APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



245 



Douglas, in the rear of it, with 

 orders to secure tlie isthmus, and 

 to take possession of the heights 

 which command the town ; but I 

 soon learned that there were no 

 regulars at Castine, except the 

 party which had blown up the ma- 

 gazine, and escaped, and that the 

 militia which were assembled 

 there had dispersed immediately 

 on our landing. 



Rear Admiral Griffith and my- 

 self next turned our attention to 

 obtaining possession of the Adams, 

 or, if that could not be done, to 

 destroying her. The arrangement 

 for this service having been made, 

 the Rear-Admiral entrusted the 

 execution of it to Capt. Barrie, 

 Royal Navy, and as the co-opera- 

 tion of a land force was necessary, 

 I directed Lieut.-Colonel John, 

 with a detachment of artillery, the 

 flank companies of the •29th, 62nd, 

 and 98th regiments, and one rifle 

 company of the GOth, to accom- 

 pany and co-operate with Captain 

 Barrie on this occasion ; but as 

 Hamden is twenty-seven miles 

 above Castine, it appeared to me 

 a necessary measure of precaution 

 first to occupy a post on the west- 

 ern bank, which might afford 

 support if necessary to the force 

 going up the river, and at the 

 same time prevent the armed po- 

 pulation, which is very numerous 

 to the southward and westward, 

 from annoying the British in their 

 operations against the Adams. 



Upon inquiry I found that Bel- 

 fast, which is upon the high road 

 leading from Hamden to Boston, 

 and which perfectly commands 

 the bridge, was likely to answer 

 both these purposes, and I conse- 

 quently directed Major General 

 Gosselin to occupy that place with 



the 29th regiment, and to main- 

 tain it till further orders. 



As soon as this was accomplished 

 and the tide served. Rear Admiral 

 Griffith directed C^^ptain Barrie to 

 proceed to his destination, and the 

 remainder of the troops were 

 landed that evening at Castine. 



Understanding that a strong 

 party of militia from the neigh- 

 bouring township had assembled 

 at about four miles from Castine 

 on the road leading to Blue 

 Hill, I sent out a strong patrole 

 on the morning of the second, 

 before day-break. On arriving at 

 tlie place, I was informed that the 

 militia of the county had assem- 

 bled there on the alarm guns being 

 fired at the Fort at Castine u|)on 

 our first appearance, but that the 

 main body had since dispersed and 

 returned to their respective homes. 

 Some stragglers were, however, 

 left, who fired upon our advanced 

 guard, and then took to the woods ; 

 a few of whom were made pri- 

 soners. No intelligence having 

 reached us from Captain Barrie on 

 Saturday night, I marched with 

 about seven hundred men and 

 two light field pieces upon Buck- 

 ston at three o'clock on Sunday- 

 morning the 4th instant, for the 

 purpose of learning what progress 

 he had made, and of affording him 

 assistance if required. This place 

 is about eighteen miles higher up 

 the Penobscot than Castine, and 

 on the eastern bank of the river. 

 Rear Admiral Griffith accompa- 

 nied me on this occasion, and as 

 we had reason to believe that the 

 light guns which had been taken 

 from Castine were secreted in the 

 neighbourhood of Buckston, we 

 threatened to destroy the town 

 unless they were delivered up, and 



