Some More on Abel Willard Atherton-- Part 3: Service in the Militia

From Maine Genealogy Archives  "Maine Militia, War of 1812: Lieut.  Col. M. Nichol's Regiment.

Source:  "Records of the Massachusetts volunteer militia called out by the  Governor of Massachusetts to suppress a threatened invasion during the War of 1812-1814.

A CONSOLIDATED MUSTER ROLL OF CAPTAIN A.W. ATHERTON'S COMPANY, FROM TIME OF ENTRY  TO OCT., 17, 1813, AND FROM  OCT. 17 TO DISCHARGE.

Service at Portland

RANK AND NAME:

Abel W. Atherton, Captain

Henry Smith, Lieutenant (31 days)

John Watson, Ensign (31 days)

Benjamin Tukey, Adjutant (30 days)

James Chase, Adjutant (31 days) (substituted Benjamin Tukey)

John Chadwell, Commissary  (30 days)

In addition 4 sergeants and five corporals, two musicians and 53 privates.

Atherton served for 69 days according to payrolls.  The other officers served for 62 days and most of the privates for 61 days.

The governorof Massachusetts from 1812 to 1816 was Caleb Strong.

Was this a time he served at Fort Burrows?

--Brock-Perry

Abel Willard Atherton Served at Fort Burrows

I did come across Willard Atherton Nichols in a book titled "The Constitution and Register of the Membership of the General Society of the War of 1812" from 1908.

WILLARD ATHERTON NICHOLS was living at Redlands, California, at P.O. Box 536.

He was the grandson of Abel Willard  Atherton (1777-1821), in United States service as  Captain, Third Regiment (Nichols) Massachusetts Militia, September 16, 1813.

Detached on special service at Fort Burrows, Maine.

Also as Captain, Portland Rifle Company, same regiment, September   7-9, 1814, in defense  of Portland, Maine, and as  Aide-de-Camp on the staff of  Major General  Alford Richardson; September 10-November 9, 1814, for the defense of Portland.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Burrows in Portland, Maine

From North American Forts site.

FORT BURROWS  (1813-1815)  Portland, Maine.

A state militia fort located at  58 Fore Street, near Mountfort Street at Jordan's Point.  

No remains left.

Named after the commander of the USS Enterprise William Burrows who died in the battle with the HMS Boxer off Portland, Maine.

This is all the information I can find on this fort.

--Brock-Perry

Privateer Hyder Ally-- Part 4: The First Capture Is then Lost

Near the Cape of Good Hope, the Hyder Ally was chased all day by a British  East India Company sloop of war, but escaped under cover of darkness.  After rounding the cape, she captured an East Indian merchant ship with a valuable cargo.

Thorndike sent it off with a prize crew to Portland.  This prize never made it home as it was captured off Cape Elizabeth by the British privateer Tom.

That this prize was captured there is no big surprise because the coast of Maine was virtually under siege by the British for most of 1813 and 1814.  Maine had begun fortifying its coast as a result.

In Portland, the militia had built a defensive earthwork they named Fort Burrows, after the captain of the USS Enterprise in the famed battle.  Other batteries were around as well.  Also, out toward the harbors entrance, there were Fort Preble at Spring Point and Fort Scammel on House Island.  Both of these were built in 1809.

--Brock-Perry