WEAPONS OF THE LONG AGO Dueling Pistols and Revolvers Revive Old Memories of the Career of a Maine Captain. YANKEE SKIPPER ROUTS A BUCCANEER REVOLVERS AND SABER CARRIED BY CAPT ANDREW S. SPURLING. SWORD AND PISTOLS PRESENTED TO CAPT SAMUEL SPURLING IN 1823. I N a highly polished mahogany case, the offing and stood in. as though to in the office of Adjt Gen Dill, at the attack the shipping in the harbor. The shipowners became panic-stricken, and State House, Augusta, Me, rests a beautiful brace of dueling pistols, and it looked as if the pirates would have suspended above the case is a sword of an easy conquest. But the Yankee skipper from Cran- rare workmanship. Close beside these old-time weapons hangs a saber, such berry Island wasn't of the scaring sort. He called his crew to quarters, cleared as cavalrymen of the Civil War wore. the decks for action, slipped his cable, and a pair of old Army revolvers of the made sail, and stood out to meet the same period. The more ancient of the enemy. two battle equipments belonged to the "Give 'm blazes, boys!" roared Capt father, the other to the son, and both Spurling as the two ships came to- were in action. On the silver plate, in- gether. The small cannon thundered laid in the top of the mahogany case, is as rapidly as the crew could operate this inscription: it: the flintlocks, too, added to the ex- "Presented to Capt Samuel Spurling citement. The fighting qualities of the Maine men carried the day and the of the schooner Cashier of Cranberry vessels of the black flag went about Island, State of Maine, by the American and fled. mercnants or Trinigad de Cuba in testi- was for this gallant action. as LITE mony of the high opinion they entertain inscription shows, that the American merchants of Trinidad presented the of his gallantry and good conduct in re- sword and dueling pistols to the pelling and defeating a piratical craft Cashier's captain. off the harbor of Trinidad on the 21st When the Civil War opened Andrew of Jan, 1823, thereby not only preserving B. Spurling, son of the hero of Trini- his own vessel, but those of several of dad, was a young man. In September, 1861. in Orlana Me. he enlisted as a his countrymen." volunteer in Troop D. 1st Maine Cav- A similar inscription is upon the hilt alry. He was made its first lieutenant, of the sword. The hilt is of heavy and immediately went to the front. silver and ivory. The blade was made Soon after being promoted to a cap- by the famous Italian swordmaker. taincy he enlisted in the Confederate service to do scout duty. On the Andria Faerara, in 1486. The pistols night of his enlistment he and a are gold-mounted and heavy, weighing party of seven Cont derates camped nearly two pounds each. beside the Potomac River, intending LO The story of the battle of Trinidad in ford it in the morning. When the 5th- ers were soundly sleeping Spurling January 90 years ago is meager. The gathered all the weapons then aroused Cashier was at Trinidad, preparing to his companions and marched them into take on a load of molasses. Buccaneers Frederick, Md. where he delivered them to the provost marshal were common in Cuban waters, and on The weapons are now in the posses- the morning of the 21st of January, sion of the Adjutant General's office of one of these piratical craft appeared in Main