth when, with one of her stern swivels, the Margaretta opened fire on her belligerent pursuer, killing one of the Unity^s crew — McNeil, who was handling the wall- piece — and mortally wounding James Coolbroth. Without a moment's delay a man by the name of Knight assumed the charge of the wall-piece, and, taking deliberate aim, fired, sending a ball straight through the head of the Margaretta's helmsman, in consequence of which the British quarter-deck was immediately cleared. "He (Knight) was probably from the back-wooks and a moose-hunter, for he was bright enough and skillful enough to pick off the man at the schooner's helm. And that shot drove every- body off the schooner's quarter-deck, so that she was left, as a sailor might say, 'to take charge of her- self.' "* Almost at the same instant a volley of mus- * " Spear's History of Our Navy." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 61 ketry issued from the Unity's deck with telling effect upon the astonished enemy. The Margaretta being for the moment without a helmsman broached to under the bow of the Unity, whose bowsprit tore into the main-sail of her enemy, holding the two vessels together for a few moments. During this time John O'Brien sprang from the bow of the Unity to the Margaretta's deck, when suddenly the ves- sels parted, leaving the intrepid boarder alone on the British vessel. Seven of the Margaretta's crew promptly discharged their muskets at young O'Brien; but he remained unhurt. They then charged on the "Yankee" intruder with their bayonets; and to save his life ho jumped overboard, and, amid a hail of balls from the British vessel swam to the Unity, now some thirty yards distant, and was assisted on board. "Brother John, you have won the palm. But man the sweeps, my hearties, and lay us alongside once more, and stand ready to fasten on to him when you reach him." Such were the re assuring words of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, as he shook his brother by the hand, after the latter had reached the Unity's deck. As the Margaretta was to be taken by boarding Captain O'Brien now gave orders to have the Unity brought alongside the British vessel, and by skillful maneuvering on the part of the Unity's helmsman 62 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIKN this was done; and, as the sides of the two vessels touched they were promptly lashed together by some of Captain O'Brien's crew previously appointed for the purpose. Twenty men armed with pitchforks had also been selected by Captain O'Brien to board the British vessel and engage with her crew. Before the Margaretta's decks were gained, however, a sharp fight at close range took place. Captain Moore mounting the quarterdeck railing, sword in hand, endeavored to encourage his men, who looked no longer with contempt upon American lumbermen and "haymakers." When the fight seemed to be going against him, Captain Moore, ordering hand-grenades brought to him, began throwing them with his own hands upon the deck of the American sloop. He could not avoid seeing that Captain O'Brien was the master-spirit on board the Unity, and, believing that his removal from personal command would demoral- ize her crew, he now directed his attention to the American commander, and deliberately threw at him several hand-grenades; but O'Brien remained un- harmed ; in the midst of the carnage of the hour he seemed to bear a charmed life. One of the Unity's crew — Samuel Watts — who had presumably wit- nessed Captain Moore's personal attempt upon the life of Captain O'Brien, deliberately raised his rifle, and after careful aim fired, sending a ball into the LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 63 Briton's uniformed breast ; either Watts, or another of the American crew, sent a second ball into Moore's breast, when, with sword in hand, and with face to the foe, he fell backward upon his own deck mor- tally wounded. " Samuel Watts — a brother of Hannah Weston (or Watts) — a lad eighteen years of age, always claimed to have fired the fatal shot by which Captain Moore fell. Circumstances indicate the truthfulness of his claim * • * jjj. "Watts, by whose unerring aim he (Captain Moore) fell, was pensioned by government for his services in this engagement, and subsequent service in aiding the people of Ma- chias to repulse the British at various times. His grave may be found in a private burying ground on the Hall farm, in Jonesboro. His memory deserves a monument * * * ijjjg marks — a little mound — incident to a common grave, are not enough."* The scanty store of ammunition on board the Unity was now nearly exhausted; and Captain O'Brien was not slow in seeing, therefore, that the auspicious moment had arrived for boarding the enemy's vessel. Up to this moment the men selected to board had been lying down, wherever shelter could be found, as a protection against the Margaretta's fire. Above the din of battle and the groans of the * " Life of Hannah Weston, " by George W. Drisko, Esq. 64 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN wounded on both vessels, Captain O'Brien's manly voice could now be heard giving the anxiously awaited orders: " To your feet, lads! the schooner is our ! Follow me ! Board !"* Instantly every man was on his feet; the next moment they were daunt- lessly clambering over the Margaretta's railings, led by their gallant commander. Once the boarders gained the deck of the British vessel, a sharp hand- to-hand engagement ensued. The second officer of the Margaretta, upon whom, after Captain Moore's fall, devolved the command, soon became so affrighted because of the impetuous onslaught of the American boarders that he ran below into the cabin, and was seen no more until after the surrender of his vessel. Seeing themselves without a leader the crew of the Margaretta speedily realized the futility of further resistance, and, after a few moments of feeble effort to rally, laid down their arms and gave up the fight. " 'I surrender! I surrender!' exclaimed 'in piteous accents,' a voice from the cabin below. ' Who is that ?' shouted Captaia O'Brien. ' Do you all surrender ? If you do, throw down your weapons'. There was a sound of dropping hand-spikes and cut- lasses."! The battle had lasted about an hour, ter- minating at noon. * FoxhallA. Parker, in "the Capture: of the Mar^areita." t "The First Capture," by Harry Castlemon. (Courtesy of the Saalfield Publishing Co., Akron, Ohio.) HAND-TO-HAND ENGAGEMENT ON THE DECK OF THE •' MARGARETTA." JUNE 12, 1775. The "Unity" lies alongside the " Margaretta," the former being lashed to the latter, See opposite page. " Then more fierce the conflict grew; the din of arms — the yell of savage rage — the shriek of agony — the groan of death, commingled in one sound of undistinguished horrors." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 65 When the excitement of battle had somewhat subsided and order was once more restored, Captain O'Brien, with his own hands, hauled down the Brit- ish ensign ; and Joseph Wheaton, one of the Unity's crew, ran up the shrouds and cut the pennant hal- yards. Captain Jeremiah O'Brien is, therefore, entitled to the honor of hauling down the first British flag in the War of the American Revolu- tion. The small boats of the Margaretta were taken up ; her rigging repaired and her deck put in order preparatory to a return to Machias. With a favor- ing wind and tide the Unity set sail with her valu- able prize, reaching the wharf in the village whence she started in the early morning, about sunset of the same day. The crew were welcomed with great re- joicings which were continued long into the night. Captain O'Brien was complimented on all sides for his truly brilliant achievement. During the voyage up the river from the scene of action every attention was paid to Captain Moore and the other wounded of both vessels. A portion of the time the wounded Brit- ish Captain lay on a red wooden ship-chest; this chest is said to be among the Revolutionary relics now on exhibition in the Porter Memorial Library building, in Machias, Maine. When questioned as to his reasons for holding out so long in the naval engagement already described, Captain Moore is re- 66 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ported to have replied: "I fought, not for my life, but for honor." On reaching Machias Moore was carried to the house of his friend, Stephen Jones, Esq., in the village, where he was tenderly cared for; but on the following day, Tuesday, June 13, he died, deeply lamented by friend and foe for his manly qualities. " It is probable that he (Moore) was bur- ied in Machias."* As to the casualities of the naval engagement between the Unity and the Margaretta there is con- siderable difference of opinion. From a local histo- rian f we quote the following statement as to losses: " Of our adventurous band one man was killed, by the name of McNiel, leaving a wife and family. James Coolbroth was mortally wounded and soon after died. Three other men were also badly wound- ed, namely, — John Berry, who afterward lived at Hadley's Lake, and received a pension of $8 per month during his life. A ball entered his mouth and came out behind his ear. He used to say that the man who shot him, fell as soon as he did. Two other men, who were wounded, were Isaac Taft and James Cole, who were laid up for some time under the care of a surgeon. On board the Margaretta there were four persons killed, beside Captain Moore, * George W. Drisko, Esq., "The Ivife Hannah Weston." t William Bartlett Smith, in "Historical Sketch of Ma- chias. ' ' LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 67 who was mortally wounded. One of them was Cap- tain Avery who was taken out of the coasting schoon- er in Holmes' Bay by Moore to act as Pilot, as before mentioned. He sat on deck, it is said, completely stupified during the action, till he was shot. The other three were sailors or marines." " After a short contest the Margaretta was taken with a loss of four killed and eight or nine wounded on the part of the Americans, and of about ten killed and ten wounded on the part of the British. * # « » The account above of the killed and wounded on board the Margaretta was taken from a letter of Captain Joseph Wheaton, recently of Washington, D. C, who was at the time of the engagement one of the American crew. The letter was written a few years ago to Captain John O'Brien. The latter, al- though present in the action, did not recollect dis- tinctly the number, but he placed full confidence in Mr. Wheaton's statements."* "Of the British be- sides the Captain, five were killed or mortally wound- ed, and ten disabled, while of the Americans, the only men slain were McNeil and James Coolbroth; Isaac Taft and James Cole were laid up for some time under the care of a surgeon, and John Berry, who afterwards lived at Hadley's Lake."f "In all * Maine Historical Society Collections, Vol. II, Page 242, Willis Reference Room, Public Library, Portland, Me. t Foxhall A. Parker, in the "Capture of the Margaretta." 68 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 20 were killed and wounded, showing that it was a desperate conflict when once the two crews got with- in range of each other, man for man ; for 30 was more than 1-4 of all engaged. On the Margaretta the captors found two wall-pieces, 40 cutlasses, 40 long axes, two boxes of hand-grenades, 40 muskets, 20 pistols, and an ample supply of powder and shot. ' "* We have referred to the capture of the Marga- retta by Captain Jeremiah O'Brien as a " brilliant achievement," and in this opinion we are by no means alone. To quote the numerous endorsements of this view of the affair would necessitate the use of an undue proportion of space in this volume, hence we present but a few of them: "Had the result (of the War of the Revolution) been different, pos- terity would have classed Colonel Barrett, and Jere- miah O'Brien and George Washington with the Watt Tylers, and Thomas Muncers and Oliver Cromwells of European history, and consigned their names and their patriotic deeds, with those of their illustrious predecessors, blackened with all that malignant enmi- ty could invent, to everlasting ridicule and con- tempt."! " Not only was the fight between the Mar- garetfa^s crew and the haymaker's crew interesting in itself ; it was followed by consequences of the most * "Spear's History of Our Navy." t Henry B. Dawson, in "The Action off Machias." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIEN 69 important nature in connection with the establiish- ment of the American navy."* " A more dariog feat of heroism can scarcely be found on the records of naval warfare anywhere; and, considering how unequally matched the contestants were, the victory can only be attributed to the headlong dash and recklessness of the resolute spirits, whose courage seemed more than an equivalent for arms and disci- pline. "f " The victory was no mean achievement for the colonists. She (the Margaretta) was vasth^ the superior, both in metal and in the strength of her crew. That the Americans had so quickly (captured the British vessel) spoke volumes for their pluck and endurance."]: " Our surprise and admiration pass alternately from the rash audacity of the project to the impetuous bravery of its accomplishment. Surely there is nothing like this in our early or recent history."^ "In enumerating the consequences of the capture of the Margaretta to the American colo- nists it should not be forgotten that ' it kept for free- dom the whole country east of the Penobscot.' * * * * * * A careful authority has stated to the Massachusetts Historical Society that in the end the boundary line * " Spear's History of Our Navy." t Hon. George F. Talbot, in " Machias in the Revolution." t W. J. Abbott, in "Naval History of the United States. " § Hon. George F. Talbot, Portland, Me. 70 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN was determined rather by posession than by the com- pass or by the treaty of peace."* " The capture of the Margaretta was the Lexington of the Sea — since like that land engagement, it was a rising of the people against a regular force, was characterized by a long chase, a bloody struggle and a triumph. It was also the first blow struck on the water, after the war of the American Revolution had actually com- menced."! "Taking all the circumstances of the occasion into view — especially the remote position of our town from any place where assistance could be readily obtained — this event may be considered as one of the mosthold, energetic, and extraordinary occurrences of the times."X ' ' Rude were the arms of strife In combat wielded then — But the harvest scythe — the woodman's axe, Were meet for those stern men. Tho' frail, the bark they sailed To chase a powerful foe, 'God and the right' was all that chose. Those manly souls to know. Here let a few still keep On bright historic page, The record of that nobe deed For every coming age. To teach our country's foes, That where oppressions fall. Are hearts in mailed armor clad, To leap at Freedom's call." •• M. E. C. Smith, in " Machias in the Revolution an d Afterward. ' ' t J. Fennimore Cooper, in "The History of the Navy of the United States." t William Bartlett Smith, in "Historical Sketch of Ma- chias. ' ' LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'bRIEN 71 CHAPTER V. WAR IN EARNEST Warlike Preparations — Committee of Safety Chosen at Ma- chias — Captain Jeremiah O'Brien a Member of the Com- mittee — Messenger Sent to the Provincial Congress — Communication from the Machias Committee of Safety to the Provincial Congress — Resolution of Thanks to Cap- tain Jeremiah O'Brien — Margaretta's Prisoners Taken to Watertown — British Prizes Condemned — Prize Money Dis- tributed — Fate of the Margaretta. " Force is at best A fearful thing e'en in a righteous cause; God only helps when man can help no more." — Schiller. "Thy spirit, Independence, let me share, Lord of the lion heart and eagle eye: Thy steps I'll follow with my bosom bare, Nor heed the storm that howls along the sky." — Tobias Smollett. "Rest not! life is sweeping by: Go and dare before you die. Something mighty and sublime Leave behind to conquer time." — Goethe. ^X>HE citizens of Machias, fully realizinfif that war -*■ was upon them, at once appointed a Committee of Safety and Correspondence, of which Captain Jere- miah O'Brien was made a member. This Committee ' ' were intrusted with the defence of the town, and the management of such of its affairs, as should seem from time to time necessary. On occasions of extra- 73 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ordinary interest they had power to call a meeting of the inhabitants, to whom the Committee reported their doings, and awaited their instructions. This settlement was placed under a sort of martial law, from this time to the close of the Revolution — the Committee of Safety acting as universal supervisors over its pecuniary, military and civil departments." One of the first ofScial acts of the Machias Commit- tee of Safety after their appointment was to send John O'Brien and Lieutenant Benjamin Foster to Watertown, where the Provincial Congress of the Massachusetts Colony was then in session, with a communication informing that body of the capture of the Margaretta, and of the state of affairs in gen- eral in Machias. The Committee also asked the pro- tection of the Provincial Congress to the feeble settle- ments to the eastward. " A letter from the Committee of Machias was read, (at a meeting on Sunday afternoon, June 25, 1T75) respecting the capture of a king's cutter, and committed to the committee which was yesterday appointed to consider a letter on the same object of Col. Otis. (Foot NoteJt^-) The letter of the com- mittee of Machias contains the relation of a bold ex- ploit. It was dated June 14, 1775.* * From the "Journals of Each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, 1774-5." -'^^HK \ w ''''kJ^^H 11 'llii^ t I^KH^^^I K'- ;^yl^ .^' 'j^^^^^^^E. s V lai^^H W ^^^^^B » o s* P* m tn ja ."ito'i^^B o-: .-"■■?;^B jjg 3 ' 5 '1*™ i hf^mg = c -1 il»' ^ ■ ''/^^^B^^l wMK^^^B^^K n ^ r| Blpwi'^^HrwEv^ -^ M^H^^^^^^^E 11 5 I^M^^^fe I^^^Hk r r; ^HBHB^ 1|^t$:r 1 1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^BB O K. -*1 a 3 MjprifeV'^ ^^^^^v 2. ( ■) ' ^^^H^^flHgP^ j^^^^^^^^HK ^. ;: a m^^M^K^r ^ ^fl^^^^^^^HH p |. -( ^^^H^B^' ~^Mk.-js^ y s » alHBi|BM^BE[.^ »"j-fc»'--™ n* - ,,i "'?,««■*«■ 3l ^■^H^^K^vr. ' "'IHS^ o f II ^ • ^ ■■-\-*-v.^3 'StB^^^^^Kf iX ;\-^^^ I^^^^^H B r" , ' '^i^^Iki l^^ffi^^^^^R' to ' -^■"■■^^y \,|^bMP^, n fii ,' ' i " ■ '\; ''* ;|bIIi-^ ' ^^PSI Il^^^'^p^'# ■^pg-'-' ' HiiMJ ■ ilH BH LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 73 'To THE Honorable Congress of the Massa- chusetts Bay: Gentlemen : — We, the faithful and distressed inhabitants of Machias, beg leave once more, in the most respectful manner, to approach your presence and spread before you a just and full representation of our very critical situation. On the 2d instant Capt. Ichabod Jones arrived in this river with two sloops, accompanied with one of the King's tenders. On the 3d instant a paper was handed about for the people to sign as a prerequisite to their obtaining any provisions, of which we were in great want. The contents of this paper required the signers to indulge Capt. Jones in carrying lumber to Boston & to pro- tect him and his property at all events ; but, unhappily for him if not for us, it soon expired, after producing effects directly contrary in their nature to those in- tended. The next effort in order to carry those favorite points was to call a meeting, which was accordingly done. On the 6th the people generally assembled at the place appointed, and seemed so averse to the measures proposed that Capt. Jones privately went to the tender & caused her to move up so near the town that her guns would reach the houses, & put springs upon her cables. The people, however, not knowing what was done, and consider- ing themselves nearly as prisoners of war in the 74 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN hands of the common enemy — which is our only plea for suffering Capt. Jones to carry any lumber to Boston since your Honors conceived it improper — • passed a vote that Capt. Jones might proceed in his business as usual without molestation, that they would purchase the provision he brought into the place and pay him according to contract. After ob- taining this vote, Capt. Jones immediately ordered his vessels to the w^harf, and distributed his provis- ions among those only who voted in favor of his carrying lumber to Boston. This gave such offense to the aggrieved party that they determined to take Capt. Jones if possible & put a final stop to his supplying the King's troops with anything. Accord- ingly, they secretly invited the people of Mispeeka & Pleasant River to join them. Accordingly, a num- ber of them came, &, having joined our people in the woods near the settlement on the 11th, they all agreed to take Capt. Jones and Stephen Jones, Esq., in the place of worship, which they attempted, but Captain Jones made his escape to the woods, and does not yet appear. Stephen Jones, Esq., only was taken, and remains as yet under guard. The captain & lieuten- ant of the tender were also in the meeting house, & fled to their vessel, hoisted their flag, and sent a mes- sage on shore to this effect: That he had express orders to protect Capt. Jones ; that he was determined LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 75 to do his duty whilst he had hfe; & that if the people presumed to stop Capt. Jones' vessels, he would burn the town. Upon this, a party of our men went directly to stripping the sloop that lay at the wharf, and another party went off to take possession of the other sloop, which lay below, and brought her up nigh a wharf, and anchored her in the stream. The tender did not fire, but weighed her anchors as pri- vately as possible, and in the dusk of the evening fell down & came to within musket-shot of the sloop, which obliged our people to slip their cable & run the sloop aground. In the meantime, a considerable number of our people went down in boats and canoes, lined the shore directly opposite to the tender, and, having demanded her surrender to America, received for an answer, 'Fire and be damned.' Thej' immediately fired in upon her, which she returned, and a smart engagement ensued. The tender at last slipped her cable, and fell down to a small sloop commanded by Capt. Toby, and lashed herself to her for the remainder of the night. In the morning of the 12th they took Capt. Toby out of his vessel for a pilot, & made all the sail they could to get off, as the wind and tide favored ; but, having carried awa}' her main boom, and meeting with a sloop from the Bay of Fundy, they came to, robbed the sloop of her boom & gaflf, took almost all her 76 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN provisions, together with Mr. Robert Averj% of Nor- wich, in Connecticut, and proceeded on her voyage. Our people, seeing her go off in the morning, de- termined to follow her. About forty men, armed with guns, swords, axes & pitchforks, went in Capt. Jones' sloop under the command of Capt Jeremiah O'Brien; about twenty, armed in the same manner ■&, under command of Capt. Benjamin Foster, went in a small schooner. During the chase our people -built them breastworks of pine boards and anything they could find in the vessels that would screen them from the enemy's fire. The tender, upon the first appearance of our people, cut her boats from the stern & made all the sail she could ; but, being a very dull sailer, they soon came up with her, and a most obstinate engagement ensued, both sides being de- termiaed to conquer or die; but the tender was •obliged to yield. Her captain was wounded in the breast with two balls, of which wounds he died next morning. Poor Mr. Avery was killed, and one of the mariners, and five wounded. Only one of our men was killed, and six were wounded, one of whom is since dead of his wounds. The battle was fought at the entrance of our harbor, & lasted for near the space of one hour. We have in our possession four double-fortified three-pounders & fourteen swivels and a number of small arms, which we took with the •a^a^^ ' "WHITE'S POINT." MACHIAS, ME. This point runs out between the Machias river and Middle river at the lower part of the northern village of Machias. It was off this point that the British armed schooner " Margaretta " anchored during her stay at Machias in June, 1775. At this point the inhabitants threw up earthworks in the year 177710 aid them in their resistance to the British naval forces sent against the village by Admiral Graves from Port Royal now Annapolis) N. S. See page 43. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BB.IEN 77 tender, besides a very small quantity of ammunition, &c. Thus we have given your Honors as particular an account of this affair as possible. We now apply to you for advice and for a supply of ammunition & provisions, the latter of which we have petitioned your Honors for already, which if we could be fully supplied with, we doubt not but with the blessing of Heaven we should be prepared to defend ourselves. We propose to convey the prisoners to Pownal- borough Goal* as soon as possible, there to await your orders. We are, with deference, your Honors' most obedient humble servants. By order of the Committee, James Lyon, Chairman. Machias, June 14th, 1775. George Stillman, Clerk.' The committee to consider the letter from Ma- chias reported; the report was accepted, and is as follows : ' resolution of thanks, passed MONDAY, THE 26th OF JUNE, 1775. Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress be and hereby are given to Captain Jeremiah O'Brien and Captain Benjamin Foster, and the other brave * The Pownalborough of Revolutionary days was what is now Wiscasset, Me., situated on the sea coast, and about a hundred and twenty-five miles nearly southwest from Ma- chias. 78 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN mea under their cummand, for their courage and good conduct in taking one of the Tenders belonging to our enemies, and two sloops belonging to Ichabod Jones, and for preventing the ministerial troops being supplied with lumber; and that the said Tender, sloops, their appurtenances and cargoes remain in the hands of the said Captains O'Brien and Foster and the men under their command, for them to use and improve, as they shall think most for their and the public's advantage until the further order of this or of some future Congress or House of Representa- tives; and that the committee of safety for the west- ern parish of Pownalborough, be ordered to convey the prisoners taken by the said O'Brien and Foster, from the Pownalborough jail to the committee of safety or correspondence, for the town of Brunswick ; and the committee for Brunswick to convey them to some committee in the County of York, and so to be conveyed from county to county till they arrive at this Congress." Lieutenant Ely Styles, an oflScer of the Continent- al army, accompanied the prisoners captured on board the Margaretta, from Machias to Watertown. The names of these prisoners, as copied from a public document,* were as follows: "Thomas Skinner, "William Nurse, John Burrows, Nicholas Durham, ♦ ' ' Journals of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. ' ' LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 79 Peter Larcher, Thomas Crispo, Joseph Temple, William Bishop and John Padra," It was ordered bj' the Provincial Congress that they "be all sent under a proper guard to the common jail in the coun- ty of Worcester ; and the jailer is hereby directed to receive them therein, and provide for them, and de- tain them till the further order of this Congress or House of Representatives of this colony." The Margaretta, the Unity and the Polly, the two latter sloops the former property of Captain Icha- bod Jones, of Boston, were regularly adjudicated upon and condemned as lawful prizes and the prize money distributed amongst the captors. " Though the capture of the Margaretta was a private affair, accounts were kept of the expenses incurred, and also of the other prizes. * * * * rpt^g bills were allowed by the Provincial Congress to stand against the money and supplies which the town, in common with other eastern towns, had been obliged to receive in those hard years. The share thus fur- nished Machias, nearlj^ twelve hundred pounds, was (not in common with the other towns) all scrupulous- ly paid back when peace came."* As it is a matter of no little interest what be- came of the captured British vessel, we present the * M. E. C. Smith, in "Machias in the Revolution and Afterward." 80 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN following account of her subsequent history: "The Margaretta was taken up to Machias June 12, 1775. On the 13th of June, 1775, Captain Joseph Getchell and others took the Margaretta up Middle river as far as Thatch Island. Next day, Wednesday, June 14, they took her up to the head of the tide and run her on the flats on the North side of the Middle river, at a point above where the bridge now is. * They cut away the masts, cast out the ballast, and felled trees on the hull, the better to cover her resting place, in case the enemy should come to search for her. In July, 1777, the Margaretta was refitted and taken in charge by Captain Getchell and others, intending to go to Castine, expecting to encounter a British war vessel known to be coasting on the shore of Maine. When near Castine Captain Getchell learned that three British men of war were in Castine harbor or near vicinity, and concluded to return to Machias river, and hauled his vessel into Butterfield's wharf at Machiasport. Late in 1776 or early in 1777, Cap- tain George Benner, of Machias, took command of the Margaretta and followed coasting along shore be- tween Machias and Falmonth, visiting settlements, trading in boards, lumber and provisions This was followed more or less for four years. On a return * See picture showing the place where the Margaretta was "beached." 6 D = -■-. Z O ^ OTQ O t< • ffi 5 O n !; g- a 3- i B TO JO 7P 1 i- o -J "— -p » 'T? f 5 '^ S ° ni PJ M -, ■-> g ;: s i-j 2 2 5 S 5 =.• g tr^'A — X 5. • -^^ o a. ^ o o g'rt > « r^ o " " S Sfn LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 81 trip in 1780 or 1781, the Margaretta got ashore in Beale's Island, in Jonesport, or onto the rocks in that vicinity and was abandoned. Subsequently she was taken to Lamson's wharf in Jonesport. ' She rotted at deacon Lamson's wharf,' says one, — ' my father who saw her many times told me so."* A later ac- count of the fate of the Margaretta represents that in the autumn of the year 1776, Captain John O'Brien floated, refitted, equipped and used her as a privateer, changing her name to the " Hare;" and, being chased by a British man-of-war, he ran her onto the flats at Sawyer's Cove, near Jonesport, on the Maine coast. Captain O'Brien and his crew of ten men escaped into the surrounding country. A boat load of men who were sent by the British commander to inspect the " Hare," set fire to her, and she burned to the water's edge. The news of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien's brilliant naval victory spread rapidly through the land, and everywhere the colonists were stirred with the ambi- tion to emulate his splendid achievement. " This victory caused great rejoicings throughout the coun- try."t * George W. Drisko, Esq., in " The Machias Union," of June 22, 1875. t Willis J. Abbott, in "Naval History of the United States." 82 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIKN CHAPTER VI ANOTHER BRILLIANT NAVAL VICTORY The Unity Fitted Out as an American Cruiser — Named Machias Liberty by Captain Jeremiah O'Brien — He starts Out on a Cruise — Captures Two British Vessels — Sent to Cambridge and Watertown — News of Captain O'Brien's Captures Received with Great Bnthusiasm — He Dines with Wash- ington at Cambridge — Presents Petitions to the Provincial Congress — Bills of Expenses for Conveying Prisoners Presented — Captain O'Brien Appointed Captain of the Marine — Appointed Commander of of the Machias Liberty and the Diligent — Money, Ammunition and Provisions Voted to Captain O'Brien. "The fame that a man wins himself is best; * * * So man's true fame must strike from his own deeds." — Middletown. "Honor and shame from uo condition rise; Act well your part; there all the honor lies." —Pope "The love of praise, how'er concealed by art. Reigns, more or less, and glows in ev'ry heart; The proud to gain it toils endure. The modest shun it but make it sure. ' ' — Young. A T once the Machias Committee of Safety began -*^ to devise means for the defense of the place, which, because of its proximity to the loyal British provinces of Nevsr Brunswick and Nova Scotia was peculiarly liable to attack. By order of the commit- tee above-mentioned the sloop Unity was fitted out as a cruiser, the armament of the captured Mar- garetta was transferred to her, and her name LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 83 changed (by Captain O'Brien probably) to the Ma- chias Liberty* Captain O'Brien was placed in command of the new cruiser by the Machias Com- mittee of Safety. This was, without question, the first American armed cruiser employed in connec- tion with the War of the Revolution. About the 23rd of June, 1775, Captain O'Brien, acting upon instructions received from the Machias Committee of Safety set sail in the Machias Liberty for the Bay of Fundy, in which he cruised in search of the British armed schooner Diligent find her tender, the Tapnaquish. After an absence of about three weeks Captain O'Brien returned to Machias. It was after his return to Machias from his first cruise in the Machias Liberty that the tories of the village gave the first overt exhibition of their malice toward Captain O'Brien, by composing and opportune- ly singing, a song, in which it was said he had run into some bay on the Maine coast and anchored, (Fox's or Foss' Bay, as nearly as can now be ascer- tained) for the purpose, as they alleged, of avoiding an engagement with the British vessels he had been sent out to capture, but which, for some reason, he did not even sight during his cruise. Captain O'Brien subsequently denied in the most emphatic manner * The fact that the Margaretta was "a very dull sailer" explains why she was not used by Captain O'Brien as an American cruiser, instead of the Unity. 84 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN having ever been in the bay in question. About the 10th of Julj', 1775, (owing to the lack of reliable data we can only give in this connection, approximate dates) word came to Machias that the British vessels Diligent and Tapnaquish were near Buck's Har- bor, a small village at the entrance of Machias Bsiv, * where, as was subsequently ascertained, the captain of the former had gone on shore for the purpose, as he alleged, of making enquiries concerning the re- ported capture of the Margaretta. This ofificer was held by the small American garrison at Buck's Har- bor, f and against his earnest protestations was sent to Machias as a prisoner. Acting upon instructions from the Machias Committee of Safety, Captain Jeremiah O'Brien in the Machias Liberty, and Cap- tain Benjamin Foster in a schooner from East Ma- chias, proceeded, as soon as wind and tide were favor- able, down the river, for the purpose of capturing the British vessel and her tender. The Diligent carry- ing eight or ten guns, and a crew of about fifty men, surrendered to Captain O'Brien; and the Tapnaquish * "Machias Bay is about two leagues in breadth at its mouth, and seven miles in length. At its northwest corner it receives the waters of the Bast and West Machias rivers, three miles below where they form in junction, and two miles below where they pass the narrows." "Williamson's History of Maine," Vol. I. t "Buck's Harbor, though small, being easy of access from the sea. It is a cove on the east side of the point which is the western limit of Machias Bay. The entrance to Buck's Harbor is but narrow." — /izW. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 85 carrying sixteen swivels, and a crew of twenty men surrendered to Captain Foster. This occurred on Tuesday, the 12th of Jul}', 1775. The captured Brit- ish vessels and their crews were brought the same day in triumph to Macbias. Anticipating bloodshed, as a result of the attempted capture of the British vessels, Morris O'Brien, the father of Captain Jere- miah O'Brien, had started in a small boat down the river toward the scene of action, with a surgeon; he met the two American commanders, however, com- ing up the river with their prizes. It is stated by some writers that the Diligent and the Tapnaquish were sent out from Halifax, Nova Scotia, by the British naval authorities for the pur- pose of making a survey of the coast of the Bay of Fundy. Other writers, however, give a different version of the matter, as will be seen from the quota- tions following : » * « • * "Mr. O'Brien (Captain Jeremiah) made an attack on two small English cruisers that were said to have been sent out from Halifax expressly to capture him."* " The news of the capture of the Margaretta caused some excitement in Nova Scotia, and two schooners were fitted out from Halifax, for the purpose of re- taking her."f " Straightway the efforts of the Brit- * J. Fennimore Cooper, in "The History of the Navy of the United States of America." t Captain John O'Brien. 86 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ish naval authorities to punish him (Captain O'Brien) for his assault upon the Marqaretta, gave him the opportunity to acquire both, (more prizes and glory) Two schooners, the Diligent and the Tapanagouche were sent from Halifax to bring the obstreperous Irish Yankee in for trial."* " The news of this fight (between the Unity and the Margaretta) greatly enraged British naval officials, and * * , # they sent two armed sloops, the Diligence and the Tapanagouche, or Tapnaquish, from Halifax to punish the audacious Yankees, f Concerning the manner in which the Diligent and the Tapnaquish were captured by Captains O'Brien and Foster we present the following statements: "But Captain O'Brien was a sailorman as well as a haymaker. By skilfully handling his sloop he separated the cruisers, and then captured them one at a time by the bold dash that had succeeded in the assault on the Mar- garetta."l " O'Brien and Foster * * » ordered their colors to be struck. Lieutenant Spry, then in command. Knight being absent, seeing so powerful force around him, surrendered, and the ves- sels and prisoners were brought up to Machias."§ * "Spear's History of Our Navy." t Edgar S. Maclay, in " History of American Privateers." t "Spear's History of Our Navy." § William Bartlett Smith, in "Historical Sketcli of Ma- chias." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 87 ' ' Both the English vessels surrendered at the first attempt at boarding them, and without making any resistance. The Diligence surrendered to O'Brien, Tapnaquish to Foster."* " By separating these ves- sels, he (Captain O'Brien) took them both, with little resistance."! " They (the British vessels) were wholly unprepared for fighting, therefore to attempt it would be madness, and the vessels were taken possession of without opposition and brought up to headquarters. "J " They met July 13, 1775, * * » * » and by attacking them separately the Americans took both." Joseph Wheaton, in his now famous letter to Gideon O'Brien, written from Washington, D. C, in the year 1818, says, in connection with his mention of the capture of the Diligent and Tapnaquish that " he (Captain Jeremiah O'Brien) took the Diligence and Tapnagouche with which two vessels sailed to St. John and took the garrison, and such English mer- chant vessels that were in port. " Wheaton, it may be remarked was doubtless in Machias at the time the two British vessels above-mentioned were captured ; * Captain John O'Brien. t J. Fennimore Cooper, in "The History of the Navy of the United States of America." t Stephen Jones, Esq., in "Historical Account of Ma- chias, Me." 88 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BKIBN he must have been aware of Captain O'Brien's move- ments, and it is scarcely possible he would have made such a statement as that just quoted, had there not been a good basis for it. Accepting Mr. Wheaton's statement, it seems that after the capture of the Dili- gent and Tapnaquish, Captain O'Brien made a cruise to St. John, New Brunswick, where he com- pelled the surrender of the British garrison there, and afterward captured several British merchant vessels lying in port there. About the middle of July, 1775, Captains Jere- miah O'Brien and Benjamin Foster were sent by the Machias Committee of Safety to Headquarters at Cambridge to officially report the capture of the Dili- gent and the Tapnaquish. The prisoners captured with these two vessels were also taken by the above named officers to headquarters at Cambridge and de- livered to Washington. The journey was made by water in small sailing vessels to Falmouth, (now Portland) which occupied about a week. After a brief stay in Falmouth Captains O'Brien and Foster began their march overland (probably to avoid the risk of recapture by the British armed vessels cruis- ing along the coast) to Cambridge — which occupied about ten days more. They reached headquarters at Cambridge about the middle of August, and at once reported to Washington, who had but recently assum- LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 89 ed the comaiand of the Continental army. It was probablj' during this visit to Cambridge that Cap- tain O'Brien by invitation, dined for the first time virith Washington ; he subsequently dined with him several times. From Cambridge O'Brien and Foster proceeded to Watertowu where the Provincial Con- gress of Massachusetts was then in session, to make a report of the recent captures to that body. The news of the capture of the Diligent and the Tapna- quish was received by the Provincial Congress with great enthusiasm, and a resolution of thanks passed on behalf of Captains O'Brien and Foster and the men engaged in the enterprise. As a fitting recog- nition of his invaluable services Jeremiah O'Brien was also appointed a Captain of the Marine of the Massachusetts Colony — a peculiarly significant hon- or. As to the effect of Captain O'Brien's brilliant victories upon the colonists, and upon the British naval authorities, the reader may infer from the quotations following : " The gallantry and good con- duct of Mr. O'Brien were so admired, that he was immediately appointed a captain of the Marine in the Colony, and sent out with his two last prizes, with orders to intercept vessels bringing supplies to the royal forces. Many adventures, or enterprises, more or less resembling these of Captain O'Brien, took place on different parts of the coast, though none of 90 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN SO brilliant and successful a character. By way of retaliation, and in view to intimidate, the English Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Graves, sent a force under the orders of Captain Mowatt, to destroy the town of Falmouth, and four hundred buildings were burned."* "For this truly brilliant affair O'Brien was made a Captain in the Massachusetts State Ma- rine, and with his two prizes * * * » he went out to cruise after British transports. "f "The news of this victory was received with vast enthusiasm ; and the Legislature conferred upon him the rank of Captain, and ordered him out on another cruise. "J "The two brave commanders proceeded to the Headquarters of the American army, then at Cambridge, to carry intelligence of the victory, and were there received with shouts of applause. Con- gress afterwards voted them public thanks for their bravery and good conduct. "§ "Such brave deeds as these did not go unrewarded in those days. Cap- tain O'Brien received a commission from the Colony, and, with the three vessels well fitted he was sent once mere to sea to cruise for vessels bringing supplies to * J. Fenniraore Cooper, "The History of the United States of America." t Edgar S. Maclay, in "History of American Privateers.' t Willis J. Abbott, in "Naval t tes." § Address of John C. Talbot, Esq. t Willis J. Abbott, in "Naval History of the United States." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIBN 91 the British troops."* " The exploits of Captain O'Brien stirred seamen from Maine to the Caroli- nas."t It was probably during Captain O'Brien's visit to Watertown just alluded to that the following petitions and bills of expenses were personally presented by him to the Provincial Congress of the Massachusetts Colony. These documents were probably prepared before Captain O'Brien's departure from Machias. We present them as indicative of his deep in- terest in the wellfare of Machias, and as illustra- tive also of the confidence reposed in him by his fel- low-townsmen. "To THE Honorable Council and House op Representatives Assembled at Watertown THE 19th DAY JULYt, A. D., 1775: The petition of the subscribers in behalf of inhabitants of Machias in the County of Lincoln and Province of Massachusetts Bay — Humbly sheweth, that your peti- tioners in the present unhappy times have been at great expense in guarding the coast at Machias, by which means the inhabitants have done but very little else * "Spear's History of Our Navy." t 'Willis J. Abbott, in "Naval History of the United States." t The date above given may have reference to the time the Provincial Congress began its session at Watertown, the first session of the Congress having been held at Concord, from whence they had fled on the reported approach of the British troops from Boston. 93 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN for two months past, which leaves us in a very dis- tressed situation, unable to defend ourselves, or the common cause for which our country in general is contending. However, we beg leave to hold ourselves ready and willing to exert ourselves still further, by virtue of such encouragement as your Honors shall think proper. We, therefore, pray your honors would please to allow us the privilege of raising a company of men amongst ourselves on the expense of the Prov- ince, by which means we humbly conceive we should be enabled to guard our own port by continuing the young men in the place, which at present are wholly 'Out of employ, and contribute in some measure to the necessity of the poor inhabitants. The company so raised to be under such restriction and regulation as your Honors shall think fit. We would also beg leave to represent to your Honors that we have not a sufficiency of powder and ball to make any con- siderable defence in case of an invasion. We hum- bly pray your Honors would suppi}' us with two hun- dred weight of powder, and balls in proportion. Your Honors are doubtless sensible of the great cost and charge j^our petitioners must necessarily be at in the conveyance of a number of prisoners from Ma- chias to Watertown, near three hundred and fifty miles distant, the particular accounts of which we beg leave to lay before your Honorable Committee. LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIBN 93 We, therefore, pray your Honors would please to grant such a sum of money to be paid unto your peti- tioners as will enable us to defray all such charges as shall be found rij^ht and just; and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray. Jeremiah Obrien, Benja. Foster. To THE Honorable Council and House of Eep- RESENTATIVKS OF THE COLONY OF MASSACHUS- ETTS Bay ASSEMBLED AT WaTERTOWN THE 19th DAY OF July, A. D. 1775: The petition of Benjamin Foster and Jeremiah O'Brien in behalf of the inhabitants of Machias hum- bly sheweth. That whereas your petitioners have been at great expense in fixing a privateer for the de- fence of the place, and its situation is such that it may be easily blocked up by a small vessel and stop all communication, we intreat with submission that there may be commissions for the officers, and some men stationed on board of her to be ready in any emergency to take the troops on board that are sta- tioned there, when thought proper by our Committee ; other way we humbly conceive that if said privateer shall engage an armed vessel and be taken (which we are determined by divine assistance never to be) we shall be deemed and treated as pirates. We would also inform your Honors that there is an estate 94 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN belonging to Ichabod Jones, formerly of Boston, in the hands of Stephen Jones of Machias; your petition- ers humbly beg that j'our Honors would take it into consideration and order said estate to be taken care of by the Committee of Safety at Machias, or some proper person that your Honors shall point out, and that the income of said estate may defray some of the charges that have arisen by reason of said Jones be- ing an enemy to his country. We would inform your Honors that in taking the first Tender one of the men that was killed has left a poor helpless widow and six small children entirely destitute of the neces- saries of life; and a number of wounded men who have lost their whole summer, by being wounded, who will stand in great need of some relief. If your Honors after consideration would be pleased to give directions so that the profits of said estate may be ap- plied for the benefit of those that have met with these misfortunes, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray. Benja. Foster, Jeremiah Obrien. In Council Augt. 18, 1775. Read and sent down Saml. Adams, Secey." The bills of expenses for the conveyance of the prisoners of war captured on board the Diligent and LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 95 Tapnasquish, on July 12, 1775, from Machias to Watertown, by Captains Jeremiah O'Brien and Ben- jamin Foster, presented to the Provincial Congress by the former will, it is thought, be of no little inter- est to readers. It is as follows: " To wounded men, prisoners and attend- ance two months, and still remain under the Doctor's hands, Knight's computation, £100,0,0 To expenses for 17 prisoners to Falmouth by water, 14 days, 17,0,0 To ditto 18 men for guards, 18,0,0 To wages for 18 men 14 days, 33,12,0 To 2 men to guard 1 1 prisoners from Ma- chias to Watertown, 3 weeks march time and expense, 12,12,0 To expenses on the prisoners before we took up on the credit of the Province by land, 3,18,0 To horse hire and expenses for the officers and guard from Falmouth to Cam- bridge, 19,0,0 To vessels hire and finding the crew to bring the officers from Machias to Falmouth, 12,0,0 To 5 guard's wages and expenses to guard the officers and one (tory ?) from Fal- mouth to Cambridge, 12,0,0 96 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN To hire of a small schooner and 2 men, 9 days to go to Annapohs for a Surgeon* for wounded men, 10,10,0 To expense for the carriage of officers' bag- gage, 6,0,0 £244,12,0 Watertown, August 12th, 1775, Errors excepted Jeremiah Obrien. The following additional bill of expenses is also of interest : "Dr. — Colony of Massachusetts, for guarding and carrying prisoners taken in the schooners Dili- gent and Tatamagouch from Machias to Headquar- ters, sundries, viz: Captain Jeremiah O'Brien 54 da5's and " his expenses, hire of two horses and i „ . ^ ^ ^ their keeping and shoeing, provisions, ' ' ' &c., furnished at Saco on his return." As several documents of a public character have already appeared, and as others will hereafter appear, * The surgeon referred to above is Dr. William Chaloner, ■who was brought from Annapolis, Nova Scotia, to Machias, Me., to attend the men wounded on the Unity and the Mar- garetta, June 12, 1775. As there was no resident physician in Machias at the time, Dr Chaloner subsequently brought his family there and settled, becoming one of its leading citizens. He was a native of Newport, R. I., and had been educated in the American Colonies. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIEN 97 in this biography — documents containing terms with which readers in general are not perhaps famihar, we beg to make the following explanations : The term " General Court " has always been used in Massa- chusetts from the earliest period down to the pres- ent time to indicate the Legislature, that is, both branches, whether referring to the deputies and magistrates in the early days, to the Council and rep- resentatives in the Provincial period, or to the Sena- tors and Representatives since the formation of the State Government. The term ' ' House of Represen- tatives" applies, of course, to the lower House or the Representatives to the General Court. The term " Council " applies to the upper body which made the concurrent branch of the Legislature or General Court during the Provincial period, and in the inter- regnum between 1775 and 1780 when the present Constitution establishing a Senate and House of Representatives was accepted. The Council original- ly was a body similar to the present Council chosen under the law to assist the Governor and pass meas- ures in action with him. They fulfilled, up to the inauguration of the State Government, two different spheres of action. They were at the same time assist- ants to the Executive, all matters dealt with by the Governor being with their advice and consent, and also acted as an upper branch of the legislative body. 08 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN During the Revolutionary period, that is between the close of the 3d Provincial Congress and the adoption of the State Constitution, the Council as a body acted as the Executive Government of Massachusetts. The term "The Honorable Committee of Council" refers simply to a committee of the Council appointed for some definite purpose or to deal with some special subject. The term " Council Chamber" simply re- fers to the room wherein the Council sat, and from which all their official acts were dated. In recognition of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien's exceptional abilities as a naval officer, as displayed in his brilliant achievements in Machias Bay on June 13 and July 12, 1775, already described, the Council of the Massachusetts Province appointed him com- mander of the Machias Liberty and the schooner Diligent. Following is the record of the action of the Council in the matter : "Council Chamber, Watektown, August 19th, 1775. You are hereby ordered and directed to deliver to Captain Jeremiah O'Brien (for the use of a com- pany of men to be raised at Machias) 100 lb. weight of powder and ball equivalent he to be accountable for the same. By order of the major part of the Council, Perez Morton, Depy. Secy. LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 99 James Otis James Prescott To Wm. Sever Eldad Taylor The Commictee Caleb Gushing Chas. Chauncey of Supplies, J Winthrop M. Farly Watertown. Benja. Chadborn J. Palmer Joseph Gerrish S. Holten Enoch Freeman Jabez Fisher John Whetcomb A true Copy Attest P. Morton, Depy. Secy. In the House of Representatives, August 23d, 1775: Resolved : That there be paid out of the public treasury of this Colony to Captain Jeremiah Obrian, appointed Commander of the armed schoon- er Diligent and of the sloop Machias Liberty, now lying in the harbor of Machias, fixed for the purpose of guarding the sea coast, the sum of one Hundred and Sixty Pounds lawful money of this Colony, for supplj'ing the men with provisions and ammunition ; also that there be delivered to the said Obrian out of the Colony store One Hundred Cannon Balls of three pounds weight each, and Two Hundred Swivel Balls, for all which, and the captures he shall make he is to account with this Court. pass'd Sent up for concurrence, August 33d, 1775 Jas. Warren, Speaker. 100 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN In Council read and approved. Consented to by James Otis W. Sever B. Greenleaf W. Spooner J. Winthrop T. Cushing Saml. Adams Perez Morton, Dpy. Secy. John Whetcomb Enoch Freeman Jedh. Foster James Prescott Eldah Taylor Benja. Lincoln Chas. Chauncey M. Farly." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEKEMIAH O'BRIEN 101 CHAPTER VII COMMENCEMENT OF A SERIES OF CRUISES. Captain O'Brien Returns to Machias — Assumes Command of the Flying Squadron — Gathers Crews for His Cruisers — Appoints His Officers — Wages of OfiScers and Men — Cap- tain O'Brien Handicapped from the Start — Scarcity of Ammunition — Obliged to Hug the Coast — Growing Dis- content of Captain O'Brien's Crews — Racial Prejudice — Tory Influence Brought to Bear Against Captain O'Brien — He Makes Several Important Captures — Communication of Captain O'Brien to the Provincial Congress — Appointed to Act with the Newburyport Committee of Safety — Re- ply of Said Committee to the Provincial Congress — Ammu- nition Voted to Captain O'Brien — Petition of Poor Sea- man. "Miss not the occasion; by the forelock take That subtle power, the never-halting time, Lest a mere moment's putting off should make Mischance almost as heavy as a crime. ' ' — Wordsworth ' ' I courted fame but as a spur to brave And honest deeds; and who despises fame Will soon renounce the virtues that deserve it. " —Ma//et " En vy is but the smoke of low estate Ascending still against the fortunate." — Lord Brooke ' ' Amongst the sons of men how few are known Who dare be just to merit not their own." — Churchill UPON his return from the Provincial Congress to Machias, probably during the first part of the month of September, 1775, Captain O'Brien, after re- ceiving a royal welcome from his fellovy-townsmeu. 102 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN at once assumed command of the Machias Liberty and the Diligent to which, as a recognition of his previous naval services, he had been appointed by the above-named body. During his absence of about a month from home these two vessels had been lying "in the harbor of Machias." The statement to be found iu not a few accounts of the capture of the Diligent and Tapnaquish, that they were "taken in triumph to Watertown," and delivered up to the Provincial authorities, is far from correct, since as previously stated, they were both taken up to Ma- chias the same day of their surrender, and there lay during the absence of Captain O'Brien at Cambridge and Watertown. For a corroboration of this state- ment the reader is referred to the Resolution of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, of the date of August 33, 1775, which may be found in the Sixth chapter of this volume. Under the efficient super- vision of Captain O'Brien the work of fitting out the Machias Liberty and the Diligent as American cruisers was completed, after which crews were promptly gathered in the village and vicinity for both vessels. Captain O'Brien took personal command of the Machias Liberty, with its crew of forty men; and William O'Brien, a younger brother of Jeremiah, was appointed First Lieutenant, and William Miller, Second Lieutenant. The armament of the Machias LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 103 Libert 11 consisted of five guns and ten swivels ; she had ports, however, for eight guns. Of the Diligent, John Lambert, of Machias, was appointed the Cap- tain ; and John O'Brien, another brother of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, was appointed First Lieutenant. This latter vessel was also manned by a crew of fortj- men, her armament consisting of eight guns and twenty swivels. The Machias Liberty, to make use of a modern naval phrase, was the Flagship of this, the First American Naval Flying Squadron employed in connection with the War of the Revolution. As soon as the necessary preparations could be completed Captain O'Brien, accompanied by the hearty godspeeds of his numerous friends at home, set sail with his "flying squadron" from Ma- chias, the scene of his first naval triumphs, for a cruise; or rather a series of cruises, which did not terminate until the month of October of the following year (1776), a period of one year and four months, during which time he was engaged in guarding the sea coast — preventing vessels from taking arms, ammunition and provisions to the British army of occupation, or otherwise aiding the British military authorities. The quaint language of the times em- ployed in describing the work in which Captain O'Brien's squadron was engaged was that they were " cruising on the sea coast * » * j^j. 104 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN the defence of American Liberty." Maclay, in his " History of American Privateers," a work of recent publication, in speaking of Captain O'lBrien in regard to his connection with this series of cruises says: " He was highly successful." In accordance with instruc- tions from the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts Captain O'Brien was restricted in his naval opera- tions to the Massachusetts coast, which extended over a distance of at least five hundred miles. A more limited field of operations would doubtless have been more favorable to his success, so far, particularly, as the capture of British vessels was concerned. The commercial navy of Great Britain, at the opening of the War of the Revolution, according to the best information available, comprised 7000 ves- sels. The fact that Great Britain had at the same period more than 350 armed vessels afloat renders the term "Mistress of the Seas" — applied to her, highly appropriate. The total number of privateers fitted out from Massachusetts ports during the Revolution was about 600, of which number about 150 went forth from Salem alone. From other American Colonies, during the first year or more, particularly, of the Revolution, few privateers sailed. The hercu- lean task, therefore, in which Captain O'Brien and his fellow-privateersmen were engaged may easily be imagined by our readers. The privateer service, we LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BEIEN 105 beg to remark, required men, and particularly officers, of mettle — men of " that temperament which is sus- ceptible of high excitement; constitutional ardor; spirit; full of fire." In Captain Jeremiah O'Brien the Massachusetts Colony had such a man. In consequence of the scarcit}- of ammunition in the Colonies, and the insufficient quantity furnished his vessels. Captain O'Brien was compelled to operate near the shore. It is a well-authenticated fact that nearly all the engagements between American and British armed vessels during the first years, particu- larly, of the War of the Revolution, took place near the coast, for the reason that our vessels, owing to the small quantity of ammunition carried by them, con- sidered it highly imprudent to follow an enemy to sea, for fear that in the midst of an engagement the meagre supply of ammunition might suddenly give out, in which case they would be at the mercy of the amply-supplied foe. If this occurred near the shore our vessels could run into a friendly harbor and find safety. If any corroboration of the above statement is required we beg to quote the following words from a reliable naval authority:* "The scarcity of am- munition rendered it impracticable for our cruisers in the Revolution to keep long at sea, so they stayed near the coast, and most of the fights were there." * Lieut. G. F. Emmons, United States Navy. 106 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Another and more serious embarrassment, how- ever, to Captain O'Brien during his service with the " flying squadron," was the general and growing dis- content amongst his crews, "from our First Lieuten- ants down to our cooks," owing to the small wages allowed them, and the irregularity with which they received what the Provincial Congress had agreed to pay them. The crews of Captain O'Brien's vessels had doubtless been enlisted with the expectation of receiving the same amount of monthly wages as were paid to other crews in the Colony service, but in this they were doomed to disappointment. It may not be uninteresting to our readers to learn that the monthly wages actually paid the officers and crews of the two vessels commanded by Captain O'Brien, during the first six months of their Colony service, were as follows : Captain, £4 ; First Lieutenant, £3 ; Second Lieutenant, £2, 10s; Surgeon, £3, 10s; Master, £3, 10s; Boatswain, £1, 10s; Carpenter, £1, 10s; Gunner, £1, 10s; Pilot and Quartermaster, £1, 10s; Steward, £1, 10s; Master-at-Arms, £1, 10s; Fore- mast Men, £1, 4s. There seems to have been, for some reason, a discrimination made on the part of the Massachusetts Congress in the matter of wages promised to those engaged in the Colony naval ser- vice, in favor of the officers and crews of other ves- sels than those of Captain O'Brien, presumably those LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 107 sailing from ports in the vicinity of Boston. In cor- roboration of the suggestion of discrimination in the matter of wages, and of the fact that Captain O'Brien and his crews so viewed the matter, we beg to pre- sent the following extract from a communication of Captain O'Brien to the " Honorable Council and House of Representatives for the Massachusetts State," written in the month of October, 1776: " We (Captains O'Brien and Lambert) told them (the crews of the Machias Liberty and Diligent) we would go and make application to the two Houses, not doubt- ing but they would be discounted with (reasoned with ?) agreeable to the contract of the other vessels of the same State; asserting that they (the two Houses) had so high a sense of honor and justice, thaAi ^eywovlA. no\i make fish of the one and flesh of the other; but that all their shipping would be upon a level." Up to the date of the communication of Captain O'Brien to the General Court of Massa- chusetts just referred to, which at a later stage of this chapter will be given in fuU, there had been such general and increasing discontent amongst the crews of his squadron, on account of the low wages prooi- ised them, the irregularity of payment and the more liberal offers frequently made them to serve in private vessels, that it required the exercise of the highest wisdom on the part of their brave commander, to 108 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN keep them in the Colony service. It may be well to remark in this connection, that it was during the period that Captain O'Brien commanded the "flying squadron" that the Continental Congress issued letters of marque and reprisal against Great Britain. This greatly stimulated individuals in the Colonies to fit out armed vessels to engage in privateering, and hundreds went out to prey upon British commerce; and as above suggested, the higher wages paid by them to their crews, and the better provisions made for their comfort, produced widespread discontent amongst those in the Colony service, whose wages were insignificant in comparison. As an indication of the great privations endured by Captain O'Brien's crews during their service in the " flying squadron," it may be said that in one of his communications to the General Court of Massachusetts he says: " The men on board have not sufficient clothing to defend them against the inclemency of the weather;" and in another communication he speaks of " the chief of the men being almost naked." A less brave and patri- otic officer, in the face of the immense difficulties that confronted him, would have become disheartened, and abandoned the service of the Colony; but his ardent and unquenchable patriotism surmounts them all, and moves him to such expressions as: "we hold ourselves ready and willing to serve for the LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 109 good of the country " and, " the interests of the State lying near our hearts. " As a means of allay- ing, if possible, the discontent of his crews, and there- by retaining them in the Colony service, Captain O'Brien spent more than his own monthly stipend (sometimes borrowing money on his personal responsi- bility in order to procure the cash for immediate use) toward supplying the deficiency of their own meagre, and irregularly paid wages; and this he did not knowing whether it would ever be returned to him. He used his own money also toward supplying . pro- visions for his vessels ; and that he was ever reim- bursed for these outlays, there is, so far as the au- thor is aware, no record. Captain O'Brien, viewing the matter from the standpoint of his own high sense of justice and honor, had evidently encouraged his men in the belief that they would receive the same amount of wages as those paid the crews of other vessels employed in the Colony service ; but while lying at Newburyport, in the month of February, 1776, the report reached the ears of Captain O'Brien's men that their wages would continue — to use the phrase- ology of the day — "according to the first establish- ment." Such was the state of affairs on board his vessels ; so near were the crews to abandoning the Colony service altogether, and leaving him "in the lurch," that Captain O'Brien was at length obliged 110 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN to go personally, and at his own expense, to the General Court of Massachusetts in session at Water- town, where he laid before that body the long stand- ing grievances of his men, and pleaded earnestly for an increase of their wages. This increase of wages was officially promised him ; indeed, he was encour- aged to believe the increase would take place immedi- ately ; and, to employ the language of Captain O'Brien : " We, retaining so exalted an opinion of the Honorable Council, returned to our respective vessels well com- posed to execute the orders received from your Hon- ors." In accordance with the tardy action of the General Court of Massachusetts the wages of the officers and crews of the "flying squadron" were several months subsequently increased, so that from February, 1776, to October 15, 1776, the date of their discharge from the Colony service, the wages of Cap- tains were £8 per month ; and of other officers in proportion, seamen receiving £3 per month as against £1, 4s formerly received. For this increase of wages his officers and crews may thank Captain O'Brien. It is highly probable, at least, (and of this matter the author with great reluctance speaks) that racial prejudice was in no small measure responsible for the discrimination against Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, and the crews of the Machias Liberty and the Diligent, (not a few of whom, officers particularly, were either of LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 111 foreign birth or of foreign descent) by reason of which he was so seriously hampered during the latter part of his first year's cruise with the "flying squadron." The fact that Captain O'Brien and the greater part of his crews were from the isolated settlements on the extreme eastern frontier of the Massachusetts Colony, may also have unfavorably impressed the State au- thorities, and influenced them in what seems to have been a deliberate withholding of the hearty support extended to those employed in the Colony naval ser- vice from other localities. The author begs to re- mark that during the first five years of the War of the Revolution the naval affairs (as well as affairs in general) of Massachusetts were almost exclusively in the hands of the " Committee of the Council." This Committee, " assumed most of the powers of an in- dependent sovereignty."* It is the opinion of the author, which he might not be able to establish to the satisfaction of all readers of this volume, (even were he disposed to attempt it) that a few of Captain O'Brien's one-time Machias friends, were induced by the influential tory element of that village — " For malice will -with joy the lie receive, Report, and what it wishes true believe, "t — to actively join in the movement to bring a pressure to * William Walton, in ' ' The Army and Navy of the United States." t Yalden. 112 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN bear upon a body of men who, by reason of their peculiar constitution and sovereign powers, were more susceptible to outside influence than a larger body would have been. The result of that movement was anything but helpful to a brave and patriotic and efficient naval officer, whose misfortune it was (from the New England view-point of his times) to have foreign blood coursing in his veins. The explanation of the change of feeling and attitude toward Captain O'Brien by the few former Machias friends and com- patriots already referred to, it may not be easy to formulate in words. They may have been envious of Captain O'Brien's brilliant achievements upon the sea, and of the public and personal encomiums show- ered upon him in gratitude for his remarkable victo- ries at the opening of the Revolution ; they may have been actuated b}' a morbid scrupulousness in their petty persecutions of an absent fellow-citizen ; or their course may be accounted for on the gi-ound of ignor- ance of the facts in the case — lack of experience in the practical afiEairs of life ; — the author is indisposed to deny that the latter explanation maj' be the true one, as well as the most charitable to entertain. These things are mentioned, not in the way of condemna- tion of the Revolutionary Fathers, nor in the spirit of acrimonious criticism, of men who now lie in " the port of rest from troublous toil," but purely as an LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 113 act of justice to a brave and meritorious naval ofiScer vs^hose name deserves to, and will go down into his- tory as one of the most ardent patriots and most notable heroes of the Seven Years' Struggle for National Independence. What Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, with the hearty and continuous support of the General Court of Massachusetts, and of aU his friends at home, would have accompHshed in the Colony service while in command of the "flying squadron," in the way of captures, may easily be in- ferred by our readers from his actual achievements on the water. It is a most gratifying illustration of the diminution of racial prejudice in the United States that a distinguished New Englander — the Hon. John D. Long, Secretary of the Navy under our martyred President, William McKinley, and his successor President Theodore Roosevelt — with the general ap- proval of the American people, has named one of the new vessels of our modern navy after the gallant American oflScer, the memory of whose heroic deeds, and invaluable services to his country, this volume seeks to perpetuate — reference is here made to the torpedo boat " O'Brien." This is the first instance of an American naval vessel being given an Irish name. A suitable account of the torpedo boat " O'Brien " will appear at a later stage of our story. In spite, however, of the serious embarrassments under which 114 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Captain Jeremiah O'Brien labored during the period referred to, he made, with his "flying squadron," several important captures, among which were the following : Sometime during the autumn of the year 1775, Captain O'Brien re- captured a schooner that had fall- en into the hands of the enemy; and also a cutter and two barges, with thirty-five men under the com- mand of a Lieutenant of the British sloop of- war Falcon, that was operating in Gloucester Bay. In this latter capture the Americans had one man killed and two wounded,- The last capture referred to is said by most authors to have been made on the 9th of August, 1775; but the fact is Captain O'Brien was at the date mentioned, either at Watertown, or on his way there from Machias; and the Machias Liberty and the Diligent were both "lying in the harbor of Machias. " It was not until his return to Machias the first part of the month of September, 1775, that Captain O'Brien assumed the command of the two vessels just named; so that the captures above-mentioned were probably made during the month of September or October, 1775. Passing over, because of a lack of reliable data, (concerning Cap- tain O'Brien's captures) the intervening period, we come to the month of January, 1776, — the latter part of the month — when we find Captain O'Brien and his i^-/^ UyO'T.C^ uvn. 2 ^^(^J ^-^aoAa^^ o-^'^?^^-^ 9^^:y''t^oo'^^^U^^^ cuCyt :yf^ 6^cH^ crj-t. *i:;^<^ ^ OCm fl O . (U ^ rs u ^ . .Q , - 3 dj rt " --.S OJ « c . m V u c •= °.2 ei -^ P in ^ r« tn ■g-dS *- ^ tK !;E'.2 ES LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BEIEN 121 The insufficient quantity of ammunition furnish- ed to Captain O'Brien for use in the Colony naval service, has already been mentioned as among the things contributing to his embarrassment ; we beg to give an example : — It will be noticed from the re- ply of the Newburyport Committee of Safety to the Honorable Council of the Massachusetts Colony that Captain O'Brien's estimate of the quantity of gun- powder required for a two months cruise of his ' ' fly- ing squadron," was five hundred pounds, in addition to the one hundred and twenty pounds "now on hand." But as the following resolve shows, Captain O'Brien was allowed less than one half the quantity of gunpowder asked for. "In the House op Representatives, March 16th, 1776. Resolved, That the Commissary General for this Colony be directed to procure and deliver to Captain Jeremiah Obrian two hundred weight of gun- powder for the use of the sloop Machias Liberty and the schooner Diligent — he being accountable to this Colony for the same. Sent up for concurrence William Cooper, Sp. P. T. In Council, March 16th, 1776, Read and concurred Perez Morton, D. Secy. 132 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Consented to — B. Greenleaf Jedh. Foster Moses Gill W. Spooner J. Palmer S. Holten Caleb Cushing Jabez Fisher B. White John Whetcomb John Taylor Eldad Taylor J. Cushing Mich. Farley B. Lincoln." Following is the petition of several indigent sea- men who had served under Captain O'Brien, asking assistance from the Provincial Congress of Massa- chusetts ; it is presented as an illustration of the abid- ing interest of Captain O'Brien in his men, and of his disposition to assist them in a time of need: "The petition of a number of poor seamen, Humbly Shew- eth, that whereas they have been in the Colony ser- vice under the command of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien ever since last September, and still remain in said service. Your petitioners have been at great expense for the doctor and his attendance in sickness, which expense they are not able to discharge unless the Honorable Court will in their great wisdom think proper to order such sum of money as will discharge the annexed accounts, and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray, Newburyport, March 22, 1776. Donald McDonald Samuel Whitney John Wilks LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 123 To the Honorable George Coague Council and House David Thompson of Representatives assembled at Water town. Jeremiah O'Brien in behalf Lieut. James Elliott Jonathan Woodruff Thomas Dobel James Cant Jeremiah O'Brien, behalf Daniel Babb,'Decd. Daniel Philbrook." 124 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN CHAPTEE VIII. CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ENCOUNTERS SNAGS. Letters of Marque and Reprisal Against Great Britain Issued by the Continental Congress — Form of Commission — In- structions to Privateer Commanders — Sundry Papers of Captain O'Brien Considered by the General Court of Massachusetts — Capture of the Sloop Polly by Captain O'Brien — Petition of Captain O'Brien to the General Court of Massachusetts. " It is true fortitude to stand firm against All shocks of fate, when cowards faint and die In fear to suffer more calamity." — Massinger. ' ' What is difficulty f Only a word indicating the degree of strength requisite for accomplishing particular objects; a mere notice of the necessity for exertion; a bugbear to chil- dren and fools; only a mere stimulus to men." — Samuel Warren. " The greatest man is he * * * who is calmest in storms, and whose reliance on truth, on virtue, on God, is the most unfaltering." — Channing. SOON after the capture of the two Britis^h vessels the Diligent and the Tapnaquish, by Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, in Machias Bay, the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts passed a law granting com- missions to privateers, and directing the forcible seiz- ure of British vessels upon the sea. It was under a commission issued in accordance with the law just mentioned that Captain O'Brien, while in command LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEEEMIAH O'BEIEN 125 of tlie " flj'iiig s(iuadroD," preyed upon the shipping of Great Britain. It was subsequent to the passage of the law en- acted by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, that " the sagacious general (Washington) knowing that the British forces in Boston were supplied with provisions and munitions of war by sea, conceived the idea of fitting out some swift sailing cruisers to intercept the enemy's cruisers, and cut off their sup- plies"; and this he did. On the 13th of October, 1775, the Continental Congress " directed that one vessel of 10 guns, and another of 14 guns, be equipped as national cruisers. At the same time a law was passed establishing a Marine Committee, consisting Messrs. John Adams, John Langdon and Silas Dean — the place of Mr. Adams being afterward supplied by Mr. Gadsden. This Committee was chosen by Congress from their own number andgiveu control of all Naval Matters."* Letters op Marque and Reprisal were Issued BY THE United Colonies op America against Great Britain on the 23d op March, 1776. Following is a transcript of the action taken by the Continental Congress in the matter: " Resolved, That the m habitants of these Colo- nies be permitted to fit out armed vessels to cruise on * Lieut. G. F. Emmons, U. S. N. 126 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN the enemies of these United Colonies. Resolved, That all ships and other vessels, their tackle, apparel, and furniture, and all goods, wares, and merchan- dize, belonging to any inhabitant or inhabitants of Great Britain, taken on the high seas, or between high and low water mark, by any armed vessel, fitted out by any person or persons, and to whom commis- sions shall be granted, and being libelled and prose- cuted in any court erected for the trial of maritime affairs, in any of these Colonies, shall be deemed and adjudged to be lawful prizes; and after deducting and paying the wages which the seamen and mari- ners on board of such captures, as are merchant ships and vessels, shall be entitled to, according to the terms of their contracts, until the time of their adjudi- cation, shall be condemned to and for the use of the owner or owners, and the officers, and mariners of such armed vessel, according to such rules and pro- portions as they shall agree on: Providing always, that this resolution shall not extend to any vessel bringing settlers, arms, ammunition or warlike stores to and for the use of those Colonies, or any of the in- habitants thereof, who are friends to the American cause, or to such warlike stores,, or to the effects of such settlers. Resolved, That all ships or vessels, with their tackle, apparel, and furniture, goods, wares, and merchandise, belonging to any inhabitant LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIBN 127 of Great Britain aforesaid, which shall be taken by any of the vessels of war of these United Colonies, shall be deemed f orfeitted ; one-third, after deducting and paying the wages of seamen and marines as aforesaid, to the ofEcers and men on board, and two- thirds to the use of the United Colonies. Resolved, That all ships and vessels, with their tackle, apparel, and furniture, goods, wares, and merchandizes, be- longing to the inhabitants of Great Britain, as afore- said, and all vessels which may be employed in carry- ing supplies to the ministerial armies, which shall happen to be taken near the shores of any of these Colonies, by the people of the country, or detachments from the army, shall be deemed lawful prize; and the court of admiralty within the said Colony is re- quired on condemnation thereof, to adjudge that all charges and expenses which may attend the capture and trial, be first paid out of the monies arising from the sales of the prize, and the remainder equally among all those who shall have been actually engag- ed and employed in taking the said prize. Provided, that where any detachments of the army shall have been employed as aforesaid, their part of the prize money shall be distributed among them in proportion to the pay of the ofiBcers and soldiers so employed. Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to consider of the fortifying of one or more ports on the 128 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN American coasts, in the strongest manner, for the protection of our cruisers, and the reception of their prizes; that they take the opinion of the best engineers on the manner and expense, and report thereon to the Congress." If any warrant or commission issued to Captain Jeremiah O'Brien during the War of the Revolu- tion, is now in existence, the author is not aware of it. Hence the general form of commission is here- with presented as illustrative of the character of com- missions under which Captain O'Brien served as a naval officer. The commission issued by the Massa- chusetts Colony was substantially the same as that given below. "Aprils, 1776.* The committee appointed to prepare the form of a commission, and instructions to commanders of private ships of war, brought in the same, which was read. The commission, being agreed to is as follows : ' ' The delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampshire, &c., to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : Know that we have granted, and, by these presents, do grant, license and authority to mariner, commander of the called of the burden of tons, or therebouts, belonging to of in the Col- ony of mounting carriage guns, and • Journals of the Continental Congress, pp. 102-103. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 129 navigated by men, to fit out and set forth the said in a warhke manner, and by and with the said and the crew thereof, by force of arms, to attack, seize, and take the ships and other vessels, belonging to the inhabitants of Great Britain, or any of them, with their tackle, apparel, furniture, and lading, on the high seas, or between high and low water marks, and to bring the same to some conven- ient ports in the said Colonies, in order that the Courts, which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine causes civil and maritime, may pro- ceed, in due form, to condemn the said captures, if they be adjudged lawful prize ; the said having given bond, with suflScient sureties, that nothing be done by the said or any of the ofiScers, mari- ners, or company thereof : contrary to or inconsistent with the usages and customs of nations, and the in- structions, a copy of which is herewith delivered to him. And we will require all our oflBcers whosoever, to give succor and assistance to the said in the premises. This commission shall continue in force until the Congress shall issue orders to the con- trary. By order of Congress : Attest President. " On Wednesday, April 3, 1776, the following in- 130 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH 0"BRIEN structions to the commanders of privateers were is- sued by the Continental Congress: " Instructions to the Commanders of Private Ships or Vessels of War which shall have Commissions or Letters of Marque and Eeprisal Authorizing Them to Make Captures of British Vessels and Cargoes : 1. You may, by force of arms, attaclf, subdue, and take all ships and other vessels belonging to the inhabitants of Great Britain, on the high seas, or be- tween high water and low water marks, except ships and vessels bringing persons who intend to settle and reside in the United States; or bringing arms, ammu- nition, or warlike stores, to the said Colonies, for the use of such inhabitants thereof as are friends to th^ American cause, which you shall suffer to pass un- molested, the commanders thereof permitting a peace- able search, and giving satisfactory information of the contents of the ladings, and destinations of the voyages. 2. You may, by force of arrps, attack, subdue, and take all ships and other vessels whatsoever, car- rying soldiers, arms, gunpowder, ammunition, pro- visions, or any other contraband goods, to any of the British armies or ships of war employed against these Colonies. 3. You shall bring such ships and vessels, as LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 131 you shall take, with their guns, rigging, tackle, ap- parel, furniture, and ladings, to some convenient port or ports of the United Colonies, that proceedings may thereon be had, in due form, before the courts, which are or shall be there appointed to hear and determine causes civil and maritime. 4. You, or one of your chief ofiScers, shall bring or send the master and pilot, and one or more princi- pal person or persons of the company of every ship or vessel by you taken, as soon after the capture as may be, to the Judge or Judges of such Court as aforesaid, to be examined upon oath, and make answer to the interrogators which maj' be propounded, touching the interest or property of the ship or vessel, and her lading ; and, at the same time, you shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Judge or Judges, all passes, sea-briefs, charter-parties, bills of lading, dockets, letters, and other documents and writings found on board, proving the said papers, by affidavit of yourself, or of some other person present at the capture, to be produced as they were received, with- out fraud, addition, subduction or embezzlement. 5. You shall keep and preserve every ship or vessel, and cargo, by you taken, until they shall, by a sentence of a Court properly authorized, be adjudg- ed lawful prizes; not selling, spoiling, wasting, or diminishing ihe same, or breaking the bulk thereof, nor suffering such thing to be done. 133 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 6. If you, or any of your officers or crew, shall, in cold blood, kill or maim, or by torture or otherwise, cruell}', inhumanly, and, contrary to common usage, and the practice of civilized nations in war, treat any person or persons surprised in the ship or vessel you shall take, the offender shall be severely punished. 7. You shall, by all convenient opportunities, send to Congress written accounts of the captures j'ou shall make, with the number and names of the cap- tives, copies of your journal from time to time, and intelligence of what may occur or be discovered con- cerning the designs of the enemy, and the destina- tions, motions, and operations of their fleets and armies. 8. One-third, at least, of your whole company shall be land-men. 9. You shall not ransom any prisoners or cap- tives, but shall dispose of them in such manner, as the Congress, or, if that be not fitting, in the Colony whither they shall be brought, as the general assem- bly, convention, council, or committee of safety, of such Colony, shall direct. 10. You shall observe all such further instruc- tions as Congress shall hereafter give in the premises, when you shall have notice thereof. 11. If you shall do anything contrary to these instructions, or to others hereafter to be given, or LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 133 willingly suffer such thing to be done, you shall not only forfeit your commission, and be liable to an ac- tion for the breach of the condition of your bond, but be responsible to the party grieved for damages sus- tained by such malversation." By these instructions, as well as by the instructions of the Council of the Massachusetts Colony, Captain O'Brien as a naval officer in the Colony service, was governed, while in command of the " flying squadron." That Captain O'Brien during the period of his Colony service, kept in close touch with the Colonial authorities is evidenced by his frequent and able com- munications to the General Court, only a few of which, however, have been preserved. It was with reference to some of his communications that the fol- lowing action was taken by the body above named : " In the House of Representatives, June 26th, 1776. Ordered that Captain Batcheldor and Mr. Otis be of the Committee appointed to take into considera- tion sundry papers exhibited by Captain Jeremiah Obrien, in the room.of Mr. Cushing and Coll. Brooks, absent. Sent up for concurrence, TiMO. Danielson, Spr. p. Tem: In Council June 26th, 1776. Read and concurred John Lowell, Dpy. Secy. P. T." 134 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN The " sundry papers exhibited by Captain Jere- miah Obrien " referred to in the preceding order of the " House of Representatives " of the General Court of Massachusetts doubtless include the petition addressed by him from Newburyport during the month of February, 1776, a copy of which has al- ready been given ; and also another petition under date of March 33, 1776, in vphich several indigent seamen who had served under Captain O'Brien, requested as- sistance from the General Court of the Massachusetts Colony — Captain O'Brien having affixed his signa- ture on behalf of a few of the petitioners ; this latter petition may also be seen in the preceding chapter. Other communications of Captain O'Brien to the General Court of Massachusetts, which are presuma- bly lost may be included in the phrase " sundry papers." Many documents of the Revolutionary times were retained by individual members of the General Court serving on various committees ; and not a few of these are still in the hands of their descend- ants, and hence unavailable to the public. ' ' Since the generality of persons act from im- pulse much more than from principle, men are neither so good nor so bad as -we are apt to think them-"* "Act upon your impulses, but pray that they may be directed by God."* If, as the following document declares ' ' is report- * Hare. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEEEMIAH O'BRIEN 135 ed," Captain Jeremiah O'Brien ever intimated that he should "not pay any regard to the orders of Court," and "offered one if not both " the vessels of the " flying squadron " for sale, (and that he made the remarks above suggested may, after all, have been a mere idle rumor, or the malicious report of one fond of " cutting honest throats by whispers") it would be far from difiScult for one acquainted with his character, to account for his words. Captain O'Brien, was of an impulsive nature, as already re- marked. He was outspoken, also. He had encoun- tered during the greater part of the period of his com- mand of the " flying squadron," almost insurmount- able difficulties — an insufficiency of ammunition for his vessels, growing discontent amongst his crews, tardy increase of " starvation wages" for his officers and men, petty persecutions from disgruntled or over- scrupulous individuals at home, the self-recognized disadvantage, to his eminent success, of his nation- ality, the lack of hearty and continuous support by the powers " that be " — hence it would not be sur- prising if he was at times in a peculiarly sensitive state of mind; and during one of those irritable moods he may have impulsively made some remark which formed the basis of the report which, in ex- aggerated form, at length reached the ears of the Committee of the Council of the Massachusetts Col 136 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN ony. The poet* doubtless had in mind such cases when he wrote : " The flying rumous gather'd as they rolled, Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told, And all who told it added something new. And all who heard it made enlargement too, In every ear it spread, on every tongue it grew." So far as Captain O'Brien offering "one if not both vessels " of his squadron for sale is concerned, (assuming that he did so) there is considerable to be said in his favor. The capture of the Unity and subsequently of the Margaretta, Diligent and Tap- naquish were a]l private enterprises, conducted by citizens of Machias acting as citizens, and upon their own responsibility. Hence it was not at all certain that in any legal sense these vessels belonged to the Colony of Massachusetts, as such. If the Colony did not own the vessels Captain O'Brien was intelligent enough to recognize the fact; and he had also " back- bone " to insist upon the right of the citizens of Ma- chias in the vessels. The language of the document following appears to indicate that the " Committee of the Council " were themselves in a state of uncer- tainty as to the ownership of the vessels. In a docu- ment also to be found near the close of this volume, Captain O'Brien speaks of the Schooner Diligent as " belonging to the inhabitants of Machias." As- suming that Captain O'Brien actually intimated that * Pope. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 137 he should "not pay any regard to the orders of Court," the remark was evidently the offspring of im- pulse, as appears from the language of his communi- cation to the Council a few days afterward, for he speaks of himself as " awaiting the orders of the Honorable Court." This is not the language of in- subordination, b}' any means. Following is the docu- ment referred to : " The subscribers beg leave to represent to the General Court that two armed vessels, now under the command of Messrs. Obrien and Lambert, have had orders from time to time from the Court, and have cost the public large money, but have effected very little. That Obrien is said to be now gone to Marble- head for stores for a three months cruise ; and it is reported that he intimates that he shall not pay any regard to the orders of Court, and has offered one, if not both those vessels for sale. And that a person now appears who would give the cash for one of those vessels. From this representation it is suggested to the Court whether it might not be conducive to the pub- lic good that an enquiry be made into the property of said vessels, and such measures be taken in the prem- ises as may secure that interest in those vessels which belongs to the Colony. The Committe thought it 138 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN their duty to make the above representation and sug- gestion to the Honorable Court. Boston, Juij^ 13tb, 1776. In Council, July 20, 1776, ) Read and Committed to Richard Darby, Thomas Benja. Lincoln J. Palmer Cushing, Esq , and Jno. )■ John Browne Taylor, Esq., to take the same under consideration and report. John Avery, Depy. Secy. Solomon Lovell John Bacheller It must have been sometime near the middle of the year 1776, that Captain O'Brien captured a ves- sel named the Folley, belonging to one WiUiam Haz- en, w^hich appeared to have been taking provisions to the enemy. Captain O'Brien's men being in want at the time, he used a part of the cargo of the captured vessel for the immediate relief of his crew. Hazen lodged a complaint against Captain O'Brien with the Council of the Massachusetts Colony, evidently mis- representing to that body the matter in question. The Council withheld the wages of Captain O'Brien and his crew, pending an investigation. The follow- ing communication from Captain O'Brien to the Council explains the Hazen matter, from his point of view, at least, and requests that the matter may be settled in accordance with the principle of justice to all parties concerned : LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 139 "Petition of Jeremiah O'Brien for Himself AND THE MaCHIAS LIBERTY'S CREW : Humbly Sheweth, that your petitioner with the above crew hath been employed in the Colonj' service since the first day of February last and have not re- ceived any pay therefor, the chief part of the men be- ing almost naked, and have no other dependence but the money allowed by the Honorable Court, which Court through false representations made to them by Mr. Hazen, have ordered our wages to be stopped, to make good an illegal demand of said Hazen upon us, as we understand to the amount of Eight Hundred Pounds, for goods taken out of his vessel, which, had vessel and cargo been taken would not amount to that sum. The manifest of her cargo was One Thousand Bushels of Salt, Ten Hogsheads of Molasses, Ten Hogsheads of Rum, One Bag of Cotton, Two Small Bags of Coffee, Part of a Cask of Loaf Sugar, One Trunk of Shoes, Cod Lines and Mens' Caps, — out of which j^our petitioner took for the Colony service: One and Half Hogsheads of Rum, One Barrel of Molasses, Three Quarters of a Hundred of Sugar, One Quarter of Coil Rigging, which your petitioner supposed the vessel to be a lawful prize and the prop- erty of the Colony's, and they standing in need of such articles presumed to take them, keeping a proper account thereof and intending to account with the 140 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN Colony therefor. Your petitioners hope that act of inadvertence shall not excuse them their pay, but that your honors would take the matter into con- sideration and award them as in your wisdom shall seem meet. The Sloop that your petitioner commands is now at Marblehead newly graved and fit for sea with two months provision on board, fully manned and awaiting the orders of the Honorable Court, j^ s in duty bound shall ever pray. Jeremiah O'Brian." The Committee to whom was referred the peti- tion of Jeremiah O'Brien and John Lambert, (just given) reported verbally, as their opinion that said Commander put to sea immediately, they first giving bond and complying with the orders of this Court in such cases made. LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 141 CHAPTER IX. "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL." Captain O'Brien Gives the Usual Bond — The Complaint of William Hazen, Owner of the PoUey — Petition of Captain O'Brien to the Committee of the Council — Provisions Voted to the Machias Liberty — The Flying Squadron Put Out of Commission— Captain O'Brien's Defense— Gather- ing Up Loose Ends of Business — Tardy Increase of Wages — Muster Roll of the Machias Liberty — A Discrep- ancy Explained — Report in the Hazen Case. "The end crowns all; And that old common arbitrator, time, Will one day end it." — Shakespeare. "The end of doubt is the beginning of repose. " — Petrarch, "Brave spirits are a balm to themselves. There is a nobleness of mind, that heals Wounds beyond salves." — Cartwright. T N accordance with the requirements of the Conti- -*■ nental Congress and of the State Legislature as well with reference to privateer commanders, Captain O'Brien, before leaving Neyburyport on his last cruise with the "flying squadron," gave the usual bonds. Following is a copy of the bond given by him: " Know all men by these presents that we Jere- miah Obrien of Machias in the County of Lincoln, mariner, and Benjamin Balch, Clerk of Danvers, in 142 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN the County of Essex, Francis Shaw, Esq., of Gold- boro in the County of Lincoln, stand firml}' bound to Henry Gardner, Esq., Treasurer and Receiver Gen- eral of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, in the sum of Two Thousand Pounds lawful money, to be paid to said Treasurer or his successor in said office, to the true payment whereof we bind ourselves, our heirs, execu- tors and administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents, sealed with our seal the Twenty Fifth Day of July, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six. The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bounden Jeremiah Obrien who is Com- mander of the Sloop called the Machias Liberty in the Colony service of the Massachusetts Bay, and fitted out by order of the Great and General Court, to cruise on the sea coast of America for the defence of American liberty and to make captives of such ves- sels as shall be supplying the enemies thereof with provisions and other stores, or otherwise infesting the sea coast, and for the making captures of British ves- sels and cargoes. Now if the said Jeremiah Obrien shall observe and conduct himself and govern his crew according to the resolves of the Grand American Congress, and according to the acts and orders of the Great and General Court of this Colony relative to armed ves- LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 143 sels fitted out for the purpose aforesaid, and follow such instructions as he may receive in pursuance of his commission, the foregoing obligation shall be void, or else remain in full force. Jeremiah Obrien. Signed, sealed and delivered] In presence of us — | -r^^ta ■RATr.xr Caleb Wilder, Joseph Noyes, ^ ^^! t„, ^ Jno. Furness to F. Shaw | ^ra. Shaw signing and sealing. J N. B. The words, Francis Shaw, Esq., of Gold- boro in the County of Lincoln, between the third and fourth lines in the within mentioned bond, were inter- lined before signing and sealing." Reference has already been made to the capture by Captain O'Brienof the Schooner Polley, owned by William Hazen. Hazen lodged a complaiat against Captain O'Brien for embezzlement. The following action of the " Committee of the Council" of Massa- chusetts has reference to Hazen's complaint against Captain O'Brien : "And as there is a complaint against one Obriant in sundry of the letters before mentioned, your Committee being informed that a complaint of the same nature, if not the same, is soon to be heard be- fore this Honorable Court, we make no report there- on ; and whereas in sundrj- of the before mentioned letters an information is given of one or more minis- M H X '3»-S!2 «£§ w Ho at w aSg^ H q; Ul 1-1 - o U) 1^ 01 » ^ >.9 "1 > BS>>S 11.3 «"« ►J H p$ Sa'S'S .'aS, "5 3 a p u "1 u u >-Io LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O BRIEN 145 of this ardent patriot of the War of the Revolution : " To THE Honorable Committee of Council As- sembled AT WaTERTOWN for THE MASSACHU- SETTS State. The petition of Jeremiah Obrien in behalf of himself and company humbly sheweth, that he has served with his company on board the Sloop Machias Liberty in the Colony service from the first day of February last under many disadvantages, my oflScers and seamen making repeated applications for money, vpith which I have supplied them to the amount of Five or Six Hundred Dollars and still lie out of it, which your Honors will readily see is a great disad- vantage to me. I have also furnished the sloop and schooner now in the Colony service to the amount of nigh One Hundred and Sixty Pounds lawful monej% and as yet have not received any pay therefor. The men on board have not sufficient clothing to defend them against the inclemency of the weather. I have now on board my full compliment of men, who are daily solicited to enter private vessels, and they hav- ing such great encouragement renders it very diflScult to keep them on board, and unless the Honorable Committee will in their great wisdom order payment it will be impossible to confine them on board. I would also inform you that I have made application to the Commissary for provisions and cannot obtain 146 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEEEMIAH O'BRIEN any without a draft from the Honorable Committee of Council. We hold ourselves always ready and willing to serve for the good of our country, but we are anxious to know whether we are held in commis- sion or are to be discharged. An immediate answer from your Honors will lay your petitioner under the greatest obligation imaginable. As in duty bound shall ever pray. Jeremiah Obrien. In Council, October 1, 1776. Read and thereupon Resolved : That the Com- missary General of this State be and hereby is direct- ed to furnish necessarj' provisions from time to time to the men belonging to the sloop Machias Liberty under the command of Captain Jeremiah Obrian and in actual service on board the said sloop until the next meeting of the General Court. Jno. Avery, Depy. Secy." "In the House of Representatives, October 14, 1776. Resolved, That the Hon. Richard Derby, Esq., be and is hereby directed to discharge the Sloop Ma- chias Liberty from the service of this State, and to take into his possossion all the cannon and other stores which are on board said Sloop and are the property of this State; and the said Richard Derby, Esq., is hereby further directed to discharge Captain Jere- LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 147 miah Obrien and the officers and men under his com- mand from the service of this State. Sent up for concurrence, Sam. Freeman, Speakr. P. T. Passed. In Council, October 15, 1776. Read and concurred. John Avery, Dpy. Secy. Consented to [by 15 members of the Council]" The following petition of Captain O'Brien to the " Honorable Council and House of Representatives for the Massachusetts State " was probably presented to that body a short time before he received notice of the discharge of the "flying squadron" from the State service. Captain O'Brien was a man of proud spirit ; and while, heretofore, he had not infrequently pleaded with the Provincial and State authorities on behalf of his crews, he had made little reference to himself, or to the peculiar difficulties under which he had labored while in command of the " flying squad- ron." He now unburdens his heart, as it were, to some extent rehearsing the embarrassments encounter- ed by him in his patriotic endeavor to serve the Col- ony by which he had been commissioned, and the country in general in whose welfare he was deeply interested. It will be noticed that one of the results of this and of the preceding petition of Captain 148 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN O'Brien, was to stir up the authorities to furnish his needy crews with provisions, and to increase his own monthly wages and those of his crews, — a tardy re- cognition, however, of the valuable services rendered by them to the cause of Freedom. The petition im- mediately following, which was without doubt drawn up by Captain O'Brien, is an unmistakable exhibition of his ability to wield the pen, as well as the sword, in the cause of justice and right. "To THE Honorable Uouncil and House of Rep- resentatives for the Massachusetts State. The Petition of the following persons humbly sheweth : That we, your petitioners, have served this State as follows : Jeremiah Obrien in the Sloop Machias Liberty since the f^rst of February last; John Lambert in the Schooner Diligent since the 16th of March last, under many disadvantages, owing to the low establishment issued out for the Machias armed vessels that your petitioners com- manded, the establishment being as follows: Cap- tain at four pounds per month, First Lieutenat, three pounds. Second Lieutenant and Surgeon 50 | and other officers in proportion ; seamen twenty-four shil- lings. When this came to hand it created a general uneasiness with our officers and men ; we were oblig- ed to use all the policy we were masters of to ease the minds of our crews, by telling them that both Houses LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 149 stood upon punctilios of honor, that we would stand surety that they should be on a par with the other Colony vessels in the same service, thereafter spend- ing eight or ten Guineas in treating the men at sun- dry times got them to join their ships, it being money wholly out of our own pockets. This made our sea- men easy during our first short cruise, until our ar- rival at Newburyport; some person then appearing informed the crews that the first establishment would stand go
Committee. Jere' O'Brien, ) Attest : James Avery, Town Clerk." 204 LIFE OP CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN About the 'year 1790 the name of Colonel O'Brien appears amongst the list of names of six grand jurors. As an indication of his enterprise and thrift it may be remarked that Colonel O'Brien be- came an extensive landholder in Machias ; and it is a fact of some interest, that in the year 1790 his assess- ment by the Road Surveyors was £1,1 8s, 7p. In a Town Meeting held at East Falls (now East Machias) on the 3d of April, 1804, it was voted : "That Jere- miah O'Brien have liberty to keep up gates and bars on his land, until the Selectmen shall see fit to re- move them and make a movement to alter the road." Late in the year of 1811 Colonel O'Brien was ap- pointed Collector of Customs for the District of Ma- chias, Maine. This appointment is said to have come to him unsolicited on his part, through the influence of the Hon. Albert Gallatin, Secretarj' of the United States Treasury under President Jefferson, by whom he was appointed to that office. It is said that dur- ing a visit to Machias Mr. Gallatin formed the ac- quaintance of Colonel O'Brien, in whose house he was hospitably entertained ; and so favorable was the impression received by this distinguished visitor that upou his subsequent appointment to the office above mentioned, he recommended his generous host for the Collectorship of Machias, with the result that he soon received the appointment, accompanied by a LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 205 personal letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, formally thanking hina for his timely hospitality, and intimating that his unforgotten kindness was among the considerations which influenced him in his action. Being desirous of ascertaining the date of Colo- nel O'Brien's appointment to the Collectorship, and of procuring other information concerning his service as Collector, the author wrote the present incumbent of that office, and received the following reply : " Office of the Collector of Customs, Port of Machias, Me. , Sept. 7, 1900. Mr. A. M. Sherman, Morristown, N. J. Dear Sir : In reply to your letter of the 1st inst., would say, Jeremiah O'Brien was the 3d Collector of Cus- toms for this District. His term of office was from 1811 to 1819. Cannot give date of appointment. Salary 3 per cent, commission on duties collected and $250 per annum, and fees allowed by law. I enclose copy of signature. Respectfully yours, W. H. Phinney, Sp. Depy. Collector." Failing in his effort to ascertain from the Ma- chias Custom House records the date of Colonel 306 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN O'Brien's appointment to the Collectorship, the au- thor then wrote the Secretary of the Treasury, at Washington, D. C. Following is the reply received from that ofiBcial : "Treasury Department, Office op the Secretary, Washington, D. C, October 2, 1900. Division of Appointments. Bev. A. M. Sherman, Morristown, N. J. Sir: Replying to your letter of the 31st, ultimo, con- taining inquiries relative to the appointment of Jere- miah O'Brien as Collector of Customs at the port of Machias, Maine, and requesting that copies of a few of his letters to the Treasury Department containing his signature be furnished you, you are informed that Jeremiah O'Brien, of Massachusetts, was appointed Collector of Customs for the district of Machias by James Madison, President of the United States, on November 26, 1811. As there are no records now in existence of any letters received from Mr. O'Brien as Collector, the Department is unable to furnish you with the copies requested. Respectfully, O. L. Spaulding, Acting Secretary." LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 207 It was during Colonel O'Brien's administration as Collector of Customs for the District of Machias, that the war of 1813 took place. With the collusion of Americans with British subjects smuggling, to an enormous extent, was carried on along the coast of Maine. On Friday, the 27th of August, 1813, the sloop Traveller engaged in an attempt to smuggle goods into the United States, was captured by a private armed American boat called the Lark. The case was taken into the United States District Court ; and, as the capture was made in waters included in Colonel O'Brien's jurisdiction, he received as his share of the value of the condemned prize and her cargo, the handsome net sum of $4,277.11. The Custom House ofBce during Colonel O'Brien's in- cumbency was in the rear of the store of Captain George Stillman Smith, the Deputy Collector at Ma* chias ; and this place became famous as the rendez- vous of many local celebrities. Following is a fac-simile of the handwriting of Colonel O'Brien while Collector of Customs at Ma- chias; it was made from a tracing, by the present incumbent of the oflSce, of a public document on file in the Custom House : 208 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN In the month of September, 1814, the British military forces landed at Buck's Harbor and marched overland toward Machias by way of Machiasport, situated some four miles southeast of the former place. At about the same time a force of British marines moved up the Machias river in barges toward the village. Early in the morning of Wednesday, Septem- ber 11, the British military force of greatly superior numbers surprised the American fort at Machiasport, from which the small garrison precipitately fled, hastening by way of Machias, westward, in the direc- tion of Columbia Falls ; this of course opened the way for the unimpeded march of the enemy on Machias. Colonel O'Brien was aware of the movements of the British forces, having in some way kept himself in- formed concerning them from the hour of their land- ing at Buck's Harbor. A day or two previous to the entrance of the British forces into Machias, he donned his Revolutionarj'' uniform ; buckled on his sword ; saddled the white horse* he was accustomed to ride, (he was an excellent horseman, and made a fine ap- pearance on horseback) and, mounting him rode at break-neck speed up the " Port" road and across the " lower bridge " into the northern village. Reining his foaming steed up with a strong pull and brand - * "The horse was minus one eye" — said an old resident of Machias, who had frequently seen both horse and rider. 1= ^ _.0 X LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH o'BRIEN 209 ishing his sword in the air, Colonel O'Brien called upon the citizens to rally about him and march out on the Machiasport road to meet and oppose the progress of the British forces. "If a dozen men will start with me I will lead you out against the British !" ex- claimed this staunch patriot of 70 years. He doubt- less reasoned that around this nucleus of a dozen men a force would eventually rally sufficient to success- fully resist the British forces in their advance on the village. He evidently had little respect for the prowess of the King's soldiery. But Colonel O'Brien could not persuade even a dozen men to rally about him. His friends, while admiring the pluck of their fellow-townsman, earnestly besought him to give up the idea of resistance — insisting that resistance would only result in the destruction of the village. Reluct- antly yielding to the entreaties of his friends he turn- ed his horse's head homeward, put the spurs into his- sides, and hastened across the "lower bridge" into the southern village; uttering, in the heat of his in- dignation, imprecations of no ordinary kind.* An- ticipating that upon the entrance of the British forces into Machias his house would be searched, Captain * The saddle on which Colonel O'Brien rode into the northern village on the occasion above referred to, is now in the possession of Mrs. Josephine O'Brien Campbell, of Cherry- field, Me. She is a great grand-daughter of Gideon O'Brien, the eldest brother of Colonel Jeremiah O'Brien. 210 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN O'Brien, on the evening of Tuesday, the 10th of Sep- tember, made up a package of valuables in his pos- session, consisting of money and important papers, and, early on the morning of the 11th, sent it away by a trusty messenger to be buried out of reach of the British. At about eleven o'clock on the forenoon of Wednesday, September 11, the British marines landed at several wharves on the northern village side of the river ; and at about the same hour the military forces came into town by way of the Machiasport road. Crossing the " lower bridge " they marched into and took unhindered possession of the village; the in- habitants fearing that any resistance on their part would bring swift destruction upon the place. The marines were quartered in the " Dr. Clark House " near the northern end of the "lower bridge;" and the military forces encamped on land in the rear of the site occupied by the present Court House. From his residence Colonel O'Brien could look across the Machias river and see the white tents of the enemy's encampment ; and the sight was anything but pleas- ing to this ardent American. Soon after the arriyal of the British forces in the village some of the Colo- nel's friends made it their business to call upon him at his home in the interests of peace ; and before their departure they exacted a promise from him that he would be circumspect in his speech while the enemy LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 211 remained in town, lest his characteristic outspoken- ness might precipitate British vengeance on the heads of the inhabitants. During their stay in the village the enemj' for- aged liberally on gardens and fields and stock yards, but they molested none of the inhabitants personally. Many of the houses in the village were searched by the British for arms and ammunition ; among them the house of Colonel O'Brien. To the search he made no objection whatever. He conducted the King's ofiBcer and guard of several soldiers through the house ; and, on reaching a closet on the second floor in which he kept his Revolutionary relics, the Colonel quietly took down a sword,* courteously remarking as he held it up before the interested British oflBcer : " This, sir, is the only weapon of defense I have in the house." The chrivalrous British oflScer, it is al- most superfluous to remark, left the sword in the " Yankee " Colonel's possession; and it was promptly returned to its wonted place in the closet. The Brit- ish officer espying a three-cornered gold-lace trimmed naval hat hanging in the relic-closet pleasantly en- * The sword exhibited on the occasion referred to above was one that was captured by Colonel O'Brien, from the British armed vessel Margaretta on the I2th of June, 1775; it is in the possession of Mrs. Josephine O'Brien Campbell, of Cherryfield, Me., a great grand-daughter of Gideon O'Brien, the eldest brother of Captain Jeremiah O'Brien. The sword was, subsequent to its capture by Captain O'Brien, used by him during his privateering career. 213 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN quired: " What is that, Colonel ?" "That," re- plied Colonel O'Brien, removing from its hanging place the hat he had sacredly treasured since war's dread alarums had ceased, — "that, sir, is the hat I wore in the War of the Revolution ;" and the careful observer might have seen a peculiar twinkle of his blue eyes, as he made this proud announcement to the searching party. The search completed, and no arms or ammunition having been discovered on the premises, Colonel O'Brien invited the British ofEcer (a large, handsome man, by the way) and his soldiers to the sitting room below for refreshments. Going at once into the spacious cellar the Colonel drew a pitcher of cider, brought it still foaming up to the apartment which answered for sitting room and din- ing room, and, after cake had been placed upon the linen-spreaded table, the entire party, by invitation of the host, drew their high, straight-back chairs to the hospitable board. The cider was poured into mugs ; and after the brimming mugs had been lifted by each from the table, the British officer addressing his host said: "Colonel, will you offer a toast?" Instantly the impulsive Colonel jumped to his feet, and lifting his agitated mug of cider high in the air, he fearlessly exclaimed : "Here's to the success of the American arms!" For a moment — such is the testimony of an eye-witness — there was profound LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 213 silence in the room ; and then the officer and soldiers burst into heartj' laughter, over the sentiment of the Colonel's toast; who, though completely in their power, had given such a remarkable exhibition of audacious pluck. It is the opinion of the author that no incident in the entire career of Colonel Jeremiah O'Brien more completely shows the impulsiveness and fearlessness of the man than that just related. " He was a man who knew no fear" — such is the estimate of Colonel O'Brien which has come down to the present generation from those whose acquaintance with him was intimate. The British officer and soldiers could not, of course, join in the toast presented by their hospitable host; neither could the loyal host join in the toast afterward presented by theepauleted British guest, which was: " Here's to the health of the King!" After a friendly chat of somewhat lengthy duration the British officer withdrew with his squad, and, gathering up the guard posted outside the house moved away for the search of other buildings in the village. The British forces remained in Ma- chias about a week, when, like the Arabs " they folded their tents," and marched away; since which time a uniformed British soldier has not been seen on the streets of peaceful, picturesque Machias. Although Colonel O'Brien was not a member of 314 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN any church* he was, however, a frequent attendant in the latter part of his Hfe, upon the services of the Congregational Church in the village; in which church he had for many years rented a favorably located pew. He was, it should be remarked, a man of excellent habits, and of good moral standing in community. " I never saw him use stimulants " said one whose acquaintance with Colonel O'Brien in the latter part of his life was intimate. He did not even use tobacco in any form, except as snuft, which in his day was an almost universal custom, particularly among persons advanced in life. It was a familiar sight to see Colonel O'Brien at this period of his life, deftly open his gold snufif box, bearing on its lid a medallion portrait of Jefferson, and with his thumb and finger lift from its contents the desired " pinch " of the powdered weed. There is what seems to be a reliable tradition that this gold snuff box was a present to Colonel O'Brien from President Thomas Jefferson. To the day of his final illness Colonel O'Brien wore a queue, knee breeches, knee buckles and shoe buckles, and presented, therefore, a quaint and striking appearance on the streets of Machias. Colonel O'Brien died while Collector of Customs, * Colonel O'Brien's father, Morris O'Brien, was one of the original members of the Congregational Church of Machias; and in the Manual of the church, containing amongst other interesting data the roll of members from its organization, the name of Morris O'Brien appears as number 26 on the long list. LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN 215 having at the time of his decease held the office nearly two terms of four years each. His final illness was of short duration, lasting but a few days. On Satur- day, the 5th of September, 1818, he passed peacefully away at his home, aged 74 years. His decease was without doubt anticipated by him, as only a short time prior to his departure, he executed his last will and testament, and, in the full use of his faculties, made other and additional arrangements for the dis- posal of his worldly efifects. Among the bequests, by his last will, of Colonel O'Brien, to his nephew, the Hon. Jeremiah O'Brien, of Machias, was the sword already spoken of in connection with the search of his house by the British soldiers, in the month of September, 1814; and also a "fusee," or small, single-barrel gun, which were captured from the Margaretta, on June 12, 1775. Sword and gun — both of which were subsequently used by Captain O'Brien during his extended privateering career — are now now in the possession of Mrs. Josephine O'Brien Campbell, of Cherryfield, Me., a grand- daughter of Hon. Jeremiah O'Brien. The thought- ful disposal by will of the sword and gun above- mentioned, by Colonel O'Brien, is here spoken of as an illustration of his high regard for his Revolution- ary relics, and as indicative also of his desire that they be suitably cared for and cherished by future 316 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN generations. Mrs. Henry F. Harding, of East Ma- chias, has in her possession Colonel O'Brien's holster carried by him in the War of the Revolution ; the pistols, however, are missing. Mrs. Harding receiv- ed this highly interesting relic of the Revolution through her father, the Hon. Jeremiah O'Brien, a nephew of the Colonel, to whom it was bequeathed. This seems to be the proper place to remark that the sword carried by Captain Jeremiah O'Brien at the the time of his enforced surrender of the Hannibal, was presumably delivered to the ranking British of- ficer to whom the ship was formally surrendered. It may now be gracing some British museum. At the time of Colonel O'Brien's decease the pastor of the Congregational Church of Machias, the Rev. Marshfield Steele, was absent from the village; and the venerable Deacon Joseph Libby of the Congre- gational Church officiated at the funeral as the pas- tor's substitute. This he frequently did in the ab- sence of the pastor, or when by reason of illness he was unable to officiate at a funeral. The sacred music for the occasion, the funeral exercises being held at Colonel O'Brien's late residence, on Monday, September 7th, was furnished by members of the village church choir, among whom were the follow- ing: Captain George Stillman Smith, (a life-long and cherished friend of Colonel O'Brien,) and the LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'bRIEN 217 Misses Susan and Nancy Sanborn. Captain Smith was at the time leader of the choir. The book from which the choir sang was as follows : THE PSALMS OF DAVID Instituted in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship BY I. WATTS, D. D. Luke XXIV : 44 Acts XI ; 22 and 40 NEWBURYPORT WIHIAM HASTINGS, PRINTER 1818 The hymn selected by Colonel O'Brien during his final illness to be sung at his funeral was the 81st number in the above-mentioned book, which was as follows : Our Sin the Cause of Christ's Death I. And now the scales have left mine eyes, Now I begin to see; O the cursed deeds my sins have done ! What mur'drous things they be ! ^18 LIFE OF CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BEIEN 2. Were these the traitors, dearest Lord, That thy fair body tore ? Monsters, that stain'd those heavenly limbs With floods of purple gore ? 3. Was it for crimes that I have done. My dearest Lord was slain; When justice seized God's only Son, And put his soul to pain ? 4. Forgive my guilt, O Prince of peace ! I'll vpound my God no more; Hence, from my heart, ye sins be gone. For Jesus I adore. 5. Furnish me. Lord, with heavenly arms From grace's magazine; And I'll proclaim eternal war With every darling sin. The body of Colonel O'Brien was prepared for burial in a shroud of black, which in those early days was a favorite dress for the dead. At the conclusion of the funeral exercises at the late residence of the deceased the remains were tenderly taken out of the door on the northern side of the house — the side fac- ing the Machias river — and conveyed by the pall bearers on the bier, the procession of mourners thoughtfully following, across the still verdant fields to the family burial place but a few rods distant. The usual religious ceremony at the grave concluded, the remains were solemnly deposited in the earth, the immortal part having risen to the Being who gave it. A picture of the headstone marking the resting place of Colonel O'Brien's remains, with the modest in- scription, may be seen in this volume; and a picture •a S » -3 o « ■o o - •g "''2.0 M i.Sft3 r <^z o. td P=-c a i" o > ■^ 3-5 t^ s 5 " ?= =■3 „ o tn 3-5; £ p a o Ih -■<-^ > ^ — p ?> op &