they were suddenly awakened by fire. During the night, approximately 20 townspeople had snuck onto the island and set the hospital on fire. Everyone escaped alive but all buildings and property were burned or destroyed. For the rest of January and into February, Marblehead was in a general state of uproar. A military watch was formed and the General Court of Massachusetts was petitioned to help restore order. At the end of February, John Watts and John Guillard of Marblehead were arrested for suspicion of burning the hospital. They were jailed in Salem but were freed the same night by a violent mob from Marblehead. Within a week the High Sheriff of the County called for help in apprehending the accused and their rescuers. At the same time, a large group from Marblehead called for arms to defend the two men. To quell the inevitable violence, the four owners of the Essex Hospital nobly dropped all charges and refused to pursue the matter further. The final act of the "smallpox war" occurred in March when one of the men who had been tarred and feathered for attempting to smuggle clothes from the island was caught trying to recover more clothing from the island. That night he was dragged from bed by an unruly mob and publicly whipped. These events were quickly forgotten as thoughts turned toward revolution. The owners of the former Essex Hospital held the Island throughout the American Revolutionary War. Sometime before 1787 both Glovers sold their quarter ownerships to Deacon William Williams of Marblehead. The Deacon then acquired another 16th part to gain majority ownership. After his death in 1787, his wife sold the property to Edward Fettyplace for $43.33 on June 25, 1795. References Hospitals in Essex County, Massachusetts Buildings and structures in the United States destroyed by arson Tarring and feathering in the United States