August 2012 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 21. BRANDY, THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG AND COLLISION AT SEA By Amos Boyd


The 144-ton schooner SAXON was built in Calais in 1851, and was about twenty years old when detained at Norfolk, Virginia. Her cargo had been loaded for her return trip to New York when Captain John Cassidy became seriously ill. A replacement has to be found quickly, since a vessel left idle in port was an expense to her owners. Captain Samuel Parritt of Eastport was sent to replace Cassidy, who remained onboard as a passenger. The two captains were well known to each other with a mutual respect and although the new captain was capable and experienced, he would need time to learn the peculiarities of the old schooner SAXON.


The SAXON had a crew of eight men, although Cassidy the fi rst mate, always said there were nine crewmen instead of eight, because he included his huge intelligent Newfoundland dog Brandy as part of the crew. The men were all fond of the dog, and watched with care and great interest when the powerful animal jumped overboard to swim in the chilly waters off the coast of Maine.


Although Brandy was gentle and


affectionate with the men, he did sometimes dislike strangers, and the crew were concerned, because it was important for the dog to be accepted by the new captain. All watched nervously as the huge animal confronted Captain Parritt; neither man nor dog moved for a few seconds; then Brandy slowly and deliberately extended a large paw to shake hands, as a gesture of friendship, and the crew relaxed. Soon after leaving Norfolk, the SAXON ran into heavy weather, with powerful gust of wind and a heavy downpour of rain, in the darkness, the schooner pitched and rolled, battering the weakened Captain Cassidy in his bunk on the deck below. In his illness he became fearful and unreasonable, and went rushing on deck clad only in his underwear. Captain Parritt, a man of great strength, managed to grab Cassidy and pull him to safety.


At about 10:30 that night, in the darkness and heavy rain, roaring wind and sea, the SAXON was suddenly struck with great force by a steamer and in the terrible shock of collision was heard the mingled


MCN Celebrates 25 Years Continued from Page 5.


and well appreciated by those who compete. One thing that I have missed in recent years has been embarks on naval vessels. The most memorable being the two days spent on an aircraft carrier USS THEO- DORE ROOSEVELT doing fl ight ops off Bermuda, an eight day cruise on the destroy- er USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL and a shakedown cruise on the ballistic subma- rine USS MAINE. The USS MAINE was special because at her launching there were no senators, congressmen or governor in attendance; worse than that it was christened by someone from Arkansas, when Margaret Chase Smith was available. I wrote a blis- tering editorial as to the black eye this gave the State of Maine. This editorial hung in the ward room while she was being completed. I am not sure how many people know the actual capability of any of these vessels, but even from someone that has read a lot on the subject, it is real impressive.


Discussing my editorials, I am con- stantly told that this is the fi rst thing some people read. I will admit that I can go off the deep end and some people have been offend- ed, but others love them. I have toned them down a bit, but have no fear, if something really bothers me I will not hold back. Over the years I have gained passion about a couple of things that in their own right are massive projects. My love of mar- itime history goes back to my childhood, but as I documented articles in “Maine Coastal News” this broadened into several subjects, one of them being shipbuilding. In the mid-1990s I realized that the vessels of the Penobscot River had not been totally documented. When I started this project I quickly realized that the simple research had not been computerized so after about 6,000 hours I had databased the “List of Merchant Vessels of the United States” from 1867 to 1885. In trying to learn more about these vessels it was obvious that there was a lot of information buried in newspapers, so I start- ed transcribing articles out of a number of them. Just to document the basic information would take years. To accomplish this goal I formed the International Maritime Library and I have been working on computerizing this information with the hope of putting it on-line. This is easier said than done, because it needs massive databases to work and that comes with a heavy price tag. I am


not sure how many years I have left, but I will do as much as I can to accomplish this goal.


If “Maine Coastal News” and doing documentation for the Library is not enough, let us go out and buy the 117-foot railroad tug, SATURN. I remember when I fi rst saw her at Maine Maritime Academy. It was those classic lines that turned heads, but when I learned that someone wanted to cut her up for her engines I took a stand. I am not regretting it, but the amount of time she demands is staggering. Chipping, grinding and painting I have become real good at, but now the engine is screaming for attention. She is just another full-time job. The saying is also true that behind every accomplished person there is a woman, but in my case two, Ann and Rachel. Rachel runs the offi ce and crosses the Ts and dots the Is. She also does a lot of the computerization of historical information. Without Rachel the attention to detail in the publication and other projects would not be done as well as it. And yes my poor wife who understands what it means to be married to someone ob- sessed with boats. She keeps asking about a vacation that does not have boats in it, but I do not understand the question. She also says I am expensive, but I tell her if I had money I would not, but I would have a lot of stuff! For those that know her professionally, stay healthy and take care of that heart! Anyone woman that loves tugs is defi nitely a keeper. It all started with the idea of bringing all types of boaters up-to-date waterfront news. What later became obvious, is that I was also documenting history. To do this right meant going into as many shops or marine busi- nesses as possible. It is interesting to note that I am the only person who goes from one end of the state to the other, actually Mar- blehead, MA to Eastport, every month vis- iting maritime businesses and people. One cannot do this job sitting at a desk and using the telephone. It also has meant getting in- volved. Over the years I have been involved with, some still, the MS Harborfest; Maine Built Boats, Maine Lobster Boat Racing Association; Maine Retired Skipper’s Race; Penobscot Marine Museum; Port Safety Forum; Tugboat Enthusiast Society (also editor of their publication “TugBitts”); and Winterport Historical Association. It has been a satisfying 25 years, and I hope it does not end too soon, since there still is so much to do.


sounds of shattering wood, the screams of injured seamen and the engines of the steamer. The SAXON capsized and her men were thrown violently into the raging sea. Captain Parritt managed, somehow, to hold onto Captain Cassidy and keep them both with the capsized schooner. The steamer apparently has suffered no real damage during the collision; the sound of its engines never faltered or slowed and the steamer continued on its way without concern for the SAXON’s crew struggling desperately in the water.


Maritime History determination, to the relative safety of the


Brandy went violently overboard along with the men, but landed a distance from them and from the wrecked schooner. The dog was naturally a power swimmer, and in spite of the fast moving and dangerous sharp pieces of fl oating debris, started swimming steadily back to the wrecked SAXON. The crew, many of whom had been injured during the collision, were struggling weakly to keep their heads above water in the deep fast moving troughs of the sea. Those most fortune were able to reach and hold onto large pieces of fl oating boards. The wind carried their desperate cries back to the dog; then Brandy turned and swam back towards the men in the water.


When the intelligent Newfoundland dog reached the fi rst man, he avoided the man’s clutching hands, turned and gripped the man’s jacket fi rmly with his teeth, and slowly and steadily hauled the man through the rough water to the side of the wreck. There Cassidy and Parritt, with hands stiff and numbed by the cold, laboriously hauled the heavy water-soaked man up to safety on the wrecked schooner. When the man was safely onboard, Brandy turned back to the other members of the crew, bringing them all, slowly as he tired, but with great


wrecked. Only when did Brandy allow himself to be brought onboard with the men. Once onto the wreck, Brandy shook his massive body free of his water-soaked fur and soon dried off, but the men were not so fortunate. There was no way for them to dry their heavy water-soaked clothing. Cassidy, still in his underwear, was given a coat that has been fl oating past the wreck, and one of his cold bare feet was covered by a mitten that had belonged to Captain Parritt. The men clung to the wreck throughout the storm and the long hard night that followed. The following day was one of winter’s sun and brilliance but the sun held no warmth. Brandy wandered from man to man, the affectionate dog sometimes lying near them, sharing the warmth of his large body.


The wreck of the SAXON was sighted by the Pilot Boat Rainstorm about eleven hours later and the wounded and suffering men were taken carefully onboard and treated with the greatest kindness. At the nearest hospital only Captain Parritt was considered strong enough to travel, and he found passage onboard a brig bound for Maine for himself and the dog Brandy. A search was made for the wreck of the schooner SAXON, and it was brought in to New York. The owners immediately started legal can against the owners of the steam LEO which has caused the collision.


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