Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/219

Major Studholme's post at Fort Howe was rendered much more secure by the capture of Castine (or Megabagaduce) at the mouth of the Penobscot river in June, 1779, by the British under General McLean. This event rendered John Allan's position at Machias very precarious. Had a little more energy been displayed by Admiral Collier, Machias would have been taken also, and the consequences of such a step might have been of immense advantage to New Brunswick today. The American writer Kidder, in his interesting account of the military operations in eastern Maine and Nova Scotia during the Revolution, says, "It is now generally conceded that our present boundary was fixed mainly on the ground of occupation, and had we not been able to hold our eastern outpost, we cannot say what river in Maine would now divide us from a British province." If the British forces had occupied Machias it is not improbable that the western boundary of New Brunswick might have been extended to the Penobscot river, possibly to the Kennebec.

He Major Studholme's duties at Fort Howe were by no means light. The position was a responsible one and called for the exercise of tact and firmness. was, however, a man of courage and ability and was supported by capable officers. Among the latter were lieutenants Peter Clinch, Ambrose Sharman and Samuel Denny Street. A few words about these gentlemen may not be out of place.

Peter Clinch, according to family tradition, was born in Ireland and educated at Trinity College,