In 1774, unrest grew in response to British treatment of the colonies. It was during this year that the Peggy Stewart entered the port of Annapolis carrying a load of tea: a product explicitly banned by the county association. At a public meeting to decide the ship’s fate, citizens chose to burn the Peggy Stewart to set an example.
The remains of the Peggy Stewart now rest in the reclaimed land below Luce Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy.
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/bayhistory/shipwrecks
It is interesting to note, that Anthony Stewart, the co-owner of the Peg showed the greatest concern for the human lives aboard. The ship could not return to England, for the Autumn gales would surely sink the already leaking ship, and all aboard would drown. The lives of the indentured servants meant more than the cargo aboard. He assured payment of the tax on the tea, and was able to get fifty-three servants ashore, but left the rest of the cargo aboard to await the Committee's decision. Once it was landed, the tea remained aboard, and Steward, along with his co-owners, torched the ship.
To learn more about this historical event go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peggy_Stewart_%28ship%29
In my novel, The Everlasting Mountains, my hero and heroine, John and Rebecah Nash experience this event. Here is my fictional account of what they witnessed.
(Sampling from Chapter 16 )
Beneath a vivid blue sky, people were filling the street. Nash and Rebecah stepped out of the inn hoping to make it to the Postmaster’s before their coach arrived. A boy had gone ahead of them fifteen minutes before with their bags.
A
cart, drawn by two white oxen came to a halt and the driver could not move the
animals on due to the crowd. Across the street, three women emerged from a dress
shop. Loops were upon their wrists to keep their skirts and petticoats out of
the dirt. Unable to go out they turned back inside with startled faces.
Nash
stopped a man nearing the inn’s door. “Excuse me, sir, but why is the street so
crowded today?”
The
man pressed his lips hard. “The Peggy
Stewart, that’s why. It’s brought a cargo full of tea. I hope it sinks to
the bottom of the bay.”
The
man poked his head inside the inn and repeated the words with a shout. Everywhere
men rose to their feet and headed out the door. Nash
put his arm around his wife and kept her from being pushed by the mob. Once
safe, they headed toward the Postmaster’s. But as they turned a corner, they
were drawn into the crowd, and it became difficult to stay together as they
were pushed and pulled along. Had the whole town gone mad? Nash held Rebecah’s hand.
He felt her fingers slip away from his. He turned back and looked across the
people.
“Rebecah!”
The
noise drowned his words to a whisper. Turning in a full circle Rebecah stretched
her arms out to him. With his body, he shielded her against the press. She
turned into his arms. The
crowd parted for the Committee to pass through. As expected some men’s faces
were scarlet with anger, while a few beckoned with their hands for the people
to calm themselves.
“The
matter will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Be calm, gentlemen.”
“Remember
Boston! Don’t fail Boston!”
The
crowd followed the Committee to Stewart’s house. A curtain moved in a lower
window and someone demanded that Stewart come outside. The
Committee advanced to the door and a man hammered upon it with his fist. A
moment and it opened. Stewart
pleaded with the people to be kind and reasonable. His wife was sick, and the
riot outside their house would inflame her illness. He feared violence could be
done to his family, and so he swore to do whatever the people asked of him.
“You
swore by signing the agreement you would abide by our boycott,” a man in
leather breeches shouted. “You’ve breached that vow!”
“Yes,
you’ve broken the law, you Tory rogue!”
“No
Tory am I.” cried Stewart.
“Then
burn your ship or be hanged in front of your door.”
In
the faces of these threats, Stewart stepped forward. Rebecah buried her face
against Nash’s coat when she heard the threat made Stewart’s life.
“They
cannot hang him, Jack,” she said. “Can
they?”
“In
cases like this, men lose their heads, Rebecah. The whole town is against him. He
has broken the law and shown disloyalty.”
With
her beside him, he plodded his way to a steppingstone. He pulled Rebecah up
next to him. It was clear by the look on Stewart’s face he repented of his
deed.
“Burn
your ship, Stewart,” someone shouted. “Burn The
Peggy Stewart and all the tea with
her!”
With
no other way out, and to spare his family, Stewart agreed and offered a public
apology. He begged to be allowed to land the remaining cargo. A few levelheaded
citizens agreed, but the mob leaders shouted loudest.
“Run
the Peg aground then,” Stewart
ordered, “and she shall be set afire.”
By
the strain in his face his heart was breaking for his beautiful vessel, his
mind filled self-condemnation for the unwise choice he had made. Stewart
torched his own ship. The flames spread upon the decks and twisted like blazing
vines up the rigging and masts. The sails caught, cinders floated like black
snow through the breeze.
The Peggy Stewart burned in a cloud of
pitchy vapor. Smoke poured out of every crack and opening, black serpents amid
spouts of orange flame. Nash held Rebecah
close, and lifting her in his arms, he carried her through the crowd. Soon they
boarded their coach and rode out of Annapolis a little shaken by the event they
beheld, out to the high road leading westward toward the everlasting mountains.
( Thorns In Eden & The Everlasting Mountains, 2-in1 collection)
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Thorns-Eden-Everlasting-Mountains-ebook/dp/B00CIV5IRO/ref=la_B00279KETE_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1367261375&sr=1-8
Coming in paperback in May
http://ritagerlach.blogspot.com
Amazing story from history and the book passage gave me goosebumps. And the cover is really pretty, Rita.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such an interesting post, Rita, and a peek into The Everlasting Mountains. I've read that there were actually a number of "tea parties" around the colonies.
ReplyDeleteSounds very interesting. I love how I learn a little more of the history of our great country each time I read one of these blogs!
ReplyDeletebettimace(at)gmail(dot)com
Rita, The cover is stunning and the story sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI plan on getting this one on my Kindle soon (yes, AMAZING COVER!) This was definitely a new history lesson for me, Rita. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ladies. The cover was designed by my son. I love it too. Later this week, the paperback will be made available.
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate to live in central Maryland. We have so much history here. When I go downtown into the historic district, I feel like I am walking back in time.