Enemies in Life, Partners in Death

William Burrows, Samuel Blyth, and Kervin Waters

Eastern Cemetery - Portland, Maine

 

 

As winter is quickly setting in here in Maine, my days of cemetery exploration will be forced into a hibernation of there own. Still, I have stored up some posts for the winter months for any interested readers. Yet, this past weekend while returning from a trip to New Hampshire, I stole a little time to visit a cemetery that has been on my mind for some time now in what may well be my last exploration until Spring.  Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine is certainly in the running for the most interesting cemetery in the state, but today, my mission was not simply to explore (although I did a little of that). I had set out to see for myself three stones associated with one of the most interesting burials in Maine history and I would even say the history of the United States. Side by side in three almost identical graves lie the bodies of William Burrows, Samuel Blyth, and Kervin Waters.

 

 

What did these three men have in common? Burrows and Blythe would cross paths and meet their fate on the same day, September 5, 1813 off the coast of Portland, Maine. Blythe was the commander of the HMS Boxer, a Royal Navy brig and Burrows was the commander of the USS Enterprise a US Navy brig. In the midst of the fighting now known as the War of 1812 these two ships encountered each other in battle. They were pretty evenly matched in size and number of guns. However, the USS Enterprise had a slight advantage mostly due to a larger number of crew members. Both Captains nailed their flags to the mast and entered into a fight for the finish. However, both men were to meet their fates very quickly. Blythe was killed by the first cannon volley from the Enterprise and Burrows was killed shortly after from small arms fire from the Boxer. However, in the end it would be the Americans that would take the day, capturing the HMS Boxer. The third man of the three was a young officer from the Enterprise by the name of Kervin Waters. He was mortally wounded during the battle and died a few days after.

 

 

 

Following the battle the two dead Captains and the wounded Kervin were taken to the nearby harbor town of Portland, Maine. Here all three men were ceremoniously buried in Eastern Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Portland, Maine. The famous poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, also a native of Portland mentions the event in his famous poem "My Lost Youth".

 

 

I remember the sea fight far away,

How it thundered o'er the tide!

And the dead captains, as they lay

In their grave, o'er looking the tranquil bay,

Where they in battle died.

 

 

What makes this so intriguing is not simply the history itself, but the idea that these two men are buried side by side. A short time before, they had been unwaveringly set on the other's defeat and destruction, but in death they found themselves being laid to rest as neighbors and morbid partners. What a fascinating picture and thing it is to consider. The applications and morals are seemingly endless. It is not as common as you might think to find enemies so joined in death and buried next to each other. The story here is so rare, I doubt that you will find another one like it, and I count myself privileged that I had the opportunity to visit the graves of these three men and witness the image for myself.

 

 

Captain Burrows' stone

 

 

Captain Blyth's stone

 

 

 

Kervin Water's stone

 

 

It is likely in the future, that I will write more about Eastern Cemetery. It is in its own right a fascinating place. I also plan to return at some point and explore further. Should you desire to visit and witness this for yourself, you will find the cemetery entrance along Mountfort Street in Portland's historic harbor area. The cemetery is surrounded almost entirely with an iron fence, but the main gate is supposed to be opened Monday - Saturday. If you should find yourself there on a Sunday there is a possibility that you may be able to slip through some areas where there is a chain link fence. Not that I would know for sure (nervous laugh). However, you enter at your own risk, so please be careful. There is also clear signage that the persons are not allowed in the cemetery after sundown. All that said, I recommend making a day trip and not on Sunday. As always please be respectful. Many of the stones are in bad disrepair, and it would be a shame to see any further damage come to this beautiful, historic cemetery at human hands.