USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 25
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And yet, notwithstanding the increasing demand for men, money and supplies, and the little apparent progress made by the Continental arms, the prospects were brightening. It became more and more evident even to the fearful and despondent that whatever might be in store for them the States could not be conquered. Amid disasters, defeat, and de- fection, there were favorable gleams and omens. La Fayette had re- turned full of hope and courage. France was taking their side more boldly and heartily. Marion, Sumter and Green were winning laurels and occasional victories in the Carolinas. The marching of Gates and his division through Plainfield, Canterbury and Windham on their withdrawal from Newport, the quartering of the French Huzzars at Windham for a week and at Lebanon through the winter of 1780-1, gave new life and stimulus, and encouraged the people to hope for better days. The Marquis De Chastellux dined at Windham with the Duke De Lauzern. The gay young Freach officers were very fond of society
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and cordially accepted hospitalities extended to them, and the blooming belles of Windham, Lebanon and Norwich had the good fortune to par- ticipate in many brilliant entertainments, while the silver freely lavished by these young men found its way to many a farmer's pocket. Sup- plies of every kind were now becoming more plentiful, brought into Norwich by lucky privateer or secret smuggler. Molasses, spirits, and many kinds of foreign goods, were cheap and abundant during the latter years of the war, and the young ladies attending balls with French officers were not compelled to wear homespun. Muslins, laces, and even silk and jewelry were now attainable. A fair young fiancee in Pomfret, who had been much troubled in reference to her wedding dress, was gladdened by the sight of a traveling merchant with the loveliest pattern of pink satin that ever met the eyes of a young maiden. But the cost was so enormous ! The young girl knew very well what heavy burdens had been borne by her father, how much he had paid out for taxes and bounties, and clothing for the soldiers : how good money ad- vanced by him had been repaid by worthless scrip; how strongly he and other patriots denounced these skulking mischievous peddlers who traded with their enemies-but how could she resist this exquisite piece of goods, which more than realized her highest aspirations. Woman's tact won the day and dress. She did not dare to ask the favor, but stealing into the room where the rough old father sat brood- ing in his armchair, she knelt before him and with pleading glance held up the shimmering satin. Revolutionary fathers, rough and gruff though they might be, were still not adamant nor unappreciative. The mute appeal, the graceful tableau, melted the father's heart and opened his money chest. Without a word he unlocked his treasures and placed in his daughter's hand forty silver dollars, and the ten yards of satin was made up into the tastefullest of wedding dresses and also fur- nished a frontispiece for the wedding waistcoat of the bridegroom.
Home patriots were also encouraged by more cheering words from those in the field. Ebenezer Gray writes of improved prospects :-
"Aug. 13, 1780. The army is again formed and encamped at this place (Tap- pin or Dobbs' Ferry). Two brigades of Light Infantry, under the Marquis De La Fayette, are in front about four miles. General Green commands the right wing, consisting of two divisions. . We now form a very beautiful and extensive camp, with a large park of heavy artillery. We are all daily expecting some general maneuver."
" CAMP, Dec. 7, 1780.
Dr. Brother-I know not where to date my letter. I believe it is nowhere- that is a place, if you can conceive of such a thing, at a great distance from every other place. We are building hutts in a central place in a direct line from West Point to Fishkill, a place to and from which there never was, or will be, a road-by land. At this place I am now building a hutt on Thanks- giving Day, which I shall keep with a little beef and half an allowance of bread, without any drink but the pure stream, with a thankful and grateful heart to the Bountiful Giver of all things, and in heart and soul rejoice with
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all those who have all the outward comforts and dalnties of life to manifest it with. May you, parents, brothers, sisters and little ones solemnly and seriously rejoice and be glad on this day for the great and many blessings of a public and family way which hath been bestowed upon us.
My best wishes attend my cousins and acquaintances, and should be happy in joining in the usual festivity, ete.
EBENR. GRAY." " CAMP HIGHLAND, Dec. 22, 1780.
Dr. Brother -- I have one moment to write you by Calf, who tells me he is going to Windham. I am hearty and well and have got thro' the greatest diffi- culty (as I hope) of the winter. Our huts are built where there is plenty of wood and water. We have had our starvation season -I hope the whole of it. It seems as if 'twas decreed in the Book of the Fates that whenever we hut we should have short allowance; and when Congress order us to keep a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing in the success and plenty wherewith Providence hath blessed us, that the army have nothing to make the heart glad and a dis- mal and dark prospeet before us.
This hath been the case for three years past; but I hope and pray and be- lieve that the scene is changed and better days and times are coming. May the happy day of pease and plenty soon come and with grateful hearts may we be prepared to receive and injoy the blessing.
We are now fed with beef and bread at the usual rate, with a small deduc- tion of bread, and no money.
I am your dear brother,
EBENR. GRAY."
With fresh requisitions for men, beef. pork, grain and powder in 1781, came also renewed hopes of coming success and triumph. Windham patriots watching eagerly the signs of the times, heard dim rumors of more fleets and troops on the way from France, and " fifteen tons of silver in French hornpipes ; " and in June they were treated to the sight and entertainment of Rochambeau's grand army as it marched from Newport to Hartford. "Magnificent in appearance, superb in discipline," with banner and music, and all the pride and pomp of war, it passed in four divisions* over the great highway through Voluntown, Plainfield, Canterbury and Windham. All the country people from far and wide flocked to the Providence road to see the brave array. Barrack-masters appointed by the Governor and his council met them at every stopping-place, and provided suitable accom- modations. A hundred eager school-boys in Plainfield village gave
* It is quite probable that one of these divisions took the more northerly route to Hartford through Killingly, Pomfret and Ashford. Tradition con- fidently asserts the passing of the French army through these towns, and points out the very place of their encampment in Abington. The accom- panying tradition that Washington and LaFayette were with the army makes it difficult to fix the date of their passage, as LaFayette was with the south- ern forces in June, 1781. It is most probable that the army passed at this date, and the visit of the two generals occurred at some other period-per- haps after the cessation of hostilities. They are reported to have passed a night at Grosvenor's in Pomfret, waited for breakfast at the hearth-stone of the Randall House in Abington, and spent another night at Clark's tavern in Ashford, where their names are still to be seen upon an antique window pane.
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them vociferons welcome. Encamping for a day or two in Windham, they were visited by all the leading patriots. Mr. Cogswell* reports them " a fine body of troops, under the best discipline ; not the least disorder committed or damage done by them." Dr. Joshua Elderkin and other public officers accompany them all the way on to West Point, with great satisfaction to Count De Rochambeau. They are followed day after day by long lines of baggage wagons and stout carts bear- ing chests of silver money, guarded by French soldiers. The com- bined armies " marched for the southward," the French fleet, reported off Sandy Hook, steers for the south. Mr. Cogswell hopes that "a telling blow is about to be struck in that quarter," but just as hope is dawning in his heart he is appalled by a sight more terrific than any- thing yet witnessed during the war-the lurid flames of consuming New London. Pastors and people gathered in the meeting-house for a peaceful " Thursday afternoon lecture" hear the booming cannon and see the red light in the southern sky. Men snatch their arms and hurry to the scene of carnage. Their report on return confirms the preceding rumors-" the biggest part of the town laid in ashes, the misery of the people great beyond description, the cruelty shown to the garrison shocking to humanity, many butchered in cold blood, begging for quarter ; Arnold, abandoned of all good and to all evil, threatening to do to Norwich as he had done to New London. And Nathan Frink, a son of Windham County, now aid-de-eamp to Arnold, most active and efficient in this terrible butchery and destruction. The situation of the New England States. destitute of fleet and army, seemed more critical and alarming than ever before, yet again in a few days their anxieties are relieved. "News from Europe and East
While Mr. Cogswell's diary allows us a peep at the French troops en route for the Hudson, a journal kept by Clande Blanchard, commissary of the French auxiliary army, enables us to look at Windham through the eyes of its foreign visitants :-
" At night I lay at Plainfield, fifteen miles from Waterman's tavern. The country is a little more cleared especially in the environs of Plainfield, where nevertheless there are only five or six houses. I saw some farms sown with rye and wheat but especially with maize (what we call Turkish corn in Anjon ) and also potatoes. I also passed through many woods mostly of oak and chestnut trees, my lodging cost me fifteen livres.
On the 17th June, 1781, I set ont at half after six for Windham, where I arrived at ten o'clock, after a journey of fifteen miles. The country is very similar to the environs of Plainfield; yet we see more pasture lands there which are in the valleys, so we have to ascend and descend continually on this road. Windham seemed to have sixty houses, all pretty; there is also a very handsome temple, called in this country a meeting-house. . . . . There is another village between Plainfield and Windham called Strickland [Scotland] which seemed to me to be pretty, and where we also saw a temple. . It is eighteen miles from Windham to Boston [Bolton], and we had to ascend and descend. . . . . On the 18th I arrived at Hartford, the capital of Con- necticut, fourteen miles from Boston [Bolton] ; the road is fine."
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Indies much against Great Britain ; " " the French fleet has certainly arrived at Chesapeake :" " Washington and his army are there in high spirits :" and on training day, November 6, comes the great news of Cornwallis's surrender, and thousands exclaim with Trumbull :- "Praised be the Lord of Hosts for our deliverance !"
More specific details only increased the general joy and thankfulness, and made the glorious results more apparent. Durkee's old regiment under Grosvenor had been present, and Windham veterans released for a time from service brought back full reports of the successful siege and surrender. All felt that the war was virtually ended ; that Great Britain would be forced to relinquish her vain attempts to conquer the sovereign States of America. There were still alarms from time to time and hostile demonstrations ; the army had to be maintained ; troops and supplies provided. The inhabitants of the several towns were now divided into classes according to their rate list, each class to furnish a recruit and take charge of his family. Negotiations with Great Britain made slow progress. Mr. Cogswell in his despondency declares more than once "that he sees no prospect of peace." In September, 1782, a hostile fleet again threatens New London, and the militia of Windham and New London Counties are called out by Colonel Mcclellan, but after two days of intense anxiety the intruder withdraws without inflicting damage. A flag telegraphing "P. E. A. C. E." is reported the following March. April 19, 1783, Washington announces the cessation of hostilities. Of festivities and rejoicings upon the reception of this announcement we hear little. The joy of the citizens of Windham County was perhaps too deep for noisy demonstration. It had been a long, hard, deadly struggle. Many precious lives had been sacrificed. There had been great expenditure of money and forces : there were hard problems still to face; and so the rejoicings were mostly expressed by religious solemnities. Public services were held in the meeting-house on Windham Green, and our friend Mr. Cogswell preached a celebration sermon which received much commendation. Joseph Joslin of Thompson, shared with the last returning troopers their bountiful treat of cake and egg rum at Esquire Dresser's tavern, and marched with them into " Priest Russel's meeting-house " for religious service. The first soldiers were sent ont from the public sanctuary with prayer and supplication, and the last were taken to the same sacred spot for appropriate thanksgiving, and yet it may have been difficult upon that Sabbath morning "to discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people." For in the galleries and great pews there were many places vacant. The aged deacons who sat beneath the pulpit had laid their precious sons upon the altar. There
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ยท were other parents there whose sons had been stricken ; there were widows bowed with grief ; there were children who were fatherless ; there were fair young girls whose hearts still yearned for missing lover and brother-and thanks for the great blessings of peace and Inde- pendence were hallowed by a deep consciousness of the great price that had been paid for them.
BOOK VII. 1783-1807.
I.
DISPOSITION OF TORIES. SUFFERINGS OF SOLDIERS. WAR SET TLEMENTS. ADOPTION OF FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
A NEW era had opened. Windham County was now a part of a free State, a confederated Republic. The Independence of the United States was secured and acknowledged. Old things had passed away, many things had become new. New systems, new polities were to be devised ; a NATION to be evolved and established. Little did the people of the several States in the first fervor of jubilant exulta- tion realize the greatness of the work before them. Their thoughts and energies were rather mainly occupied with the work already wrought. War claims and questions pressed heavily upon them. Two classes of inhabitants demanded instant consideration-the men who had fought for freedom and those who had opposed it. In the long controversy great bitterness had been engendered. . The cruel treatment of the patriot prisoners, the brutal massacres at Wyoming and New London had excited intense resentments. Tories had shown greater barbarity than British or Hessians, and were regarded with peculiar hatred. The few avowed Tories in Windham County were straightway driven out of it. No formal process of ejection was served upon them, but they were given to understand that they would be no longer tolerated. Dr. Walton of Killingly, had made himself especially obnoxious, concealing British officers in his house, and boasting of his influence with British commanders. Upon the news of the surrender of Cornwallis. he was visited by a large number of citizens who wished to send him off at once, but, through the interces- sion of Col. Danielson. he was allowed to wait for that great company of refugees which sought shelter in Nova Scotia. Col. Fitch and his family, Nathan Frink, and descendants of Captain John Chandler of Woodstock, were as far as can be ascertained the only other representatives of Windham County among that dishonored band of exiles which left New York, in September, 1783. Though not abso- lutely forced from Windham, Col. Fitch could no longer remain in his
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old home with any degree of comfort. The personal prestige that had so long shielded him from ill-treatment passed away with the lapse of years. The new generation growing up forgot his past services and position, and only thought of him as an enemy to his country and the patriot cause. It was difficult for him to obtain needful supplies for his family. Ardent Sons of Liberty had decreed "that no mills should grind for, no merchant sell goods to, a Tory." He was insulted, watched, guarded, subjected to vexations and ruinons prose- cution. His son complains to the General Assembly. that having been "prosecuted. tried and acquitted for inimical words, an execu- tion had been levied against him for cost, as though it was not sufficient for an innocent man to suffer the disgrace of a criminal prosecution but he must be subjected to such enormous costs." Broken in health and spirit and ruined in fortune, nothing was left for him but to withdraw from Windham and spend the remainder of his days in hopeless exile, the unhappy victim of misplaced loyalty and a too chivalrous devotion to an unworthy sovereign. Windham took care to prevent his return by voting in town meeting. 1785, that "there be a committee of inspection appointed to observe and take care that those refugees and inimical persons who have gone from us since the commencement of the war be not allowed to come in among us."
Still more unhappy was the fate of Joshua, son of Joshua Chandler of West Woodstock, one of those bright young men so hopefully graduated from Yale College before 1760. Settling in New Haven he had won wealth and a high position. all sacrificed by his adherence to the king, yet the loss of property and home weighed less heavily upon him than his subsequent conviction that his sacrifice had been for naught. Visiting England to represent his claims and losses, he thus writes to a friend in New Ilaven :-
" I found the nation in great tumults and commotions-myself perfectly lost in politics as well as in compass . . . The kingdom, without a miracle in its favor, must be lost. You can have no idea of their corruption, their debauchery and Inxury; their pride, their riches, their Inxury has ruined them. It is not in the power of human nature to save them. I like not the country, neither their manners nor even their soil. Give America the chance and in one half the time she will rise superior to anything in this country.
My own prospects in life are dahsed. My only care is for my children. The idea of a compensation is very faint. . . Thus this unhappy contro- versy has ruined thousands. The sacrifices, the prospects of my family, are not the only thing that fills my mind with distress. I yet have a very strong affection to and predilection for my native country ; their happiness would in some measure alleviate my great distress, but cannot suppose my country can be happy in its present state. I wish Dr. Stiles would admit into the library Dr. Holmes' History of the British Constitution to aid his country in forming a new Constitution, for one she must have sometime.
For customs, this nation has copied after and imported the luxuries, the follies and vices of France. But whatever may be the fate of kingdoms and powers of Europe or my own, I sincerely wish happiness, honor and glory to
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the country that gave me birth. In the hour of contest I thought, and even yet think, my country wrong, but I never wished its ruin. I wish her to sup- port a dignified character, that can be done only by great and dignified actions, one of which is a sacred and punctual adherence to public faith and virtue. My first and last prayer will be to meet where no political dispute can ever separate from near and dear friends."
Colonel Chandler returned to Annapolis unsuccessful in his mission and after further delay started, March, 1787, for St. John, New Bruns- wiek, with his son and daughter, and all the books, papers and evidence of his colonial property, to meet commissioners appointed to adjust his claims. A violent storm arose and the vessel was driven among rocks. Hoping to secure it, William Chandler fastened a rope around his body and jumped overboard to swim to land, but was instantly erushed be- tween the vessel and rocks. With great difficulty Colonel Chandler managed to reach the shore with his daughter and climbed upon a high point of rocks to look out and find where they were, but benumbed with cold he fell from it and soon died. The daughter and a friend, Mrs. Alexander Grant, wandered in the woods for two terrible days and perished from cold and hunger. The story of their sad fate made a deep impression upon surviving relatives and friends in Woodstock, and was handed down from generation to generation as the most thrill- ing tragedy of the revolutionary drama.
Colonel Malbone was suffered to remain unmolested, but lost much of his property. A seven-thousand dollar mortgage upon his farm in the hands of Charles Paxton, a refugee, was forfeited to government. Lands in Ashford belonging to Apthorpe, land in Plainfield owned by Bayard, two acres in Windham in payment of execution against Eleazer Fitch, " the real and personal estate of Nathan Frink of Pomfret," were also forfeited to the State. An attempt was made to confiscate land in Thompson : (seven tenements of land and houses, belonging to the heirs of Robert Thompson, England), but after the first heat and bitterness of conflict had subsided, this old established claim, purchased by one of the most faithful friends of the early Colonists, was allowed to re- main with his descendants. Mrs. Martha Stevens, heir of Anthony Stoddard, making declaratien before the County Court "that she was always a hearty friend to the rights and privileges of America," was allowed to resume possession of her land in Ashford.
Those unfortunate Royalists who received such slight and tardy com- pensation for all their sacrifices and devotion were not alone in their complaint of ingratitude and ill-usage. The soldiers who had con- quered independence by their arms had met but a poor return for all their sufferings and sacrifices. Some had returned without pay ; some with scrip that proved a worthless mockery : some were disabled by wounds or disease, and incapacitated from active labor. The later re-
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cruits were mostly young men, without farms or trades or means of earning a livelihood. The Windham towns, already heavily burdened with debt incurred in carrying on the war, were unable to make suit- able provision for these returned soldiers. Canterbury, after debating the expediency " of allowing anything to the soldiers on account of the failure of the public in making their wages good," voted at first to do nothing, but upon reconsideration appointed a committee to act with the selectmen in settling with the same according to their best judg- ment. Windham voted ten pounds "to Elijah Linkon, a Continental soldier, enlisted during the war, for his past good services and present necessities." Relief was obtained in other cases from private sources and employment furnished whenever possible. As the Windham County recruits had received a generous bounty in silver and provision for their families during their absence, they probably suffered less than their officers, who had their families to support upon their nominal pay, the artizans who had furnished them with arms, and the town officers who had advanced money for their bounty and support. Three months' wages due to Dr. Waldo when he left service barely paid a trifling debt due to an attorney. Colonel Ebenezer Gray, after seven years' faithful service, which had ruined his health and incapacitated him from resum- ing his legal practice, received no compensation but the certificates of Congress for five years' commutation pay, which immediately depre- ciated to ten cents on a dollar. Hundreds of other officers were paid in the same way and reduced to still greater necessities. Among those who suffered most severely in Windham were Hezekiah Huntington and Henry De Witt, who had devoted all their time and energies for many years to manufacturing arms and ammunition for the Continental soldiers. After exhausting his own means in this work, Mr. IFunting- ton "effected a settlement with the Government at Philadelphia, re- ceiving as his pay seventy-four thousand dollars in Continental paper," which so depreciated in a short time "that a hundred dollars of it would not buy a breakfast," and he was forced to struggle the re- mainder of his days with poverty. Still harder was the fate of De Witt, who took the Government paper in payment till it became valueless, " and his Boston creditors put him in Windham jail and he lived with- in the jail limits for many years." Many who had advanced good money to buy stores for Government were paid with bills which made them bankrupt. The case of Nehemiah Tinker of Windham, who "had laid out his whole property and pledged his eredit in purchasing supplies for the army," was one of peculiar hardship. Dying suddenly just before the declaration of peace, the thousand-dollar paper in his hands " would hardly pay for his winding sheet and coffin." With heavy debts pressing upon her, and eleven children to maintain,
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