HISTORICAL SKETCHES. 203 



the others having been captured, condemned, or 

 lost. 



All through the war the sufferings of the people 

 were intense. Petitions were presented to Congress 

 and to the British commanders for relief, and had it 

 been possible for the people to have observed a strict 

 neutrality, there is no doubt whatever that they would 

 have escaped much privation, discomfort, and loss of 

 property; as it was, it was almost a repetition of the 

 horrors of the Revolution. 



In 1814 a sanguinary naval battle was fought off the 

 island, and the sound of cannon echoed around the 

 quiet locality of Tom Never's Head. Heretofore they 

 had seen only the effects of war, but now they were 

 called to witness all its horrors in one of its most ter- 

 rible aspects. 



F. C. Sanford, Esq., has furnished the compiler with 

 a few facts of interest in relation to this affair. It 

 seems that on Oct. 10, 1814, three vessels — which af- 

 terward proved to be the British frigate " Endymion " 

 and the American privateer " Prince of Neufchatel," 

 together with a prize, an English ship — appeared in 

 the offing. It was very plain to be seen that the 

 British cruiser was in chase of the other two vessels. 

 It soon fell calm, and the ponderous frigate lay help- 

 less. Nothing daunted, and determined to capture one 

 or both the vessels, the gallant commander of the u En- 

 dymion" manned five boats, containing one hundred 

 and forty men well armed, and placed them in com- 

 mand of one of his lieutenants. The captain of the 

 Yankee privateer, understanding that all this parade 

 meant business, beached his prize and cleared his ves- 



