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HISTORY  :  OF  :  COLONEL 
JONATHAN :  MITCHELL'S 
CUMBERLAND  :  COUNTY 
REGIMENT  :  BAGADUCE 
EXPEDITION  :    1779  ::  : 

BY  :  NATHAN  :  GOOLD 
HISTORIAN  :  MAINE  :  SO- 
CIETY :  SONS  :  OF  :  THE 
AMERICAN    :    REVOLUTION. 


PEESS  :  OF  :  THE  : 
THURSTON  :  PRINT 
PORTLAND,  :  MAINE 
1899.     :::::: 


COLONEL      JONATHAN       MITCHELL'S 
CUMBERLAND  COUNTY  REGIMENT. 

BAGADUCE  EXPEDITION,    1779. 

BY     NATHAN     GOOLD. 

Read  before  the  Maine  Historical  Society,  October  27,  1S9S. 

The  expedition  organized  by  the  Americans  in  June, 
1779,  to  dislodge  the  British  who  had  occupied  the 
point  where  is  now  the  town  of  Castine,  Maine,  as  a 
base  of  suppUes  and  a  naval  station,  has  been  known  in 
history  as  the  Bagaduce  expedition,  but  at  that  time 
was  called  "  The  Expedition  to  the  Penobscot."  The 
arm  of  the  sea  now  called  Bagaduce  River  was  in  former 
times  called  Matchebiguatus,  an  Indian  name  meaning 
at  a  place  where  there  is  no  safe  harbor.  At  the  time 
of  the  Revolution  it. was  known  as  Maja-Bagaduce, 
which  was  contracted  into  Bagaduce  and  hence  the 
name  of  the  expedition. 

The  fact  that  the  campaign  was  a  disastrous  fail- 
ure has  probably  deterred  historians  from  the  prep- 
aration of  a  full  history  of  the  affair ;  but  as  it  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  events  in  Maine's  Revolutionary 
history,  it  seems  proper  that  the  service,  with  the  com- 
pany rolls  of  the  men  who  composed  the  regiments, 
should  be  recorded.  The  men  were  in  no  wise  respon- 
sible for  the  results,  and  no  doubt  acted  as  well  as  they 
could  under  the  circumstances  in  which  they  found 
themselves  placed. 


Z  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

It  is  not  the  intention  to  give  a  complete  history 
of  the  expedition,  but  it  will  be  necessary  to  give 
some  facts  to  show  the  magnitude  of  the  undertaking 
which  the  government  of  Massachusetts  did  not  then 
realize. 

June  24,  1779,  Gen.  Charles  Gushing,  of  Pownalbo- 
rough,  sent  a  letter  to  the  Massachusetts  General  Court 
advising  an  immediate  expedition  to  dislodge  the 
British  before  they  had  time  to  entrench  themselves. 
They  had  already  given  consideration  to  the  subject, 
and  June  26  gave  the  Board  of  War  directions  to 
engage  all  state  or  national  armed  vessels  that  could  be 
prepared  to  sail  in  six  days.  They  were  also  directed 
to  charter  or  impress  all  private  armed  vessels  avail- 
able, with  a  promise  to  the  owners  of  a  fair  compensa- 
tion for  all  losses  and  damages  they  might  sustain,  and 
the  wages  of  the  men  were  to  be  the  same  as  paid 
in  the  Continental  service.  The  Board  was  also  to  pro- 
cure the  necessary  outfit  and  supplies,  and  the  follow- 
ing were  said  to  have  been  furnished  :  —  Nine  tons  of 
flour  and  bread,  ten  tons  of  salt  beef,  ten  tons  of  rice, 
six  hundred  gallons  of  rum,  six  hundred  gallons  of 
molasses,  five  hundred  stands  of  arms,  fifty  thousand 
rounds  of  musket  cartridges  with  balls,  two  eighteen- 
pounders  with  two  hundred  rounds  of  ammunition,  three 
nine-pounders  with  three  hundred  rounds  of  ammu- 
nition, four  field-pieces,  six  barrels  of  gun  powder,  with 
a  sufficient  quantity  of  axes,  spades,  tents  and  utensils 
of  all  kinds. 

The  fleet  when  ready  consisted  of  nineteen  armed 
vessels  and  twenty-four  transports,  all  carrying  three 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REaiMENT.        3 

hundred  and  forty-four  guns.  The  flag-ship  was  the 
Warren,  a  new  thirty-two  gun  Continental  frigate.  The 
fleet  was  under  the  command  of  Dudley  Saltonstall 
of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  whose  obstinacy  out- 
weighed his  ability  as  a  commander  of  a  fleet.  On 
board,  beside  the  sailors,  were  between  three  and  four 
hundred  marines,  also  about  one  hundred  Massachu- 
setts artillery-men  under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Col. 
Paul  Revere  of  Boston. 

Gen.  Cushing  of  Lincoln  County,  and  Gen.  Samuel 
Thompson  of  Cumberland,  were  each  ordered  to  detach 
six  hundred  men  from  the  militia  for  two  regiments, 
and  Gen.  John  Frost  was  to  detail  three  hundred  of  the 
York  county  militia  to  complete  a  sufficient  number  of 
men  for  the  service  to  be  performed.  This  would  have 
made  a  total  of  fifteen  hundred  men,  but  in  reality 
there  were  furnished  less  than  one  thousand  or  about 
the  number  of  the  enemy.^ 

The  resolve  provided  that  such  men  as  had  been 
previously  ordered  to  be  raised  in  the  above  named 
counties,  as  a  part  of  the  state's  quota  of  the  Conti- 
nental army,  should  be  considered  part  of  the  said 
detachment  and  in  case  the  expedition  was  carried 
into  effect,  the  counties  were  to  be  exempted  for  nine 
months  from  raising  men  for  the  Continental  service. 

It  was  a  Massachusetts  undertaking,  and  a  draft  was 
made  on  the  state  treasury  for  £50,000,  to  defray  the 
expenses.  The  merchants  of  Newburyport  and  Salem 
supplied  six  of  the  fleet  with  provisions  for  two 
months. 

^  There  are  indications  that  more  men  joined  the  expedition  from    Lincoln 
County  after  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  iu  the  Penobscot. 


4  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

The  commander  of  the  land  forces  was  Solomon 
Lovell/  of  Weymouth,  a  brigadier  general  of  the 
Suffolk  County  militia.  He  was  a  man  of  courage, 
but  with  no  experience  in  actual  warfare.  The  next 
in  command  w^as  General  Peleg  Wadsworth,  of  Dux- 
bury,  who  had  seen  service  at  the  seige  of  Boston  and 
in  Rhode  Island.  After  the  war  he  settled  in  Portland, 
where  he  was  a  most  useful  and  honored  citizen.  He, 
without  doubt,  was  the  best  officer  of  the  expedition. 
At  that  time  he  was  thirty-one  years  of  age.  He 
was  the  grandfather  of  the  poet,  Henry  W.Longfellow. 

The  militia  for  the  expedition  was  collected  with 
considerable  difficulty.  The  reason  given  was  that 
there  was  a  misunderstanding  of  the  meaning  of  the 
orders  among  the  officers.  Parson  Smith,  of  Falmouth, 
records  under  date  of  June  30,  1779  :  "  People  every 
where  in  this  state  spiritedly  appearing  in  the  present 
intended  expedition  to  Penobscot,  in  pursuit  of  the 
British  fleet  and  army  there."  Adjt.  Gen.  Jeremiah 
Hill  testified  at  the  investigation  that  "  the  troops 
were  collected  with  the  greatest  reluctance  so  that  I 
recommended  martial  law.  Some  were  taken  and 
brought  by  force,  some  were  frightened  and  joined 
voluntarily,  and  some  'skulked  and  kept  themselves 
concealed.  So  upon  the  whole  I  collected  by 
return  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  rank 
and  file."  Adjt.  Gen.  Hill  reported  to  Gen. 
Thompson  the  situation  in  Cumberland  County  and 
in  reply,  he  said,  "  If  they  will  not  go  I  will  make  the 
county  too  hot  for  them."     Brigade    Major  William 

^For    the  journal  of  General  Solomon  Lovell,  with  a  sketch  of  his  life,  see 
Weymouth  Hist.  Soc.  Coll,  Vol.  I,  page  14-116. 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL  S    REGIMENT.  5 

Todd  said  that  he  marched  to  Casco  Bay,  July  14, 
with  one  hundred  and  thirty  York  County  men,  "  sev- 
eral of  which  were  brought  with  force  of  arms."  He 
arrived  at  Falmouth  the  seventeenth,  and  found  the 
transports  waiting,  and  he  testified  at  the  investiga- 
tion that  there  were  "  too  many  boys  and  aged  " 
among  the  soldiers. 

Col.  Jonathan  Mitchell's  regiment  was  Cumberland 
County's  contribution  to  the  Penobscot  Expedition. 
The  rolls  of  the  companies  and  the  history  of  their 
service  in  that  campaign  are  of  interest  to  our  state, 
especially  to  the  people  of  that  county  where  they 
lived  and  to  the  descendants  of  those  who  were  engaged 
in  the  expedition. 

Col.  Mitchell  entered  the  service  July  1,  when  he 
proceeded  to  collect  and  organize  the  men  of  his  regi- 
ment. Their  first  parade  together  was  July  8,  and 
July  11,  Parson  Deane  records  that  he  "preached  to 
the  troops."  Three  days  after  Gen.  Thompson  wrote 
the  following  letter,  probably  to  the  Board  of  War  : — 

Falmouth,  July  14,  1779. 
Agreeably  to  your  orders  of  the  26th  of  June  last,  I  have 
detached  out  of  my  brigade  600  men,  formed  them  into  a  regi- 
ment and  appointed  proper  officers  to  command,  viz  :  Col.  Jona. 
Mitchell,  Lt.  Col.  Nathan  Joi'dan,  Jacob  Jordan  first,  and  Nathan- 
iel Larrabee  second  major.  On  the  6th  inst.  received  orders  from 
Genl  Lovell  to  cause  said  troops  to  repair  to  Falmouth  to  be  received 
by  Major  Hill  who  informed  me  he  should  be  there  the  8th,  and  on 
the  9th  they  would  arrive  at  Falmouth  and  the  greater  part  have 
been  waiting  ever  since,  except  those  who  living  near  by  had  leave 
to  return  home  for  want  of  provisions. 

Sam  Thompson,  Brig. 


6  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

General  Samuel  Thompson  then  lived  in  Brunswick, 
and  was  the  brigadier-general  in  command  of  the  Cum- 
berland County  militia.  He  was  a  resolute,  energetic 
and  sincere  patriot  of  the  Revolution,  who  for  his  early 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  our  independence,  and  his 
faithful  public  services,  should  be  revered  by  the  county 
of  which  he  was  then  a  citizen. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  the  field  and  staff 
officers  of  the  army,  also  that  of  Colonel  Jonathan 
Mitchell's  Cumberland  County  regiment :  — 

The  Field  and  Staff-officers  of  the  Land  Forces. 

Commander-in-chief — Brigadier-General  Solomon  Lovell  of  Wey- 
mouth, Mass. 

Second  in  Authority  —  Brigadier-General  Peleg  Wadsworth  of 
Duxbury,  Massachusetts. 

Surgeon  General  —  Eliphalet  Downer. 

Brigade  Majors  —  Capt.  Gowan  Brown  of  Boston,  and  Capt. 
William  Todd. 

Adjutant-General —  Capt.  Jeremiah  Hill  of  Biddeford,  Maine. 

Secretary  —  John  Marston,  Jr.,  of  Methuen,  Massachusetts. 
Quarter  Master  General  —  Col.  John  Tyler. 

Commissary  of  Ordinance  —  G.  W.  Speakman. 

Deputy  Quarter  Master —  Benjamin  Furnass. 

Dept.  Com.  of  Ordnance  —  J.  Robbins. 

Commander  of  Train  of  Artillery  —  Col.  Paul  Revere  of  Boston, 
Massachusetts. 

Commissary  of  Supplies  — Joseph  McLellan  of  Falmouth,  Maine. 

Joseph  McLellan,  the  commissary,  was  a  Falmouth 
Neck  man.  He  was  the  son  of  Brice  and  Jane 
McLellan  and   was   born  in    Falmouth,  in  1732.     He 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL  S    REGIMENT.  7 

married  in  September,  1756,  Mary  McLellan  a  daugh- 
ter of  Hugh  McLeUan  of  Gorham,  Maine,  and  died  July 
6,  1820,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
committee  to  prevent  the  landing  of  the  rigging  for 
Coulson's  ship,  at  Falmouth,  March  2,  1775,  commit- 
tee of  inspection,  commissary  of  the  Bagaduce  Expe- 
dition, when  he  was  appointed  a  captain  of  a  company 
of  carpenters.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Joseph 
Pride's  company  in  Colonel  Joseph  Prime's  regiment 
at  Falmouth,  in  1780,  and  commanded  a  company  from 
December  6,  1780,  until  May  1,  1781. 

Capt.  McLellan  was  first  a  mariner  then  a  merchant. 
He  was  a  selectman ;  county  treasurer  twenty-seven 
years,  1777-1803,  and  was  a  committee  to  build  the 
court-house  in  1787.  He  was  a  prominent  and  respected 
citizen  of  Portland.  His  two  sons,  Hugh  and  Stephen 
McLellan  were  Revolutionary  soldiers  and  became  prom- 
inent merchants  of  Portland. 


ROSTER  OF  COL.  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT. 


Field  and 
Jonathan  Mitchell, 
Nathaniel  Jordan, 
Jacob  Bi'own, 
Nathaniel  Larrabee, 
Rev.  Thomas  Lancaster, 
Dr.  Nathaniel  Jones, 
Benjamin  Jones  Porter, 
Gideon  Meserve, 
Enoch  Frost, 
Nathaniel  Hinkley, 
Ezekiel  Loring, 


Staff  Officers— 1779. 
Colonel, 
Lieut.  Colonel, 
First  Major, 
Second  Major, 
Chaplain , 
Surgeon, 
Surgeon  Mate, 
Adjutant, 
Sergt.  Major, 
Quarter  Master, 
Q.  M.  Sergt., 


North  Yarmouth 

Cape  Elizabeth 

North  Yarmouth 

Brunswick 

Scarborough 

Cape  Elizabeth 

Topsham 

Scarborough 

Gorham 

Brunswick 

North  Yarmouth 

Total,  11  men. 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


Capt.  Peter    Warreii's    Company. 
Peter  Warren,  Captain, 

Daniel  Mussey,  1st  Lieut., 

Peter  Babb,  2d  Lieut., 


Capt.  Joshua  Jordan's  Company. 
Joshua  Jordan,  Captain, 

Dominicus  Mitchell,  1st  Lieut., 

Lemuel  Dyer,  2d  Lieut., 

Capt.   Neliemiali    Curtis'  Company. 
Nehemiah  Curtis,  Captain, 

Isaac  Hall,  1st  Lieut., 

Ebenezer  Stan  wood,  2d  Lieut., 

Capt.  Nathan    Merrill's  Company. 
Nathan  Merrill,  Captain, 

Edward  Anderson,  1st  Lieut., 

Peter  Graffum,  2d  Lieut., 


Falnaouth 

u 
u 

Total,  57  men. 
Cape  Elizabeth 

Total,  53  men. 

Harpswell 

Brunswick 
Total,  73  men. 

Gray 

Windham 

New  Gloucester 

Total,  58  men. 


Capt.  Benjamin  Larrahee's  Company. 
Benjamin  Larrabee,  Captain, 

Josiah  Libby,  1st  Lieut., 

Lemuel  Milliken,  2d  Lieut., 

Capt.  William  Cohh's  Company. 
William  Cobb,  Captain, 

Moses  Merrill,  1st  Lieut., 

/Joshua  Stevens,  2d  Lieut., 

Capt.  Alexander  McLellan' s  Company. 
Alexander  McLellan,  Captain, 

Ebenezer  Murch  1st  Lieut., 

Joseph  Knight,  2d  Lieut., 


Scarborough 


Total,  64  men. 


Falmouth 


Total,  70  men. 


Gorham 


Total,    67  men. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT. 


Capt. 

John  Gray's  Company. 

John  Gray, 

Captain, 

North  Yarmouth 

John  Soule, 

Ist  Lieut., 

(( 

Ozias  Blanchard, 

2d  Lieut., 

Total,    66  men. 

Commissioned  Officers, 

34 

Noncommissioned  Officer 

s  and  Privates, 
Total, 

485 

519  men 

July  16,  Col.  Mitchell's  men  were  embarking  on 
the  transports  awaiting  at  Falmouth  Neck,  now  Port- 
land, and  by  the  nineteenth  were  ready  for  departure, 
when  Capt.  Abner  Lowell  fired  from  the  battery,  a 
gun  as  a  signal  for  the  fleet  to  set  sail  for  its  destina- 
tion. The  transport  on  which  Capt.  Peter  Warren's 
Falmouth  company  was  quartered  was  the  sloop  Cen- 
turion, eighty  and  one-third  tons,  Capt.  William  McLel- 
lan  of  Falmouth  Neck.  She  carried  three  men  for  a 
crew  beside  the  captain.  Among  the  stores  sent  on 
board  for  the  use  of  the  crew  were  seven  gallons  of  rum. 
This  sloop  was  destroyed  with  the  others,  and  was 
appraised  at  twenty-nine  hundred  pounds  for  the  settle- 
ment with  her  owners. 

Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  arrived  at  Townsend  Har- 
bor now  Boothbay  Harbor,  the  rendezvous  of  the  expe- 
dition, in  the  evening  of  July  19,  having  sailed  from 
Casco  Bay  in  the  morning.  Gen.  Lovell  made  his 
headquarters  at  Rev.  Mr.  Murray's  house,  where  the 
returns  of  the  regiments  were  examined  by  him  on  the 
twenty-first.  The  next  day  the  troops  were  reviewed 
by  the  commander-in-chief,  which  must  have  been  un- 
satisfactory to  him  as  the  men  had  had  no  opportunity 


10  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

to  learn  discipline,  and  but  few  had  any  knowledge  of 
the  manual  of  arms.  The  twenty-third  there  was  an 
unfavorable  wind  and  the  expedition  remained  in  the 
harbor,  waiting  for  a  favorable  opportunity  to  sail. 

July  24,  the  whole  expedition  set  sail  for  Penobscot 
Bay.  The  fleet  made  an  imposing  appearance  as  it 
sailed  out  of  Boothbay  Harbor  along  the  coast  into  the 
Penobscot.  The  men  on  board  were  in  high  hopes  of 
success.  The  fleet  came  to  anchor  under  upper  Fox 
Island  that  night.  Here  they  were  joined  by  a  party 
of  Penobscot  Indians,  who  reported  that  Gen.  McLean, 
the  British  commander,  had  tried  to  tamper  with  them, 
but  to  their  honor  it  can  be  said  that  they  remained 
true  to  their  promise  made  in  1775.  Our  commanders 
soon  learned  that  the  British  were  entrenched  at  Bag- 
aduce,  and  had  three  sloops  of  war  in  command  of 
Capt.  Henry  Mowat,  so  well  remembered  in  the  history 
of  Portland. 

The  next  day,  July  25,  found  the  Americans  in  range 
of  the  guns  of  the  enemy,  who  commenced  firing  from 
the  shore,  whereupon  our  armed  vessels  fired  several 
broadsides  at  their  forts.  The  British,  however,  pre- 
vented the  landing  of  our  boats  that  night,  but  the  next 
day,  July  26,  the  vessels  warped  in,  and  about  noon  an 
attempt  was  made  to  land.  This  was  also  unsuccessful. 
About  six  o'clock  that  afternoon,  while  putting  off  from 
Nautilus  Island  where  the  Americans  had  made  a  land- 
ing, a  boat  was  struck  and  Major  Daniel  Littlefield  of 
the  York  detachment  and  two  men  were  drowned. 

July  28,  about  two  hundred  of  the  militia  and  a  lit- 
tle over  that  number  of  marines  were  ordered  to  land 


TRASK'S     ROCK. 

WHERE  THE   AMERICANS  LANDED. 

From  Wheeler's  "  Castine  Past  and  Present. 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL's    REGIMENT.  11 

under  the  guns  of  the  fleet,  and  the  movement  was 
begun  about  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  when  the 
British  in  ambush  opened  a  galling  fire  upon  the  Amer- 
icans, killing  several,  among  whom  was  Major  Welch 
of  the  marines.  Our  troops  replied  with  effect.  A 
landing  was  made  on  the  shore  under  the  steep  bluff 
now  called  "  Trask's  Rock,"  at  Castine,  on  the  western 
side  of  the  point.  This  bluff  is  one  hundred  and  fifty 
to  two  hundred  feet  high  or  more  at  some  points. 
Castine  Past  and  Present  says :  —  "  Where  the 
marines  made  their  ascent  was  quite  precipitous  for 
some  thirty  or  forty  feet  and  after  that  the  ground  is 
still  rising  for  some  distance  and  was  covered  with 
boulders."  The  marines  and  militia  divided  themselves 
into  three  parties,  when  a  most  gallaut  assault,  without 
order  or  discipline,  each  man  dependent  on  his  personal 
courage,  was  made  on  the  enemy  above,  against  a  most 
destructive  fire,  which  they  were  in  no  position  to  return. 
In  twenty  minutes  our  troops  w^ere  at  the  top  occu- 
pying the  British  ground.  The  first  company  to  reach 
that  point  was  Capt.  Peter  Warren's  Falmouth  com- 
pany. During  this  time  our  fleet  was  bombarding  the 
enemy's  forces.     Gen.  Lovell  wrote  in  his  journal : — 

When  I  returned  to  the  shore  it  struck  me  with  admiration  to  see 
what  a  precipice  Ave  had  ascended,  not  being  able  to  take  so  scruti- 
nous  a  view  of  it  in  time  of  battle  ;  it  is  at  least  where  we  landed 
three  hundred  feet  high  and  almost  perpendicular  &  the  men  were 
obliged  to  pull  themselves  [up]  by  twigs  and  trees.  I  don't  think 
such  a  landing  has  been  made  since  Wolfe. 

Our  loss  in  this  assault  is  variously  stated,  Gen. 
Lovell  gives  fourteen  killed  and  twenty  wounded,  while 


12  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

Gen.  Wadsworth  says  it  was  about  one  hundred, 
which  is  repeated  in  most  of  our  histories.  The 
marines  suffered  the  most.  It  has  been  truly  said 
that  this  was  the  bright  spot  in  the  expedition  and 
"  that  no  more  brilliant  exploit  than  this  was  accom- 
plished by  our  forces  during  the  whole  war."  It  was 
a  trying  ordeal  to  the  undisciplined  and  untried  militia 
and  marines,  but  they  exhibited  the  resolute  courage 
of  the  American  soldier.  If  the  whole  expedition  had 
been  successful,  our  histories  would  have  resounded 
the  praises  of  Gen.  Lovell  and  his  men. 

Soon  after  the  Americans  reached  the  top  of  the 
bluff,  they  threw  up  entrenchments  so  that  they 
might  be  able  to  hold  the  ground  they  had  so  hero- 
ically gained. 

Immediately  after  this  engagement  a  council  of  war 
of  the  American  land  and  naval  forces  was  held.  The 
of3Bcers  of  the  army  were  in  favor  of  demanding  an 
immediate  surrender,  but  Commodore  Saltonstall  and 
some  of  his  officers  were  opposed  to  it.  Then  the 
army  was  for  storming  Fort  George,  but  because  the 
marines  had  suffered  so  much  in  the  assault,  the  com- 
modore refused  to  land  any  more  and  even  threatened 
to  recall  those  already  on  shore.  Then  it  was  that  it 
was  decided  to  send  to  Boston  for  reenforcements, 
which  resulted  in  the  starting  of  Col.  Henry  Jackson's 
Continental  regiment  for  their  relief. 

July  29,  the  enemy  shelled  the  Americans  who 
maintained  their  position.  In  the  early  morning  of 
the  thirty-first  a  party  of  soldiers  under  Gen.  Wads- 
worth  captured  a  redoubt  with  but  a  small  loss,  taking 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      13 

several  prisoners.  It  was  here  that  Major  Samuel 
Sawyer,  sometimes  written  Sayer,  was  mortally 
wounded.  He  was  "a  brave  and  worthy  officer,"  and 
belonged  in  Wells,  Maine. 

August  2,  Rev.  John  Murray,  of  Boothbay,  then  Town- 
send,  who  had  been  induced  to  join  the  expedition  as 
the  chaplain  of  Col.  McCobb's  regiment,  volunteered 
to  carry  despatches  from  the  general  to  the  govern- 
ment at  Boston.  August  6,  Major  David  Bradish,  of 
Falmouth  Neck,  also  started  for  Boston  with  despatches. 
He  was  on  a  visit  to  the  army  at  the  time  and  not 
connected  with  it.  The  next  day,  two  men  of  Col. 
McCobb's  regiment  were  punished  for  desertion  by 
riding  a  wooden  horse  twenty  minutes,  with  a  musket 
attached  to  each  foot. 

There  was  more  or  less  fighting  along  the  line  until 
the  seventh,  but  no  general  assault  was  made.  On 
that  day  a  detachment  of  Americans  advanced  against 
the  enemy's  position  to  draw  them  out,  but  without 
success.  August  9,  an  attempt  was  made  by  our  sol- 
diers to  land  on  Hyannis  Point,  but  with  no  success. 
August  13,  an  effort  was  made  to  bring  on  an  engage- 
ment with  the  British,  which  was  also  unsuccessful. 
Then  it  was  that  our  troops  actually  took  the  rear  of 
Fort  George,  but  did  not  get  possession.  The  delay 
gave  the  British  every  advantage. 

The  next  day  came  the  startling  news  that  a  British 
fleet  was  at  the  mouth  of  Penobscot  Bay  with  reen- 
lorcements.  Upon  the  approach  of  the  fleet,  Commo- 
dore Saltonstall  formed  his  vessels  across  the  bay 
in  the   form   of  a  crescent,  to  check    their   advance 


14  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

sufficiently  to  allow  the  land  forces  time  to  make  their 
escape.  The  British  commander,  Sir  George  Collier, 
feeling  such  entire  confidence  in  the  superiority  of  his 
fleet,  advanced  without  hesitation  and  poured  a  broad- 
side into  our  vessels,  whereupon  they  crowded  on  all 
sail  in  an  attempt  at  an  indiscriminate  flight.  The 
Hunter  and  Hampden  were  taken  and  the  balance  of 
the  fleet  was  burned  or  blown  up  by  their  crews 
Gen.  Lovell  in  his  journal  said  : — 

The  Transports  then  again  weigh'd  Anchor,  and  to  our  Great 
Mortification  were  soon  follow'd  by  our  fleet  of  Men  of  War  persued 
by  only  four  of  the  Enemy's  Ships,  the  Ships  of  "War  passed  the 
Transports  many  of  which  got  a  Ground  &  the  British  Ships  coming 
up  the  Soldiers  were  obliged  to  take  to  the  Shore  &  set  fire  to  their 
Vessells,  to  attempt  to  give  a  description  of  this  terrible  Day  is  out  of 
my  Power  it  would  be  a  fit  Subject  for  some  masterly  hand  to  describe 
it  in  its  true  colours,  to  see  four  Ships  persuing  seventeen  Sail  of 
Armed  Vessells  nine  of  which  were  stout  Ships,  Transports  on  fire, 
Men  of  War  blowing  up,  Provision  of  all  kinds  &  every  kind  of 
Stores  on  Shore  (at  least  in  small  Quantities)  throwing  about,  and 
as  much  confusion  as  can  possibly  be  conceived. 

The  destruction  of  the  vessels  engaged  in  this  expe- 
dition was  the  end  of  Massachusett's  separate  naval 
force  and  reduced  the  national  navy  of  the  United 
States  to  the  very  lowest  terms. 

Our  commodore  had  stubbornly  refused  to  cooperate 
with  the  land  forces  at  the  proper  time  and  the  result 
was  a  terrible  disaster  to  the  Americans.  The  army, 
with  the  men  of  the  fleet,  retreated  up  the  river  with 
little  order.  Each  one  looked  out  for  himself  and  his 
own  safety.  They  fled  to  the  woods  and  carried  scanty 
provisions  which  lasted  but  a  few  days,  when  the  men 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      15 

were  obliged  to  subsist  on  whatever  they  could  find  on 
the  way,  until  they  reached  their  homes.  Some  fell  by 
the  wayside  and  perished  from  starvation  and  exposure, 
and  many  who  returned  home  tilled  premature  graves 
as  the  result  of  the  hardships  they  were  obliged  to 
endure.  Many  of  the  men  said  little  about  their  sad 
experience  in  this  retreat,  because  it  revived  unpleas- 
ant memories  of  a  service  which  was  a  great  disap- 
pointment to  them  and  for  which  they  were  in  no  way 
to  blame. ^ 

The  following  returns  of  the  army  at  Bagaduce  have 
been  preserved:  — 

July  20,  873  men  fit  for  duty. 

"    31,  847     "     "         " 
Aug.  4,  762     "     "         " 

"      7,  715     "     "         " 

Another  return  was  made  with  no  date  which  gave 
nine  hundred  and  twenty-three  men  fit  for  duty,  but  at 
least  two  more  companies  had  joined  the  army  and 
probably  more. 

Williamson  says  of  the  retreat :  — 

Guided  by  Indians  they  proceeded  in  detached  parties  suffering 
every  privation.  For,  not  being  aware  of  the  journey  and  fatigue 
they  had  to  encounter,  they  had  taken  with  them  provisions  altogether 
insufficient,  and  some  who  were  infirm  or  feeble  actually  perished  in 

1  standing  on  this  battlefield  a  few  years  since,  alter  making  the  ascent 
of  the  bluff  where  the  brilliant  assault  was  made,  and  while  looking  out  over  the 
surrounding  country  and  bay,  I  was  carried  back  in  my  mind  to  the  summer  of  1779 
when  the  events  that  made  that  ground  historic  occurred.  Not  one  was  then  living 
to  tell  the  tale.  An  aged  uncle  had  told  me  that  when  a  little  boy  his  grandfather 
had  said  to  him  that  he  was  a  soldier  in  that  expedition.  I  was  now  at  the  place 
where  my  gi'andmother's  father,  Stephen  Tukey,  had  fought  to  drive  the 
British  from  our  state  of  Maine.  There  were  hundreds  of  grandfathers  there  and 
injustice  to  tlieir  pati'iotism  and  loyalty  to  their  country,  this  history  is  writteh 
that  their  names  may  not  be  torgotten,  but  be  preserved  to  receive  the  reverence  of 
their  descendants  and  a  grateful  people. 


16  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

the  woods.  A  moose,  or  other  animal,  was  occasionally  killed  which 
being  roasted  upon  coals  was  the  most  precious,  if  not  the  only  mor- 
sel, many  of  them  tasted  during  the  latter  half  of  their  travels. 

The  Bagaduce  expedition  was  such  a  subject  of 
obloquy  and  remark  that  the  General  Court  appointed 
a  committee  of  investigation  into  the  cause  of  its  fail- 
ure. Gen.  Artemus  Ward  was  the  president  of  that 
committee.  Col.  Jonathan  Mitchell  of  this  regiment 
stated  before  them  that  it  was  not  in  the  jDOwer  of 
Gen.  Lovell  at  any  time,  with  his  army,  to  have 
reduced  the  enemy  while  they  were  on  the  ground. 
He  also  said  that  if  the  British  shipping  had  been 
destroyed  and  the  land  forces  had  been  aided  by  men 
from  the  fleet,  armed  with  muskets,  they  could  have 
destroyed  the  enemy.  He  thought  that  the  British 
fleet  could  have  been  crushed  any  day  before  they 
were  reenforced. 

In  regard  to  the  retreat  Col.  Mitchell  said  :  — 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  14th,  I  went  to  Gen. 
Lovell's  marquee.  He  ordered  me  to  get  my  regimental  baggage 
and  camp  equipage  to  the  shore  and  have  my  men  ready  for  march- 
ing. I  did  so  and  at  break  of  day  was  ordered  to  march,  and  at 
about  sunrise  embarked  them  on  board  transports  and  proceeded  up 
river  above  the  old  forts.  There  received  orders  from  Brig.  Wads- 
worth  through  the  adjt  gen.  to  repair  to  a  certain  height, 
there  to  receive  and  retain  as  many  of  the  army  as  came  that  way. 
I  repaired  to  the  spot  myself  but  I  found  no  men  there  but  the 
matrossis  and  Capt.  Gushing  with  them,  from  the  time  of  our  retreat 
to  this  time.  I  had  not  issued  any  orders  to  my  regiment  not  to  dis- 
perse or  to  repair  to  any  particular  place  but  only  to  go  up  river.  I 
tarried  till  about  sunset  and  no  men  came  that  way,  then  I  went 
into  the  woods  to  look  up  my  regiment.  On  the  sixteenth  about 
nine  in  the  morning  I  set  off  for  home,  but  without  leave  from  any 
superior  officer.     The   eighteenth  I  arrived  at   the  Kennebec  River  ; 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.       17 

on  the  twentietli,  at  night  I  reached    home  ;  and  on  the  twenty- first, 
went  to  Fort  TVeston  (Augusta)  witliout  any  men. 

Adjt.  Gen'l  Hill  said  of  the  soldiers  of  the  expedi- 
tion :  "  If  they  belonged  to  the  train  band  or  alarm 
list  they  were  soldiers,  whether  they  could  carry  a 
gun,  walk  a  mile  without  crutches  or  only  compos 
mentis  sufficient  to  keep  themselves  out  of  fire  and 
water."  The  "  soldiers  were  very  poorly  equipped, 
the  chief  of  them  had  arms  but  many  of  them  were 
out  of  repair  and  very  little  or  no  ammunition.  Most 
of  the  officers,  as  well  as  the  men  were  quite  unac- 
quainted with  any  military  maneuvers  and  even  the 
manual  exercises." 

The  night  before  the  assault  of  July  28,  the  soldiers 
had  no  sleep.  Adjt.  Hill  said  that  "  Col.  Mitchell's 
officers  were  so  terrified  at  the  idea  of  storming  that 
they  found  fault  with  the  colonel's  nominations  and 
absolutely  drew  lots  on  the  parade  who  should  go  to 
take  command  of  the  men  and  included  those  then  on 
guard,  and  relieve  them  if  it  fell  to  any  of  their  turns." 
He  also  stated  that  "  the  troops  behaved  with  spirit 
as  far  as  came  to  my  knowledge,  but  without  any 
order  or  regularity  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
that  we  got  them  into  any  order  or  form  of  defense 
after  we  got  to  the  heights." 

August  10,  Gen.  Lovell  called  for  six  hundred  vol- 
unteers,  to  test  the  temper  of  the  troops.  Col. 
Mitchell's  regiment  was  the  only  one  that  filled  its 
quota,  which  was  two  hundred.  Adjt.  Hill  said  that 
"  Col.  Mitchell  got  his  200  with  great  difficulty, 
including  boys,  old  men  and  invalids."     The  men  got 


18  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

the  impression  that  these  volunteers  were  for  a  general 
assault  on  the  British  works,  the  principal  of  which 
was  Fort  George.  The  other  regiments  had  even 
more  difficulty.  At  the  same  time,  Col.  McCobb  could 
get  but  one  hundred  and  forty-six  volunteers  from  his 
Lincoln  County  Regiment,  and  Major  Cousins  had 
twenty  men  desert  from  his  York  County  battalion, 
and  it  took  so  many  men  to  pursue  them  that  he 
could  not  furnish  his  quota.  Of  a  muster  of  six  hun- 
dred ordered,  only  four  hundred  were  secured,  which 
was  all  the  officers  said  they  could  find  fit  for  duty. 
One  half  of  these  were  from  Mitchell's  regiment. 

The  committee  after  hearing  the  testimony  of  the 
general  and  regimental  officers,  and  the  commanders 
of  the  armed  vessels,  pronounced  as  their  opinion,  that 
"  the  principal  reason  of  the  failure  was  the  want  of 
proper  spirit  on  the  part  of  the  commodore."  He  was 
blamed  for  not "  exerting  himself  at  all  in  the  time  of  the 
retreat  by  opposing  the  enemy's  foremost  ships  in  pur- 
suit." They  also  stated  "that  Gen.  Lovell  throughout 
the  expedition  and  retreat  acted  with  proper  courage 
and  spirit,  and  had  he  been  furnished  with  all  the  men 
ordered  for  the  service  or  been  properly  supported  by 
the  commodore  he  would  have  probably  reduced  the 
enemy."  Also  "  that  the  naval  commanders  each  and 
every  one  of  them  behaved  like  brave  experienced 
officers  during  the  whole  time."  Then  they  said  that 
^'  Brigadier  Wadsworth,  the  second  in  command 
throughout  the  expedition,  in  the  retreat  and  after, 
till  ordered  to  return  to  Boston,  conducted  with  great 
activity,  courage,  coolness  and  prudence." 


COLONEL    JONATHAN   MITOHELL'S    REGIMENT.  19 

After  hearing  the  whole  report,  from  which  the 
above  are  but  quotations,  the  General  Court  adjudged 
"  that  Commodore  Saltonstall  be  incompetent  ever 
after,  to  hold  a  commission  in  the  service  of  the  state 
and  that  Generals  Lovell  and  Wadsworth  be  honorably 
acquitted." 

Gen.  Wadsworth  in  a  letter  to  William  D.  William- 
son, dated  January  1,  1828,  said  of  the  Penobscot 
Expedition  of  1779  :  — 

In  the  first  place  the  want  of  a  sufficient  land  force  was  a  prob- 
able cause  of  the  failure.  We  had  less  than  1000  men,  where 
1500  were  ordered  by  the  State  authority ;  whose  fault  this 
was  I  know  not ;  but  so  it  was.  This  was  just  about  the  Number 
of  the  Enemy ;  but  they  were  disciplined  Troops  &  fortified  with  a 
simple  redoubt,  which  was  good  however  against  a  simple  assault. 
Our  Troops  were  entirely  undisciplined,  having  never  been  paraded 
but  once,  on  their  passage  down,  being  put  in  to  a  harbour  by  head 
Wind  ;  I  think  at  Townsend,  nor  had  these  Men  ever  had  the  chance 
for  discipline  that  our  western  Militia  had ;  however  they  were 
generally  brave  &  spirited  Men.  Each  in  his  own  opinion  willing 
to  encounter  two  of  the  Enemy,  could  he  have  met  them  in  the  bush  ; 
and  would  our  numbers  have  justified  an  Attack,  I  have  no  doubt 
but  that  they  would  have  given  the  Enemy  a  brave  Assault.  Al- 
though our  numbers  were  small  our  Fleet  had  an  imposing 
appearance,  I  think  the  Enemy  must  have  reconed  upon  at  least 
3,000  men  from  the  appearance  of  our  Transports. 

The  same  Morning  of  our  Landing  a  Council  was  called  of  officers, 
both  land  &  naval.  Some  of  the  land  officers  were  for  summon- 
ing the  fort,  giving  them  honorable  Terms,  whilst  others  disuaded 
from  the  Measure  alledging  that  in  case  of  a  non  complyance  We 
should  be  in  in  a  bad  predicament ;  the  Commodore  and  the  naval 
Officers  were  generally  against  the  Measure  ;  as  his  officers  were 
chiefly  commanders  of  Privateers  bound  on  a  Cruize  as  soon  as  the 
seige  was  over.  The  Commodore  also  refused  to  lend  any  more  of 
his  Marines    in    case    of  Assault  and  was  about  to  recall  the  200 


20  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

marines  which  he  had  lent  on  our  first  landing.  They  had 
suffered  great  Loss  in  the  landing.  This  seemed  to  put  the  Ques- 
tion of  Storming  the  Fort  out  of  the  Question.  The  next  Question 
was,  what  then  shall  be  done?  &  it  was  concluded  to  send  off  two 
"Whale  Boats  to  the  Gov'r  &  Council  with  the  intelligence  of  our 
situation  and  request  a  reinforcement  while  we  kept  our  possession 
in  the  face  of  the  Enemy  &  trust  to  the  event  of  a  reinforcement  to 
the  Enemy  &  of  ourselves.  In  the  meantime  we  reduced  our  out 
Posts  &  Batteries,  destroyed  a  considerable  Quantity  of  Guns, 
spiked  their  cannon  in  all  their  out  works  &  gave  them  fair  oppor- 
tunity of  Sallying  if  they  chose  it. 

In  the  meantime  we  were  employed  daily,  or  rather  Nightly  in 
advancing  upon  their  Fort  by  Zigzag  intrenchments  till  within  a 
fair  gunshot  of  their  Fort  so  that  a  man  seldom  shew  his  Head 
above  their  Works.  Whilst  thus  lying  upon  our  Arms  It  was  urged 
upon  Genl  Lovell  to  erect  some  Place  of  resort  up  the  River  at  the 
Narrows,  in  Case  of  Retreat  so  that  the  Troops  might  have  a  place 
of  resort  in  case  of  necessity  &  also  to  have  some  place  of  Opposi- 
tion to  the  Enemy  should  He  push  us  thus  far — ^but  the  Genl  would 
hear  nothing  of  the  kind ;  alledging  that  it  would  dishearten  our 
Army  &  shew  them  that  we  did  not  expect  to  succeed — &  forget- 
ting the  good  old  Maxim  "  to  keep  open  a  good  Retreat." 

Had  the  Genl  and  Commodore  kept  upon  a  good  vinder standing 
with  each  other  &  had  they  co-operated  with  each  other  they  would 
have  probably  stormed  and  carried  the  Enemy's  Post ;  &  been  off 
before  there  was  any  danger  of  the  arrival  of  the  Enemy's  reinforce- 
ments. Here  we  may  see  the  policy  of  securing  a  place  of  Retreat. 
The  Fleet  might  have  been  saved,  the  Army  kept  together  and 
marched  in  a  body  wherever  wanted,  instead  of  scattering, 
starving,  &c. 

Here  we  had  been  laying  upon  our  Arms  almost  inactive  14  days 
when  our  Spy  Vessels  bro't  tlie  news  of  a  Large  Fleet  approach- 
ing, which  might  be  expected  the  next  day,  if  the  South  wind  should 
prevail.  Genl.  Lovell  was  now  on  board  the  Warren,  Commodore's 
Frigate  and  sent  his  Orders  to  me  to  retreat  with  all  possible  dis- 
patch, which  was  effected  without  leaving  a  canon  or  a  pick  axe 
behind,  the  Enemy's  Fleet  in  full  view  standing  up  with  full  sail  & 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.       21 

much  superior  to  ours  in  Appearance.  As  soon  as  the  Troops,  the 
Cannon  and  all  our  implements  of  "War,  with  the  Hospital,  were  on 
board,  the  Transports  stood  up  the  River  —  O,  then  how  we  wished 
for  a  place  of  rendezvous,  the  Transports  might  have  been  saved. 
Our  Fleet  soon  persued  the  Course  of  the  transports,  but  soon  went 
theirs,  forcing  their  way  through  the  Narrows  against  a  strong  tide 
with  Oars  &  Studen  sails  all  sett,  whilst  part  of  our  Transports  had 
run  on  Shore  just  at  the  foot  of  the  Narrows.  The  troops  landed, 
the  flames  bursting  forth  from  the  midst  of  them,  set  by  their  own 
Crews.  The  Emeny  persuing  to  within  Cannon  Shot,  but  unable  to 
persue  farther  against  a  strong  tide,  left  those  that  would  be  persuaded 
to  enter  the  Transports  &  rescue  a  small  Quantity  of  provisions  for 
the  retreat  &  to  collect  and  embody  themselves  for  their  own  safety. 
Three  or  four  Companies  were  thus  kept  together  with  which  I 
marched  the  next  morning  for  Camden,  where  they  arrived  the  sec- 
ond day  &  made  a  stand.  The  rest  of  the  Troops  went  up  the  River 
in  the  Vessels  of  War  &  Transports  landing  as  they  saw  fit  &  then 
Genl  Lovell  under  the  guidance  &  Assistance  of  the  Indians  made 
his  way  from  the  head  of  the  Tide  in  the  Penobscot  over  to  the  Ken- 
nebec ;  &  in  about  a  fortnite  arrived  at  Townsend  when  was  the  first 
that  I  had  seen  or  heard  from  him  since  Ordering  the  Retreat.  That 
part  of  the  Fleet  that  got  up  the  River  ahead  of  the  Enemy  were 
either  burnt  or  destroyed  by  their  own  crews  making  their  way  thro 
the  woods  for  the  Kennebec  in  a  starving  condition.  Had  Genl 
Lovell  been  furnished  with  the  Number  of  Militia  which  was  at  first 
proposed,  or  had  He  been  appointed  to  sole  command  of  both  Army 
&  I^avy,  I  think  it  highly  probable  that  he  would  have  reduced  the 
Enemy  for  He  was  a  Man  of  Courage  &  proper  Spirit,  a  true  Roman 
Character,  who  never  would  flinch  from  Danger ;  but  He  had  not 
been  accustomed  to  the  Command  of  an  Expedition  in  actual  service. 
The  Commodore  did  not  feel  himself  so  much  engaged  in  the  Cause. 
Not  that  he  was,  in  my  opinion,  a  Coward,  but  willful  &  unaccom- 
modating, having  an  unyeilding  will  of  his  own. —  Genl  Lovell  was 
a  very  personable  Man,  I  should  judge  about  50,  of  good  repute  in 
the  Militia  as  well  as  Senate,  a  Farmer  by  profession  &  I  believe 
lived  in  Weymouth.  Commodore  Saltonstall  about  the  same  age,  of 
New    Haven,   Ct.   Report   said  that  he   fought  a  very  good  battle 


22  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

afterward  in  a  large  Privateer  which  shew  him  to  be  a  Man  of 
Courage.  The  command  of  a  Fleet  did  not  set  easy  upon  his 
shoulders  tho  he  could  fight  a  very  good  Battle  in  a  single  Ship. 

Here  it  may  be  not  improper  to  mention  that  the  Action  at  our 
landing  on  Bagaduce  might  have  been  called  brilliant,  had  the  event 
of  the  Enterprise  been  fortunate.  But  let  military  Men  not  talk  of 
glory  who  lack  success.  It  was  on  the  dawning  of  the  third  day  after 
our  arrival  (the  second  was  prevented  by  the  surf  occasioned  by  a 
brisk  south  wind) .  The  morning  was  quite  still  but  somewhat  Fogy. 
The  Vessels  of  War  were  drawn  up  in  a  Line  just  out  of  reach  of 
Musket  Shot  &  400  Men  (viz.  200  of  Militia  &  200  Marines)  were 
in  Boats  along  side  ready  to  push  for  the  Shore  on  Signals.  The 
highest  Clift  was  prefei'ed  by  the  commander  of  the  Party,  knowing 
that  his  men  would  make  the  best  shift  in  rough  ground.  The  fire 
of  the  Enemy  opened  upon  us  from  the  top  of  the  Bank  or  Clift,  just 
as  the  boats  reached  the  Shore.  We  step'd  out  &  the  boats  immedi- 
ately sent  back.  There  was  now  a  stream  of  fire  over  our  heads  from 
the  Fleet  &  a  shower  of  Musketry  in  our  faces  from  the  Top  of  the 
Cliff.  We  soon  found  the  Clift  unsurmountable  even  without  Oppo- 
nents. The  party  therefore,  was  divided  into  three  parts,  one  sent 
to  the  right,  another  to  the  left  till  they  should  find  the  Clift  practi- 
cable &  the  Center  keeping  up  their  fire  to  amuse  the  Enemy.  Both 
parties  succeeded  &  gained  the  Height,  but  closing  in  upon  the 
Enemy  in  the  Rear  rather  too  soon  gave  them  opportunity  to  escape, 
which  they  did,  leaving  30  kill'd,  wounded  &  prisoners.  The  con- 
flict was  short,  but  sharp,  for  we  left  100,  out  of  400,  on  the 
shore  &  bank.  The  marines  suffer'd  most,  by  forcing  their  way  up 
a  foot  Path  leading  up  the  Clift.  This  Action  lasted  but  20  Minutes 
&  Avould  have  been  highly  spoken  of,  had  success  finally  crowned 
our  Enterprise. 

The  valuable  letter,  from  which  the  above  is  quoted, 
was  written  to  Mr.  Williamson  while  he  was  preparing 
his  history  of  Maine,  which  was  published  in  1832. 
Gen.  Wadsworth  was  then  nearly  eighty  years  of  age, 
and  the  events  happened  over  forty-eight  years  before. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      23 

The  letter  was  contributed  by  Dr.  John  S.  H.  Fogg 
and  pubUshed  in  the  Maine  Historical  Society  Collec- 
ions,  Vol.  II,  Series  II,  Fol.  153. 

Gen.  Peleg  Wadsworth  was  a  member  of  Congress 
fourteen  years,  1792-1806,  and  retired  at  his  own 
request.  He  built  the  first  brick  house  in  Portland, 
in  1785  and  1786,  then  of  but  two  stories,  now  known 
as  "  Longfellow's  Home."  He  removed  to  Hiram, 
Maine,  in  1806,  where  he  died  in  1829,  aged  eighty- 
one  years.  His  sons,  Henry  and  Alexander  Scammell 
Wadsworth,  were  gallant  officers  of  the  American  navy. 

In  justice  to  the  Penobscot  Indians  who  served  in 
the  expedition,  it  should  be  stated  that  they  acted 
with  fidelity  and  friendship  towards  the  Americans. 
Some  of  the  tribe  lost  their  lives.  Lieut.  Andrew 
Gilman  commanded  a  company  of  forty-one  Indians  in 
the  campaign. 

The  total  cost  of  the  expedition  is  said  to  have  been 
£1,739,174  :11s.  4d.,  and  it  came  at  a  time  when  the 
finances  of  the  colonies  were  at  a  very  low  ebb,  and 
there  was  very  little  prospect  of  the  independence  of 
the  country. 

The  occupation  of  Penobscot  Bay  by  the  British 
caused  great  uneasiness  at  Falmouth,  and  as  early  as 
June  20,  1779,  Parson  Smith  records  in  his  journal: 
"We  are  in  a  sad  toss  :  people  are  moving  out.  Never 
did  I  feel  more  anxiety."  August  17,  came  the  first 
news  of  the  American  defeat,  which  was  confirmed  the 
next  day. 

Col.  Enoch  Freeman  sent  the  following  letter  to  the 
Council  at  Boston,  August  18.     For  the  first  five  years 


24  SONS    or    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

of  the  Revolutionary  war  Massachusetts  was  governed 
by  a  committee  of  the  Council. 

Falmouth,  Aug.  18,  1779. 

Sir  : — The  invasion  of  the  Penobscot  under  a  very  considerable 
force  of  the  enemy,  their  progress  tliere  and  the  ravages  committed 
by  them  in  other  places  at  the  Eastern  part  of  this  State  make  us 
apprehensive  that  they  have  a  design  to  cut  it  off  from  the  other 
part  of  the  State  and  either  annex  it  to  the  Province  of  Nova  Scotia, 
or  form  it  into  a  separate  government  under  the  British  Admin- 
istration . 

Under  such  apprehensions,  a  number  of  gentlemen  from  most  of 
the  towns  in  this  County,  this  day  assembled  in  Convention  in  this 
town,  to  consult  what  is  proper  to  be  done  for  our  safety  and 
defence. 

We  think  that  the  Harbor  here  would  be  of  such  importance  to 
the  enemy,  in  the  execution  of  what  we  judge  to  be  their  grand 
design,  that  they  will  not  much  longer  neglect  to  attempt  to  possess 
themselves  of  it,  and  make  it  a  place  of  Rendezvous  for  their  troops 
and  ships  of  Force. — And  we  are  sorry  to  inform  your  Honors  that 
such  is  the  state  of  our  fortifications  and  such  the  weakness  of  our 
Force,  that  unless  some  measures  are  immediately  entered  into  for 
our  protection  and  defence,  we  fear  we  shall  fall  a  prey  to  their  rage 
and  malice.  We  therefore  humbly  pray  that  your  Honors  would 
take  our  case  into  your  serious  consideration  and  order  that  such 
steps  may  be  taken  as  will  put  us  in  a  good  position  of  defence. 

We  have  recommended  to  the  several  towns  in  this  County  to 
raise  immediately  their  respective  proportions  of  one  hundred  men, 
to  repair  the  forts  here  and  build  others  in  such  places  as  a  Com- 
mittee (whom  we  have  appointed  for  the  purpose)  shall  best  judge, 
and  we  trust  the  General  Court  will  make  provisions  for  paying 
them  for  their  services. 

And  we  would  request  that  the  Honorable  Council  would  appoint 
and  send  as  soon  as  possible,  some  experienced  faithful  engineer  to 
take  the  oversight  of  the  work. 

We  would  further  pray  that  at  least  two  hundred  men  might  be 
ordered   here    from  the  County  of  York  or  some  other  County  to  the 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL'S    EEGIMENT.  25 

southward  of  us,  to  increase  our  strength,    which  is  already  much 
reduced. 

We  also  think  it  necessary  that  a  number  of  cannon  and  a  suit- 
able quantity  of  military  storesmaould  be  procured  and  sent  here  to 
be  placed  iii  such  Forts  as  may  be  erected,  and  also  field  pieces, 
(two  we  think  necessary)  And  as  provisions  are  extremely  scarce 
here  and  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  collect  on  an  emergency 
as  much  as  might  be  wanted,  we  think  it  absolutely  necessary  that  a 
Magazine  thereof  should  be  provided  and  placed  in  a  proper  part  of 
the  town,  to  be  used  when  an  alarm  should  require  it. 

I  am,  in  the  name  and  behalf  of  the  Committee,  Your  Honor's 
most  obedient  and  humble  serv't 

Enoch  Freeman. 

We  have  this  minute  received  advice  (by  the  bearer  who  hands 
you  this  and  who  will  communicate  to  you  personally)  of  the  unhap- 
py loss  of  our  fleet  at  Penobscot. 

To  the  above  the  Council  sent  the  following  reply  : — 

Council  Chamber  (Boston),  26th  Aug.  1779. 
Sir  : — Your  letter  of  the  18th  inst  was  received  and  the  Council 
have  so  far  complied  with  your  request  as  to  order  Col.  Jackson's 
regiment  to  be  stationed  at  Falmouth  for  the  present  and  have 
ordered  the  necessary  stores  to  be  forwarded  for  their  use  without 
loss  of  time. 

J.  Powell  President. 
Col.  Freeman. 

Hon.  Jeremiah  PowelP  lived  at  North  Yarmouth, 
Maine.  He  was  born  June  3,  1720,  married  Sarah 
Bromfield,  September  15,  1768,  and  died  September 
17,  1784,  aged  sixty-four  years.  They  were  buried 
in  the  Powell  tomb,  now  unmarked,  in  the  cemetery 
"under  the  ledge,"  at  what  is  now  Yarmouth.  This 
tomb  is  back  of  Deacon  Jacob  Mitchell's  tomb. 

1  For  the  Powell  familj-  and  their  history,  see  Maine    Historical  Society  Collec- 
tion, First  Series,  Vol.  VII,  Page  233  and  Old  Times  in  North  Yarmouth,  Page  1163. 


26  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

Col.  Powell  was  lieutenant  colonel  in  Col.  Samuel 
Waldo,  Jr.'s,  regiment  in  1762,  eleven  years  in  the 
General  Court,  twelve  years  in  the  Provincial  Council, 
first  president  of  the  Massachusetts  senate  under  the 
Constitution,  and  nineteen  years  judge  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  from  1763  to  1781.  He  was  a 
zealous  patriot  of  the  Revolution  and  lived  only  to  see 
his  country  start  on  the  basis  of  liberty.  His  grave 
should  be  marked  by  some  memorial  calling  attention 
to  him,  his  virtues,  and  his  distinguished  services  to 
his  country. 

The  Rev.  John  Murray,  the  chaplain,^  wrote  from 
Brunswick  to  Jeremiah  Powell.  Esq.,  under  date  of 
August  21,  1779:— 

Our  case  is  very  bad.  Hundred  of  families  are  now  starving  in 
the  w^oods,  their  all  left  behind  them,  all  will  despair  and  the 
majority  will  quit  the  country  and  the  rest  will  revolt  if  something 
vigorous  be  not  done  to  protect  them  from  the  insolence  of  the  tri- 
umping  foe  who  are  carrying  fire  and  desolation  wherever  they  come. 
A  large  reinforcement  of  men,  intrenching  tools,  cannon,  ammuni- 
tion and  provisions  is  absolutely  necessary  to  save  us.  Not  a 
moment  is  to  be  lost.  A  very  little  delay  will  put  us  beyond 
remedy,  but  if  we  are  immediately  relieved  this  little  disaster  need 
not  discourage  us.  It  will,  if  we  act  with  proper  spirit,  issue  in 
our  good. 

In  the  latter  part  of  August,  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment 
had  reached  Falmouth  Neck,  but  arrived  there  in  a 
disorganized  and  demoralized  condition.  Three  com- 
panies were  retained  for  a  garrison  and  twenty  men 
of  Capt.  Curtis  company  were  stationed  at  Harps  well. 
All  others  were  discharged. 

'The  original  letter  is  in  the  Massachusetts  Archives,  Vol.  CXLV,  Page  140. 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL's    REGIMENT.  27 

Col.  Henry  Jackson's  Continental  regiment,  which 
had  been  ordered  from  Rhode  Island  to  reenforce  the 
expedition,  learned  of  the  disaster  off  Kittery  while  on 
their  way.  They  went  into  camp  at  that  place.  It 
was  then  thought  that  the  British,  elated  at  their  suc- 
cess, would  proceed  to  Casco  Bay  and  attempt  the  cap- 
ture of  Falmouth  Neck.  This  of  course  caused  much 
alarm  at  that  settlement.  Col.  Jackson's  regiment  was 
ordered  to  march  to  Falmouth,  from  Kittery,  and 
arrived  there  the  twenty-seventh,  and  went  into  camp 
on  Munjoy  Hill,  above  the  Eastern  Cemetery,  much  to 
the  relief  of  the  inhabitants.  This  regiment  had  four 
hundred  well  uniformed  and  equipped  men  and  had 
then  participated  in  the  battles  of  Monmouth  and 
Quaker  Hill.  This  was  probably  the  only  fully 
uniformed  and  equipped  regiment  the  people  of  Fal- 
mouth saw  during  the  war. 

Col.  Jackson  wrote  the  next  day  after  his  arrival :  — 

I  find  this  town  and  harbor  is  by  no  means  in  a  state  of  defence 
as  but  a  few  of  the  cannons  are  fit  for  any  long  service.  To  make 
this  post  defencible  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  a  number  of  heavy 
cannon  immediately  sent  here  :  the  militia  are  exceedingly  destitute 
of  arms,  ammunition  and  accoutrements  as  I  find  by  enquiry  that 
not  more  than  one-half  are  armed  or  accoutred. 

The  committee  of  safety  of  Falmouth  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  the  Council :  — 

Falmouth,  30  August,  1779. 
Sir  :  The  Committee  of  Safety  &c  for  Falmouth  would  inform 
the  Honorable  Board  of  their  embarresments  and  beg  their  direction. 
The  return  of  the  seamen  from  Penobscot  in  the  greatest  distress 
imaginable  has  obliged  us  to  act  as  commissary,  quartermaster,  &c, 
&c.     To  furnish  them  with  necessary  provisions  and  to  relieve  their 


28  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

distresses  we  have  been  obliged  to  issue  some  impress  warrants : 
some  provisions  we  have  purchased  and  some  we  have  borrowed. 
"We  have  observed  the  strictest  economy  and  order  that  necessary 
confusion  would  admit  of;  the  men  returned  without  officers,  without 
orders. 

We  shall  transmit  an  account  of  our  doings  as  soon  as  the  men 
have  been  done  returning. 

Col.  Jackson  applies  to  us  for  some  assistance  where  he  has  not 
proper  officers  to  supply  them.  This  however  gives  us  but  little 
trouble  :  but  the  militia  who  have  returned  from  Penobscot  are 
ordered  to  this  place  :  they  are  not  properly  attended  with  their  offi- 
cers and  those  who  do  attend  them  have  not  proper  directions  what 
to  do  with  their  men  :  they  apply  to  the  Committee.  The  Commit- 
tee know  of  no  business  they  have  with  them ;  here  we  are  much 
embarrased.  "We  have  also  frequent  applications  from  expresses  for 
assistance,  or  sometimes  are  obliged  to  send  off  expresses  ourselves 
New  appplications  of  various  kinds  are  daily  made  to  us  and  new 
difficulties  arise.  In  short,  affairs  here  are  in  the  wildest  confusion. 
"We  wish  for  the  direction  and  assistance  of  the  Hon.  Board. 
"We  are  &c 

The  Committee  of  Safety  &c  for  Falmouth, 
Stephen  Hall,  Chairman. 

Hon.  Jer.  Powell, 
Pres.  of  Council. 

Col.  Jackson's  regiment  started  on  their  march  to 
Boston,  September  7,  as  all  danger  of  an  attack  seemed 
to  be  over;  but  a  portion  of  Col.  Mitchell's  still 
remained. 

The  selectmen  and  the  committee  of  the  town  sent 
the  following  letter  to  the  Council : — 

Falmouth,  Sept.  13,  1779. 
To  the  Honorable  Council  of 

State    of  Massachusetts  Bay. 
The  Selectmen  and  Committee  of  Safety  at  Falmouth  beg  leave 
to  inform  the  Honorable  Board  of  the  receipt  of  their  letter  of  the 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL'S    REGIMENT.  29 

3rd  inst.  The  enclosed  directed  to  Brig'r  Thompson  was  immedi- 
ately forwarded.  It  is  now  seven  days  since,  but  we  have  not 
heard  of  his  taking  any  measures  towards  raising  the  three  hundred 
men  to  be  stationed  at  Falmouth. 

The  letter  from  the  Hon.  Council  to  Col.  Jackson  in  his  absence 
we  took  the  liberty  to  open  :  in  answer  to  which  we  would  inform 
jour  Honors  that  the  Regt.  from  Penobscot  was  ordered  by  Gen'l 
Lovell  to  Falmouth  to  guard  from  this  place  to  Harpswell  and  to  be 
under  the  direction  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  at  Falmouth. 

As  a  greater  part  of  these  were  destitute  of  arms  and  accoutre- 
ments, the  Committee  thought  proper  to  discharge  five  of  the  com- 
panies except  20  of  the  company  commanded  by  Capt.  Curtis  of 
Harpswell,  who  are  kept  guard  at  that  post.  The  remaining  three 
companies  which  were  best  armed  and  accouted  are  now  stationed 
at  this  place  and  at  Cape  Elizabeth. 

We  esteem  it  a  duty  incumbrent  on  us  to  inform  your  Honors  that 
the  militia  in  this  County  are  at  present  in  a  situation  incapable  of 
defending  us  in  the  case  of  an  attack,  principally  owing  to  their  igno- 
rance and  neglect  of  some  of  the  principal  officers  of  the  Brigade. 

A  convention  of  this  County  is  to  be  held  next  Friday  when  pro- 
per representation  of  the    state   of  the    militia  will  be  made  to  the 
Hon'ble  Court.     We  are  with  sentiments  of  respect 
Your  Honors  most  obed't  serv't. 

By  order  in  behalf  of  the  Selectmen, 

Benjamin  Titcomb. 

And  Committee  of  Safety 

Stephen  Hall  Chairman. 

P.  S.  A  number  of  small  arms  and  cartridges  has  lately  been 
received,  also  a  quantity  of  ordinance  goods,  adressed  to  Col.  Jack- 
son by  the  Board  of  War  a  particular  return  of  which  shall  be  made 
by  the  first  opportunity. 

In  Council,  Sept.  22,  1779.     Read  and  sent  down. 

John  Avery  D.  Secr'y. 

William  Moody  of  Falmouth,  kept  a  journal  during 
his  service  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment,  recording  each 
day  the  events  that  came  under  his  observation.     It  is 


30  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

worthy  of  preservation.  Mr.  Moody  was  the  drummer 
of  Capt.  Peter  Warren's  company.  He  had  served  in 
Col.  Edmund  Phinney's  31st  regiment  of  foot  at 
Cambridge  in  1775,  in  Capt.  Abner  Lowell's  Matross 
company  at  Falmouth  Neck  in  1776,  1777  and  1778, 
and  in  Capt.  Joseph  Pride's  company  in  Col.  Joseph 
Prime's  regiment  at  the  same  place  in  1780.  He  was 
in  the  service  in  the  early  part  of  1781,  and  went  on 
a  cruise  in  the  privateer  Fox,  in  April  of  that  year. 

Mr.  Moody  was  the  son  of  Enoch  and  Ann  (Weeks) 
Moody  of  Falmouth,  and  was  born  February  16,  1756. 
He  married  Mary  Young,  in  1783,  and  had  children, 
Enoch,  William  and  Nancy.  He  married  for  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Rachel  Riggs  in  1804,  and  had  a  son, 
Edward.  He  died  February  16,  1821,  aged  sixty-five 
years.  His  father,  Enoch  Moody,  was  the  chairman 
of  the  committee  at  Falmouth  in  the  Revolution,  and 
his  four  brothers,  Enoch,  Jr.,  Benjamin,  Nathaniel  and 
Lemuel,  were  Revolutionary  soldiers. 

William  Moody  was  a  thoughtful  and  observing 
man  to  whom  we  should  feel  grateful  for  chronicling 
his  experiences  for  our  instruction. 

WILLIAM  Moody's  journal. 
1779. 

July  2.     A    detachment  of  40  men  to  go  to  Major  Bag  a  Duce. 
3.     Turned  out  as  a  Volunteer  to  go  to  Penobscot  with    Capt. 
Peter  Warren. 

9.  Turned  out  in  the  morning  for  Exercise. 

10.  Our  Regt.  paraded  and  ai-ranged  Capt.  Warren's  the  first 
company. 

14.  The  transports  with  2  brigs  &  a  sloop,  a  prize  with  10  guns, 
arrived  here  to  carry  the  Troops.     Drew  one  day's  allowance. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.       31 

15.  Drew  4  clays'  allowance. 

16.  Our  Company  embarked  on  board  the  sloop  [Centurion] 
and  hauled  off,  Capt.  [William]  McLellan  master.  [He  was  a  son 
of  Brice  McLellan  of  Falmouth  Neck.] 

17.  On  shore  to  draw  allowance  and  took  it.  Stayed  all 
night. 

19.  I  went  on  board  of  the  Sloop  Centurion  [80|-  tons]  at  sun- 
rise. Embarked  for  Majibigwaduce.  Weighed  anchor  at  8  oclock. 
Capt.  [Abner]  Lowell  fired  an  18  pounder  for  all  hands  on  board. 
Arrived  at  Townsend   [Boothbay]    at  6  oclock. 

20.  Last  night  a  soldier  fired  a  gun  and  bio  wed  his  hand  off, 
died.     The  Hampden  a  20  gun  ship  arrived. 

21.  Went  ashore  to  prayers.  Parson  [Thomas]  Lancaster 
prayed  and  we  sang.  Between  30  &  40  sail  of  armed  ships  & 
Transports  at  Townsend. 

22.  Regt.  paraded  ashore  and  Gen.  [Solomon]  Lovell  reviewed 
them. 

24.  Admiral  [Dudley  Saltonstall]  fired  a  gun  about  4  oclock, 
the  whole  fleet  under  sail.  Came  to  anchor  at  9  o'clock  at  night 
under  the  Upper  Fox  Island. 

25.  Made  sail  for  Bagaduce   at  8  oclock.     Came  to  anchor  in 
I      Penobscot.     The  enemy  fired  from  the  shore  with  muskets.     The 

ships  ran  in  by  the  Forts  and  fired  many  broadsides.     Seven  of  our 
'       boats    that  went    to  land   got    almost  ashore.     The  enemy  lay  in 

I       ambush  and  fired  upon  us  and  killed  an  Indian. 

/  26.     Our  vessels  warped  in.     We    embarked    our    boats    at  12 

;  oclock.  Kept  off  and  on  till  sunset.  [It  is  stated  that  the  time 
was  about  6  o'clock.]  Come  under  the  Admii-al's  [Frigate  War- 
ren] stern,  then  put  off  for  an  island  [Nautilus]   within  point  blank 

'  shot  of  the  enemy's  fort.  As  our  boats  were  going  across,  the 
enemy  sunk  one  boat  by  a  (chain)  shot  and  Major  Daniel  Littlefield 
[of  Wells]  and  two  others  were  drowned. 

28.  At  day-break  had  orders  to  land  under  cover  of  our  guns  on 
board  the  shipping.     Commenced  landing  half  an  hour  before  sun- 

I        rise.     The  enemy  lay  in  ambush  and  firing  upon  us  killed   1  capt. 

I  [probably  Major  Welch]  of  marines  belonging  to  the  Admiral  and 
several  others.     We  took  3  prisoners  and  killed  7.     Have  possession 


32  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

of  the  ground  and  soon  hope  to  have  all  their  woi*ks,  ^  2  men 
wounded,  one  lost  his  leg  and  the  other  his  arm.  Went  over  to 
the  Island  after  [Samuel]  Knight.     He  was  sick  there. 

29.  The  enemy  throw  shells.  Loss  and  wounded  in  the  attack 
[of  28th]  about  30.     Lost  1  man  this  afternoon. 

30.  Hauled  up  on  the  hill  [over  the  high  bluff  where  they 
landed]  2  eighteen  pounders.  A  deserter  came  in  from  the  enemy 
last  night ;  he  says  the  British  force  does  not  exceed  350.  [This 
was  not  one  half  of  the  number  of  their  men.] 

31.  Two  seamen  wounded  with  a  shell  who  belongs  to  the 
Active.  One  of  the  marines  belonging  to  the  [frigate]  Warren 
deserted  to  the  enemy.  Last  night  went  out  with  a  detachment  of 
88  men.  Marched  on  to  the  parade  at  sunset  and  kept  under  arms 
till  2  o'clock  [A.M.].  We  then  attacked  one  of  the  enemy's 
redoubts  which  we  carried  with  the  loss  of  a  few  men.  We  killed 
several  of  the  enemy  and  took  18  prisoners.  Capt.  [Nathan]  Mer- 
rill of  our  Regt.  took  one  prisoner,  a  corporal  of  the  enemy. 

Sunday,  Aug.  1.  Major  [Samuel]  Sawyer  of  the  York 
[county]  forces  mortally  wounded.     He  died  this  day. 

2.  Mr.  Wheeler  Riggs  [of  Falmouth  Neck]  was  killed  this 
afternoon.  One  of  the  train  badly  wounded.  Buried  Mr.  Riggs 
very  decently.  [He  was  stooping  over  fixing  a  gun  carriage  when 
a  cannon  ball  hit  a  tree  near,  glanced  and  struck  him  on  the  back  of 
his  neck.  He  was  the  only  Falmouth  soldier  killed  in  the  expedi- 
tion.] 

3.  Gen.  Lovell  sent  a  flag  to  the  lines  to  enquire  after  a  Lieut, 
of  Marines  belonging  to  the  Vengence  who  was  missing  after  the 
battle  of  Sunday  last  [Aug.  1].  The  answer  returned  was  that  the 
Lieut,  was  wounded  in  battle  and  died  yesterday. 

Wed.  4.     Three  of   Capt.    [Nehemiah]    Curtis'  men     deserted. 

William  Harper  had  a  musket  ball  shot  through  his  coat  by    the 

enemy  while  on  picket  guard. 

1  The  above  was  the  gallant  assault  made  by  the  four  hundred  marines  and 
militia  over  the  precipitous  bank  at  "  Trask's  Rock,"  and  which  was  over  in 
twenty  minutes.  The  large  granite  boulder  on  tlie  shore,  now  called  "  Trask's 
Rock,"  was  named  for  a  ttfer-boy  named  Israel  Trask,  who  took  shelter  behind  it, 
playing  his  flfe  while  his  comrades  made  the  ascent.  It  was  said  that  he  did  not 
lose  a  note  of  the  tune  he  was  playing  during  the  whole  time.  Capt.  John 
Hinkley  of  Georgetown,  of  Col.  McCobb's  regiment,  was  killed  while  standing 
on  this  rock  urging  on  the  men. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.       33 

5.  An  indian  killed  by  the  enemy,  one  taken  prisoner.  Capt. 
[David]  Bradish  from  Falmouth  to  see  us. 

6.  Capt.  Bradish  and  his  crew  left  us.  [He  was  sent  to 
Boston.] 

7.  Smart  cannonading.  Marched  down  towards  the  fort  of  the 
enemy  about  three  o'clock.  A  party  of  about  100  sallied  out. 
Gen.  Lovell  ordered  a  retreat  to  draw  them  out,  but  they  imme- 
diately ran  back  to  their  entrenchment.  One  man  belonging  to  Col. 
[Samuel]  McCobb's  Regt.  wounded. 

Monday,  9.  Attempted  to  land  on  Hyannis  Point,  opposite  the 
enemy,  but  were  prevented  by  the  annoyance  of  the  enemy  in 
ambush. 

11.  Last  night  [10th]  20  of  Major  (Nathaniel)  Cousins'  Regt. 
deserted.     One  of  the  enemy  deserted. 

12.  Major  Cousins'  men  brought  back  last  night. 

13.  Made  another  demonstration  upon  the  lines  of  the  enemy, 
but  could  not  bring  on  an  engagement.  Capt.  Woodman  slightly 
wounded.  [It  is  not  known  who  he  was.  Perhaps  the  writer 
made  a  error  in  the  name.] 

14.  News  that  the  fleet  of  the  enemy  are  at  the  mouth  of  the 
the  [Penobscot]  Bay.  We  began  our  retreat  about  one  o'clock. 
Ran  with  our  Ships  and  Transports  to  Fort  Penobscot  and  called  on 
the  Commissary  for  provisions.  The  enemy  in  sight  and  under 
cloud  of  sail.  Some  of  our  Ships  are  taken  and  some  are  run 
ashore.  I  took  the  boats  and  went  on  board  the  Centurion  for 
provisions  and  then  put  ashore,  landed  it  and  then  took  off  the  men. 
Our  people  set  fire  to  the  shipping  and  then  took  to  the  woods.  Our 
company  [Capt.  Peter  Warren's]  encamped  in  the  woods.  Took 
what  provisions  we  could  carry.     Had  4  prisoners  to  guard. 

Sunday,  15.  Took  up  our  line  of  march  at  daybreak,  lost  our 
way  and  came  across  about  200  of  our  Regt.  and  sailors  and 
marines.  Went  across  a  large  meadow  ;  struck  a  road  in  the  woods 
and  kept  on  till  7  o'clock ;  took  breakfast  and  proceeded  on  to 
Belfast  Avhere  we  ai-rived  at  12  o'clock.  Exceedingly  warm. 
Came  to  a  river  and  crossed  in  canoes.  Capt.  Warren  purchased 
2  sheep  and  paid  18  dollars  for  them.  Took  dinner.  Arrived 
at  a  fine  plantation   and  had  a    good  dish    of  tea.     Gen.    [Peleg] 


34  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

Wadsworth  and  Capt.  [Ebenezer]    l^uck  supped    with   us.     Had  a 
fine  barn  to  sleep  in  and  rested  comfortably. 

16.  Marched  early  through  marshes,  beaches  and  thick  woods, 
over  mountains  and  valleys  to  Ducktrap  [Northport]  where  we 
arrived,  the  sun  an  hour  high.  P.  M.  One  of  our  prisoners 
deserted  this  morning. 

17.  Set  ofF  early  and  traveled  by  the  shore.  Halted  by  Gen. 
Wadsworth's  orders.  Arrived  at  the  westerly  part  of  Camden  at  1 
o'clock.  The  place  called  Clam  Cove.  [Went  to]  Headquarters 
and  drew  an  allowance  of  fresh  beef.  Turned  out  a  Sergeant's 
Guard  and  took  possession  of  a  large  barn  fur  our  bai'racks. 

18.  Heai'd  that  Gen.  Lovell  and  Admiral  Saltonstall  were  taken 
by  the  enemy.  [A  rumor  only.]  Capt.  [William]  Cobb  and  his 
company  arrived  here  at  12  o'clock.  [Daniel]  Mussey  started  for 
Falmouth. 

19.  Mr.  [Somers]  Shattuck  and  Stephen  Tukey  arrived  this 
morning,  says  Woodbury  Storer  was  taken  on  board  the  Hampden. 
Mr.  Shattuck  *aud  Houchin  Tukey  started  for  home.  Order  for 
Capt.  AVarren  to  march  to  West  Shore  South  West  Gigg.  [Stephen 
Tukey  was  the  son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Sweetser)  Tukey  of 
Falmouth  Neck,  and  was  born  July  6,  1754,  married,  in  1780, 
Hanuuli  Cushiug,  and  died  July  8,  1826.  He  was  the  writer's 
great  grandfather.     Houchin  Tukey  was  his  brother.] 

20.  Marched  to  Col.  [Mason]  AVheaton's,  6  miles.  Set  a  cor- 
poral's guard.     Here  is  a  double  saw  mill  and  grist  mill. 

Sunday,  22.  Lieut.  [Peter]  Babb  set  off  for  home  or  Falmouth 
with  some  four  men  because  we  had  no  provisions.  [Zach.]  Baker, 
[John]  Clough,  Thomas  Harper,  [Benjamin]  Mussey  and  myself 
[William  Moody]  started  for  St.  George  between  11  and  12 
o'clock. 

24.  Arrived  at  New  Meadows  and  put  up  at  one  Capt.  Curtis' 
where  we  were  hospitably  entertained. 

26.  Capt.  Warren  arrived  home,  [and  probably  the  whole 
company] . 

Among  the  curious  facts  concerniug  the  Bagaduce 
Expedition    worthy    of    attention,    are    the    bills   of 


%\ 


GEN.    PELEG   WADSWORTH. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      35 

Thaddeus  Broad  and  Joanna  Frost,  two  famous  Fal- 
mouth tavern  keepers  of  the  time,  "  for  victualling" 
the  retreating  soldiers  and  sailors.  Broad's  account 
amounted  to  eighty-nine  pounds,  fourteen  shillings, 
and  Mrs.  Frost's  was  for  one  hundred  and  eighty-six 
meals  at  twelve  shillings  each,  amounting  to  one 
hundred  eleven  pounds,  twelve  shillings. 

Sir  John  Moore,  who  was  killed  at  Corunna,  Spain, 
in  1806,  made  famous  by  his  funeral  ode,  was  a 
lieutenant  in  the  Eighty-second  regiment  of  the 
British  Army,  and  was  on  the  British  picket  line 
when  the  attack  was  made. 

It  was  from  under  one  of  the  Bagaduce  batteries 
that  Commodore  Edward  Preble,  then  a  young  lieuten- 
ant on  the  Winthrop,  later  in  the  war  made  that 
brilliant  capture  of  the  British  brig. 

Fort  George,  at  Castine,  is  now  one  of  the  best  pre- 
served forts  of  the  Revolutionary  period,  from  the 
fact  that  it  was  restored  for  use  in  the  war  of  1812. 
There  were  seven  additional  batteries  erected  by  the 
British  on  Bagaduce  Point  during  the  Revolutionary 
war.  It  was  from  Fort  George  that  Gen.  Wadsworth 
made  his  celebrated  and  remarkable  escape  in  June, 
1781,  which  is  fully  recorded  in  President  Dwight's 
Travels  in  New  England,  the  facts  no  doubt  coming 
from  the  General  himself 

Probably  the  remarkable  success  of  the  militia  in 
the  Louisburg  Expedition,  in  1745,  had  much  to  do 
with  the  assurance  of  the  people  in  embarking  in  the 
hastily  formed  Bagaduce  Expedition,  in  1779.  Many 
of  the  veterans  of  the  siege    of  Louisburg  were  then 


36  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

living,  and  their  sons  thought  themselves  no  less 
gallant  than  their  fathers.  In  fact,  the  success  at 
Louisburg  had  much  to  do  with  the  assurance  of  the 
colonists  that  tliej  could  gain  their  independence 
from  England  and  no  doubt  stimulated  them,  espec- 
ially in  New  England,  to  make  the  attempt. 

The  next  year  after  the  Bagaduce  expedition,  Gen. 
Wads  worth  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Maine,  and  with  Col.  Joseph  Prime's  regiment 
of  our  state  guarded  our  coast  and  Penobscot  Bay. 
No  further  attempt  was  made  to  dislodge  the  British 
at  Castine,  and  there  they  remained  until  December, 
1783,  when  they  evacuated  the  place,  as  peace  had 
been  declared  and  the  war  was  over. 

The  following  are  copies  of  the  original  pay-rolls 
that  are  now  on  file  in  the  State  House  at  Boston. 

Officers  of  the  Army. 

"A  Pay  Abstract  of  the  Genl  and  Staff  Officers  of  the  Penobscot 


Expedition  for  the  Con'l  pay,  1779 

" 

Entered 

ServiQC. 

Wages  per  Month. 

Solomon  Lovell,    Brig.  Genl, 

Jub 

2 

£37  lOsh. 

P.  Wads\torth,            do. 

" 

8 

£37  10  " 

Eliphalet  Downer,  Surg.  Genl., 

u 

8 

£22  10  " 

Gowen  Brown,  Brigade  Major, 

u 

2 

£22  4    " 

William  Todd,             do. 

u 

2 

£22  4    " 

Jeremiah  Hill,  Adjt.  Genl. 

" 

2 

£15 

John  Marston,  Secy. 

1 1 

2 

£15 

John  Tyler,  Q.  M.  Genl. 

u 

2 

£22  10  " 

G.  W.  Speakman,  Comy  of  Ord., 

u 

8 

£15 

Benja.  Fiirness,  D.  Q.  M., 

" 

2 

£12 

J.  Bobbins,  D.  C  of  Ord., 

1( 

8 

£12 

And  3  servants  as  privates 

£2 

The  originals  of  the  above  pay-roll  are  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Archives,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Pages  93  and  131. 


colonel  jonathan  mitchell's  regiment.  37 

Col.  Jonathan  Mitchell's   Kegiment. 

"  A  Pay  Roll  for  Field  and  Staff  officers  in  a  Regiment  of  militia 
Raised  in  the  County  of  Cumberland,  commanded  by  Jona.  Mitchell 
Esq.,  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  against  the  enemy  at 
Penobscot  in  1779,  for  Continental  Pay." 

Entered  service.    Discharged.     Wages. 
Jonathan  Mitchell,  Colo.,  July  1  Sept.  2.5  £45 

Nathaniel  Jordan,  Lieut.  Cok).,  "6  "25  £40 

Jacob  Brown,  1st  Major,  "6  "25  £35 

Nathaniel  Larrabee,  2d  Major,  "     6  "     25  £35 

Thomas  Lancaster,  Chaplain,  "     6  Aug.  10,  at  Penobscot,  £40    \ 

Nathaniel  Jones,  Surgeon,  "     6  died.  Sept,  4  £40 

Benja  Porter,  Sr.,  Surgeon's  Mate,      "    6  Sept.    4  £30 

Gideon  Meserve,  Adjutant,  "6  "25  £30 

Enoch  Frost,  Sergt.  Major,  "     6  "     25  £30 

Nathaniel  Hinkley,  Qr.  Master,  "     6  "     25  £25 

North  Yarmouth,  Dec.  10,  1779. 

JoNA.  Mitchell,  Colo. 

The  wages  are  as  given  on  the  last  roll,  evidently  a 
corrected  one.  The  original  rolls  are  in  the  Massachu- 
setts Archives,  Volume  XXXVII,  pages  103  and  137. 

COL.    JONATHAN  MITCHELL. 

Col.  Mitchell  was  from  North  Yarmouth,  and  had 
served  in  the  French  and  Indian  War.  He  was  an 
ensign  in  Col.  Samuel  Waldo,  Jr.'s,  regiment  in  1762, 
and  later  a  lieutenant.  At  Falmouth  Neck  he  was 
prominent  in  the  Revolution,  and  March  29,  1776, 
was  chosen  colonel  to  succeed  Gen.  Joseph  Frye  in 
command  there.  He  was  also  colonel  of  the  Second 
Cumberland  County  militia  regiment,  besides  com- 
manding this  one  at  Bagaduce. 

Jonathan  Mitchell  was  the  son  of  Deacon  Jacob  and 
Mary  (Howland)  Mitchell  and  was  born  in  1724.  He 
was  a  blacksmith,  carae  from  Kingston  about  1743, 
and  married  Sarah  Loring.     They  had  several  children. 


38  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

LIEUT.  COL.  NATHANIEL  JORDAN. 

Lieut.  Col.  Jordan  was  a  son  of  Maj.  Dominicus  and 
Joanna  (Bray)  Jordan,  and  was  born  at  Spurwink, 
December  24,  1718;  married,  August  2,  1740,  Hannah 
Woodbury  of  Beverly,  and  had  nine  children. 

He  served  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  serving  as 
ensign  in  Capt.  Dominicus  Jordan's  Snowshoe  com- 
pany in  1744,  in  the  same  captain's  Training  Company 
in  1757,  and  was  first  major  and  lieutenant  colonel  of 
the  1st.  Cumberland  County  militia  regiment  in 
1776,  and  later,  and  served  in  this  regiment  in  1779, 
also  commanded  the  militia  at  Falmouth  Neck  after 
the  discharge  of  this  regiment. 

1st  major  JACOB  BROWN. 

Major  Brown  was  from  North  Yarmouth  and  mar- 
ried, July  13,  1743,  Lydia  Weare,  daughter  of  Capt. 
Peter  and  Sarah  (Felt)  Weare. 

He  was  a  lieutenant  in  Col.  Samuel  Waldo,  Jr.'s 
regiment  in  1764,  enlisted,  April  24,  1775,  as  major 
in  Col.  Edmund  Phinney's  31st  Regiment  of  Foot,  in 
the  18th  Continental  regiment  in  1776,  and  in  this 
regiment  in  1779. 

2d  major  NATHANIEL  LARRABEE. 

Major  Larrabee  was  the  son  of  Capt.  Benjamin  and 
Mary  (Eilthorpe)  Larrabee  of  Brunswick,  and  was  born 
in  Fort  George,  December  23,  1729,  married,  in  1758, 
Elizabeth  Harding,  and  was  town  clerk  and  selectman 
of  his  town  for  many  years.  He  commanded  a  com- 
pany on  the  seacoastat  Falmouth  in  1775,  was  a  major 
in  the    2d.    Cumberland  County  militia  regiment   in 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      39 

1776  and  served  in  this  in  1779.  The  following 
is  a  copy  of  his  appointment  in  Col.  Mitchell's 
regiment. 

Major  Larrabee :  — 

Sir  :  I  have  orders  to  rase  a  Regement  out  of  my  Brigade  to  go 
to  penobscot  in  order  to  Dislodge  the  Enemy  there,  I  do  therefore 
appoint  you  Second  major  of  Said  Regement  and  expect  you  will 
hold  yourself  In  Readyness  to  march  at  the  shortest  notice. 

Samuel  Thompson  Brigdr. 

To  Major  Nathl.  Larrabee. 

CHAPLAIN  THOMAS  LANCASTEK. 

Chaplain  Lancaster  was  a  native  of  Rowley,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  the  son  of  Capt.  Thomas  and  Dorothy 
(Northend)  Lancaster,  having  been  born,  January 
24,  1743.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  in  1764, 
settled  at  Scarborough  as  minister  of  the  First  church, 
November  8,  1775,  where  he  was  pastor  for  fifty -five 
years.  His  first  marriage  was  to  Lydia  Jones,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  Benjamin  and  Mary  (Woodbury)  Jones  of 
Beverly,  Massachusetts,  and  she  was  a  sister  to  Sur- 
geon Nathaniel  Jones  of  this  regiment.  His  second 
marriage  was  to  Esther  (Libby)  Libby,  the  widow  of 
Mathias.  He  had  Sally,  Sewall,  Thomas,  Jr.,  Mary, 
Dorothy,  who  died  when  a  young  lady,  and  several 
children  who  died  in  infancy.  He  died,  January  12, 
1831,  aged  eighty-seven  years. 

SURGEON  NATHANIEL  JONES. 

Surgeon  Jones  went  from  Cape  Elizabeth.  He  was 
born  February  8,  1743,  and  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Benja- 
min and  Mary  (Woodbury)  Jones  of  Beverly,  Massa- 
chusett.  He  married,  in  1766,  Sarah  Dodge  of  Ipswich 


40  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

and  had  seven  children.  Removed  to  Cape  Elizabeth 
in  1765,  and  lived  there  near  the  ferry  landing,  be- 
coming one  of  the  leading  patriots  of  the  town.  He 
was  a  committee  of  correspondence  and  delegate  to 
the  Cumberland  County  Congress.  He  died  from  ex- 
posure in  the  retreat  with  his  regiment  from 
Bagaduce,  September  4,  1779,  aged  thirty-six  years. 

surgeon's  mate  benjamin  JONES  PORTER. 

Surgeon's  Mate  Porter  went  from  Topsham.  He 
was  the  son  of  Capt.  "Billy"  Porter  of  the  11th  Mas- 
sachusetts regiment  from  Beverly,  Massachusetts.  He 
married  Elizabeth  L.  King,  daughter  of  Richard  King, 
and  practised  medicine  in  Scarborough,  Westbrook  and 
Portland.  He  was  "  a  man  of  rare  conversational 
j)owers  and  great  suavity  of  manners,"  was  a  member 
of  the  governor's  council  and  senator  from  Lincoln 
County.  He  removed  to  Camden  in  1829  and  died 
August  18,  1847,  aged  eighty-four  years. 

ADJ.  GIDEON  MESERVE. 

Adj.  Meserve  went  from  Scarborough,  and  was  the 
son  of  Deacon  Daniel  and  Mehitable  (Bragdon)  Me- 
serve. He  was  born  June  31,  1749  ;  married,  about 
1775,  Elizabeth  Fogg,  and  had  eleven  children. 

SERGT.  MAJOR  ENOCH  FROST. 

Sergt.  Major  Frost  went  from  Gorham.  He  was  a 
retailer  there  and  married,  April  24,  1780,  Alice 
Davis,  and  had  Rufus,  who  died  in  infancy,  Cyrus, 
Rebecca,  Polly,  Mason,  Coleman,  Nathaniel  Bowman, 
Patty  and  Cyrus  for  children. 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL'S    JREGIMENT.  41 

QUAKTERMASTER  NATHANIEL  HINKLET. 

He  went  from  Brunswick,  and  was,  perhaps,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Miller)  Hinkley. 

He  served  in  Capt.  Richard  Mayberry's  Company  in 
Col.  Ebenezer  Francis'  Regiment  at  Dorchester  in 
1776  and  also  in  this  regiment  in  1779. 

Capt.  Peter  Warren's  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  at  Falmouth  Neck,  now 
Portland. 

Capt.  Warren  came  from  Somersworth,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  was  a  cordwainer.  He  married  first,  April 
16,  1775,  Thankful  Briggs  of  Falmouth,  and  had  a 
daughter  who  married  Capt.  Jonathan  Tucker.  Mrs. 
Warren  died  February  27,  1777,  aged  twenty-five 
years.  He  married  second,  December  30,  1778,  Anne 
Proctor,  daughter  of  Benjamin,  and  lived  on  Fore 
Street  between  Market  and  Silver  Streets,  called  now 
the  Market  Lot.  He  had  by  this  marriage  seven 
children,  and  she  died  November  9,  1811,  aged  fifty- 
six  years.  He  married  third,  Eunice  Libby  and  moved 
to  Waterford,  where  he  died  in  1825,  aged  seventy- 
four  years.  He  was  a  prominent  man  at  Portland  and 
was  selectman  for  four  years.  He  was  sergeant  in 
Capt.  Joseph  Noyes'  company  at  Falmouth  six  months 
in  1775,  captain  of  this  company  in  1779,  and  also  in 
Capt.  Sam'l   McCobb's  regiment  in  1781. 

First  Lieut.  Daniel  Mussey  was  the  oldest  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Abigail  (Weeks)  Mussey.  His  father 
was  a  prominent  patriot  at  Falmouth  Neck,  in  the 
commencement  of  the  troubles  with  England.     Daniel 


42  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


^ 


Mussey  married  April  25,  1782,  Betsey  Baker,  who 
died  November  25,  1835,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 
He  died  August  31,  1828,  aged  seventy-three  years. 
Both  are  buried  in  the  Eastern  Cemetery.  They  lived 
in  a  story  and  a  half  house  on  the  east  corner  of 
Brown  and  Congress  Streets,  Portland,  and  the  prop- 
erty is  still  [1898]  owned  by  his  descendants.  Mr. 
Mussey  served  as  third  corporal  in  Capt.  David  Brad- 
ish's  company,  in  Col.  Phinney's  31st  regiment  of 
foot  in  1775,  at  Cambridge. 

Second  Lieut.  Peter  Babb  married,  January  24, 
1760,  Ann  Haskell.  He  was  a  private  in  Capt.  John 
Brackett's  company  in  the  Lexington  alarm,  second 
lieutenant  in  Capt.  Joseph  Pride's  company  in  Col. 
Reuben  Fogg's  Cumberland  County  militia  regiment, 
chosen  December  9,  1776  ;  also  in  Capt.  John  Star- 
bird's  company  in  1st  Cumberland  County  regiment, 
commissioned  February  1,  1777  ;  also  in  this  regiment 
at  Bagaduce  in  1779. 

"A  Pay  Roll  of  Capt.  Peter  Warren's  Compy  in  the  Battallion  of 
Malitia  Commanded  by  Jona  Mitchell,  Esq.  on  an  expedition  against 
Penobscot." 

Falmouth,  Sept.  2-5,  1779. 

Date  of  Enlistment. 

Peter  Warren,  Captain,  July  1,  1779 

Daniel  Mussey,  First  Lieut.,  do. 

Peter  Babb,  Second  Lieut.,  do. 

John  Dole,  Sergt.,  do. 

Stephen  Tukey,  Sergt.,  do. 

Isaac  Mirick,  Sergt.,  do. 

Micah  Sampson,  Sergt.,  do. 

Hugh  McLellan,  Corp.,  do. 

John  Clough,  Corp.,  do. 

Josiah  Bayley,  Corp.,  do. 


COLONEL   JONATHAN   MITCHELL  S   REGIMENT. 


43 


Samuel  Knight,  Corp., 

July  1,  1799 

William  Moody,  Drummer, 

do. 

William  Harper,  Fifer, 

do. 

PRIVATES. 

Benjamin  Mussey, 

July  1,  1779. 

Daniel  Cobb, 

do. 

David  Warren, 

do. 

Daniel  Gi-een, 

do. 

Ebenr  Owen, 

do. 

Elijah  Ward, 

do. 

Ebenr  Gustin, 

do. 

Eleazer  Whitney, 

do. 

Houchin  Tukey, 

do. 

Isaac  Randall, 

do. 

Isaac  Larrabee, 

do. 

John  Fogg, 

do. 

Joseph  Morse, 

do. 

John  Hans, 

do. 

John  Masury, 

do. 

Jonathan  Sawyer, 

do. 

James  Hans, 

do. 

John  D.  Smith, 

do. 

Joseph  Stanford, 

do. 

Josiah  Shaw, 

do. 

Joseph  Thomas, 

do. 

Jeremiah  Brackett, 

do. 

John  Small, 

do. 

Josiah  Walker, 

do. 

John  Roe, 

do. 

James  Rand, 

do. 

Joseph  Johnson, 

do. 

Henry  Waite, 

do. 

Lemuel  Cox, 

do. 

Moses  Brazier, 

do. 

Nathl  Moody, 

do. 

Nathl  Libby, 

do. 

Peter  Kelley, 

do. 

Paul  Dyer, 

do. 

Richard  Codman, 

do. 

Richard  Fassett, 

do. 

Robert  Poage, 

do. 

Somers  Shattuck, 

do. 

Not  joined  after  the  retreat. 


Not  joined  after  the  retreat. 
do. 


Not  joined  after  the  retreat. 


44 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


Samuel  Larrabee, 
Thomas  Gustin, 
Woodbury  Storer, 


Wheeler  Kiggs,  do. 

William  Maxwell,  do. 

Zach  Baker,  do. 

Total,  57  men 
The  wages  and  terms  of  service  were  as  follows: 


July  1,  1799     Not  joined  after  the  retreat. 

do.  do. 

do.  (Appointed  clerk  to  the 

Adjt.  Gen.)  Aug.  1. 

Killed  ye  7th  August,  1779. 


$40.00  per  month, 

$26 1       " 


2  mos.. 

2.5 

days 

service 

2     " 

2.5 

2     " 

25 

2     " 

18 

2     " 

18 

2     " 

18 

Captain, 

First  Lieut., 

Second  Lieut.,  $26f 

Sergeants,  $10.00 

Corporals  )         ^^^ 

and  Musicians     \  ^ 

Privates,  $6f 

Cumberland,  Ss.,   Dec.    3,   1779,    Captain   Peter  Warren   and  Daniel 

Mussey  made  oath   to   the   Truth    of  the   foregoing  Pay  Roll  for  their 

Company  in  the  Expedition   against  Penobscot  under  the  command  of 

Jonathan  Mitchell,  Esq.,  and  that  the   several  Persons  borne   on  Said 

Roll  served  the  Time  thereon  mentioned. 

CoKAM  Enoch  FreemAjST,  Justo  Pads. 

The  original  of  this  roll  is  in  the  Massachusetts 
Archives,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Page  102. 

Capt.  Joshua  Jordan's  Company. 

This  company  went  from  the  town  of  Cape 
Elizabeth. 

Capt.  Joshua  Jordan  was  the  son  of  Nathaniel  and 
Dorothy  Jordan,  and  was  born  at  Spurwink,  in  1736. 
He  married  March  24,  1763,  Catherine  Jordan,  a 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Katherine  (Hanscom)  Jordan. 
They  had  eight  children,  and  he  died  at  Richmond 
Island.  Capt.  Jordan  was  a  training  soldier  in  Capt. 
Dominicus  Jordan's  company,  in  1757,  captain  in  Col. 
Peter  Noyes'  militia  regiment,  November  20,  1778, 
and  served  in  this  regiment. 


COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELLS    REGIMENT. 


45 


First  Lieut.  Dominicus  Mitchell  had  a  wife,  Anne, 
and  they  acknowledged  the  covenant  in  the  First 
Parish  church,  Falmouth,  September  7,  1766.  He 
served  as  lieutenant  in  Samuel  Whitmore's  company, 
in  Col.  Reuben  Fogg's  regiment,  and  is  said  to  have 
gone  to  Peekskill,  New  York. 

Second  Lieut.  Lemuel  Dyer  married  Sarah  Jones, 
in  1782.  He  was  licensed  a  retailer  in  1783,  and  may 
have  had  other  service  than  that  in  this  regiment. 

"A  Pay  Role  For  the  commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers  and 
soldiers  in  Capt.  Joshua  Jordan's  Company  in  Col.  Jonathan  Mitchell's 
Regt.  in  an  Expedition  against  Penobscot  From  the  7th  of  July  to 
the  25th  of  Sept.  1779— in  the  Continenal  service." 


Joshua  Jordan, 

Capt. 

Dominicus  Mitchell,     1st.  Lieut. 

Lemuel  Dyer, 

2d  Lieut. 

Tristum  Jordan, 

Sergt. 

Peter  Sanborn, 

u 

John  Thorndick, 

Sergt. 

Soloman  Jordan, 

" 

Abner  Fickett, 

Corp. 

Josiah  Black, 

u 

Dan'l  Roberson, 

" 

Ebenezer  Sawyer, 

(1 

Abraham  Jordan, 

Drummer.    " 

Robert  Thorndike 

!,         Fifer. 

PRIVATES. 

Moses  Hanson 

Thos.  Cummins 

Zachariah  Leach 

Ebenezer  Shaw 

Lemuel  Dyer,  Jr. 

John  Hall 

Thomas  Jordan 

David  Sanborn 

Joseph  Maxwell 

Benjamin  Swett 

Samuel  Jordan 

Joseph  Chace 

James  Jordan 

Jacob  York 

John  Maxwell 

Robert  Row 

William  Maxwell 

Saml  Batchlor 

James  Miller 

Richard  Pierce 

46  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

Zebulon  Ficket  John  Strout 

David  Parker  Wm.  Freeman 

G-eorge  Strout  Mark  Dyer 

Nath'l  Cash  Jacob  Sawyer 

Eichard  Wescott  Ezekiel  Sawyer 

Enoch  Strout  James  Mitchell 

Samuel  Crockett  Patrick  Irish 

Elkeny  Dyer  John  Fickett 

John  Orion  Batholemo  Jaxson 

Eli  Jaxson  Isaac  Dyer 

Total,  53  men. 

The  original  pay-rolls  of  this  company  are  in  the 
Massachusetts  Archives,  Volume  XXXVII,  pages 
85  and  126. 

Capt.  Nehemiah  Cuktis'  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  in  the  town  of  Harpswell. 

Capt.  Nehemiah  Curtis  was  the  son  of  David  and 
Bethia  Curtis,  and  was  born  in  Hanover,  Massachusetts, 
in  1733.  He  was  a  prominent  man  at  Harpswell, 
and  served  the  town  as  selectman  several  years,  and 
durhig  the  Revolutionary  War  was  a  committee  of 
safety.  He  lived  near  Center  Harpswell.  His  death 
occurred  December  26,  1816,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
three  years.  In  the  old  graveyard,  near  where  he 
lived,  he  was  buried,  and  from  his  gravestone  I  copied 
this  epitaph. 

A  true  Patriot,  commanded  the  Militia  before  and  during  the 
revolutionary  war,  discharged  with  honor  &  ildelity  the  several 
offices  he  held  &  hath  left  an  imitable  pattern. 

First  Lieut.  Isaac  Hall  was  probably  the  son  of 
Isaac  and  Abigail  Hall  of  Harpswell.  His  wife's  name 
was  Joanna  and  he  was  probably  the  ferryman  at 
Sebascodegan  Island. 


COLONBL   JONATHAN   MITCHELL'S    EEGIMENT.  ^^ 

Second    Lieut,     Ebenezer   Stanwood    belonged    i„ 
Brunswick  and  was  a  licensed  innholder,   177^85 
and  a  retailer  in  1 793.  '   -l  m  i  i  /  fe^, 

tion   at  Penobscot  from   the   7th  day   of     r   ,      .         '"'  *^'  ^"P^"'" 
September  inclusive,  1779."  ^  ^"^^   *^  *^«  25th  day    of 


Nehemiah  Curtis, 
Isaac  Hal], 
Eben'r  Stanwood, 
Marlboro  Sylvester, 
Elnathan  Hinkley, 
Kingsbury  Eastman, 
Wm.  Dunning, 

David  Given, 

^m.  Tarr, 

John  Spear, 

Caleb  Curtis, 

Ezekiel  Brown, 

Daniel  Webber, 


Capt. 
1st  Lieut. 
2nd     " 
Serg't. 


Corp. 


Drummer. 
Fifer. 


Samuel  Stanwood 

Robert  Stanwood 

Isaac  Chase 

Josiah  Clark 

Daniel  Booker 

Wm.  Mallet 

John  Blake 
James  Barstow 
Isaiah  Booker 
^ehemiah  Ward 
Wm.  Wilson 
Joseph  Ewing 
Wm.  McLellan 
James  Koss 
David  Doughty 
Nathl  Ham 
John  Andross 
Calvin  Cowen 


PBIVATES. 

Wm.  Getchell 
Stephen  Eideout 
Fields  Coombs 
Wm.  Curtis 
Hezekiah  Coombs 
Phinehas  Thomson 
Asa  Coombs 
John  Jordan 
James  Chase 
Benj.  Getchel 
Robert  Purington 
Hudson  Bishop 
John  Linscot 
Benj.  Sleeper 
Joseph  Woodward 
David  Dunning 
John  Dunnino- 
Abraham  Rideout 


48  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

Thos.  Morgareidge  Jedediah  Allen 

Swanzy  Wilson  Wm.  Woodside 

Nehemiah  Ward,  Jr.  Wm.  Starboard 

Joseph  Webber  Hugh  Dunlap 

John  Ferrin  Silas  Kemp 

Joseph  Tompson  James  Bibber 

Lemuel  Rament  David  Johnson 

Mathew  Martin  Joseph  Ross 

Joseph  Webber  John  Larrabee 

Peter  Williams  Saml  Hunt 

John  Crawford  Asa  Millar 

Thos.  Ham  Abner  Purington 
Total,  73  men. 

Josiah  Clark,  Wm.  Mallet,  Isaiah  Booker  and  David 
Johnson  were  allowed  two  months  and  eight  days' 
service,  Joseph  Ross,  two  months  and  fifteen  days,  and 
all  others,  two  months  and  eighteen  days.  The  men 
were  allowed  seventy-six  miles  travel  in  marching 
home.  Three  of  this  company  deserted,  August  4, 
and  the  History  of  Harpswell  says  some  of  the  men 
never  received  any  pay.  There  are  two  original  pay- 
rolls in  the  Massachusetts  Archives,  one  in  Volume 
XXXV,  page  251,  and  another  in  Volume  XL, 
page  120. 

Capt.  Nathan  Merrill's  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  from  the  towns  of  New 
Gloucester,  Windham,  Gray,  Poland  and  Turner. 
They  were  credited  with  two  months  and  seventeen 
days  service. 

Capt.  Nathan  Merrill  belonged  in  Gray  and,  in 
1776,  served  as  first  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Winthrop 
Baston's  company  at  the  seige  of  Boston,  in  Col. 
Jacob  French's  regiment.  He  was  also  a  captain  m 
Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779,  and  took  a  British 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      49 

corporal  prisoner  at  Bagaduce,  July  31.  He  prob- 
ably went  from  Falmouth  to  Gray,  and  from  there  to 
New  Gloucester. 

First  Lieut.  Edward  Anderson  went  from  Windham. 
He  was  the  son  of  Abraham  Anderson  and  was  born 
May  10,  1753,  married  August  4,  1774,  Mary  May- 
berry,  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Richard  and  Martha 
(Bolton)  May  berry ;  she  was  born  November  10,  1756, 
and  died  May  20,  1846.  aged  eighty-nine  years.  They 
had  eleven  sons  and  one  daughter,  and  he  died  May 
17,  1804,  aged  fifty-one  years. 

Lieut.  Anderson  settled  at  the  foot  of  Windham 
Hill,  where  he  built  a  house  and  saw  mill.  He  was 
the  first  postmaster  of  the  town,  selectman  and  was 
a  colonel  in  the  militia.  His  service  in  the  army  w^as 
as  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Samuel  Knight's  company,  July 
1,  1775,  and  served  at  Falmouth  six  months  and  six- 
teen days,  also  was  second  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Thomas 
Trott's  company  of  4th  Cumberland  County  militia 
commissioned  in  September,  1777,  besides  his  service 
in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  at  Bagaduce  in  1779. 

Second  Lieut.  Peter  Graffam  was  a  son  of  Caleb 
and  Lois  (Bennett)  Graffam,  of  Windham,  and  was 
born  at  Falmouth,  April  3,  1742.  He  married,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1764,  Mary  Wilson,  and  settled  in  New 
Gloucester  before  1770,  where  he  had  a  sawmill.  He 
was  a  housewright  and  died  about  1784.  We  know  of 
no  other  service  in  this  army  than  that  in  Col. 
Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779. 

'*  Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  ISTathan  Merrill's  Company  of  Militia  Raised 
in  the  County  of  Cumberland  for  the  expedition  against  the  Penobscot,j 


50 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


For  the  Service  of  the  United  States  and  sei-ved  in  a  Detachment  Com- 
manded by  Col.  Jonathan  Mitchell." 

Marched  July  8,  and  were  discharged  Sept.  25,  1779. 


Nathan  Merrill, 
Edward  Anderson, 
Peter  Graffum, 
John  Elder, 
Richard  Haden, 
Thos.  Mabury, 
John  Marshall. 
Asa  Libby, 
John  Hodge, 
Joseph  Elder, 
Francis  Bennit, 
Isaac  Cummings, 
John  McGuyer, 


Capt. 
1st  Lieut. 
2d  Lieut. 
Sergt. 


Corp. 


Drummer 
Fifer 


PRIVATES. 


James  Mabury, 
Benj.  Trott, 
Thomas  Chute, 
ISTathl  Chase, 
John  Mugford, 
Samuel  Lord, 
Samuel  Toben, 
George  Knight, 
Joseph  Eoberts, 
Nemiah  Allen, 
Samuel  Todd, 
Samuel  Bradbury, 
James  Allan, 
Stephen  Row, 
John  Harris, 
Benj.  Witham, 
David  Paul, 
Joshua  Clark, 
Joseph  Collins, 
James  Stevens, 
Samuel  Tarbox, 
John  Chandler, 

Total,  58  men. 


Saml  Nevens, 
Edward  Ryon, 
James  Noyes, 
Isaac  Eoly, 
Thomas  Millett, 
Zeptha  Benson, 
Joshua  Strout. 
Aaron  Davis, 
Job  Denning, 
Saml  Morgan, 
Wm.  Cordwell, 
Jona  Saunders, 
Wm.  Libby, 
Job  Young, 
Amos  Hobbs, 
Nathan  Noble,  Jr. 
Daniel  Knight, 
Benj.  Jones, 
Mark  Andros, 
Moses  Merrill, 
Abner  Phillips, 
Joshua  Lain, 
Nathl  Stevens. 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL's  REGIMENT.       51 

The  original  pay-roll  is  in  the  Massachusetts  Ar- 
chives,   Vol.    XXXVII,    Page    120. 

Capt.  Benjamin  Lakrabee's  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  in  the  town  of  Scarborough. 

Capt.  Benjamin  Larrabee  was  the  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Sarah  Larrabee  of  Scarborough,  and  was  born 
.March  23,  1740.  He  married,  June  28,  1778,  Hannah 
(Hasty)  Skillings,  the  widow  of  Capt.  John  Skillings 
of  the  11th  Massachusetts  regiment,  and  died  April  17, 
1829,  aged  eighty-nine  years.  Capt.  Larrabee  com- 
manded a  company  at  Falmouth  Neck  in  October  and 
November  1775,  served  in  Col.  Reuben  Fogg's  militia 
regiment,  and  in  1779  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment. 
After  the  war,  he  was  a  colonel  in  the  militia  and 
a  representative  to  the  General  Court. 

First  Lieut.  Josiah  Libby  was  the  son  of  Josiah  and 
Anna  (Small)  Libby  of  Scarborough,  and  was  born 
February  16,  1746.  He  married  first,  in  1769,  Eunice 
Libby;  second,  in  1776,  Elizabeth  (Parcher)  Foss;  and 
third,  Mary  (Chase)  Jones.  He  died  March  1, 1824,  aged 
seventy-eight  years.  Lieut.  Libby  served  in  Capt.  John 
Wentworth's  company.  Col.  Aaron  Willard's  regiment 
in  1776  and  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779. 

Second  Lieut.  Lemuel  Milliken  was  the  son  of 
Edward  and  Abigail  (Normaii)  Milliken,  of  Scarbo- 
rough, and  married  January  18,  1770,  Phebe  Lord. 
They  had  at  least  seven  children,  Abraham,  Mary, 
Susan,  Margaret,  Samuel,  Phebe  and  Jacob. 

Lieut.  Milliken  served  as  a  sergeant  in  Capt.  John 
Rice's  company  in  Col.  Phinney's  31st  regiment  of 
foot  in  1775,  and  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779. 


52 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


"A    Pay   Roll  of  Benjamin   Larrabee's    Company  belonging  to  Col. 
Mitchell's  Regiment  in  ye  Expedition  against  Penobscot." 
"All  marched  July  9th.     Discharged  Sept.  12th." 


Benjamin  Larrabee, 
Josiah  Libby, 
Lemuel  Milliken, 
Robert  Hasty, 
Seth  Libby, 
Isaac  Davis, 
Nathl  Milliken, 
Joseph  Hodsdon, 
Humphrey  Hanscom, 
William  McLellan, 
William  Shule, 


Capt. 
1st  Lieut, 
2nd  Lieut. 

Sergt 


Corp. 


John  Martin, 

Drummer 

Jeremiah  Banks, 

Fifer 

PKIVATES. 

Daniel  Stone, 

Robert  Edgscom, 

Chas  Runnels, 

Ebenr  Sevey, 

Martin  Jose, 

John  Andrews, 

Thos  McKenney, 

George  Newbegin, 

John  McKenney, 

Thos.  Berry, 

Mark  Libby, 

Simeon  Beal, 

William  Mars, 

Samuel  Libby, 

Joseph  Brown, 

Eleazer  Briant, 

John  Bragdon, 

Joel  Harmon, 

Wm  Gilford, 

Elias  Harmon, 

Samuel  Plummer, 

Nathl  Rice, 

Joseph  Ring, 

John  Meserve, 

Joshua  Hutch  ins. 

George  Moses, 

Soloraan  Larrabee,  - 

Lemuel  Jordan, 

Moses  Libby, 

Jona.  Harmon, 

William  Mitchell, 

Joseph  Waterhouse, 

Gibeon  Plummer, 

Increse  Graffum, 

James  McKenney, 

David  Burnam, 

Nathan  Larrabee, 

Levi  Morrill, 

Simeon  Fitz, 

Nathan  Kimball. 

Wm  Fenderson, 

Ezekiel  Foster, 

Roberd  McKenney, 

Abnor  Lunt, 

Ebenr.  Boothby, 

John  Watson, 

Thos.  Thurston, 

Danl  Libby, 

Thos.  Tompson, 

Joseph  Tyler, 

(\ 


i 


COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL'S  REGIMENT.      53 

John  Molton,  David  Hasty, 

Samuel  Holms,  Nathan  Moses. 

Total,  64  men. 

The  men  of  this  company  were  allowed  two  months 
and  three  days  service.  The  original  pay-roll  is  in 
the  Massachusetts  Archives,  Vol.  XXXVII,  Page   89. 

Capt.  William  Cobbs  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  in  Old  Falmouth,  on  the 
Presumpscot  River.  On  the  retreat  they  arrived  at 
Camden,  August  18. 

Capt.  William  Cobb  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Cobb 
a  shipbuilder,  and  prominent  in  the  affixirs  of  Old 
Falmouth  in  his  time.  He  married,  March  2,  1778,  Eu- 
nice Quimby,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary  Quimby. 
He  became  a  colonel  in  the  militia  and  built  the.  large 
brick  house  in  Market  Square  in  Portland,  which  was 
altered  into  the  American  House  and  burned  in  1852. 
Capt.  Cobb  served  as  first  lieutenant  in  Capt.  Jesse 
Partridge's  company  in  Col.  John  Greaton's  3d  Mas- 
sachusetts regiment,  eight  months  in  the  army  on  the 
Hudson  River  in  1778,  and  as  captain  in  Col.  Mitchell's 
regiment  at  Bagaduce  in  1779. 

First  Lieut.  Moses  Merrill  belonged  in  Old  Falmouth 
and  married,  in  1777,  Jane  Hutchinson.  He  was  a 
private  in  Capt.  Samuel  Noyes'  company  in  Col. 
Phinney's  regiment,  in  1775,  and  first  lieutenant  in 
Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779.  He  was  alive  in 
1835,  aged  ninety  years. 

Second  Lieut.  Joshua  Stevens  married  February 
5,  1767,  Susannah  Sawyer.  He  was  a  sergeant  in 
Capt.  John  Brackett's  company  in  Col.  Phinney's  31st 


54 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


regiment  of  foot  in    1775,  and  second  lieutenant  in 
this  company  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in  1779. 

Ensign  Nathaniel  Tompson  lived  in  Falmouth.  He 
was  the  son  of  Joseph  Tompson  and  had  brothers, 
Edward  and  Joseph. 

Muster  Roll  of  Capt.  William  Cobb's  Company  of  Militia  Raised  in 
the  County  of  Cumberland  for  an  expedition  against  Penobscot.  For 
the  service  of  the  United  States  and  Served  in  a  Detachment  com- 
manded by  Col  Jona  Mitchell." 

All  marched  July  8,  and  were  discharged  Sept.  25,  1779. 


William  Cobb, 

Capt. 

Moses  Merrill, 

1st.  Lieut. 

Joshua  Stevens, 

2nd      " 

Nath'l  Tompson, 

Ensign. 

Amos 

Noyes, 

Sergt. 

Amos 

Merrill, 

(( 

Moses 

;  Noyes, 

(( 

Wm.  Brackett, 

(t 

James  Merrill, 

Corp. 

Josiah  Lock, 

u 

Peter 

Cobb, 

" 

Bcnj. 

Mclntire, 

11 

Josiah  Berrey, 

Drummer. 

Joshua  Whitney, 

Fifer. 

PKIVATES. 

Nath'l  Wormvrell 

Ephrni.  Lunt 

Joseph  Wormwell 

Zachr.  Merrill 

Josiah  Clark 

James  Noyes 

Joseph  Davis 

Josiah  Noyes 

Jona  Knight 

Nathan  Lunt 

Benja  Moody 

Moses  Adams 

Amos  Knight 

Robert  Morrison 

Moses  Blanchard 

John  Proctor 

Tobias  Goold 

Joseph  Pride 

Thos.  Merrill 

Isaac  Sawyer 

Israel  Merrill 

John  Sawyer 

James  Merrill, 

Jr. 

Charles  Walker 

Jona  Sawyer 

Stephen  Knight 

Nathl  Tripp 

Joseph  Merrill 

COLONEL    JONATHAN    MITCHELL'S    EEGIMENT.  55 

John  Thurlo  Mark  Knight 

Nathl  Patrick  Thos.  Knight 

Jos.  Stapels  Joshua  Dunn 

James  Roberts  Jona  Sawyer 

Stephen  Dodd  Amos  Knight 

Wm.  Titcomb  John  Merrill 

Benj.  Pettengell  Nathl  Noyes 

David  Underwood  Joshua  Brackett 

Wm.  Dodd  Nathl  Gordon 

John  Brackett  Saml.  Swett 

Thos.  Doughty  Peter  Hammond 

Edmund  Merrill  Page  Tobey 

Edmund  Merrill,  Jr.  John  Brown 

James  Frank  John  Plummer 
Total,  70  men. 

There  are  two  original  pay-rolls  of  this  company  in 
the  Massachusetts  Archives,  Volume  XXXVII,  pages 
117  and  135. 

Capt.  Alexander  McLellan's  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  in  Gorham,  and  it  is  said 
they  suffered  severely  in  their  retreat  of  eighty  or 
ninety  miles  through  the  wild  and  uncultivated 
country  and  that  several   perished  on  the  way. 

Capt.  Alexander  McLellan  \^s  the  son  of  Hugh  and 
Elizabeth  McLellan  of  Gorham,  and  was  born  about 
1741.  He  married,  October  21,  1765,  Margaret  John- 
son, a  daughter  of  James  and  Jane  Johnson,  of 
Stroudwater :  she  was  born  in  1739.  Their  children 
were  Jenny,  died  young  ;  James,  died  young  ;  Isaac, 
William,  Nelly,  Alexander,  James  and  Jenny.  Capt. 
McLellan,  from  overexertion,  anxiety,  and  exposure 
in  the  retreat  from  Bagaduce,  was  seized  with  a  fever 
and  died  October  4,  1779,  aged  about  thirty-eight 
years.     His   widow  married  for  her  second  husband, 


56  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

April  15,  1781,  John  Miller  of  Gorham.  Rev.  Elijah 
Kellogg,  a  grandson  of  Capt.  McLellan's  sister  Mary, 
wrote  that  he  was  one  "who  was  a  very  devil  for  grit." 

First  Lieut.  Ebenezer  March  of  Gorham,  married  in 
1763,  Margaret  Phillips  of  Pepperrellboro,  now  Saco, 
and  had  Joseph,  Jeremiah,  Isaac,  John,  Lydia,  Moses, 
Aaron,  Sally,  Betty  and  Ebenezer,  Jr. 

Second  Lieut.  Joseph  Knight  lived  in  Gorham  near 
South  Windham,  where  he  purchased  land  in  1767. 
He  erected  a  sawmill  and  carried  on  the  lumbering 
business.  He  married  January  10,  1760,  Lydia  Libby, 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Miller)  Libby  ofScar- 
boro,  who  was  born  June  5,  1743.  He  was  drowned 
while  working  about  his  mill  September  9,  1797,  aged 
sixty-two  years.  They  had  Lydia,  Phebe,  Nathaniel, 
Daniel,  Joseph,  Nabby,  Joseph,  Samuel,  Morris, 
Winthrop  and  Benjamin. 

"A  Pay  EoU  for  Capt.  Alexander  McLellan's  Company  in  Col. 
Jonathan  Mitchell's  Regt.  in  the  Expedition  against  the  Enemy  at 
Penobscot  it  being  for  the  pay  from  the  Massachusetts  State — 1779." 

All  entered  service  July  7  and  were  discharged  Sept.  25,  1779. 
Alexander  Mcftellan,     Capt. 


Ebenezer  Murch, 

1st  Lieut. 

Joseph  Knight, 

2nd  Lieut. 

Thomas  Irish, 

Sergt. 

George  Strout, 

(( 

Stephen  Whitney, 

(( 

John  Emory, 

u 

Daniel  Whitney, 

Corp. 

Jeremiah  Hodsdon,            " 

Samuel  File, 

u 

Joseph  McDonald, 

u 

John  Lakeman, 

Drummer. 

PBIVATES. 

Edmund  Phinney,  Jr. 

Charles  McDonald 

Benjamin  Haskell 

Joseph  Irish 

COLONEL  JONATHAN  MITCHELL's  REGIMENT. 


57 


Moses  Hanscom 

William  Meserve 

John  Blancliard 

Uriel  Whitney 

John  Gammau 

Joseph  Jones 

Joseph  Gamman 

Seth  Harding 

Samuel  Murch 

Gershon  Davis 

John  Phinney 

Daniel  Whitmore 

Nathl.  Bacon 

Abner  Jordan 

Wm.  McLellan 

Moses  Jordan 

Lazarus  Eand 

John  Elwell 

James  Murch 

William  Irish 

Ki  chard  Lombard 

James  Stubbs 

Prince  Hamblen 

John  Davis 

John  Parker 

Samuel  Rounds 

Josiah  Swett 

William  File 

Peter  White 

Josliua  Davis 

Daniel  Whitney 

William  Wood 

Joseph  Brackett 

Abel  Whitney 

John  Meserve 

Stephen  Powell 

Wm.  Murch 

Asa  Thurlo 

Edward  Wilson 

John  Hermon 

Zachariah  Weston 

James  Huntress 

John  Akers 

Samuel  Whitney 

Benjamin  Stevens 

Isaac  Chase 

Ebenezer  Whitney 

James  Watson 

Eenjamin  Roberts 

Stephen  Sawyer 

J( 

ohn  Smith 

Total,  67  men, 

The  wages  in 

this  pay- 

■roll  are  given 

Captain, 

£30     per  month 

Lieutenants, 

£24       " 

Sergeants, 

£23       " 

Corpora; 

Is, 

£22       " 

Privates,  £21       " 

The  original  pay-roll  is  in  the  Massachusetts 
Archives,  Volume  XXXVII,  page  83,  and  there  is 
another  on  page  128. 

Capt.  John  Gray's  Company. 

This  company  was  raised  at  North  Yarmouth. 

Capt.  John  Gray  was  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Phebe 
(Chandler)  Gray  and  was    born  November  29,  1732. 


58  SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 

He  married  in  November,  1755,  Sarah  Mitchell,  a 
daughter  of  Deacon  Jacob  and  Rachel  (Lewis)  (Ciish 
ing)  Mitchell,  who  died  May  27,  1796,  aged  sixty 
ye^rs.  He  died  December  27,  1796,  aged  sixty-four 
years.  They  had  five  boys  and  seven  girls.  He  was 
a  shipmaster  and  farmer  and  lived  at  North  Yarmouth. 

First  Lieut.  John  Soule  was  the  son  of  Barnabas 
and  Jane  (Bradbury)  Soule  and  was  born  March  12, 
1740.  He  married  first,  November  30,  1763,  Eliza- 
beth Mitchell,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Mehitable 
(Bragdon)  Mitchell.  She  was  born  September  29, 
1747,  and  died  December  26,  1794.  He  married  sec- 
ond, October  10,  1795,  Elizabeth  Stanwood  of  Bruns- 
wick, who  died  April  26,  1800,  and  he  married  third, 
April  17,  1814,  Chloe  Josselyn,  who  died  September 
26,  1831.  His  children  were  Mehitable,  Dorcas,  Cor- 
nelius, Benjamin,  John,  Elizabeth,  Bradbury,  Joanna, 
Rufus,  Joseph  and   Barnabas.     He  was  a  sea  captain. 

Lieut.  Soule  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  militia  at  North 
Yarmouth  in  1776,  also  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in 
1779,  in  the  Bagaduce  Expedition. 

Second  Lieut.  Ozias  Blanchard  was  the  son  of 
Nathaniel  and  Hannah  (Shaw)  Blanchard,  and  was  born 
in  Weymouth,  Massachusetts,  July  31,  1742.  He 
married  in  1769,  Merc3^  Soule,  the  daughter  of  Barn- 
abas and  Jane  (Bradbury)  Soule,  and,  therefore,  a  sis- 
ter to  Lieut.  John  Soule  of  this  company.  She  was 
born  November  27,  1749.  They  had  Samuel,  Jere- 
miah,   David,  Reuben,  Daniel  and  Olive. 

Lieut.  Blanchard  was  a  sergeant  in  Captain  George 
Roger's  company  of  the  2d  Cumberland  County  mill- 


COLONEL    JONATHAN   MITCHELL  S    REGIMENT. 


59 


tia  regiment,  and  served  six  days  fortifying  Falmouth 
Neck  in  November,  1775.  He  was  second  lieutenant  in 
Capt.  John  Worthley's  company  in  Col.  Reuben  Fogg's 
militia  regiment,  December  9,1776,  also  commissioned 
January  14,  1777,  in  Capt.  John  Gray's  company  in 
the  militia,  and  served  in  Col.  Mitchell's  regiment  in 
1779,  two  months  and  six  days  at  Bagaduce.  He 
was  a  lieutenant  colonel  in  the  militia  in  1792. 

"  A  Pay  Rail  for  Capt.  John  Gray's  Company  in  Col.  Jonathan  Mitch- 
ell's Regt.  of  Militia  in  the  Service  of  the  United  States  in  the  Expedi- 
tion at  Penobscot  fi-om  the  7th  of  July  to  the  12th  of    Sept.  inclusive, 

1779." 

Wages. 

Capt.  £12 

1st.  Lieut.  £8,  2  sh. 

2nd.     "  £8,  2    " 

Sergt.  £2,  8   " 

"  £2,  8    " 

"  £2,  8    " 

"  £2,  8   " 

Q.  M.  Sergt.  discharged,  Aug.  23. 

£2,  4  sh. 

Corp.  died  Sept.  25. 

"  £2,  4  sh. 

"  £2,  4    " 

£2,  4    " 

Drummer.  £2,  4   " 

Fifer.  £2,  4    " 


John  Gray, 
John  Soule, 
Ozias  Blanchard, 
Joseph  Ludden, 
James  Pittee, 
Robt.  Anderson, 
James  Rogers, 
Ezekiel  Loring, 

Samuel  Talbot, 
James  Crocker, 
Calvin  Carver, 
John  Winslow, 
Jacob  Brown,  Jr., 
Davis  Woodvpard,  Jr., 


Joe  Sweetser 
Setli  Blanchard 
Richard  Stubbs,  Jr. 
Jonathan  True 
John  Davis 
Benj.  Winslow 
Saml.  Lawrence 
Amos  Harris,  Jr. 
Wm.  Buxton 
James  Pomroy 
Wm.  Ring 


PRIVATES. 

Josh  Lake 

Joseph  Brewer 

Jas.  Anderson,  Jr. 

Edward  Parker 

Geo.  Bartol 

Danl.  Carter 

Burrel  Tuttle 

Nath.  Weeks 

Abner  Dennison,  Jr. 

Tho.  Sylvester 

Moses  Roberts,  discharged  Aug  25 


IC  30  1903 


60 


SONS    OF    THE    AMERICAN    REVOLUTION. 


Wm.  Bradbury  Levi  Marston 

Josiah  Wyman  josiah  Reed 

^^™^  Soul  j^-athan  Aldridge 

Joseph  Humphrey  Jacob  Merrill 

Danl.  Worthley  The.  Burrows 

John  Oakes  john  Drinkwater,  Jr. 

Ephm.  Brown  Edmond  Titcomb,  Jr. 

Isaac  Royal,  discharged  Aug.  23.      Wm.  Soul 

Amaziah  Delano  Benaiah  Fogg 

Nathl.  Mitchell,  discharged  Aug.  23.Zebulon  Tuttle 

Danl.  Mitchell,  Jr.  josiah  Dill 

Peter  Weare  john  Lee 

Comfort  Videto  -^n,^  True 

Thos.  Pearson,  Jr.  .         Joseph  Davis,  discharged  Aug.  23 

Soloman  Williams  Ezekiel  Hacket,         "            u       .. 
Total,  66  men. 

The  privates'  wages  were  £2  per  month,  and  the 
original  pay-roll  of  this  company  is  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Archives,  Yolume  XXXVI,  page  18. 

The  people  of  America  are  appreciating  more  and 
more,  each  year,  the  value  of  the  services  of  the  suf- 
fering   soldiers    of    the    Eevolution.     Their    victories 
were  few  and  their  defeats  many,  but  their  resolute 
devotion  to  a  cause  which  they  believed  just,  and  time 
has  proved  it  so,  commands  the  admiration  and  respect 
of  all  lovers  of  liberty.     The  regiments  that  suffered 
in  defeat  and  disaster  were  a  part  of  the  noble  army 
of  men  that  gained  for  us  our  independence,  and  will 
always  be    honored   for    what  they  attempted  to  do 
towards  that  end. 

"The  contest  was  long,  bloody  and  affecting. 
Righteous  heaven  approved  the  solemn  appeal,  victo^v 
crowned  their  arms,  and  the  peace,  liberty  and  inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States  of  America  was  their 
glorious  reward." 


N^t^\a^       Gcoold. 


MAINE  :  SOCIETY  :  OF  :  THE 
SONS  :  OF  :  THE  :  AMERICAN 
REVOLUTION.  :  HISTORY 
OF  :  COLONEL  :  JONATHAN 
MITCHELL'S  :  CUMBERLAND 
COUNTY  :  REGIMENT  :  BAG- 
ADUCE  :  EXPEDITION  :  1779. 


PRESS  :  OF  :  THE  : 
THURSTON  :  PRINT 
PORTLAND,  :  MAINE 
1899.      :::::: 


p. 

Author 


MAP     OF     BATTERIES. 
(FROM   THE   BRITISH   PLAN.) 

From  Wheeler's  "Castine  Past  and  Present. 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


OFFICER 

'"e'^'SlT'' 769 ''564  %   .0 

Maine  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution. 

1899-1900. 


President. 
Col.  John  M.  Glidden,  Newcastle. 

Past  Pkesidents. 

Hon.  Edward  P.  Burnham,  Saco,  Hon.  George  F.  Talbot,  Portland, 

Hon.  Edward  A.  Butler,  Rockland,      Hon.  James  P.  Baxter,  Portland, 

Mr.  Archie  L.  Talbot,  Lewiston. 

Senior  Vice  President. 
Hon.  Augustus  F.  Moulton,  Portland. 

Vice  Presidents. 
Mr.  Ivory  F.  Frisbee,  Lewiston,        Mr.  John  W.  Penney,  Mechanic  Falls, 
Mr.  Richard  F.  Gardner,  Caribou,    Mr.  Henry  Deering,  Portland, 
Mr.  Everett  B.  Norton,  Farmington,  Mr.  Charles  C.  Burrill,  Ellsworth, 
Maj.  Charles  J.  House,  Augusta,      Hon.  Albert  W.  Butler,  Rockland, 
Capt.  James  M.  Tukey,  Newcastle,  Prof.  Francis  B.  Denio,  Bangor, 
Mr.  Parker  M.  Reed,  Bath,  Hon.  Joseph  Williamson,    Belfast, 

Dr.  E.  Howard  Vose,  Calais,  Col.  Horace  H.  Burbank,  Saco. 

Secretary. 
Maj.  Henry  S.  Burrage,  Portland. 

Treasurer. 
Mr.  Eben  Corey,  Portland, 

Registrar. 
Hon.  Josiah  H.  Drummond,  Portland. 

Librarian. 
Mr.  Hubbard  W.  Bryant,  Portland.      - 

Historian. 
Mr.  Nathan  Goold,  Portland. 

Chaplain. 
Rev.  George  M.  Howe,  Lewiston. 

Councillors. 
Hon.  Warren  H.  Vinton,  Gray,  Hon.  Marquis  F.  King,  Portland, 

Maj.  Charles  H.  Boyd,  Portland,        Mr.  Philip  F.  Turner,  Portland, 
Mr.  Frederic  Brunei,  Portland.