History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 27

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 27

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Cartridges.

"' Mrs. Marvin 3456

= = on former account. 2602

6,058

Ruth Marvin, on former necount.

6204

Not sent to court-house, 449 packs ... 5388

11,592

Laura, on former account. 4250

Not sent to court-house, 344 packs. 4128 8,378

Mary Ann, on former account 5762

Not sent to the court-house, 119 packs, out of

which I let Col. Perley Ilowe have 3 packs .. 5028

10,790

Frederick, on former account. 708

Not sent to court-house, 19 pucks. 228

930

37,754

Mrs. Beach's two accounts.

2,002

Made by sundry persons.

2,182

Gave Litchfield militia, on nlarnı

Let the regimeut of Col. Wigglesworth have. 300

Cartridges, No.

42,288

Overcharged in Mrs. Beach's account .. 200

42,088'

" The original document is in Gen. Wolcott's hand- writing, and is indorsed ' number of cartridges made.' There is no date to it, nor is there mention made by him of the fact of their being made from the statue; but a memorandum added by his son, the last Gover- nor Wolcott, explains it as follows :

"' N. B .- An equestrian statue of George the Third of Great Britain was erected in the city of New York, on the Bowling Green, at the lower end of Broadway. Most of the materials were lead, but richly gilded to

* John L. Stephans, the celebrated traveler, was n graduate of the Litchfield Law School,

115

LITCHFIELD.

resemble gold. At the beginning of the Revolution this statue was overthrown. Lead then being scarce and dear, the statue was broken in pieces, and the metal transported to Litchfield as a place of safety. The ladies of the village converted the lead into cartridges, of which the preceding is an account. 0. W.'

" The Mrs. and Miss Marvin and Mrs. Beach, men- tioned in the paper, belonged to families who yet re- side in Litchfield; the other persons named were the two daughters and youngest son of Gen. Wolcott."

" A few miscellaneous facts relating to Litchfield men are here introduced nearly in chronological order.

" It should have been mentioned previously that Capt. David Welch, of Litchfield, commanded a company that was called into active service carly in 1775, and in April of that year he was commissioned . as major in Col. Hinman's regiment. He served throughout the war, and was an efficient and popular officer. During this year, also, Jedediah Strong was appointed a commissary to purchase horses for the ariny, and Oliver Wolcott was chosen a member of the Continental Congress. Fisher Gay, of Farming- ton (a native of this town), was one of the lientenant- colonels appointed and commissioned at the special session of the Legislature held in March.

"In May, 1776, Amos Parmeley was allowed by the Assembly £14 118. 1d. lawful money 'for nursing his sick son, John, who was a soldier in Maj. Welch's company, Gen. Wooster's regiment, in the Northern army, in 1775.' This is the John Parmeley who died in captivity in New York, in January, 1777. Jede- diah Strong was appointed commissary for the pur- chase of clothing, and on a committee to exchange bills of credit for specie.

"On the 4th of July, Oliver Wolcott appended his name to the Declaration of Independence. In October he was reappointed a member of the Continental Congress.

" Drs. Reuben Smith and Seth Bird were appointed by the Legislature, in October, on a committee 'to examine all persons in this State that should be of- fered as surgeons or surgeons' mates in the Conti- mental army, and, if found qualified, to give them certificates.'

" Andrew Adams was appointed, with others, to cause the arrest of all suspected persons, und those dangerous to the liberties of America.

" In December the Legislature appointed Tapping Reeve and Lynde Lord on a committee to 'rouse and animate the people,' and endeavor to procure the enlistment of volunteers for Washington's army. A company was forthwith raised in Litchfield, and the following officers were commissioned: Nathaniel Goodwin, captain; Alexander Waugh, lieutenant ; and Ozias Goodwin, ensign. At the same session Col. Wolcott was promoted to the rank of brigadier- general, and given the command of the Fourth Bri- gade.

" The last Governor Wolcott (then n student at Yale College) was in Litchfield at the time of the

Danbury alarm. Awakened at midnight by the summons to repair to the rendezvous of the militia, he armed bimself; his mother, furnishing his knap- sack with provisions and a blanket, hastened his de- parture, and dismissed him with the charge 'to con- duct like a good soldier.' He, with the other volun- teers from this town, participated in the skirmish at Wilton, as well as in the subsequent attacks during the retreat of the British from the burning of Dan- bury.

" Early in 1777 orders were issued for raising eight battalions in Connecticut for the Continental service, ' to serve for three years or during the war.' Ninety- two of the soldiers for these battalions were ordered to be raised in Litchfield. In April, of this year, the town voted to pay out of the treasury to each soldier that should enlist for the full term specified, the sum of £12 per annum, in addition to the pay they might re- ecive from the State or general governments. Theselect- men were at the same time directed to lay a tax for the purpose designated, and Messrs. Miles Bach, Leman Stone, Moses Barns, and Stephen Bidwell were ap- pointed collectors.

" A letter written by Dr. Reuben Smith, of Litch- field, dated May 12, 1777, relating to the Danbury alarm, states that

"' Sunday morning, 27th April, about one o'clock, we were alarmed ; our people turned out spiritedly ; came up with the enemy next day as little below Wilton meeting-house, and pursued then aboard their ships. Paul Peck was killed In the last attack on the euemy.

" It is stated that on this occasion fourteen men, the last in Litchfield capable of bearing arms, were started at midnight to aid in repulsing the enemy.

"Of Paul Peck, alluded to in the letter of Dr. Smith, it is recorded

"' That he was the inest expert hunter of the time in which he lived. At the Danbury alarut he put hle long gun in order and followed the onemy to Compo on their retrent, and took a alntion belilud a stone wall. Every shot fold until ho was rushed npwon by the enemy, who took his gun from him and dashed his brains out with It.'

" He was killed AApril 28, 1777, aged seventy-fivo years.

" During the war Litchfield was a place of deposit for provisions and other Continental stores. Work- shops for the army were established here. Prisoners of war were here confined.

" On the 2Ist of June, 1776, David Matthews, the English mayor of New York, was arrested by order of Gen. Washington, in pursuance of authority from the New York committee, for dangerous designs and treasonable conspiracies. He was sent to Litchtich for safe custody, and while here he wrote to Mr. Matthews, nt Flatbush, a letter, dated Litchfield, Aug. 12, 1776, in which he says,-

". Ever aluco my arrival hare 1 have been at the house of Caj.t. Hivers Seymour, who, tog ther with his wife, have tohave in the ment genteel, kind manner, and bave dune overything in their juwer to make my timo aangrecabio an presiblo. Ilo la a nue, merry fellow, and sbrina warm Proleatant ; and If It was not the thoughte of boms nere continually lu m. uind, I might be happy with my goal landlord atd lale family.'

116

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

" He adds, by way of postscript :

" The Congress were much afraid I should run away if I had my lib- erty, but this good man with whom I lodge, and who never heard of me before, has such Rn opinion of me that he lias wrote to them that he will be answerable for mo whenever they shall call for me.'

"On the 19th of August, 1776, he was taken to Hartford, and on the next day wrote to the secretary of the Convention of New York a letter, dated Hart- ford, Aug. 20, 1776, in which he says,-

"' It is verily believed throughout this colony that I was concerned in a plet to assassinate Gen. Washington and to blow up the magazine in New York. . . . Solely owing to this report I have been obliged to de- camp from Litchfieldl where I wRs stationed, and where the committee thought my life was in imminent danger. I arrived here yesterday, and un shunned as much as Lucifer would be. . . . Surely, if my life was to be mado a sacrifice there was a more gentlemenly way of doing it than of being sent into a country to be fired at from behind a barn or stene fence.'

" On the 22d of the same month he was reconveyed to Litchfield. The original order of Governor Trum- bull directs Capt. Moses Seymour to carry Mr. Mat- thews to Litchfield and hold him in custody, permit- ting him to walk abroad for the benefit of the air and to attend divine worship. To his letter of the 20th, Mr. Matthews adds a postscript, dated the 22d, saying,-

""I am now on my march back to Litchfield ugnin. .. . What horrid trentment is this? Our convention say I must be confined. It is too much for mertal man to bear. I am now to stand fire nt Litchfield. May God spare my life to meet my encuriee face to face.'

" The British royalty evidently did not relish the atmosphere of freedom prevailing at Hartford and Litchfield. Under date Litchfield, Sept. 26, 1776, he writes,-

"' The committee have been compelled to request my removal in order to pacify some people. They insist I can blow up this town. Oh that I could ! I would sooo leave them to themselves. The sheriff hae given orders that I shall not approach the grol, lest the doors should fly open and the prisoners escape. I should not have returned to this cold wilder- ness had not the sheriff of Hurtford declered he must leck me up in gael.'

"The first pleasure-carriage brought into this town was by him presented to Mrs. Major Seymour, and was in use as late as A.D. 1812. The mayor's travel- ing-trunk is still here in the possession of the Hon. Origen S. Seymour, one of Maj. Seymour's descend- ants.

"It is stated in a letter received in London from a British officer in New York, dated Dec. 2, 1776, that

"' Honest David Matthews, the meyer, has made his escape, and arrived here this day.'

"The tradition is that the public authorities did not well know how to deal with his case, and that one day when he 'walked abroad for the benefit of the air' he neglected to return, very much to the sat- isfaction of all concerned in his detention.

"Dr. Smith, at the close of his letter of May 12, 1777, says,-

"'Governor Franklin is confined in our grol, and constant guard is kept. We trust lie will find it difficult to escape should he attempt it.'

" This gentleman was the Royal Governor of New Jersey, and was the only son of the distinguished Dr. Benjamin Franklin. He was accused of being a virulent enemy of the United Colonies, and in June, 1776, Congress directed that he should be sent to Connecticut under a guard. In July, 1776, he was sent by Governor Trumbull to Wallingford to reside on his parole, and was soon permitted to reside at Middletown. But on the 30th of April, 1777, an order from Congress was received to confine Gover- nor Franklin without pen, ink, or paper, and directed him to be conveyed under guard by the sheriff of Hartford County forthwith to Litchfield jail. On the 19th of September, 1777, au order on the pay-table was drawn in favor of Lynde Lord, Esq., for £100 towards the expense of the guard placed over Gov- ernor Franklin. On the 15th of January, 1778, an- other similar order was drawn in favor of Mr. Lord, who was the sheriff of Litchfield County.

"The following account of him was published in 1856, viz .:

". Dn. FRANKLIN'S ONLY SON .- While the name of Franklin has been se prominently before the public of late in connection with the celebra- tien at Boston, it may not be uninteresting to give some account of his ouly son, William, about whom we think little is known by the commu- nity at large. Unlike his father, whose chief claim to veneration ie for the invaluable services he rendered his country in her greatest need, the son was from first to last a devoted loyalist. Before the Revolutionary war he held many civil and military offices of importance. At the com- mencement of the war he held the office of Governor of New Jersey, which appointment he received in 1763. When the difficulties between the mother country and the colonies were coming to a crisis be threw his whole influence in favor of loyalty, and endeavored to prevent the Legislative Assembly of New Jersey from sanctioning the proceedings of the General Congress of Philadelphia. These efforts, however, did but little to stay the tide of public sentiment in favor of resistance to tyranny, and soon involved him in difficulty. Ile was deposed from office by the Whigs to give place to William Livingston, and sent a prisoner to Connecticut, where he remained abent two years. . . . In 1778 he was exchanged, nod soon after went to England. There he spent the re- mainder of his life, receiving a pension from the British government for the losses he had sustained by his fidelity.

"' Ae might be expected, his opposition to the cause of liberty, so dear to the heart of his father, produced an estrangement between them. For years they had no intercourse. When, in 1784, the son wrote to bie father, in his reply Dr. Franklin says, 'Nothing has ever hurt me 80 much, and affected me with such keen sensations, as to find myself de- Berted in my old age by my only son ; aud net only deserted, but to find him taking up arms against me in a cause wherein my good fame, for- lune, and life were all at stake.' In his will, also, he alludes to the part his son had acted. After making him some bequeste, he adds, 'The part he noted against me in the late war, which is of public notoriety, will account fer my leaving him no more of au estate he endeavored to deprive me of.' The patriotism of the father stands forth all the brighter, when contrasted with the desertion of the seo.'

" Up to this period 'Fair Wyoming on Susque- hanna's side,' called Westmoreland, was claimed as onrs. Its jurors and justices were officers of this county, and its civil processes were directed to the sheriff of Litchfield County, were returned to and decided by the courts held in this village, and are now among our records. Settled from Connecticut, it may be imagined what grief and consternation pervaded us when the inhabitants of that infant settlement were massacred by the ' Monster Brandt' and his Indian allies.

117

LITCHFIELD.

" During the Revolutionary war Litchfield was visited by Count Rochambeau, in May, 1777, and by Gen. La Fayette, as the guest of Judge Reeve. And, according to Mr. George Gibbs, on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 23, 1780, Gen. Washington arrived here on his way from Hartford to West Point, and was entertained at the hospitable mansion of Gen. Wolcott, in South Street (now Mrs. Harney's). He spent the night in the village, and on the following morning proceeded westward, arriving at West Point about 11 o'clock on Monday morning. It was at this time that he discovered the treason of Benedict Ar- nold, who commanded at that post. The next year he was here, as appears from the following extract from his diary: 'May 18, 1781, set out this day for an interview at Wethersfield with Count de Rocham- beau and Admiral Barras. 19th, breakfasted at Liteb- field.' Again he was here with Count Rochambeau.

"From 1776 to 1780, Litchfield was a depot for military stores and provisions, which were guarded by a considerable military force. The depot for pro- visions stood on the premises now occupied in part by Dr. Bnel's 'Spring Hill,' on North Street, where a building was erected for that purpose sixty feet long and two stories high. On the site of the present court-house was erected a building of similar dimen- sions as a depot for other military stores. A work- shop for the army (which was also sixty feet in length and two stories high) stood on the north side of East Street, just west of the burying-ground. The pris- oners of war were generally kept in the old jail, which stood in East Street. At each of the places here designated a military guard was stationed night and day, the roll being called, the soldiers drilled, and the guard set, at stated intervals, with as mnch pre- cision as would have been observed by an army en- camped in the vicinity of the enemy. The stores and provisions deposited here were for much of the time under the general superintendence of Commissary William Richards, of Elizabethtown, N. J. Ashbel Baldwin, a native of this town, graduated at Yale College in 1776, and soon received the appointment of quartermaster and was stationed here. He re- mained at this post between two and three years, when he received an honorable discharge, and was succeeded in office by Oliver Wolcott, Jr., who gradu- ated in 1778.

"On the 30th of June, 1777, Governor Trumbull wrote to Gen. Wolcott, informing him that a team would be sent to Litchfield loaded with powder, lead, and flints, and requesting him to send a team to Salis- bury for a load of cannon-shot to be forwarded to Hartford by the returning teams. By a subsequent record of the Council of Safety, it appears that on this occasion there were sent to Litchfield seventeen hundred pounds of gunpowder, two thousand pounds of lead, one thousand tlints, and three hundred pounds of cannon-powder.

"On the 23d of July following, an order was drawn

on David Trumbull for £25 58. 10d., in favor of John and Daniel Dewey, 'for earting powder and lead from Lebanon to Litchfield.' Late in the autumn of this year a large proportion of the military stores taken at the capture of Burgoyne were deposited here.

" In August, Gen. Wolcott wrote to the Governor and Council, stating that he had ordered all the ef- fective men of Sheldon's Horse and Humphreys' regi- ment (who had not been called to do duty under the recent act and were liable to be called out of the State) to march immediately to Peekskill, well pro- vided with arms, and with forty days' provisions. The general's course was approved, and an order was directed to be drawn on the State treasurer, in bis favor, for the sum of £1000. About the same time Sheriff Lord was directed to procure from the mer- chauts of Litchfield County, for the use of the army, four hogsheads of rnm, six hogsheads of sugar, and two thousand pounds of coffee, at a stipulated price. If the merchants refused to furnish the goods at the price named, the sheriff was ordered to take the articles wherever he could find them, at the appraisal of two or three judicious freeholders, and to make return of his doings to the Council.

" In September, Litchfield was established by the Council as the place of rendezvous for the Sixth Brigade, and Maj. Beebe was stationed here as the recruiting officer of the brigade.

"On the 7th of October, a special town-meeting was held, of which Jacob Woodruff, Esq., was moder- ator. At this meeting it was voted that Messrs. Lynde Lord, Thomas Catlin, Caleb Gibbs, David Welch, and Alexander Catlin, be a committee to purchase and provide shirts, frocks, overalls, stockings, and shoes for the non-commissioned otlieers and soldiers in the Continental army belonging to this town, agreeable to a resolve of His Excellency the Governor and Council of Safety passeil Sept. 12, 1777.'

"The Committee of Safety, at a session held De- cember 4th, appointed one person in each county to see that the clothing for the army demanded of the several towns was forthwith provided by the select- men ; and to furnish pack-horses or other means of transportation to convey the same to the commissary at Middletown. Alexander Catlin, of this town, was appointed the member of this committee for the county of Litchfield.

"On the 10th of December the following votes were passed in town-meeting, viz .:

"1. Tofed, That Meters. David Welch, Nathaniel Woodruff, Archibald MeNiel, Jr., Ebenezer Benton, and Thomne Waugh ero hereby appointed n Committee to provide for the families of soldiore according to law and fo tho votes of the town.

"12. To pay the Copimitico a reasonable compensation for their time and trouble.

"'3. That the Selection, together with Mossrs. Tapping Heero, Seth Bird, Andrew Adams, Samuel Lyman, at Lyndo Lonl, be a committee to preparo, state, and present for recovery sundry matters aud accounts for money supposed to be duo the town.

"'4. That the Selectmen be empowered and doslred to distribute to the non-commissioned officors and soldiers in the Continental army belonging

118

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

to this town, and to the poor of the town, and to the families of such as have died in the service, whether Continental or militia, or in captivity, and to such other families in this town as are not in circumstances to supply themselves, forty-two bushels of SALT lately brought from Boston -in such proportion ns they shall judge most suitable and right-at the rate of tea shillings per bushel; and the residue to such as are able to purchase the same at prime cost.'

"' At a meeting of the inhabitants of Litchfield, legally warned and convened on the 6th day of Junnary, A.D. 1778, to take into consideration the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Uniou between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plan- tations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, ex- hibited by. the selectmen pursuant to a requisition from His Excellency, the Governor, the said articles being distinctly and repeatedly read and considered :

"' Voted unanimously, That the said Articles of Confederation be ap- proved, and that the Representatives of this town be instructed to use their influence and votes in the General Assembly to invest the delegates of this State with competent powers, in the name and behalf of this State, in Continental Congress, to subscribe and confirm the said Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States.'

" Andrew Adams, Esq., was moderator of the pre- ceding meeting.

" At different dates during the continuance of the war the following persons (in addition to those al- ready named) were appointed to furnish clothing, etc., for the soldiers in the public service from this town, and to provide for their families,-viz. : Capt. Joseph Vaill, Arthur Emons, Phineas Baldwin (2d), Capt. Solomon Marsh, Lient. David Stoddard, Judson Gui- teau, Jonathan Wright, Timothy Skinner, Gad Farn- ham, Benjamin Webster, John Smith, Ebenezer Plumb, and John Marsh.

" In March, 1780, the following inhabitants of this town were appointed Inspectors of Provisions for the Army,-to wit: Mr. Asahel Strong, Capt. Miles Beach, Capt. Reuben Stone, Lieut. Thomas Catlin, Capt. Archibald McNiel, Jr., Ensign Jonathan Wright, Mr. Abel Camp, Jr., Lieut. Lemuel Harrison, Capt. Zebulon Taylor, Capt. Alexander Waugh, Mr. Edward Linsley, and Mr. Levi Stone.

"In the spring of 1780, in consequence of the dis- tressed situation of the army that had wintered at Morristown, Washington appealed to Governor Trum- bull for assistance, and he never appealed to him in vain. The following was related by the late George Washington Parke Custis to Charles Hosmer, Esq., of Hartford. A special messenger was dispatched from Washington's headquarters to Governor Trumbull, to ascertain whether he could rely on any supplies from Connecticut. The messenger was detained but a short time, when Governor Trumbull placed a sealed letter in his hand directed to Gen. Washington. The contents of the letter were unknown to the bearer, but he arrived safely in camp and delivered it to Washington. After the commander-in-chief had looked it over in the presence of Mr. Custis, he re- marked, in the words of the unbelieving Lord of Samaris, 'If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be.' He then read the letter aloud in the presence of Mr. Custis. Its pur- port was, that on a certain day, and at a certain hour of the day, he would receive at Newburgh, by a

wagon-train from Hartford, two hundred barrels of flour, one hundred barrels of beef, and one hundred barrels of pork. It also contained a request that a guard might be sent to a place specified, for the pro- tection of the train. Notwithstanding Washington's unbelief, he sent a horse-guard, as requested. At the hour appointed, they saw the wagon-boys of Connec- ticut approaching with their train of provisions. This train passed through Litchfield on their way, where they obtained some additional supplies. When Wash- ington received these provisions, he remarked to Mr. Custis, 'No other man than Governor Trumbull could have procured them, and no other State than Connecticut would have furnished them.' Accom- panying the train, Col. Henry Champion had a drove of cattle, which were tolled across the Hudson by the side of small boats. Col. Champion (who held the office of commissary-general) was the father of the Rev. Judah Champion and Mrs. Julius Deming, and the grandfather of Mrs. Asa Bacon, all of this town.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 27

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532