USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Ashburnham > History of Ashburnham, Massachusetts : from the grant of Dorchester Canada to the present time 1734-1886 with a genealogical register of Ashburnham families > Part 12
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The record of the preceding year left the continental soldiers from this town with the army under the immediate command of Washington. It will be remembered that these men enlisted for three years. Jacob Lock and Samuel Mason having died the remaining fourteen shared the suffering of a winter of unusual severity at Valley Forge. In the spring of this year with more than two years of rugged service before them they followed the fortunes of Washington in the extreme heat and dangers of Monmouth and in the summer campaign near the city of New York. In the late autumn they were marched to Middlebrook, New Jersey, and there erected huts for the winter. The new recruits this year are found in several regiments and in as many branches of the
158
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
service, and there is ample evidence that several were drafted or enlisted in the spring and summer whose names and ser- viee eannot now be stated.
The men that were being enlisted to recruit the decimated ranks of the continental regiments were so few in number that the General Court called for two thousand men to serve in these regiments for the term of nine months. For this service three men from this town volunteered or were drafted. William Ward enlisted in the month of June and was assigned to Colonel Marshall's regiment, from which he was discharged March 7, 1778, and about the same time and under the same requisition, Jonathan Benjamin and Benjamin Clark entered the service and were mustered at Fishkill. New York. The muster rolls deseribe Benjamin as seven- teen years of age, five feet and six inches in stature and of light complexion. Clark, the roll alleges, was at this time sixteen years of age, only five feet and two inches in height and light complexion. Young Clark was not a tall soldier, and as he lived to enlist again, there is license for the pre- sumption that his head was carried below the line of greatest danger. Having filled this quota, the selectmen express their relief in a letter to the General Court.
TO THE HONBLE COUNCIL & HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
These may certify that the Town of Ashburnham have com- plied with the resolve of the Court of the 20th of April 1778 last in raising Continental men and the men marched when called for. ASHBURNHAM Aug 24th 1778. . OLIVER WILLARD ? JOHN CONN Selectmen. . WORCESTER SS Aug 200 1778.
personally appeared Capt Jonathan Gates of Ashburnham and made oath to the above certificate before me.
SAMUEL WILDER Town Clerk.
159
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
Reference is made in the following letter to a subject of which the result cannot be stated. The fact that Benjamin Clark was eventually mustered into service at Fishkill for nine months, and at that time the father, David Clark, bad two full years to serve, would indicate that he was not accepted as a substitute for his father.
ASHBORNHAN June 01 ye 1778.
this is to sortify that Jonathan Benjeman has ingaged in the con- tinental sarvis nine monts and Likewise Benjeman Clark in the Rom of his father David Clark, he being a man in years and I should be glad if you would except him in his romm.
JONATHAN .GATES, Captain.
To Mr Worshbon the superentendent for the County of Worcester.
In the summer of this year, a combined attack, by land and water, upon the British army at Newport, in Rhode Island, was projected. An army raised from the militia of New England was sent to reinforce General Sullivan, and to cooperate with the French fleet. Calls were also made this year for men to serve in defence of Boston and the military stores deposited there. In the former service there were at least four men from this town. They were enlisted or drafted in June to serve the remainder of the year. They were assigned to the company of Captain Benjamin Edgell in Colonel John Jacob's regiment, which was a part of the army under General Sullivan. They arrived home the first week in January, 1779. The descriptive list of the men from Ashburnham is of interest.
NAME.
TIME OF ENLISTMENT.
TRAVEL.
TIME OF SERVICE.
WAGES.
Ezekiel Metcalf, June 25th,
100 miles, 6 mos 12 days,
£20-15-3
John Chamberlain, June 24th,
100
6 " 13 16 20-18-4
David Chafin,
June 25th, .
100
6 " 12
29-15-3
Simon Rodiman,
June 26th,
80 .
6 4 11 20- 5-8
160
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
To meet the requirements for service at Boston, a number of men was drafted or recruited to serve three months. Among them were Jonathan Samson, Jr., Nicholas White- man and John Hall, who were assigned to the company of Captain John White of Lancaster, and stationed at Castle island. In service at this time and near Boston, were David Steadman and William Ward. The latter served only one month and was employed at Prospect Hill in guarding prisoners, the remains of Burgoyne's army. From this service he returned in season to enlist in Colonel Marshall's regiment, as stated in a former paragraph.
Ashburnham was now required to furnish its proportion of clothing for the army. A resolve was adopted by the General Court, March 13, 1778, requiring each town in the State to furnish as many shirts, pairs of shoes and stockings, as would be equal to one-seventh part of all its male inhabi- tants. These articles were ordered to be collected in each connty and forwarded to the army by the county agent, whereupon each soldier was to receive one shirt, one pair of shoes and one pair of stockings "as a present from the people of the State." Under this resolve, the quota of Ashburnham was immediately filled. If the quota of this town was seven- teen, more shirts were forwarded than was required, but it is probable that the excess of shirts was intended as an equivalent for a deficiency of shoes and stockings. If this supposition is correct, the quota of Ashburnham was twenty, which represents that at this time there were one hundred and forty male inhabitants in this town. The following letter of the selectmen is a part of this proceeding :
TO MR. JOHN WAIT Agent and Receiver of Clothing for the County of Worcester
Sir these are to inform you that we have complied with the
161
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
resolve of Cort last sent in providing clothing for the solgers. we have provided
Seventeen pr of Shoes cost £3 pr pr £51 and seventeen pr Stockings £1 :16-0 pr pair £30=12=0
and twenty-seven Shirts at £1 :16 apiece £48=12=0 and as we have received no furder orders Since the Resolve of the general Cort concerning the Clothing we do send them by Dean Samuel Wilder to you to be Recd as our part of the clothing for this time
Sum total for Clothing
Ashburnham Sept 16-1778 £130-4-0
So we remain your friends & Humble Serv.
OLIVER WILLARD JOHN CONN Selectmen. WILLM BENJAMIN
To the Honsble Corts Committee we leave the Troble of Colect- ing and Cost of Transporting 37 miles to the agent to your Honors Judgment.
This account was audited June 5, 1779. The price of the shoes was reduced to forty-eight shillings a pair and £5-11-0 was allowed for transportation thirty-seven miles.
Concerning the record of one of the continental soldiers of the town, an important fact remains as yet untold. Adam Rodiman deserted. If he had been a man of diminutive stature, like Benjamin Clark, it might reasonably be pre- sumed that he was temporarily overlooked and the record made before the oversight was noted, but he is described as twenty-three years of age, six feet high, dark eyes and hair and by occupation a blacksmith. Whether he repented and returned, whether he was returned by force without repent- ance, or whether he neither returned nor repented, does not appear in the records. It is known, however, that after the war he resided several years in this town. ' Ah! Adam, 11
162
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
hadst thou known that one hundred and more years after thy desertion of the post of duty, this act of thine would be recalled, that the faithful historian who records with impartial pen the deeds of the just and the unjust, giving at once to the principal inhabitant and most lowly citizen his fair measure of censure or praise as his life and service are revealed in the records and traditions of the town; hadst thou known and realized all this, thou wouldst have remained to share the trial and dangers bravely endured by thy heroic comrades, and wouldst have conquered a cowardice that gives an only stain to the ensign armorial of the good old town of Ash- burnham. But, alas ! like thy progenitor, whose name thou bore, thou too didst fall.
1779. The theatre of the war having been transferred to the Southern States, the call for men was less imperative than in the years preceding. At the same time the military spirit of the people waned with the removal of danger from the borders of New England. If the number of men was comparatively small, the labor in procuring them was no less onerous than in former years. In accordance with a resolve of the General Court, passed June 9, eight men were raised in July to recruit the continental army. Three of these men to serve nine months were mustered with the following description :
. ft.
Ebenezer Conant, age 36, height 5-9 Jacob Constantine, " 27, " 5-9
John Kiblinger, " 24, 6-0
The roll also announced that all of them were of dark complexion. Many of the continental men who entered in 1777 were in Colonel Greaton's regiment at this time. Succeeding the repeated failures in the past, a successful attempt to dislodge the enemy from Rhode Island was made
163
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
this year. In this service Ashburnham was represented by at least five men who were drafted in July and served six months. They were marched under command of Sergeant Stone to Providence, and at the close of the campaign were discharged at Newport. A part or all of them were assigned to Captain Thomas Fiske's company in Colonel Tyler's or Colonel Jackson's regiment. The names which have been found from nearly as many sources are as follows : Sergeant Joseph Stone, Jonathan Gates, Isaac Merriam, William Winchester and Jonathan Winchester. In the autumn David Merriam took the place of his brother Isaac Merriam. In the early autumn, Ashburnham was required to send four men, styled fatigue-men, to serve three months under Cap- . tains Henry and Wilson at Castle William and Governor's. island. The men engaged in this service were David Chaffin, Edward Whitmore, Nathaniel Kendall and David Samson .. Daniel Bond of this town was in the service as fatigue-man at this time, but probably did not enlist at the time the others were recruited, and William Ward served three months this year at West Point in a company com- manded by Captain Burt of Harvard. At the close of the season the Northern army, which included the continental soldiers from this town, retired into winter quarters, - one division at West Point, New York, and the other at Morris- town, New Jersey.
At the annual meeting, Isaac Merriam, Nathaniel Harris and Daniel Putnam were chosen a committee of correspond- ence. The selectmen were John Conn, Oliver Willard and Amos Dickerson. William Whitcomb was again selected to represent the town in the General Court at this session, which did not adjourn until October. He was permitted to join with his associates in a fruitless attempt to regulate by law the price of articles of merchandise. If such legislation
164
HISTORY OF ASHBURNIIAM.
at all times and under all circumstances has proved futile, in this instance the legislators recognized the exigencies of the hour and manifested more courage than wisdom in the advancement of remedial measures. The ineffectual meas- ures of the Legislature were supplemented by the recom- mendations of county conventions. The convention which assembled in Worcester August 11, proposed a schedule of prices for many articles of merchandise, and with great earnestness and solicitude, recommended the people to adopt them in the conduct of their business.
In this proceeding the convention essayed to effect by appeal that which the Legislature failed to accomplish by the force of law. The town of Ashburnham promptly ·adopted the recommendations of the convention and chose Samuel Wilder, Captain Jonathan Gates, Jacob Harris, Moses Tottingham and Francis Lane a committee to encourage the people, and through the force of a firm, public sentiment compel them to adhere for a time to the stated prices. In these proceedings the necessities of the people were demanding relief. But the love of gain, the insatiable greed of speculation and the personal interest of the few who had the ability to profit by the necessities of the many rendered all these measures ineffectual. In February the General Court submitted to the people the proposition of calling a convention for the purpose of forming a State Constitution. The town of Ashburnham voted May 21, "That this State have a new form of Government as soon as may be, and also that our representative vote to have a State Convention called for that purpose."
On an article in the warrant for the May meeting, "To see if the Town will allow Mr. Jonathan Samson and Mrs. Hem- menway for two small Deer sent in to the service," the decision was in the negative. The same fate attended a
165
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
proposition to pay Deliverance Davis " for going to Albany for to carry cloathing to the soldiers." If these decisions of the town fail to satisfy the sensitive nature of loyal descend- ants, they can be consoled with the fact that there could not. have been a great sum of money in the treasury, and any action on these points was quite immaterial so long as the soldiers had and enjoyed both the deer and the clothing. Having previously chosen a committee, consisting of Jacob Harris, Captain Jonathan Gates, Lieutenant Amos Dicker- son, John Adams and Francis Lane, to estimate and equalize the service in the army of each man in Ashburnham, the town adopted the report of this committee August 30. That report if it had been preserved would have afforded the out- line of a more accurate history of Ashburnham during the Revolution than can now be written.
Thursday, December 9, 1779, was a day of thanksgiving in all the States. The observance of this day is seldoni noticed in history, but there are many evidences at hand to establish the fact that in many places there were religious exercises, and that our fathers, burdened with the weighty problems of the hour, and oppressed with the existing state of public affairs, did make a solemn effort to find occasion for thankfulness on this memorable day. The journal of Isaac Stearns informs us that the day was observed in Ash- burnham, and that Mr. Cushing preached from the text : "The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."
1780. The record of death continues. Again the open ranks of the continental regiments are the silent oracles of their valor. In prompt response to renewed acquisition for men, seven recruits from Ashburnham were mustered into the service for six months at Leicester. With other recruits they were marched from Springfield July 2, under command
166
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
of Captain Phinchas Parker. These men were styled new levies, and were assigned to the Massachusetts regiments already in the field and stationed at West Point. The names of these recruits are found upon the descriptive lists on file in the State archives.
NAME.
AGE.
STATURE.
COMPLEXION.
Samuel Metcalf
19
6-2
light
David Chaffin
18
5-9
light
Edward Whitmore
16
5 -- 6
light
Elijah Mason
19
5-5
light
Simeon Rodiman
18
5-4
dark
Isaac Merriam
18
5 -- 2
light
Jacob Rodiman
20
-
On another roll crediting this service to Ashburnham, is the name of Nathaniel Breed, but there is no other evidence that he was from this town. The service of these men and others in the continental army at this time covers an im- portant chapter of Revolutionary history. They were with the Northern army at the time of the treason of Arnold and the execution of Andre. In an application for a pension, David Chaffin alleges he was one of the guards and was within ten feet of Andre when he was executed. Isaac Merriam says he was in New Jersey when Andre was hanged and when Arnold attempted to deliver up West Point, and afterwards marched back to West Point and was there discharged at the expiration of six months. Edward Whit- more was in a detached service for a time but joined his regiment a short time before he was discharged. He says he recollects Arnold's treason and saw Major Andre executed. In July there was another requisition for men to serve three months. Jonathan Samson, Jr., Andrew Winter, Jr., and Reuben Rice, who removed to Ashburn- ham this year, entered the service and also served at West Point.
107
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
In the summer of this year, the men who enlisted for three years came home at different times in the order of their discharge from the companies in which they had served. On the arrival of each little band, the pastor read their names the following Sabbath and offered the prayer of grateful thanks to Almighty God for their preservation from the dangers of war and their safe return to the avocations of peace. John White was probably discharged on account of disability the previous year. He continued his residence here and became an inhabitant of Gardner when that town was incorporated.
The selectmen for 1780 were Samuel Wilder, Isaac Merriam and Francis Lane. For a committee of corres- pondenee, Captain Deliverance Davis, Stephen Randall and Jonathan Samson were selected and the town also made choice of Captain Deliverance Davis, Levi Whitney and Amos Lawrence to hire the soldiers for the ensuing year. The vote of this town upon the adoption of a State Con- stitution was an emphatic expression of approval and is mentioned in another chapter. In September, the civilian and the soldier, reaping the early fruits of the war, cast the first vote of Ashburnham for State officers chosen by the people, and at the same time Samuel Wilder was chosen as the last representative under the temporary form of govern- ment.
The winter of 1779-80 was one of unusual severity. The men in Ashburnham brought wood for their daily fire upon their backs, and the brooks and springs being congealed by frost, a scarcity of water aggravated the discomforts of an inelement winter. The extreme cold and deep snow of that season were the theme of frequent remark as long as that generation endured.
168
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
1781. The selectmen for this year were Jacob Harris, Hezekiah Corey and Enos Jones. For a committee of cor- respondence, the town selected Samnel Cutting, Timothy Fisher and Henry Winchester. At the same meeting in which these officers were selected, while struggling with the burdens of the Revolution and at an hour when their burdens were most onerous, the inhabitants of the town were pre- pared to direct their attention to other questions and to give a serious thought to a proper observance of the Sabbath. There was an article in the warrant for this meeting, "to see if the town will pass any vote to prevent travelling on the Sabbath." The succeeding article was the one of set form which appeared in the annual warrant for many years : "to see if the town will let swine run at large the ensuing year." As would rationally be expected of our devoted worthies, they voted to put every legal restraint upon men and proffered the freedom of the town to the swine.
If a smaller number of men was required for the army this year, they were procured with increased effort and under great financial embarrassment. While the three years' men were being raised, there was an intermediate call for men to recruit the army while the enlistments for a longer time were slowly progressing. These men were more easily proenred. In June Corporal Phinehas Hemenway, Jona- than Merriam and William Ward enlisted. They were assigned to Captain Sibley's company in Colonel Drury's regiment and were discharged the last of November. This was the seventh enlistment of William Ward. With the close of the preceding year came a call for more men to serve three years in the continental army. The town, embarrassed by the depreciated currency which had nearly become worthless, and by their inability to offer anything more substantial than a promise, passed the following vote
169
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
as an encouragement to any who might be prevailed upon to enlist : "Voted that each man that will engage to serve in the army for three years shall have eighteen head of three · years old cattle given him when his time is out, and if he be discharged in two years then said cattle are to be but two years old or if he serve but one year they are to be but one year old, all to be of middling size." In other words, the soldier was to receive a bounty of eighteen calves and the town was to keep them of middling size as long as the soldier remained in the service. The vote is an apt illustra- tion of the straits to which our worthy fathers were driven in the solution of the financial problems which attended their daily lives and official labors. The cattle bounty was not favorably received. The proposition savored of veal. The town could not retract its step and again offer a bounty in currency, for that in the mean time had utterly failed. There could be no failure in the end. The originators of the calf project are again found equal to the emergency. They called to their aid in alluring their fellow-townsmen to enlist, the click and gleam of silver and gold. They offered each man who would enlist for three years, ninety pounds lawful money as it was rated in 1774. There was substance in this proposal. True, the tender was not necessarily in specic, but it was of a known and absolute value and equiva- lent to three hundred dollars. This vote was adopted in February and two months later five men were mustered into the service for the term of three years. All of them were described as of light complexion.
David Clark 24 yrs of age 19 ... 5 " 10 "
5 feet 9 inches in stature Jonas Benjamin John Coolidge 17 ... 5 4 3 James Ledget ɔ̄ 7 "
27 .....
John Mar-(blurred) 29
5 " 5 "
170
HISTORY OF ASHBURNHAM.
In August following the committee was instructed "to hire the two three years men that were still wanted on the best terms they can." Near the close of the year the men were procured.
Peter Rodiman, age 16, height 4 feet 11 inches, enlisted December 9. A boy of that age and stature enlisting for three years might be expected to look pale, but the muster rolls assert that at the time of engagement, he was of dark complexion. The other man was our old acquaintance, Benjamin Clark, who has added two inches to his stature since his former entrance into the service. One week after the enlistment of Rodiman, the other name was added to the muster rolls. Benjamin Clark, age 20 years, height 5 feet 6 inches, complexion light, and occupation, farmer. This was the last enlistment from Ashburnham. At the close of the war, young Clark returned to this town and in 1787 re- moved to Reading, Vermont. The three years' men were called for in resolve of the General Court adopted December 2, 1780. The call was for four thousand two hundred and forty men and the quota of this town was seven. It has appeared that more than a year elapsed before the town was able to secure all the men. Eventually the General Court took note of the delinquency and imposed a fine amounting to four hundred and twenty-eight pounds and five shillings. In the mean time the town had fulfilled the demand and petitioned the Legislature to remit the fine, which request was granted :
TO THE HONOURABLE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT ASSEMBLED :
The Petition of William Whitcomb in behalf of The Town of Ashburnham Humbly sheweth that the said Town of Ashburnham is Fined in the Last State tax for a Deficiency of two three years
171
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
men which were absolutely Raised & marched agreable to the Resolve of the 2nd of Decr A. D. 1780 & subsequent resolves as will appear by the Receipt of the Superintendent ; your Petitioner therefore Prays That your Honours would take the matter into your wise Consideration & Grant an abatement of the fines. As in Duty bound shall ever Pray
WILLIAM WHITCOMB.
In support of their petition the town produced the receipts for the required number of men, signed by Colonel Seth Washburn of Leicester, superintendent of enlistments.
LEICESTER June ye 26 1781.
Received of the town of Ashburnham five men who have enlisted and past muster &c., &c.
SETH WASHBURN Superintendent.
These were David Clark and the four others named in a former paragraph.
LEICESTER March ye 27 1782.
This day received from Ashburnham Benjamin Clark a solger for the term of three years.
S. WASHBURN Supt.
LEICESTER June 11 1782.
This day received from the town of Ashburnham one man to serve three years.
S. WASHBURN Supt.
The last receipt probably refers to Peter Rodiman and it will be observed that all the receipts are dated some time subsequent to the entry of enlistment on the military rolls. . It is possible that these receipts were of set form and were issued by Colonel Washburn, whenever the town had need of them, as vouchers in answer to the demands of the General Court.
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