USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Cheshire > History of Cheshire, Connecticut, from 1694-1840, including Prospect, which, as Columbia parish, was a part of Cheshire until 1829; > Part 10
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Among those that went from the Parish of New Cheshier was the writer of the following letter, originally dated at Albany, N. Y., Sept. 20th, 1755, but eventually sent from Fort Edward, N. Y. :
October 24, 1755, honoured Father and Mother these Lines Come to inform you that I am as well as is Common for me & I hope they will find you all well by ye goodness of God, but when I shall return I Cannot tell but I hope we shall be Disbanded and Sent home seeing we are not Like to perform our Intended enterprise. I have nothing Special to write Concerning the affairs of the army only Capt. Rogers of New Hampshire Came in from a Scout with a french- mans Scalp 2 or 3 Days ago which was taken in Sight of Crown point.
I would be glad that you would See & git my wages of Capt Johnson before he goeth to sea if I cannot be at home soon enough &c I Live with Lieunt Camp Lieunt parker Ensign hull & the Commissary and Clerk wadsworth and Sernt Morse in the
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
tober, Anno Dom 1756, That there be forthwith raised and sent forward to our army at Lake George eight companies; each to consist of One Hundred able bodied and effective men, inclu- sive of officers. And for the greater Expedition therein, it was further resolved and ordered, that the Colonels or in their ab- sence the next chief officer of the Respective Regiments of the Colony, do immediately by their warrants, order and direct the Captains or next in command of their several military compa- nies to inlist or cause to be detached, the compliment of said eight companies in the Proportion following (viz) out of the several companies in the said Regiment forty-two men. And also that said captains, having so inlisted or detached shall proceed forth- with to furnish their respective men with a good Blanket and Firelock and proper Accoutrements ; together with half a Pound of Powder and a Pound of Bullets unless any shall seasonable supply Themselves. Which Troops, both officers and Soldiers so to be raised and furnished, shall as well for subsistence on their march to the Army as Wages, have the same with those in the present service ; and such of said soldiers as shall voluntar- ily inlist, or being so detached, within the space of Twenty-four Hours after, shall inlist into said service ; shall be allowed a Pre- mium of eighteeen shillings Lawful Money each ; to be paid be- fore their Departure out of the Government; and that such of them, who shall furnish Themselves with sufficient Blankets and Arms, as also the Owners from whom such may be impressed for said service, shall be allowed as provided in raising the Troops in the present service.
These are Therefore to Command you forthwith to inlist or detach four able bodied and effective men belonging to your said Company ; and for those that don't see cause to provide for them- selves as abovesaid, you are to provide Blankets, Arms, Am- munition and all Acoutrements as abovesaid ; and when you have enlisted or detached, fitted and furnished the Number of Men as aforesaid, you are ordered and directed to make Return of your Doings, both as to enlisting, detaching and providing im- mediately after you have equipped the men as above, unto the subscriber, and in the mean time, the men are to be kept by you,
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in Rediness to march when ordered, by you or the captain that is to have the command of them in said service, herein fail not.
Given under my Hand this 22nd Day of October Anno Dom 1756.
Benjn Hall Colo
The campaign of 1757 began under conditions of great de- spondency to the people of Connecticut. The New Cheshire in- habitants, in addition to being obliged to accept Assembly prices laid upon their produce, were taxed by the parent town of Wal- lingford as heavily as the townspeople who were better able to pay, but at the town meetings, the New Cheshier people could get little if any relief. An expedition was to be sent to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and another was to be sent to Mon- treal, composed mainly of New England troops. By this time the Colony Regiments were being replaced by Regiments organ- ized in the several colonies for the King's service, and bounties were offered to all who should enlist. That men from New Cheshier and Wallingford accepted these bounties and enlisted we have no reason to doubt, but have not been able to ascertain either their number or names. The story of the war at this time is best told by the documents which follow.
By the Honorable Thomas Fitch Esq Governour and Com- mander in Chief of his Majestys Colony of Connecticut in New England in America.
PROCLAMATION.
Whereas the General Assembly of this colony have voted and Resolved to Raise Four Hundred Able bodied Effective men In- cluding officers to act in conjunction with the Kings regular Troops in the next campain under his Excellency the Earl of Loudoun General & commander in chief of all his majesties forces in North America and have granted sundry encourage- ments to such who shall voluntarily inlist into this service I do therefore with the advice of the Council and on the Desire of the Representatives in General Court Assembled Issue this Proclam-
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tober, Anno Dom 1756, That there be forthwith raised and sent forward to our army at Lake George eight companies; each to consist of One Hundred able bodied and effective men, inclu- sive of officers. And for the greater Expedition therein, it was further resolved and ordered, that the Colonels or in their ab- sence the next chief officer of the Respective Regiments of the Colony, do immediately by their warrants, order and direct the Captains or next in command of their several military compa- nies to inlist or cause to be detached, the compliment of said eight companies in the Proportion following (viz) out of the several companies in the said Regiment forty-two men. And also that said captains, having so inlisted or detached shall proceed forth- with to furnish their respective men with a good Blanket and Firelock and proper Accoutrements; together with half a Pound of Powder and a Pound of Bullets unless any shall seasonable supply Themselves. Which Troops, both officers and Soldiers so to be raised and furnished, shall as well for subsistence ou their march to the Army as Wages, have the same with those in the present service ; and such of said soldiers as shall voluntar- ily inlist, or being so detached, within the space of Twenty-four Hours after, shall inlist into said service ; shall be allowed a Pre- mium of eighteeen shillings Lawful Money each ; to be paid be- fore their Departure out of the Government; and that such of them, who shall furnish Themselves with sufficient Blankets and Arms, as also the Owners from whom such may be impressed for said service, shall be allowed as provided in raising the Troops in the present service.
These are Therefore to Command you forthwith to inlist or detach four able bodied and effective men belonging to your said Company : and for those that don't see cause to provide for them- selves as abovesaid, you are to provide Blankets, Arms, Am- munition and all Acoutrements as abovesaid ; and when you have enlisted or detached, fitted and furnished the Number of Men as aforesaid, you are ordered and directed to make Return of your Doings, both as to enlisting, detaching and providing im- mediately after you have equipped the men as above, unto the subscriber, and in the mean time, the men are to be kept by you,
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in Rediness to march when ordered, by you or the captain that is to have the command of them in said service, herein fail not.
Given under my Hand this 22nd Day of October Anno Dom 1756.
Benjn Hall Colo
The campaign of 1757 began under conditions of great de- spondency to the people of Connecticut. The New Cheshire in- habitants, in addition to being obliged to accept Assembly prices laid upon their produce, were taxed by the parent town of Wal- lingford as heavily as the townspeople who were better able to pay, but at the town meetings, the New Cheshier people could get little if any relief. An expedition was to be sent to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and another was to be sent to Mon- treal, composed mainly of New England troops. By this time the Colony Regiments were being replaced by Regiments organ- ized in the several colonies for the King's service, and bounties were offered to all who should enlist. That men from New Cheshier and Wallingford accepted these bounties and enlisted we have no reason to doubt, but have not been able to ascertain either their number or names. The story of the war at this time is best told by the documents which follow.
By the Honorable Thomas Fitch Esq Governour and Com- mander in Chief of his Majestys Colony of Connecticut in New England in America.
PROCLAMATION.
Whereas the General Assembly of this colony have voted and Resolved to Raise Four Hundred Able bodied Effective men In- cluding officers to act in conjunction with the Kings regular Troops in the next campain under his Excellency the Earl of Loudoun General & commander in chief of all his majesties forces in North America and have granted sundry encourage- ments to such who shall voluntarily inlist into this service I do therefore with the advice of the Council and on the Desire of the Representatives in General Court Assembled Issue this Proclam-
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ation and do also hereby publish and Declare in pursuance of this Resolve of this Assembly that each man who shall voluntarily Enlist on this occasion and shall furnish himself with suitable cloaths, a powder Horn and bullet Pouch to the acceptance of the Muster Master shall upon his being mustered and accepted be en- titulated to receive a Bounty of forty two shillings Lawful mon- ey and that Each one so Enlisting Cloathed and mustered and accepted as aforesaid who was in the Provinciall service in the Parts towards Crown Point in either of the two last Campains shall be entitulled to receive a further Bounty of thirty shillings Lawful money and that such man who doth not furnish himself with cloaths as aforesaid shall be supplied therewith by the cap- tain out of the aforesaid Bounty and the remainder paid him.
That the Captains Subalterns and Soldiers will be provided with arms and accoutrements and a Blanket sutable for the ser- vice and shall receive one month's pay before their march. The non commission officers and soldiers to receive ye same pay pr month as was given last campain and that the soldiers' pay shall commence from the date of their several Enlistments and Each soldier enlisted as aforesaid shall from the Time he is ac- cepted by the muster master be allowed four shillings pr week for Quarter or Billiting till he Receive his Majestys other sub- sistence and that altho they are Enlisted for a year from the first Day of March Next they shall be Dismissed as much sooner as the service will admit of
Given under my hand at the Council chamber in Hartford this 21st Day of February on the 30th year of the Reign of his Majesty George the second King of Great Britain &c Anno Domini 1757.
Thos Fitch
Nota Bene-The above writen is a True coppy of the original
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
Colony of Con- necticut
THOMAS FITCH, Esq ; Captain General, and Governor in Chief, in and over His Majesty's English Colony of Connecticut, in New-England, in America. To Ephraim Preston Esqr Greeting
B y virtue of the Power and Authority to be given in and by the Royal Charter, to the Governor and Company of said Colony, under the Great seal of ENGLAND: I do by these Presents, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, constitute and appoint you the said Ephraim Preston-to be Captain of the Thirteenth Company in the Regiment of Foot, ordered to be raised within this Colony, to act in conjunction with the Kings Troops under the Command of his Excellency the Earl of Loudonn, General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces in North America, in such Operations as shall be undertaken for annoying the Enemy, and recovering His Majestys Just Rights; of which Regiment Phineas Lyman Esq: is Colonel. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of a Captain-in leading, ordering and Exercising said Company in Arms, both inferior Officers, and soldiers, in the Service aforesaid, and to keep them in good Order and Discipline ; hereby commanding them to obey you as their Captain and yourself to observe, and follow such orders, and Instructions as you shall from Time to Time, receive from Me, or the Commander in Chief of the said Colony, for the Time being, or other your Superior officers, according to the Rules and Discipline of War ; pursuant to the Trust reposed in you.
Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the said Colony at HARTFORD the Twenty-Third Day of Feb- ruary in the Thirtieth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Second, Annoque Domini 1757.
Thos Fitch
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
By His Honors Command George Wyllys Secty
The New Cheshier Captain proceeded to Lake George where he was actively engaged in his military duties-under Lieut. Colonel Nathan Whiting of New Haven-who was in command of "Number Four" one of the Military Posts erected by General Phineas Lyman to protect the northern frontier agains tthe un- usually aggressive Indians who cruelly slaughtered the men, women and children in every exposed house or village ; prevent- ing the raising of crops, and carrying off all the grain and cattle they could capture. The following is one of Colonel Whiting's orders sent to Captain Ephraim Preston, at this time :
No 4 May 9 1757
Capt Preston
You are hereby directed to leave your Ensign a sergt Corporal & 35 men below-viz the enst & 25 at Majs Bellows and must send the sergeant & 10 men to the great meadow to remain there till further orders to be employed for the security of the people in their business and to guard them at their work, give them orders to be carefull that the enemy get no advantage against them Maj Bellows will supply them with provisions, this number may be increased or they relieved soon yours
Nathan Whiting Lt Col
Endorsed Col Whitings Orders
For the next two years there was nothing but war all along the line. The English had sent over many regiments of Regu- lars. They had by the help of men from Connecticut and Mas- sachusetts again captured Louisberg and succeeded in forcing the French and their allies to a refuge at Quebec and Montreal. In these operations, many men were called into service, and over seven thousand from Connecticut had been either killed, wounded or discharged. In the village of New Cheshier there were a number of mourners. In New England there was a general
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apathy, and supplies were grudgingly voted by the colonial as- semblies.
There is no evidence that the New Cheshire people were called upon to provide more than their quota of men to the troops re- quired for the war, and we can readily believe that few or no volunteers went from the village. In fact all over the colony there was an equal want of loyalty to the crown or to the Eng- lish Parliament whose enactments placed unusual burdens upon the people of the colonies. The blundering incompetence of the Generals sent from England to command the men raised in the colonies, caused much complaint, and it was only on compulsion men could be obtained. It was at this time that Colonel Benja- min Hall returns to the village, from his mission to New York as a colony commissioner, and issues the following order :
To Ephraim Preston Captain of A
military company, in the Town of Wallingford.
In the tenth Regiment in the colony of Connecticut Greeting.
You are hereby required to cause warning forthwith to be given to said company, and All living within the Limits thereof, who are by Law obliged to show Arms, to meet on the sixteenth day of April next, at such Place and Hour of said Day, as you shall appoint, And you are then and as soon after as may be, to detach or impress so many able bodied effective men of such Company or such as may be found within the limits thereof, as are proper to be employed in the service of the ensuing cam-
paign-as shall be found necessary to make up the Proportion as- signed to said Company, including such as shall then be inlisted in said service :such as have been in any former campaign, to be taken (by Order of Assembly) rather than Others, unless there be some special Reason or Circumstance attending them or their affairs, other than their having been before in the service to ex- empt them.
And you are to order each Man by you impressed as aforesaid, to hold himself in Readiness, to join such company ordered to be raised in said Colony for the service aforesaid, as I shall
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direct, which will be to fill Capt Hitchcocks & Capt Clarks com- panys.
And youare to inform each soldier, by you ordered to join said Company, that unless he voluntarily inlist, or within the space of twenty four Hours after such Order, pay to you the Sum of ten Pounds, to be by you paid into the Treasury of the Town to which such soldier belongs, he will be holden to attend said service, and shall accordingly proceed therein, on the Pen- alty of the Law in that case provided.
And you are further to inform such soldier, that in case he vol- untarily inlist himself into said company, within twenty four Hours as aforesaid, he shall be entitled to receive the same Bounty and allowances, as Those are entitled to, who, not having been in any former campaign, have inlisted in said service.
You are also required to send or deliver to me, a true Account of the Number and Names of the Men in said company, and within the Limits thereof, that are enlisted in said service, on the Tenth day of April next that the Number by you to be im- pressed, may be by me determined Before such Impressment be made.
Of a speedy and punctual compliance herewith, you may not fail. Dated at Wallingford the 28th Day of March Anno Domini 1759.
Benjn Hall Colo
The Number assigned as ye Quoter of ye above Company is 13teen men
The letters that follow illustrate army life in 1759.
Albany June ye first Day 1759 ever Honoured father & Mother after My duty to you and my Love to my Brothers & Sisters is Presented I would Let you know my Circumstances a Little. I am at Present in a Comfortable State of health for which I bless God: yesterday I arrived at this Place: My journey has been long and tedious but through ye Mercy of god I have got pretty well over it; we are Encamped on ye West Side of the
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
River on the Hill. the army in general is very healthy : there is a few sick with ye Measles but None with any other Distemper : Last Tuesday a Rhode Island Deserter was Shot to Death in this place : and I hear there is an Indian to be Shot before Long : there is 28 Men of our Company gone a battouing towards Os- wego and when we shall March from hence is uncertain but we expect to March in a very Short Time for fort Edward : we have a plenty of Provision at Present our allowance is Just as much as we will have: and that is pretty good too:
Please to give my Love to my Brother Ephraim and to my Brother & Sister beech : no more at Present. I Shall only Sub- scribe my self your Dutiful and obedient Son
Eliasaph Preston
asahel Cooly is well P S and he Desired Me to Remember his Love to you &c
The above letter bears the following address
To Capt. Ephraim Preston of Wallingford in Connecticut : this with Care and Speed.
The letter is written on a foolscap sheet of paper bearing a circular water mark representing a Crown, over the circle in which is a shield above the letters G. R .- - -surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.
The writer was a younger son of Captain Ephraim Preston. He was 19 years old, and was baptized by Parson Hall.
Lake george June ye 27th 1759 Ever Honoured Parents I hav- ing this opertunity to write unto you do cheerfully embrace it hoping these Lines may find you in a perfect State of health to.
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
gether with my brothers & Sisters as well as ye rest of my friends-on thirsday ye 21st of this month Genl Amherst together with about 7 or 8,000 of his Army marched from Fort Edward to this place and ye weather being extream hot there was two or three Died by the way for we Came about 8 Miles without any Stop but through the goodness of God I held out better than I expected I have been pretty healthy for the most part ever since I came from home and blessed be God for the Same and I ask your Prayers to God that my health may be continued and that I may be Preserved from Sin & from every other Evil that I am exposed to in ye Camp and Cover my head in the day of Battle if called thereunto and in his own due time return me in safety. I want very much to hear from home and Should be glad if you would write to me as you have oppertunity. this is the 3d Letter that I have Sent to you but I must not Stay So wishing you and all the rest of my friends well I take Liberty to Subscribe my- self Your Dutiful Son
Eliasaph Preston.
P. S. this was Delivered to ye post on ye 28th who is going Directly to Wallingford and you may have opertunity to Send to me by him which I would be glad you would improve.
Camp at the French Landing Place
Agust ye 17th 1759 Honoured father & Mother after my duty to you and my Love to my Brothers and Sisters is Presented I shall inform you that I am in good health as I hope by the Good- ness of God these may also find you I have the Pleasure to In- form you that the french having Left Ticondaroga fled from Crown point also and on fryday the 3d of Agust our Men marched up and took Possession of it as to the affairs of the Army in General I suppose you know more about them than I do and So I Shall Say no more about them:on the 11th of this month I Received a Letter from Ephraim dated July ye 18th which gave an account of the health an welfare of you all which rejoyced me very much but I have not recieved any from you
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
I hope you will not fail of Sending me a Letter Soon as you have opertunity no more at present So I remain, youth Faithful Son
Eliasaph Preston
A little more than a month later, this New Cheshire boy was probably at the capture of Quebec which ended the campaign of 1759. Preston came home later, married and died in Chesh- ire. One of his sons settled in Cheshire, another in Walling- ford, and the youngest in Prospect.
The capture of Quebec, which was expected to close the war, caused the French and their Indian allies to retreat to Montreal. They were re-inforced by a large army, and six frigates sent from France. Meantime the English had succeeded in winning over some of the Indians who thereafter materially assisted in the con- quest of Montreal.
The news of the surrender of Quebec caused a great deal of rejoicing in the Connecticut colony. It was followed by the Eng- lish government sending over to Connecticut fifteen thousand pounds sterling in specie as a partial payment to the Colony for its expenses during the campaign. Some of the obnoxious mili- tary enlistment laws were amended, and the colonists more cheer- fully furnished soldiers for the Montreal expedition, which, it was believed, would be short, sharp and decisive.
Colonel Benjamin Hall had been made a Judge of the Supe- rior court, and Col. Nathan Whiting was in command at New Haven. One of his very first acts was to issue to Amasa Hitch- cock of New Cheshier (21 years old) the following commission :
NATHAN WHITING Esq :
Colonel of the Second Regiment raised in the Colony of Connec- ticut, in New England in America
To Amasa Hitchcock Greeting
B y virtue of the Power and Authority to me given, in, and by the Colony of Connecticut ; I do by these Presents (repos- ing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and
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HISTORY OF CHESHIRE.
good conduct), constitute and appoint you the said Amasa Hitch- cock to be the Third Serjeant in the Eleventh Company in the Regiment whereof I am Colonel.
For invading Montreal, and carrying War into the Heart of the Enemys Possessions ; and to proceed under the supreme Com- mand of His majestys Commander in Chief, in North America : you are therefore faithfully and diligently to Discharge the Duty of a Serjeant in said Company: for which this shall be your suf- ficient warrant.
Given under my Hand and seal at
New Haven March 25th 1760
L. S. N Whiting
Sergeant Hitchcock served in the expedition that was sent to the western part of the state of New York, and when he returned to Cheshire brought with him the following orders, which ex- plain themselves, and prove that "Serjeant Hitchcock" deserved the promotion he soon after received.
Schonectady 8h September 1760
Sir you are to proceed from here with one battoo Loaded with three iron shod carts and one small box, to Oswego Falls-where you will deliver them to Captain Howill or officer Commanding there for the use of his Majestys service, and you will take a receipt upon this pass when Delivered-
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