USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Litchfield > Sketches and chronicles of the town of Litchfield, Connecticut : historical, biographical, and statistical : together with a complete official register of the town > Part 7
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The sad story of the Acadians, or "French Neutrals," has often been told ; but the subject is not likely to be exhausted, while sympathy for the innocent and sorrowing has a place in the human heart. The classic lyre of Longfellow and the historic pen of Bancroft have alike celebrated their wrongs ; and a mere outline of the principal events in their history, must suffice for our present purpose. Acadia, or Nova Scotia, was early settled by the French Catholics, who soon surround- ed themselves by many of the comforts and conveniences of civilized life. They erected respectable dwellings and church- es, and cleared up and cultivated their lands. At length the
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THE HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
English took possession of the island, and the French were subjected to the grossest indignities by those who were bent upon obtaining possession of their houses and lands. They expressed their willingness to take the oath of allegiance to England, but refused to bear arms against their beloved France. Their oppressors now resolved to break up the settlements and disperse the people among the other English colonies in Amer- ica. A proclamation was accordingly issued, ordering all the males of French descent, of ten years old and upwards, to ap- pear at certain places designated, on the 5th of September, 1755. They obeyed the summons-little dreaming of the fate that awaited them. On their arrival, they were forthwith de- clared to be the king's prisoners, and were informed that their houses, lands and live-stock were confiscated to the crown, but that they were at liberty to take with them their money and household goods. On the 15th of the same month, one hun- dred and sixty-one men were driven, at the point of the bayo- net, on board the vessel which was to convey them from their homes forever. During the autumn and early part of winter, seven thousand of these miserable exiles were thus forced on ship-board and scattered over the colonies, from New Hamp- shire to Georgia. Four hundred were sent to Connecticut; who, at an extra session of the Legislature convened on the 21st of January, 1756, were distributed among some fifty towns according to their grand lists. Husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, were thus arbitrarily separ- ated-their destination and destiny unknown to each other! Precisely the number that was ultimately allotted to Litchfield, I have not been able to ascertain. At least two of them are remembered by persons now living. One of the number (named Sybil Sharway or Shearaway) married Mr. Thomas Harrison, a prominent citizen of this town, in 1764, and her descendants are now among our most excellent and respected people. The Selectmen and Civil Authority of each town were directed to provide for the exiles, and take proper care of the sick and aged ; and not to allow any one of them to leave the town without a written order or passport. It was further provided by the Legislature, that if any one should be
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THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
found beyond the prescribed limits, he should thereafter be confined and not permitted to go at large.
It is not until January, 1759, that our town records make any allusion to these people. At this date it was " voted that the Selectmen may provide a house or some suitable place in the town, for the maintenance of the French." In the County Treasurer's book, also, occurs the following entry, viz : " To paid John Newbree for keeping William Dunlap and the French persons, 54s. 6d., which the County allowed, and R. Sherman, Justice of the Quorum, drew an order dated April 25, 1760, as per order on file."
What is usually termed the last French War commenced in 1755 and continued eight years. In this great contest Litch- field was actively engaged. Indeed, the people of all the northern English colonies were required to exert themselves to their utmost capacity to repel the invasions of the French. During the preceding winter, Sir Thomas Robinson, one of the king's principal Secretaries of State, had addressed a letter to Connecticut in his majesty's name, containing the intelligence that troops were about to be sent from England to aid the col- onies, and calling upon her to raise her quota of the balance of the forces that might be deemed requisite for the contem- plated expedition against Crown Point. The Assembly was immediately called together ; and it was resolved to raise one thousand men for the campaign, and the Governor was at the same time authorized, in case of emergency, to call out five hundred more. When the united forces of British, Provincials and Indians, reached Albany, their place of rendezvous, they constituted an army of over six thousand men-under the chief command of General William Johnson. The two Connecticut regiments were under the immediate command of General Phineas Lyman and Colonel Elizur Goodrich ; the Indians be- ing under guidance of the celebrated Mohawk Chief, Hen- drick. In this campaign, the French were defeated in an im- portant action near Lake George, though Colonel Williams, of one of the Massachusetts regiments, and the invincible Hen- drick, were slain. Lieutenant-Colonel Whiting, who, by the fall of his superior, became the chief officer in the most fatal
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
part of the engagement, eminently distinguished himself as a cool, brave and judicious commander. Seven hundred of the French were left dead on the field, and the brave Dieskau was fatally wounded and taken prisoner. For this victory Johnson was knighted. Before the battle was fought, however, he had sent an earnest requisition to Governor Fitch for more troops. In response to this call, the Legislature was convened in August, 1755; and it was resolved to raise two additional regiments, and send them forthwith into the field. Samuel Talcott and Elihu Chauncey were commissioned as Colonels of these regiments, and Drs. Timothy Collins of Litchfield, and Jonathan Marsh of Norwich, were appointed Physicians and Surgeons. These regiments, consisting of seven hundred and fifty men each, were on their march within a week after the alarm was given. Connecticut now had in the northern army not less than two thousand five hundred men. Though Crown Point was not taken, Great Britain and her Colonies were jubilant over the success of their arms.
I will not stop to detail the incidents of the disastrous cam- paigns of 1756 and 1757. Through the inefficiency of such British officers of Abercrombie, Loudoun and Webb, the finest army that had ever trodden the soil of America, was permitted to accomplish nothing. The capture of Crown Point had been abandoned, and an unsuccessful attack had been made upon Louisbourg. During these years, Connecticut kept constantly in the field a force of five thousand men. The campaign of 1758 opened with auguries of better success, under the auspi- ces of Mr. Pitt, who had been elevated to the premiership. Connecticut at once resolved to raise five thousand men for the service, which was one quarter of all the troops called for from the northern colonies. The Connecticut troops were formed into four regiments, and Colonels Phineas Lyman, Nathan Whiting, Eliphalet Dyer and John Read, were appointed commanders. At the same time, Benjamin Hinman, of Wood- bury, in this county, was commissioned as Lieutenant-Colonel of one of these regiments. Fourteen thousand regulars, and a considerable naval force, were sent over from England to co-operate with the provincials. A portion of these troops,
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THE FRENCH WAR.
under Lord Amherst and General Wolfe, together with the ships-of-the-line under Admiral Boscawen, were sent against Louisbourg ; while the remainder of the provincials and regu- lars, under General Abercrombie and Lord Howe, went on an expedition against Crown Point and Ticonderoga. The Con- necticut men were with both of these divisions of the army. The garrison at Louisbourg, with its two thousand five hun- dred regulars, six hundred militia, and vast quantity of mil- itary stores, was surrendered into the hands of the victorious English and provincials. Abercrombie's expedition, however, did not prove as successful. Having been twice repulsed, with the loss of Lord Howe, the commanding general ordered a retreat, in spite of the remonstrances of the provincial officers, who believed that victory was still within their reach. Colonel Whiting's Connecticut regiment was with Abercrombie; and the " orderly book " which he used in that unfortunate cam- paign, is still in the possession of his grandson, Major Jason Whiting, of Litchfield, and contains many interesting facts relating to the transactions of that branch of the army with which he was connected.
From this time till the close of the war, Connecticut con- tinued to keep in the field not far from five thousand men. In the campaign of 1759-'60, Crown Point and Ticonderoga were captured by the English ; and subsequently, Montreal and the whole of the French possessions in Canada were surren- dered into their hands. In all the transactions of this memor- able war, Litchfield contributed her full quota of men and means. Unfortunately, but a single list of the soldiers raised in this town, during the period referred to, has been preserved. The names of some of the Litchfield officers who received commissions between the years 1755 and 1763, are here given, as it is known that a part of them were in the war, viz., Solomon Buel, Captain, 1756 ; Ebenezer Marsh, Colonel, 1757; Isaac Baldwin, Captain, do .; Joshua Smith, Lieutenant, do, ; Abner Baldwin, Ensign, do. ; Archibald McNeile, Captain, 1758 : Zebulon Gibbs, Ensign, do .; Stephen Smith, Lieuten- ant, 1760 ; Eli Catlin, Lieutenant, do. ; Isaac Moss, Lieuten- ant, 1761; Josiah Smith, Lieutenant, do .; Asa Hopkins,
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
Lieutenant, do. ; Gideon Harrison, Ensign, do .; David Lan- don, Ensign, do. ; Lynde Lord, Ensign, 1762. Zebulon Gibbs (whose Narrative we give in the Appendix,) informs us that he was in the northern army from 1756 to 1762. In March, 1758, he was commissioned as Ensign in Captain Hurlbut's company, which was raised as a part of the force designed for the capture of Crown Point.
The following names are copied from " A Pay-Roll for Capt. Archibald McNeile's Company, in the Second Regiment of Connecticut Forces, for the year 1762,"-which is on file in the Secretary's Office, Hartford :
Archibald McNeile, Captain. Robert Coe,
Isaac Moss, 1st Lieutenant,
Adam Mott,
Increase Moseley, 2d do.
Asahel Hinman,
Elisha Blinn, Ensign,
Roswell Fuller,
Thomas Catlin, Sergeant,
Daniel Grant,
Nathaniel Taylor do.
William Emons,
Bezaleel Beebe, do.
Moses Stoddard,
Hezekiah Lee, do.
Gideon Smith,
Arch'd McNeile, jr. do.
Jonathan Smith,
Roger Catlin, Corporal,
Hezekiah Leach,
Wm. Drink water, do.
Adam Hurlbut,
Nathan Stoddard, do.
Jeremiah Harris,
James Lassly, do.
Eli Emons, Alexander Waugh,
Jacob Bartholomew, do. Charles Richards,
Ezekiel Shepard,
Samuel Warner,
Ozias Hurlbut,
Samuel Gipson,
Daniel Harris, John Collins,
Joseph Jones,
John Barrett,
Solomon Palmer,
John Barrett, jr.
Jonathan Phelps,
William Forster,
John Cogswell,
Francis Mazuzan,
Mark Kenney,
Thomas Wedge,
Aaron Thrall,
Reuben Smith,
Timothy Brown,
Jeremiah Osborn,
Roswell Dart,
Benjamin Landon,
William Bulford,
Isaac Osborn,
James Manville,
Daniel Barns, Drummer,
Orange Stoddard,
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SOLDIERS OF THE FRENCH WAR.
Benjamin Bissell, David Nichols.
Thomas Williams,
Justus Seelye,
Ichabod Squire, Comfort Jackson,
James Francier,
George Peet,
Elisha Walker,
Nathaniel Barnum,
Amos Brougton,
Adonijah Roice,
Nathaniel Lewis,
Elisha Ingraham,
Levi Bonny,
Daniel Hurlbut,
Thomas Barker,
Ebenezer Blackman,
Samuel Drinkwater,
Domini Douglas,
Asahel Gray,
Amos Tolls,
Eliakim Gibbs,
Thomas Ranny,
Samuel Peet,
Daniel Hamilton,
Ephraim Smedley,
Asahel Hodge,
Edmund Hawes,
Daniel Warner,
Silas Tucker,
Titus Tolls,
Robert Bell,
John Ripner,
Thomas Sherwood,
Caleb Nichols,
Ephraim Knapp, Titus Tyler,
John Fryer,
Ebenezer Pickett,
It is not to be inferred that all the members of Captain McNeile's company belonged in Litchfield. Some in the list are recognized as residents of neighboring towns. Lieutenant Moseley, for instance, was a Woodbury man. He became an eminent lawyer, legislator and judge, in his native county, and afterwards removed to Vermont, and was there elevated to the bench of the Supreme Court.
The name of the late Colonel Beebe, of his town, will be noticed among the Sergeants of this company. At a still earlier date, he had been a member of Major Rogers celebrated corps of Rangers, and was engaged in one of the forest fights when the soldiers were dispersed by order of their commander, and each man was directed to fight, in true Indian style, from be- hind a tree. Beebe chanced to be stationed near Lieutenant Gaylord, who was also from Litchfield county. He had just spoken to Gaylord, and at the moment was looking him in the face for a reply, when he observed a sudden break of the skin in the forehead, and the Lieutenant instantly fell dead-a ball from the enemy having passed through his head.
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
The long succession of colonial wars, which had now terminated, had taxed the American people almost beyond precedent. The whole country was yet new, and but thinly settled. The farms were only partially cleared up, and the great mass of the population were poor and compelled to delve hard for the requisite food for the subsistence of themselves and families. Notwithstanding all this, a large proportion of the most efficient and able-bodied men were constantly being - called off to fill the ranks of the army ; while those who remain- ed at home must support themselves, provide food and cloth- ing for the soldiers, and pay the enormous taxes which war always brings in its train. If those who first enlisted, lived to return home, they or others were soon called upon again and again to enter the public service. This long experience and severe discipline, however, was, unwittingly to all, pre- paring officers, soldiers and citizens, for the severer and more important crisis which was then approaching.
The next great question which agitated the minds of our people, was that relating to the Stamp Act. The peace of 1763 had left Great Britain immensely in debt, and the eyes of her financiers were at once turned towards the American Colonies, as a field whence their future revenues might be materially augmented. The proposed impost was at length laid, by an act of parliament, " upon every skin, or piece of vellum, or parchment, or sheet or piece of paper," that should be thenceforth used in the colonies ; and no deed, lease, bond, policy or mortgage, was legal, unless it bore the royal stamp. This act created great indignation on this side of the Atlantic. The Legislature of Connecticut protested against it, and finally agreed upon an address to parliament, which was sent to the colonial agent in London, with instructions " firmly to insist on the exclusive right of the colonies to tax themselves." The people everywhere were excited, and the measure was freely discussed and boldly denounced at the corners of the streets, in popular assemblies, and in town meetings. The more resolute and reckless of the populace formed themselves into secret organizations called " The Sons of Liberty," with the design of preventing the use of the stamped paper by a
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THE STAMP ACT.
summary process, if necessary. In this town there was probs ably no difference of opinion on the main question at issue. On matters of minor importance, the people did not alway, agrec. The Connecticut Courant of February 10th, 1766, con- tains a communication dated at Litchfield on the 1st of Febru- ary of that year, which is as follows-" At the Desire of several of the Towns in this County, by their Agents chosen and sent here for that Purpose, a Meeting was called of the Free-born Sons of Liberty, to meet at the Court-House in this Town ; and being assembled to the Number of about forty or fifty Persons- proceeded upon the Business for which they met. And not_ withstanding the great Opposition they met with, from Col. E-r M-h and one S-n S-e,* (whereby the Meet- ing was much hindered,) yet they came to the Choice of five Gentlemen, wlio were to act as Agents, and are to join the Gentlemen from the other Towns in the County, who are to meet here, at a general County Meeting, to be held on the second Tuesday of February, 1766, at ten o'clock in the fore- noon ; when it is expected they will come to such Resolves as they shall think most Conducive to prevent the Thing we fear from ever taking Place among us. The Meeting would have been conducted with the utmost good Agreement and Dispatch, had it not been for the Gentlemen mentioned above, who em- ployed all their Power to render it abortive, not only by con- suming the Time in long and needless Speeches, (wherein Mr. M-h especially discovered to all present, an inexhaustible Fund of Knowledge, by several new-coined Words, unknown in the English Language before,) but they also opposed by their Votes almost every Motion that was made to forward it."
The Courant of February 24th, contains the doings of the convention referred to. In their declarations, the purest senti- ments of patriotism and loyalty, are blended with a love of good order and a regard for the supremacy of the law, which are remarkable for those times. The people of Litchfield were no friends of mob-law, even when mobs were fashionable elsewhere. Separation from the mother-country, was a subject which had not then been breathed audibly, even if it had been thought of, by the most zealous patriot. Hence, while some of these sen-
* The names are thus left blank in the Courant.
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
timents, in the boldness and beauty of their expression, almost rival some of those which were ten years subsequently embodi- ed in the Declaration of Independence, they are still made subservient to the condition of the people as faithful subjects of the king. The same spirit led them in due time to throw off the yoke of foreign despotism and to vindicate their rights as Freemen. In the article which is here given, the original copy is followed in capitalizing as well as in other respects :
" AT a Meeting of the Inhabitants of almost all the Towns in Litchfield County, convened by their Agents in Litchfield on the Second Tuesday in February, 1766, for the Pur- pose of giving the clearest Manifestation of their fixed and most ardent Desires to preserve, as far as in them lies, those inherent Rights and Privileges which essentially belong to them as a Free People, and which are founded upon the unalterable Basis of the British Constitution, and have been confirmed by the most solemn Sanctions -and of their readiness to promote (according to their Ability,) the public Peace and Happiness, which have been greatly disturbed by the most alarming Infringements upon their Rights-the following Sentiments were unani- mously agreed in :
" I. That they entertain the highest Regard and Veneration for those just and virtuous Resolutions made by the Hon. House of Representatives of this Colony in October last, ex- pressing the Duty and faithful Allegiance which they and the Inhabitants of this Colony owe to our rightful Sovereign, King George the Third-and those Rights and Privileges which essentially belong to His Majesty's Subjects in this Colony ; and likewise those Sentiments respecting the unconstitutional. Nature of an Act of the British Parliament for granting Stamp- Duties in the British Colonies.
"II. That they conceive, to keep up in their brightest View the first Principles and Origins of the English Government, and strictly to adhere to the primary Institutions of it, is the only sure Way to preserve the same, and consequently the Prerogative of the Crown, and the Civil Liberties of the Sub- ject, inviolate.
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THE STAMP-ACT.
" III. That they are not able to form a more perfect Idea of Allegiance to His Majesty, than what consists in an inflexible Attachment to the forementioned Principles.
"IV. That, in their Opinion, for any Power whatsoever to claim a Right to dispose of their Property without their Con- sent, given in a Constitutional Way, is, in Effect, to claim a Right to dispose of all their Property at Pleasure.
"V. That for innocent Subjects to be imminently exposed to certain Ruin, by the Execution of any penal Statute, is, they conceive, utterly irreconcilable with every just Idea of Freedom.
"VI. That God made Mankind free, (as being essential to their Happiness,) and as, by His Blessing, the Advantages of English Liberty have been handed down to them from their most virtuous and loyal Ancestors, so they will endeavor, by all reasonable Ways and Means within their Power, uprightly to preserve and faithfully to transmit the same to their Pos- terity.
" VII. That they really believe, without the least Shadow of a Doubt, that said Act, imposing Stamp-Duties, &c., is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and therefore necessarily believe that the Observance thereof is not OBLIGATORY upon them.
" VIII. That any Office for distributing Stamped Papers in this Colony, appears odious and detestable to them, as being, in its Operation, utterly destructive of their most valuable Rights.
" IX. That if any Stamped Papers shall be imported into any Part of this Colony (which they most cordially wish might never be,) they hope the speediest public Notice thereof may be given, that the same may be preserved UNTOUCHED for His Majesty.
" X. That if any Person in this Colony has represented that the People in it might, under any possible circumstances, be- come willing to have the aforesaid Act executed upon them, or to have one Farthing of their Property taken from them, except by their own Consent, given as aforesaid, they are per- suaded that such Representation must have been the Result
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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD.
of extreme stupid Ignorance, or dictated by a malignant, apos- tate Spirit.
" XI. That they will never suffer any Jealousies to arise in their Minds, that any Person in this Colony is unfriendly to its Civil Liberties, except upon the fullest, clearest, and most un- deniable Evidence.
" XII. That it was never any Part of the Design of this Meeting to endeavor to bring about the least Alteration in the Legislative Body of this Colony.
" XIII. That whereas some very ignorant or dissolute Per- sons may, in this time of Perplexity, be disposed to commit Outrages against the Persons or Property of others, or to treat with Disrespect and Insult the civil Authority of this Colony : They do therefore hereby solemnly declare, that Nothing (ex- cept a Privation of their Liberties,) could or ought to fill their Minds with a deeper and more fixed Resentment than such Conduct-and that they will always be ready and willing to assist and support, to the utmost of their Ability, the public Magistrates, in preserving, in the greatest Purity, the Peace and good Order of the Public.
" XIV. That these their Sentiments of firm Allegiance to His Majesty, and their strong and unfailing Desires to preserve their Constitutional Rights and Privileges, and to promote the public Peace, good Order, and Happiness, be published in the Connecticut Courant, and that this Meeting be adjourned to the third Tuesday in March next, at ten o'clock in the fore- noon, to be held at this place."
The Stamp-Act was followed by laying a tax upon divers other articles imported from England, which led to a combin- ation known as "the non-importation agreement." This agreement was, however, shamefully violated by many of the New York merchants. The indignation of the people of Con- necticut was in consequence fully aroused ; and it was resolved that a General Convention of Delegates from all the towns in the colony, should be held in New Haven, on the 13th of Sep- tember, 1770, " to take into consideration the perilous condi- tion of the country, to provide for the growth and spread of home-manufactures, and to devise more thorough means for
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PREPARING FOR THE REVOLUTION.
carrying out to the letter the non-importation agreement." A town meeting was held in Litchfield, on the 30th of August -Mr. Abraham Kilbourn presiding. At this meeting, Capt. John Osborn and Mr. Jedediah Strong were appointed Dele- gates to the Convention referred to.
The Legislature about this time, made special enactments providing for arming and disciplining the militia-why, they were scarcely themselves aware. Many of our most efficient officers of the French War now received advance commissions in the colonial regiments. These officers, by long service with the commanders in the Standing Army of England, had learn- ed whatever was worth knowing in their system of military tactics, while they had failed to learn their inefficiency, pro- crastination, and punctilious regard for etiquette. They were now destined to turn the knowledge, thus acquired, to good account. Among those thus appointed, were, Oliver Wolcott, who had commanded a company in the northern army in 1748, and was now commissioned as Colonel; and Ebenezer Gay, a resident of Sharon but a native of this town, who was raised to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.
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