106 fishermen's memorial and record book. 



The statement of Capt. Henderson, of schooner Marengo, is a fair 

 example of how the fishermen were treated, which is, in substance, as 

 follows : 



On Monday morning at 7 o'clock, while all hands were engaged in 

 fishing, saw a barque standing to the northwest ; when she bore south- 

 west from us she wore ship. A thick fog setting in caused us to lose 

 sight of her, and we thought she was a merchantman bound in. 

 Soon after, we were boarded by a boat's crew consisting of a lieu- 

 tenant and nine men. Capt. II. went to the leeward to take the 

 painter, and while making the boat fast the lieutenant jumped on 

 board and grasping him by the back, exclaimed, " You are all prison- 

 ers to the Southern Confederacy ! " and, drawing his revolver, shouted 

 loudly, " that if any resistance was made, he would shoot them on 

 the spot." Ten minutes was allowed the crew to pick up their 

 clothing, then they were conveyed on board the barque, when the 

 Marengo was set on fire, and the fishermen gave a last look at the 

 craft which had carried them safely through the summer's breezes in 

 the mackerel fishery, and winter's gales on Georges. But there 

 was no remedy, they were at the mercy of their captors, and any show 

 of feeling on their part would have only resulted in making their sit- 

 uation the more unpleasant. 



While on board the Tacony three others of the fishermen were 

 burnt and their crews brought on board the barque, where they were 

 all uniformly well treated. Capt. Henderson was invited into the 

 cabin to supper, and the captain of the barque used him very kindly, 

 ofi"ering him a lieutenant's commission if he would join the Con- 

 federate service. This of course was refused, as the patriotism of 

 the New England fishermen during all the trying jlays of the rebel- 

 lion was as firm as the rocks which form their rugged coast, and true 

 to country were the hearts which beat in their manly bosoms. 



On board the barque there were in addition to the crews of the fish- 

 ermen, those of four ships which the Tacony had burned during the 

 preceding fortnight, and as thoy were cramped for accommodations, 

 the captain concluded to liberate the schooner Florence under bond, 

 and send her to New York with the captured men. They were all 

 put under oath not to fight against the Southern Confederacy, and 

 with this parol were allowed to embark. The Florence spoke with 

 the schooner Western Light, of Wellfleet, off Gayhead, and she took 

 all the Gloucester men, landing them at Hyannis, where they were 

 kindly received and forwarded home. 



Schooners Thos. Woodward, commanded by Capt. Johnll. Welch; 



