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 14
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IV. He also entered the service in July or August, 1777, was - called out. A detachment of Burgoyne's army had made an in- cursion into Vermont and a call was made on Ashburnham for volunteers to go to oppose this force. Says he marched with about twenty others. They went as far as Charlemont, Massa- chusetts, where they were ordered to wait further orders and while there the company was dismissed. They volunteered for one month but were out only about three weeks.
V. Again enlisted in April, 1778, for three months in a militia company commanded by Captain White of Lancaster, Massa- chusetts, and was stationed on Castle island in Boston harbor.
VI. Again enlisted in July, 1780, for three months, and marched to West Point, New York, and on his arrival there was put in a company commanded by Captain Reed. The lieutenant was Brigham of Northborough, Massachusetts. Arnold had com- mand there during this time and his plot to surrender to the enemy was discovered during this time.
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William Ward, of Ashburnham, says "that he served with the elaimant during the last enlistment."
John Hall, of Ashburnham, says that "he served with the claimant during the fifth service."
EZEKIEL SHATTUCK METCALF, a son of Joseph Metcalf, was born in Groton October 13, 1759. The family removed to Ashburnham, 1770. He died May 31, 1831. In support of the widow's application for a pension, the following state- ments were made at Ashburnham, August 26, 1839 :
Eunice (Brooks) Metcalf, widow of Ezekiel Shattuck Metcalf, alleged that her husband served as an orderly sergeant and private in the war of the Revolution. She thinks that he served thirteen or fourteen months in all ; and that one term was in Rhode Island and one at Roxbury, and that one of said services was rendered under Captain Gates and the other under Captain Jackson of Gardner. That later he rendered a service at Bennington at the time of the battle there in Captain Edgell's company, and says she was in the field with her father and while there Metcalf came to the field, being on the way to the north part of Ashburnham, to warn some of the soldiers to go to Bennington. Says she was an inhabitant of Groton at the time when Metcalf rendered his first services, but that he resided at Ashburnham from early childhood to his death.
Margaret (Metcalf) Townsend, widow of the elder Reuben Townsend, September 10, 1839, says she was a sister of Ezekiel Shattuck Metcalf, and that he being only sixteen years old served six weeks at Roxbury. Only four went from Ashburnham and her brother and her father were two of them. She remembers of preparing clothing for her brother and that he again entered the army for six months and served in Rhode Island. He left home then in the spring and while gone his tent was burned and he lost a part of his clothing and sent home for a new supply which we prepared and sent by my brother Samuel. He was an orderly sergeant in this service. She says her father and brother left for
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Roxbury on the six weeks' tour in the month of November or December, and that her father was a sergeant in the company at home, but not at Roxbury.
Charles Hastings. of Ashburnham, March 10, 1840, alleges that he enlisted from Princeton, that he served six weeks in Rhode Island with Metcalf and was in another company of the same regi- ment, and that after the war he purchased a farm near Metcalf and they often talked over their service. He had heard Metcalf say he was an orderly sergeant in that service.
On file with these affidavits, there is an original order which was put in as evidence in the case. .
ASHBURNHAM Jan'y 15 1782. To MR. CAPT. BENJAMIN EDGEAL,
Sir please to pay to the Barer the State pay for the sarvis I did in your company in the year 1778 and this Resept shall be your distorg for the same.
EZEKIEL METCALF.
SAMUEL METCALF, a brother of Ezekiel, was born March 15, 1761, and died December 25, 1822. The widow alleges "that he served in Captain Gates' company of Asa Whit- comb's regiment at the alarm April 19, 1775." If so, he was only fourteen years of age and his name does not appear on the rolls of the company. She was his second wife and was born in 1776, and possibly could be in error in regard to the events of the war. In the case are filed minutes from muster rolls which prove service of Samuel Metcalf in Captain Joseph Sargeant's company in Rhode Island, 1777; in Captain Cowdin's company to reenforce the continental army in 1779 ; and his name appears on list of six months' recruits in 1780. In this case there was also filed an original order, as follows :
ASHBURNHAM July 3 1784.
Sir: Please to pay to Sewill Moore the whole of my conti- nental wages that is dne me for three months service done in the
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year 1779 and this shall be your sufficient discharge for the same as will appear by the Captain's books.
SAMUEL METCALF.
Attest : REBECCA METCALF
SARAH WINCHESTER.
It was represented in the preceding chapter that David Clark and his sons, David and Benjamin, were in the service much of the time during the war. The family removed from Concord to Ashburnham previous to 1765.
DAVID CLARK, JR., under date of April 14, 1818, testifies to one term of service. It is known that he was in the army at other times. He alleges that he served in the continental establishment from March, 1781, to December 24, 1783 ; first, in the company of Captain Kilby Smith in the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment, and then in the same company in the Second Massachusetts Regiment after the reduction of the Sixth, under Major Burnham, commandant. Clark's original discharge, signed by General Henry Knox, is on file, with his application for pension. In July, 1820, Clark made an additional statement in which he asserts, "he is a farmer in Ashburnham, has a wife Sarah, aged fifty-three years, whose health is good; a daughter Grata, aged seventeen years, who is feeble; a daughter Sally, sixteen years, who is in good health, and a son George Washington. aged eight years. These," he says, "are all the children who reside with me."
DAVID CHAFFIN, a son of Timothy Chaffin, was fourteen years of age in 1775 when the family removed from Harvard. Increasing in years and probably in stature, he became a soldier in 1777. He says :
I. He was drafted in August, 1777, at Ashburnham for three months [his father was drafted and he went as a substitute], and marched to Bennington, thence to Stillwater and there joined the
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main army and remained there until Burgoyne surrendered ; then went to Half Moon, thence to Albany, and was there taken sick and was discharged by Major Rand and arrived home at Ashburn- ham, November 1.
II. In June, 1778, was drafted at Ashburnham for six months ; marched to Providence, and from there into the Island, thence to Tiverton where he was discharged by Captain Edgell and arrived home January 4 or 5, 1779.
IIJ. In September, 1779, at Ashburnham, enlisted for three months, as a fatigue-man, under Captain Henry, marched to Boston, thence to Castle island and Governor's island, where he served out the time.
IV. In 1780, enlisted at Ashburnham for six months ; marched under Captain King to Springfield and there joined the regiment commanded by Colonel Bradford and went to West Point and was one of the guard and within ten feet of Major Andre when he was executed. Remained there until discharged and reached home the last of December, 1780.
Daniel Bond, then of Claremont, New Hampshire, in July, 1833, testifies that "he served with Chaffin at Boston in 1779 and also says that at one time Chaffin went for his father who had been drafted."
Chaffin removed to Claremont, New Hampshire, soon after the Revolution and was residing there when his application for pension was made.
EBENEZER BENNETT DAVIS, SON of Captain Deliverance Davis, was born in Littleton February 4, 1761. In his infancy the family removed to this town. His statement is brief but it includes three years of time and the service modestly stated was severe in the extreme. April 14, 1818, he alleges that "he enlisted in the continental establishment May 26, 1777, and served until May 26, 1780, in the company of Captain Haffield White in the Fifth Massachu-
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setts Regiment, commanded by Colonel Rufus Putnam in General Nixon's brigade."
His original discharge is on file with his application.
This certifies that Bennett Davis has served three years in the fifth Massachusetts Regiment Being the full term of his Inlist- ment. Has conducted Himself as a good and faithful soldier and is hereby Discharged the Service.
Given under My hand at Quarters Soldiers fortune this 26 day of May 1780.
HAFFIELD WHITE
Capt. Com"
Hle states in explanation that he was discharged in the Highlands in the State of New York and that he enlisted under the name of Bennett Davis, but that his full name is Ebenezer Bennett Davis.
ISAAC MERRIAM came to Ashburnham previous to 1774 and remained a resident of this town until after the Revolu- tion. In 1833, then a resident of Northumberland, New Hampshire, alleges that he enlisted at Ashburnham and served three months at Boston harbor, does not remember the date.
II. Again in 1779 enlisted at Ashburnham for six months in Captain Fiske's company in Rhode Island, and thinks the service commenced in the spring. When he had served three months, his brother David came and took his place as his substitute.
III. Again enlisted at Ashburnham, he thinks in 1780, for six months ; did not remember whether he was then in the Continental or State Service. He marched to Springfield and then to West Point where he remained about a month and then marched into the Jerseys and was there when Arnold attempted to deliver up West Point and when Major Andre was hanged ; was there abont a month or more and while there marched through a place called Topon or Tampacin and a place called English Neighborhood, also
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a place called Haverstraw. Afterwards he marched back to West Point and was there discharged. In this service he belonged to General Patterson's brigade and Colonel Bradford's regiment. While he was at West Point two men were sentenced to be and were shot, he does not recollect for what, and two were condemned to run the gauntlet for forging discharges from General Poor and deserting. He saw the sentence exeented.
DAVID MERRIAM, a brother of Isaac Merriam, presents in 1832 the evidence of several enlistments. He was then living in Brandon, Vermont.
J. He alleges that in 1776, then living at Ashburnham. he enlisted January 27, and marched to Dorchester and labored on the forts. The enemy killed four men while he was at Dorchester. The next day they picked up one thousand four hundred balls. It was in March, a few days before they evacuated the place. Was discharged at Dorchester.
II. In 1777, when they heard of Burgoyne's approach, he enlisted for two [one] monthis in Captain Gates' company of Colonel Bellows' regiment. We marched to Bennington but did not arrive until a day or two after the battle, then marched to Fort Edward where he joined the Rangers and joined the main army at Stillwater. He was again at Fort Edward, where he was discharged, at the time Burgoyne surrendered.
III. In 1779, he again enlisted for three months in Captain Fiske's company and marched to Providence, thence to Bristol, and when the enemy left Newport they marched in. Was sick part of the time and was discharged after three months' service. [The name of Isaac Merriam is borne on the rolls from July, 1779, to January, 1780, which includes the service of the two brothers in this campaign. ]
It also appears that the attention of the claimant was called to the fact that in the first service at Dorchester his name was not borne on the roll of Captain Manasseh Sawyer's
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company after the last day of February, and that he made a subsequent statement in which he alleges :
That he must have been in service at Dorchester in 1776, later than the last day of February and that he was there in service when the British left Boston ; he saw them when they sailed out of the harbor and saw our officers enter the other side of the town ; this was the seventeenth of March. He might have been assigned to some other company but recollected that he was certainly there then. IIe says that one week before the British left he was a party of three hundred to go at night and build a fort on Dor- chester Point, next to Boston, and that the British discovered their object and kept up a constant cannonade all night and four men were shot dead by his side.
" His attorney," he says, " put two services in 1777, for one month each together and called it one service of two months. That at the time of the battle of Bennington he was out one month and immediately after he was out one month and joined the army under General Gates, and that his captain in this service was Jonathan Gates."
In support of the statement of the claimant in regard to his first enlistment, Jonathan Samson and Ebenezer Bennett Davis, "both of Ashburnham, alleged that they served with and were messmates of David Merriam at Dorchester in 1776 in the company of Captain Manasseh Sawyer of Colonel Dyke's regiment."
JOHN WINTER, a son of Andrew Winter, a name written Windrow in the early records of the town, was born March 1, 1756, about two years before the family with other Ger- mans settled in Ashburnham. He died in this town June 19, 1811. The widow made application for pension, pro- dueing copies from muster rolls to prove that he was in the continental army three years, having served in Captain Haf- field White's company of Colonel Putnam's regiment from
13
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May 26, 1777, to December 31, 1779, and continuously in the Light Infantry until May 26, 1780. The principal witness Margaret (Metcalf) Townsend alleges in 1846, " that she well recollects when John Winter went into the army as he was a near neighbor of her father and says that he with others who were going into the service attended ser- vice the Sabbath before they left for the army and asked prayers in their behalf as was the custom of the time, and that when the said John Winter with Timothy Johnson, Ebenezer Bennett Davis and Thomas Ross returned from their three years' service, they again attended church and their names were read and thanks returned for their safe return which was customary at that time."
WILLIAM WARD was born in Waltham June 5, 1757, and came to this town when fifteen years of age with his older brother Caleb Ward. A few years later he purchased land in the northeast part of the town where he resided until his death. In the preceding chapter it appears that he com- pleted seven terms of service during the war. In his appli- cations for pension made in 1818, 1830 and 1833, he does not refer to his last enlistment and service under Captain Sibley in 1781, but his name appears on the muster roll. Mr. Ward and other soldiers in the company of Captain Gates in 1777 affimm that they were in the regiment of Colonel Benjamin Bellows, a New Hampshire regiment. It appears that this statement of Mr. Ward was questioned and he explains, at length, the circumstances of the ease. This company from Ashburnham is not found in the rolls of Colonel Bellows' regiment. It is probable that Captain Gates' company, being suddenly called into the field, was not included in any regimental organization but was more closely allied to Colonel Bellows' regiment than to any other.
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I. Mr. Ward alleges that he enlisted May, 1776, for two months and served in a militia company commanded by Captain Sergeant of Princeton ; marched to Providence, thence to Boston Neck, thence back to Providence where he was discharged ; that while at Providence he labored on a fort at Beacon Hill.
II. That in July, he thinks, 1777, he volunteered to oppose a detachment of the British army that was defeated at Bennington and at this time marched from Ashburnham to Charlemont, Massachusetts, where he remained about one month. He cannot recollect his officers for this tour of duty. [This service was under Captain Jonathan Gates. ]
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III. That in September, he thinks, 1777, he again enlisted at Ashburnham for one month and served in a company of militia commanded by Captain Gates of Ashburnham in the regiment of Colonel Bellows of Walpole, New Hampshire ; marched through Charlemont, Williamstown, Massachusetts, and Bennington, Vermont, to Fort Edward, New York, where he remained until his discharge, and where he was at the time of Burgoyne's surrender.
IV. That in the spring of 1778, April, he thinks, he enlisted for one month and served at Prospect Hill, near Boston, that he was engaged during this term in guarding prisoners, a part of Burgoyne's army, who were kept in the barracks at Prospect Hill. He did not remember his officers at this time.
V. That he enlisted about the first of June, 1778, for a service of nine months in Captain William Warner's company of Colonel Marshall's regiment of General Patterson's brigade of Massachu- setts line and was discharged March 7, 1779.
VI. That in the month of September, 1779, he thinks, he again entered the service for three months under the following circumstances : Francis Lane and Oliver Willard, two of the principal inhabitants of Ashburnham, requested him to enlist and as an inducement engaged to clear four acres of new land for him. He thinks that they were authorized by the town to offer such in- ducements. He served the three months at West Point in a com- pany commanded by Captain Burt of Harvard and Lieutenant
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Annanias Rand. Lieutenant Rand was cashiered, he thinks, for larceny. They marched from Ashburnham through Springfield and Hartford to West Point, New York.
In the last statement explaining how he remembers about his service of thirty days at the time of the capture of Burgoyne in 1777 and how he remembers the name of Colonel Bellows of Walpole, New Hampshire, "I have good reason for remembering the name" which is as follows :
"On the night previous to the surrender of Burgoyne, I was on guard with a young man, about my own age, in the woods nearly half a mile from Fort Edward, at a quarter where it was feared the Indians might make an attack. In the course of the night I swapt guns with said young man. The next morning he came to see me wishing to ' swap back,' which I declined and he left me ; but fearing I might lose a good bargain I immediately exchanged the gun with one Gates, a brother of my captain. It was not long before this young man eame with an officer who desired me to return the gun, and not being pleased with the replies I made, he left, and in a few minutes returned with a file of men and ordered me to the guard-house. This I remember was early in the after- noon and the news of Burgoyne's surrender was received while I was thus confined. Our company was immediately dismissed and I was relieved from confinement by order of Major Bridge. The officer who came with the young man aforesaid, was Colonel Bel- lows, and he it was who ordered me to the guard-house. When we arrived at Fort Edward, Captain Gates told us we were to serve under New Hampshire officers and that the Colonel's name was Bellows. We were quartered in brush huts a short distance from Fort Edward, and were allowed to follow our inclinations with a few salutary restraints. I cannot remember that we were ever paraded or exercised with Colonel Bellows' regiment."
Charles Hastings of Ashburnham, 1832, corroborates the statement of Ward in regard to the service in Captain Sar-
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gent's company in 1776 and says that he (Hastings) served in the same company.
Jonathan Samson of Ashburnham, 1832, corroborates as to the last service of William Ward and says that he served at the same time and adds that about twenty men then volunteered from Ashburnham and served without pay or rations, volunteered for one month but served only about three weeks.
Nicholas Whiteman of Ashburnham, 1832, corroborates the statement as to service at Fort Edward in 1777 under Captain Jonathan Gates, and says he (Whiteman) was in the same service, and also corroborates Ward's last state- ment and adds that he thinks about thirty volunteered from Ashburnham ; also says that they were paraded before Colonel Bellows and Major Bridge who furnished them with refreshments, said to have been taken from Burgoyne's boats as they were attempting to pass down the river.
EDWARD WHITMORE, youngest son of Joseph Whitmore, was born in Leominster, August 12, 1763.
Soon after the removal of the family to this town he entered the army at the age of sixteen years. In the following statement he has given an intelligent account of his service.
He says that in September or October, 1779, he enlisted at Ashburnham for three months with William Kendall, David Chaffin and Abraham Samson [it was probably Nathaniel Kendall and David Samson ], being the number called for from Ashburn- ham. He marched directly to Boston with written instructions from his captain or from the selcetmen (he could not say which), to go to the State House in Boston ; when they arrived there they were ordered to Castle island ; there remained a short time, then went to Governor's island in the harbor of Boston, there employed in repairing the fort on Castle William and clearing the trenches
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at Governor's island under the command of Captain Wilson. The engineer's name who had charge of the works was Burbanks. He next enlisted for six months with six others, David Chaffin, Samuel Metcalf, Isaac Merriam, Jacob Rodiman, Simon Rodiman and Elijah Mason, in the month of June, 1780, marched from Ashburn- ham to Leicester ; there mustered, from thence to Springfield ; again mustered and put under command of one Captain Parker ; from thence to West Point ; there stationed a few days and then divided and sent to the several companies in which they were to serve. He was put into Captain King's company, Colonel Bradford and Lieutenant-Colonel Bassett, Fourteenth Massachusetts Regiment, Major Smith, General Patterson's brigade. Soon after he was placed under Captain King, the troops were called for to march to White Plains, cross from White Plains to Robinson's Farm ; there received counter-orders, and from thence to Verplank's Point, there one or two days, and from there across King's Ferry to Orangetown, he thinks; from there to Totoway, Tunic Plains, Peramus and other places, and in the month of October or November marched to a place called New Windsor, above West Point ; there employed in taking care of what was called the Park, military stores and arms ; there about one month and then joined his regiment at the Highlands ; remained there about one week and then received his discharge. He well recollects Arnold's leaving West Point. Saw Major Andre executed, which he thinks took place at Paramus.
Isaac Whitmore of Ashburnham, a brother of Edward Whitmore, says that Edward left their father's family in June, 1780, to join the continental army, and that about the first of January, 1781, "I went from home for the purpose. of assisting my brother on his return to my father's and met him at Simsbury, Connecticut, as near as I can recollect."
REUBEN RICE was born in Lancaster, now Boylston, August 10, 1757. He served one term in the army after his removal to this town in 1780.
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I. He alleges he was drafted at Lancaster in November or December, 1776, for three months and served in the company of Captain Eager of Sterling. They proceeded to Bound Brook, New Jersey, by way of Worcester, Danbury and Morristown. crossing the river at King's Ferry. That their duty was to protect the person and property of the inhabitants from plunder and insult by detachments from the British army which lay near by. They also had about a dozen prisoners of war under guard.
II. In September, 1777, again enlisted in the militia company of Captain Boynton of Winchendon, where he then resided, for the term of one month. They marched to Saratoga by way of Northfield and Bennington, then went up the river to Fort Edward, then down the river a few miles. This last move was near the time of Burgoyne's surrender. He saw the arms of the enemy stacked on the field after they had marched off and saw a party of Canadians start for Canada after the surrender.
III. In July, 1780, again enlisted in a militia company of Captain Boutelle of Leominster, of Colonel Rand's regiment. Marched to West Point where he remained during this term of three months' service. During this service, Arnold attempted to betray the American army.
Eliakim Rice of Hartland, Vermont, a brother of Reuben Rice. testifies that " both were in the service at about the same time but not in the same company."
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