Show Sailors' Sailors Victory WHEN on a May morning In v 1775 1770 the news of the Battle of ot Lexington reached Maine the citizens of that town considerIng considering consider consider- ing that affair the b beginning of ot open Ollen warfare determined to do their share In striking a blow at the British oppressors of the American colonies by attempting the capture of ot an armed British schooner the Margaretta commanded by Captain Moore which was then lying In port But Captain Moore got wind Ind of the plot and sailed a n. n short distance down the bay Thereupon Jeremiah OBrien O'Brien an athletic gallant man and a n leader in the village took command of the volunteer sloop In the harbor and proposed to go after the Margaretta It Is doubtful If It any other naval ex cx In history had such an nn armament armament arm arm- ament as these Maine haymakers assembled for tor their project There were 20 guns one of which was a awall wall wall piece piece a musket so heavy y that It needed a wall to support Its Us weight when It was fired For all nil these hese ese guns there were but GO CO bullets f end GO CO charges of powder Their Therm most formidable weapons were 13 pitchforks and 12 axes So the 3 3 1 volunteers thus equipped sailed away to attack the time British ship carrying carrying car car- a crew of 10 men armed with four six and 20 swivels swivels- guns firing a n pound one ball and mounted on swivels on the time vessels vessel's raiL As the Americans hove Into sight Captain Moore wishing to avoid trouble hoisted the anchor and ran away But ut the sloop was a n swifter vessel time than the schooner and soon overhauled It which was made easier by the fact that Captain Moore became so that he handled his hie ship badly and nearl nearly wrecked It As the Ute sloop crashed Into the schooner the time men from Machias with upraised pitchforks and swinging swing ing lag axes sprang over o the rail There was a short desperate conflict conflict- pitchforks and axes against guns and hand Captain Moore w was s shot down and his crew sur sur- rendered In all all 20 men were killed and wounded before the fight ended After shifting shirting the armament armament arm ament of the Margaretta to his swift sloop Captain OBrien O'Brien set setout setout setout out for new conquests His opportunity came a short time later when two British schooners were sent from Halifax to capture him and bring him trim to trial By skillful handling of his bis sloop OBrien O'Brien separated the two schoon schoon- P Land and captured them one at nt a time Then he be sailed In triumph his prize over to the provincial legIslature leg leg- there r The Story of Christian Schell A PIONEER In the Mohawk val val- valley ley Icy In New York during the Revolution n would have e been a u forgotten forgotten for for- gotten hero had not his Iris deeds been preserved ed In one of the most typical native ballads ever er composed in this tbs countr country It Is a ballad of endless verses the gist of which runs like this Christian Schell or Shell was a aGerman German Germon settler near the village of ot Herkimer at nt a place still called Shells Shell's Bush where he built bult a n blockhouse of ot his own for tor the protection protection pro pro- of his wife and six sons the youngest twins but eight years ears old One August afternoon In 1781 a n party of ot GG Indians and Tories led by a notorious Loyalist named Mc McDonald McDonald tc Donald Donnld suddenly appeared near Shells Shell's Bush The battle buttle be began n at nt two o'clock and continued until dark At first McDonald and his Ills savage age allies attempted attempted at at- tempted to burn out the little garrison gar bar II risen rison but failing In this made a direct direct di di- assault which was thrown back backby backby by the time fire of the defenders Dur Our During Ina ing another attack the Tory leader Ie attempting to force the door with a u crowbar was wounded by Shell who quickly opened the door and pulled his enemy Inside Disconcerted by the loss of ot their leader the Tories forles and Indians drew oft off for a Ii short time and the sturdy old pioneer mounted the stairs to the upper cr part of ot the tiro blockhouse where he be devoted de himself to singIng sing sing- Ing lag lustily the hymn which was the favorite of Luther during the perils of the great greet Reformer But nut Immediately immediately Immediately Imme Imme- afterwards the enemy returned returned returned re re- re- re turned to the attack and nud rushing lip ap to the walls five of at them thrust the muzzles of ot their guns through loop loopholes loophole Instantly Mrs Shell caught up anax an nn anax ax and with mighty blows upon the barrels bent them then so they were use use- less Again the hot hot lire fire of r Shell and hIs lAa Ims sons droVe e the enemy enemy back Then Just as ns twilight settled down dowa Shell ran run again to the second story end and calling to his wife Informed her that belp help had arrived from Fort ort Dayton Captain Small march your company around to this side of ot the hot house he shouted Captain Get hud had better wheel your men menthe ot tr the left lett and come up on this side aide Ills bluff worked beautifully The enemy fled Oed with a loss of ot 11 killed and 18 wounded nine uhe o of 01 whom died soon afterwards I a a. 1921 W Western Union |