History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

States brig General Gates, and sailed from Jlarti-
nique, acting as commodore, in company with Cap-
tain John Foster Williams of the Massachusetts
state brig Hazzard. The General Gates arrived at
Boston, April 17, with a prize brig which the con-
sorts had taken on the voyage.
In the summer of 1779 the state of Massachu-
setts fitted out an expedition to dislodge the British
under Colonel McLean, who had taken possession
of a point upon the Penobscot River, where they
commenced the erection of fortifications. This
enterprise was very popular with tiie people, and
a fleet of nearly forty vessels was brought together
for its purpose. The ship General Putnam, a pri-
vateer of twenty guns and one hundred and seventy
men, which had just arrived in the harbor of Bos-
ton from a very successful cruise, was seized by
the state and placed under the command of Cap-
tain Waters. The fleet, which was commanded by
Commodore Dudley Saltonstall, arrived before the
enemy's works July 25, and disembarked the land
forces under General Lovell. It was soon found
that success could scarcely be hoped for, owing to
the utter incompetency of Commodore Saltonstall,
who failed to co-operate or agree with General
Lovell or to heed the advice and remonstrances
of his own officers. Under these circumstances,
it was seriously proposed forcibly to depose him,
and place the command in the hands of a more
competent officer. Captain Waters was one of
those spoken of in tliis connection, the others being
Joiui Foster Williams and Hoysted Hacker. A
general attack, whicii at one time could hardly
have proved otherwise than successful, was de-
ferred from day to day until it was too late, and
a fleet under Sir George Collier appeared in the
mouth of the river. The American vessels were
destroyed by their crews or taken by the enemy,
and the forces straggled back to Massachusetts
through the wilderness, as best they might. Cap-
tain Waters drew up an account of the expedition
on his return, and the affair became the subject
of an investigation which resulted iji the severe
censure of Commodore Saltonstall.
The lack of public ships and the exigencies of
the times compelled many naval officers, as Captain
Mauly and others, to take command of private
vessels; and in December, 1779, Captain AVaters
sailed on a cruise in the armed ship Thorn, of
eighteen guns and one hundred and twenty men,
belonging to Lee and Sewall of Marblehead. About
MALDEN. 129
William Erskine sailed from New York, offering
what the tory papers called " A Glorious Chance
for a fortunate cruise." On Christmas morning
they encountered the Thorn, when the Tryon hailed,
and demanded by what right she wore the thirteen
stars in her pendant. Captain Waters replied,
" I '11 let you know presently," and gave the questioner
a broadside at sliort range. Tiie Thorn
sustained the united cannonade of the two brigs
about an hour, when the Tryon attempted to carry
her by boarding, whicli was prevented by the
Yankee mariners; and, in the words of an eye-
witness, "the British sailors were seen running
about deck with pikes in their backs instead of
their hands." Tiie Tryon fired a few more broad-
sides, and struck the fragments of her flag ; while
the blood running out of her scuppers gave proof
of the slaughter which had taken place upon her
decks. The Erskine, seeing that her consort had
struck, made shift to escape. After a chase of
about three liours she was overtaken, when, after
a few shots, she surrendered. The English brigs
were of a force much superior to the Thorn, carry-
ing thirty-four guns and one hundred and seventy-
one men. The Thorn lost eighteen men killed
and wounded; and among' the latter was Captain
Waters, who received a wound in the right knee,
from the effects of which he became permanently
lame. After the chase the Tryon was descried,
hull down, making away ; and in the darkness of
the night, which was squally, she disappeared. A
quantity of wreckage being seen in the morning,
it was supposed she had foundered, and no farther
search was made for her. It was afterwards ascer-
tained that she reached Antigua, in a shattered
condition, with a remnant of her crew. A crew
was put on board tiie Erskine and she was sent to
Boston, where slie arrived safely. The manning
of the prize left Captain Waters with only sixty
men, with whom he proceeded upon his cruise.
In January, 1780, he fell in with the ship Spariin,
of eighteen guns and seventy-five men, from Liver-
pool for New York, which was taken after an action
of forty minutes. The next, and probably last
voyage of Captain Waters was as commander of
the armed ship Friendship of Boston, to which he
was appointed in January, 1781. After the war
he retired from the sea and lived upon his farm
in Maiden, where he died Marcli 26, 1816, at the
age of eighty-five years.
Jonathan Oakes, who was born in Maiden, Oc-
the same time the Britisli briijs Trvon and Sir tober \-, 17.51, and was in commaiul of a vessel in