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Methodist preacher Joshua Thomas was asked by the British soldiers occupying Tangier Island during the War of 1812 to hold a religious service before they went into battle. The following is Rev. Thomas' accound:

"Before they left Tangier, they sent me word to be ready to hold a public meeting, and exhort the soldiers, on the camp ground. I did not like to refuse, and yet I was very unwilling to perform this duty. I thought and prayed over the matter, and it came to me that I must stand up for Jesus as a good soldier, in the fight of faith; and as some of these men might be killed in the battle, and never have another opportunity of worship, that it was my duty and privilege to obey their order, and hold the meeting. It was arranged to be on the last Sunday they were in camp. Early that morning, the flags were hoisted, the drums beat, and every preparation was made for a full turn out.

"Boats were plying from the ships to the shore, and bands of music were playing on board.

"At the hour appointed, the soldiers were all drawn up in solid columns, about twelve thousand men, under the pines in the old camp ground, which formed the open space in the centre of their tents.

"I stood on a little platform erected at the end of the camp nearest the shore, all the men facing me with their hats off, and held by the right hand under the left arm. An officer stood on my right and one on my left, and sentries were stationed a little distance to the rear.

"As I looked around on my congregation, I never had such feelings in my life; but I felt determined to give them a faithful warning, even if those officers with their keen glittering swords, would cut me in pieces for speaking the truth.

"After singing and prayer, I began to feel better in mind, and more at liberty. Soon all fear and embarrassment were taken away from me, and I proceeded in my exhortation as freely as ever I did, in any place, or before any people.

"I told them in the commencement what caused war, and fighting among nations and men; what made this once good, happy world, so full of evil and misery as it now is; and what brings ruin on men, soul and body. Sin, I said, done all this; but 'It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.'

"I told them what kind of a sinner I was, and how He saved me from sin; also, many of my neighbors, and that He was 'able to save to the uttermost all them that come unto God by him.' I described some of the seasons of refreshing we had enjoyed in that spot, 'from the presence of the Lord,' and thanked them and their Admiral for the kindness they manifested to us; but I could not bid them God speed, in what I understood they were going to do.

"I warned them of the danger and distress they would bring upon themselves and others by going to Baltimore with the object they had in view. I told them of the great wickedness of war, and that God said, 'Thou shalt not kill!' If you do, he will judge you at the last day; or, before then, he will cause you to 'perish by the sword.'

"I told them it was given me from the Almighty that they could not take Baltimore, and would not succeed in their expedition.

"I exhorted them to prepare for death, for many of them would in all likelihood die soon, and I should see them no more till we met at the sound of the great trumpet before our final Judge."

History records that the British were defeated, and that many of them died. Family tradition recalls the story of a British officer, mortally wounded, who desired to be buried on land, rather than at sea. His body was reportedly buried on the Pitchcroft plantation, on the north western side of Smith Island. For many years, my grandfather, Arthur D. Somers paid tribute to him and his country, as well as our own, by flying both the British and American flags in the general vicinity of his burial site, which was actually unknown. This respectful gesture brought many English visitors to the island.