USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume I pt 1 > Part 28
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Passively, and by necessity, submitting to the establishment of res cruiting stations in her towns she attempted to neutralize their effects. discouraging enlistments by the solemn declarations of het governor and resolutions of her Legislature that the conflict they were asked to engage in was unnecessary. unjust. and wicked. Her governor. Caleb Stront. in a communication to the Legislature not only denonneed the war, after the manner of the Federalists in those times, but put forth an elaborate argument in justification of the aets of Great Britain in the impressmient of seamen from American vessels. By petty acts of legislation every thing possible was done to embarrass the federal officers within the limits of the State. Finally, in 1814. while a doubtful war was waging with a powerful enemy, she called a convention of other disaffected States, at Hartford, to change the constitution of the United States, which " had failed," she said. through her legislation. " under the administration of those now in power to secure to Massachusetts, and to New England generally, those equal rights and benefits, and which cannot be relin- qnished without ruin."
The establishment in Berkshire county at about the commencement of the war of a " Washington Benevolent Society." a secret federalist organization, tended to greatly strengthen the opponents of the war hep. Although the members of this society, which numbered more than two thousand in this county, were not guilty of overt acts of treason, there was no doubt entertained at the time, indeed. it was not denied, that they. in common with the federalists generally, sought to discourage enliste ments, an act which trod closely on the confines of open treason, and from which there was but a step to the inducing and adding of desertions from the army, and but one more to assisting and harbaring escaped prisoners of war, and even to aiding in their escape. Such was the high
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social and intellectual standing of the members of this society that its influence was potent, but not sufficient to overbear the national senti- ment that was in the ascendant here. The existence. however, of a secret organization of opponents of the war in the immediate vicinity of a mili- tary post and prison rendered the strictest watchfulness on the part of its officers not only excusable but imperative. Whether justifiable or not the jealousies, hatreds, and assaults of the democrats were, in a great measure, concentrated on this society. They denounced its political aims and action as treasonable, and its secrecy as intended for the most per nicious uses. They declared its benevolence to be a hypocritical pre- tense, and scouted its fraternal kindness.
An organization called the "Sons of Liberty" was established to antagonize the operations of the Washington Benevolent Society, but it never attained the efficiency of the latter which, in 1814. succeeded in electing, by a small majority, a federal member of Congress. The candi date, Mr. John W. Hulbert, was personally popular, and his popularity, with the perfect organization of the society, was sufficient to overcome the democratic majority in the county.
The early establishment of the cantonment at Pittsfield, and the local events connected with it. are spoken of in the history of that town. During the first ten days after the establishment of this rendezvous thirty men were enlisted, and Lieutenant JJared Ingersoll was stationed at Sheffield, Lieutenant David Perry at Adams, and Ensign William Browning at Pittsfield, all recruiting for the Ninth regiment : Lieutenant Ralph B. Cuyler recruiting for the Sixth regiment.
It could not be expected that in a war like that of 1812 the soldiery of Berkshire would perform such conspienous service as distinguished them in the Revolution ; nevertheless, their record was honorable. The two regiments of infantry, the 9th and 21st, in which the county was largely represented, became noted in the army of the northern frontier for their gallantry, their efficiency, and their losses. There are no mens for following them through their several campaigns, but whenever they are alluded to it is in the most honorable terms. The 9th acquired its sanguinary soubriquet previous to the campaign of 1814, being so styled by Captain Ingersoll in his call for recruits in the spring of that year; " None but gentlemen and gentlemen's sons need apply for admission to the ranks of the bloody 9th." From the context in his call it may be inferred that the standard of gentility was " honesty and sobriety,"
Both regiments did excellent service, whenever they had opportunity. throughout the war ; but they won their brightest laurels in the seriesof sanguinary conflicts and glorious victories at Chippewa. Lunds's Late. Niagara Falls, and Fort Erie; in some of all of which Captain Hants dragoons also performed brilliant exploits and contributed most essential aid in critical emergencies. In all these battles the 9th and 21st were with the foremost in sacrifice and achievement. The brand Uch. 1th, and 25th-the remnants of Winfield Scott's veteran brigade, which had sut-
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fered terribly in the previous battles - says Lossing, were hurried into the battle of Niagara without warning or .preparation. All day they fought valiantly, and at ten o'clock at night the shattered remnants of the lui. gade, commanded by such officers of the 9th as remmined, rallied round the tattered colors of the 11th and kept the field. It was at this battle that the 21st performed an exploit which ranks in history with the change of the Six Hundred at Balkalava, though it has not yet found it's just. "The action," says Salma Hale, in his brief story of the war, Nous a succession of engagements : in one of which the Americas were speels annoyed. into whatever part of the field they might drive the onemy. or be driven, by the British artillery, stationed on a commanding ci inence near Lundy's Lane. . Can you storm that battery ?' sad General Ripley to Colonel Miller. 'PH try, sir,' was the laconic answer. Giving the word of command to his men they with steady courage ascended the hill, advanced to the muzzle of the cannon, killed with their muskets soy- eral artillerymen on the point of firing their pieces, and drove the remain. der before them. Both parties were instantly reinforced, and the enemy made a daring effort to regain their cannon. They were repulsed, laut quickly repeated the attempt. Nearly all the opposing forces gathered around this position, and to possess it was the sole object of both armies. Again the enemy were repulsed, but again they renewed the effort. After a violent conflict they were a third time driven from the hill. The firing then ceased. the British troops were withdrawn, and the Americans were left in quiet possession of the field."
Dr. Elisha Lee Allen, of Pittsfield, was assistant surgeon of the 21st. and in a letter to his brother, Captain Jonathan Allen, giving a glowing account of the battle, he says that one officer of that regiment was killed and six wounded, and that in the 9th all but two officers were either killed or wounded.
In the defense of Fort Erie what was left of both regiments was again desperately engaged, and suffered severely. The same occurred in the famous sortie from that fort two days later.
General Ripley, when taking leave of the 21st, enumerated as the engagements in which that regiment had taken part under him in the early part of the war, York, Chryster's Farm, Fort George, and Sacket's Harbor, and in most if not all of these the 9th also took part.
The want of records in the State archives at Boston prevents as full a history of the doings of troops that enlisted from Berkshire county as might otherwise be given, and the entire absence of rolls there render it impracticable to give the names of the Berkshire volunteers. Of them it may be said that they evinced their patriotism by enlisting in the service of their country without the inducement of large bounties, and in the face of the discouragements by which the opponents of the war sotight to prevent them from so doing.
In the summer of 1814 the dangers that began to thicken around the country produced results which, although they seemed natmal enough
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in the present comprehension of American character, were surprising to those who had observed it only in its imperfect development during the formation years of the republic. Locally among the most interesting of these results was the proof furnished that Berkshire federalists were thoroughly loyal to their country, however they may have thought themselves justified in discouraging its government in the prosecution of a war which they deemed unnecessary and wicked.
Their evidently sincere joy over the early victories of the American navy might perhaps be quoted to the same efect ; but the federalists to- garded the navy as their own creation, built up by the administration of John Adams, against the most violent opposition of the democrats. In its triumphs they read as much of their own glory as that of their coun- try. In 1811 they sacrificed the pride of party to their love of country. The impending of a great and common danger left, indeed, no excuse for any party which should withhold its aid from the common defense, hit the heartiness and enthusiasm with which the federalists of Berksking united for that purpose with their fellow citizens of other opinions showed that they sought none. And this union, although in its terms its immediate object was only State defense, extended a promise of future aid for all parts of the Union. Had the war lasted but another campaign. under similar pressure, the federalists would probably have been found shoulder to shoulder with the democrats in its prosecution.
What would have been won by such a union, had it been general throughout the country, cannot now be determined. The British prov. inces might have been annexed. British capital might have lost the power to ruin the young American manufactured by competition, the verdict of Waterloo might have been reversed and Napoleon restored to the leader ship of Europe ; possibly, as the federalists had once feared, then to ex- tend his empire across the seas.
But the possibilities which, at midsummer in 1814, confronted the people of Massachusetts and the whole country, were very different from this. Dangers encompassed them. Ever after the preceding year Bofish armed vessels of every classe the cumbrous but terror striking severe four, the dashing frigate, the midge-like tender and cutter, the ubiqui- tous privateer -- swarmed along the whole coast keeping up an annoying blockade, to the serious although not total interruption of both foreign and coastwise commerce. These vessels, however, committed few depre- dations on land until the spring of 1811. when they destroye I some villages on the coast of Connecticut, and laid others, as well as detached form houses, under heavy contributions. In June the enemy lagda to mypage the coast of Massachusetts, inflicting damage chiefly on vessels lying in harbor or on stocks.
The coast of Maine received similar visitations, and the territory cast of the Penobscot was seized with the avowed purpose of retaining per. manent possession. All these proceedings, of course, raised the utmost resentment in the breast of every American citizen, and were especially
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adapted to destroy whatever attachment there might have been to Great Britain.
Almost simultaneously with the arrival of fresh ships of the enemy and his first attacks on the coast of Massachusetts, came the news of the abdication of Napoleon : leaving England not only released from the fear of her great enemy, but at the head of the nations of Europe. She was now free to end the contest in America by a sharp and vigorous cam. paign, and closely following this intelligence came the information that the enemy was collecting, at Bermuda, a very formidable armament of men and ships, which rumor, after exaggerating its numbers, destined by turns for New York. the Chesapeake. Washington, and other places, not excepting Boston.
The most serious and agitating alarm pervaded the whole Atlantic coast, and every seaboard State hastened to give vigorous aid in the prop- aration for its own defense, and Massachusetts was no exception. It was felt to be no time to raise any except the most essential points as to the limits of national and State authority over her militia. Both parties, for a time, seemed willing to waive, until the danger was past, all differences which stood in the way of harmonious and efficient action. It was but little that the general government asked the commonwealth to yield, and that little for the purpose of better defending her own State capital.
Brigadier General Cushing, temporarily in command of the military department which included Massachusetts, informed Governor Strong that the regular troops at his disposal for both the forts in Boston harbor were barely sufficient to garrison one ; and he proposed that the militia of the State, to be called out in compliance with an expected request of the president, should occupy the other. To secure the governor's assent to this plan, he agreed that the whole detachment asked for the defense of Boston and other exposed points on the coast amounting to eleven hundred men-should be subject to no officer of the general government except the commander-superintendent the governor insisted on calling bim-of the district, retaining only so much authority over the militia as would insure harmony of action between them and the regular troops.
On the 18th of July a general order was issued by the adjutant gen- eral of the State making a detail of troops from the State militia. This detail included no company from Berkshire county.
. On the 6th of September an order was made calling out ten thousand militia. They were rejoiced to receive the long desired order to join in the defense of their country at the time when her danger appeared most imminent. Of these troops an entire regiment, with two independent companies, went from Berkshire county. Major General Whiton, of New Marlboro, was one of the higher officers in command of the Western Massachusetts troops, and Colonel H. W. Dwight, of Stockbridge, and Colonel Sloane, of Lanesboro, were his aids. The independent compa- nies, or flank companies, as they were called, were the Berkshire Blues
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from Pittsfield, and Captain Hunt's company of light infantry from Stockbridge.
The full regiment of seven hundred men commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Solomon H. Chamberlain, of Dalton, marched from Lenox for Boston September 15th. Rev. Billy Hibbard was chaplain of this regi- ment, and from his autobiography some paragraphs are here quoted. which give the only account there is of the Pittsfield militia's ". compaign at Boston."
" Our men were in high spirits. I had been ordered to join the regimeit on the third day's march. * * The day I started I heard of the defeat of the British at Platsburg and Baltimore. So, when I overtook the regiment in Ware and informed them of the news, they gave six cheers which rent the air.
" When we arrived at Boston we were ordered to encamp at Cambridgeport This was a wet, sunken place calculated to give our men remittent fevers. However, our good surgeon, Dr. (Asa) Burbank, succeeded in curing all that were attacked Our regiment was called out every morning to attend prayers, and we had some solemn seasons. I generally prayed six or eight minutes, and would sometimes exhort thein about ten minutes.
"Some of them expressed an opinion that it was needless to have chaplains in an army, but from what I have witnessed I think if ministers can do good anywhere they can in the army, if they are men fearing God themselves. * * Not long after I returned home I had the satisfaction of hearing of forty-three who were in our regiment who had experienced religion and joined our society.
" I was requested to inform those members of the assembly, then sitting in Hos- ton, who came from that part of Maine in which the British troops lay that our regiment was awaiting orders to march down and drive them off, And they peut- tioned Governor Strong for a suitable force of volunteers for that purpose, But our pious governor loved our enemies so well that he would not have them hurt or dis- turbed. So he advised neutrality and preached peace with all but republicanism ; I did not hear of his preaching peace with that."
The militia remained in Boston three months, no doubt learning something of the art of war, and seeing as much of metropolitan life as was good for them. If they did not see any active service it was clearly from no lack of inclination. If they had met the enemy in battle there is every reason to believe that they would have maintained the reputation which Berkshire soldiers have kept unsullied in all the wars in which they have taken part.
In February. 1815, intelligence was received that the protocol for a treaty of peace had been agreed on by the commissioners at Ghent. rati- fied by the prince regent at London, and forwarded to Washington for ratification. This news was received with extravagant demonstrations of the joy which all felt at the return of peace.
Although the cessation of hostilities relieved the people of Berkshire county, as it did those of the whole country, of many of their burdens and anxieties, and although the joyous greeting with which they met it was not without wise reasons. get the cusation of hostilities was farfrom favorable to their immediate material interests. The partial stoppage of
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the national expenditure diminished both the mercantile and manufe- turing business here, and the abundance and cheapness of the British fabrics with which the whole country was flooded threatened to complete their ruin.
The people here soon began to feel this bitterly, and it was the opin- ion of the veteran Britain haters- and, like most of their opinions, not altogether unsupported by at least presumptive proof-that the English manufacturers, unable to protect their monopoly either by preventing the extension of their improvements in machinery, or to cinch their rivals by force of arms, had determined to effect their destruction by a five use of their unlimited capital, even a wasteful temporary use of which could be wisely made if it succeeded in driving American rivals from theirown markets.
CHAPTER XIII.
BERKSHIRE IN THE WAR OF 1861-5.
T IT IS NOT necessary to discuss here the causes which led to the great
rebellion, or the part which the State of Massachusetts and the county of Berkshire had in shaping the events that led to the struggle which tested so severely the cohesive strength of this great nation. All that can be given here is a brief sketch of the part which Berkshire county sustained in that great contest which resulted so gloriously for the American nation, which demonstrated the possible permaneney of republican institutions, and struck out of existence here one of the felles of ancient barbarism.
When the war cloud burst on the country Massachusetts was not wholly unprepared for the emergency. Many years previous to 1800 the spirit of reform in this State had swept away the old militia system, with its annual musters, its gorgeous generals and colonels, its spirited and trim volunteer companies, its Falstaffian "flood wood" and its mamy vexations and abuses. In the new law provision was made for a few well trained volunteer corps in the cities and large towns : and these proved to be what the theory of the law contemplated, the nurseries of military spirit and skill. These organizations were the first to spring to armis at the call of their country, and not only did they meet the sudden emer. gency that arose, but in many cases they were the nucleus around which more permanent organizations were framed. Aside from the members of these military bodies the people of the country generally rallied around the standard of their country in its hour of peril, and as call after call for men was made the towns in the county promptly responded and filled their quotas ; and the citizens of Berkshire point with a laudable pride to the records, which show that ou every call for men each town in the confty furnished the full number required of it, and that at the termination of the war it was found that two of these towns had furnished the exact number required, while each of the remaining twenty nine had a suridis to its credit. The amount of these supluses was three hundred and eighty-eight men. The total number of men furnished for the war by the towns in the county was between five and six thousand.
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The aggregate amount of money raised by the towns in the county for war purposes was $852.946.70. Of this the sum of $262, 049.61 was raised for State aid to the families of volunteers, and it was reimbursed by the commonwealth.
The following is a brief statement of the action of the towns during the war :
ADAMS.
Early in April, 1861. the citizens of North Adams contributed $5.031 to furnish and equip the Greylock infantry, which became the nucleus of the first volunteer organization. Later in the same month a town meet- ing authorized the expenditure of money to the amount of $20,00 for the aid of military companies and the care of the families of volunteers. In July, 1862, after the call for 390,000 three years' volunteers, they voted " that one hundred dollars be paid from the town treasury to each per son who shall enlist under the call of the Governor as one of the quota of the town." When, in the following August. the call for 300,000 nine months' men was received. the people in the town suspended all business during three days, and devoted the time to raising the required quota ; and afterward a bounty of $100 was voted to each volunteer for nine montlıs.
During 1863 recruiting was kept up and at a town meeting in Septem- ber of that year it was voted to pay the families of drafted men who went into the service State aid the same as volunteers.
In July, 1864. the town voted a bounty of $125 to each three years' volunteer, and instructed the selectmen to continue recruiting after the quota was filled in anticipation of calls that might afterward be made
The last action taken by the town during the war was on the 224 of July, 1865, when it voted to refund all moneys paid for recruiting pur- poses in 1864, whether by individuals or by the selectmen.
A Ladies' Aid Society, of which Mrs. Miles Sanford was president, and Mrs. J. T. Robinson secretary, distributed more than $10,000.
The town appropriated and expended on account of the war $112. 103 : for aid to the families of soldiers, which was afterward refunded by the commonwealth. $47.759.51.
The following list of soldiers from the town of Adams was compiled from the adjutant-general's report of the Massachusetts volunteers, as were the lists for all the other towns :
Sth Infantry, three months .- Henry M. Lyons, captain; Eugene B Richardson. ist lieutenant: Fred W. Champney, 2d lieutenant; Erwin W. Garlick, Ist serge2017 Henry A. Glazier, Willis G. Jackson, John Courtney, Sylvanus 1. Strogi, sergexals; Andrew Smith, Henry W. Downs, Oscar H. Marsh, Thomas Rells, Fred L. Froro, Charles H. Hayser, Berthia R. Hannum, corporals; Isanic L., Roosevelt, Alben E Dennison, musicians; privates, Charles Adams, Edward Allen, Roman S And Joseph Battles, Merritt Bly, Mason Bowen, George iV Brans, Leonard Bitowenig. John Callahan, Johnson Campbell, Lamont S. Capron, David W. Chandler, Charles
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B. Clark, Edward Clark, Eugene Clark, Jerome L. Clegg, John Collins, Nicholas Conley, Sylvester Cook, Agneus Courtwright, William H. Dermont, John Dilworth, John Donovan, John Dowd, Daniel Dowling, Frank S. Downing, Ezariah Eddy, Wil. liam H. Emerson, Jesse Fields, James Fiero, James Flood, Franklin Gove, George W Graham, Allen Green, Fred M. Green, Gerritt S. Guild, Henry Hall, Merritt II Hall, Homer Hawley, Simon Hill, John Hilliard, Erwin E. Hoxie. Edward G. Inget- ham, Thomas Johnson, Thomas Kennedy, George Kenyon, Thomas K_ Ladd, Frank Lapoint, Alexis Le Claire, Andrew Lindsay, Joseph Lindsay, Frank McKengs. Charles N. Miller, Wells B. Mitchell, Francis E. Mole, William H HI. Montgomery, Charles S. Nichols, Martin Nolan, Napoleon Paquette, Joseph Patterson, Jonet Raidy, Stephen H. Smith, Edmund S. Streeter, George Sweeley, Philander Thomas, William F. Walden, Henry H. Walker, Hiram H. Walker, Franklin E Waters, Henry A. Whipple, Reuben Whipple, Levi H. Whitman, Isaac Williams, Ira H. Wood.
49th Infantry, nine months, -Francis W. Parker, captain; Sanford B Glensou, Henry M. Lyons, 2d lieutenants; Warren A. Marsh, George Southwick, ist serpents; John Beelur, Charles B. Clark, Robert T. Notbaday, George M. Lyons, sergesols; Henry C. Crandall, Edward Davis, Henry A. Glazier, Erwin Garfick, O cor H, March, Andrew Smith, Albert H. Upton, Charles Waters, corporals; privates, John \' Adams, Joseph Avy, Henry W. Babcock, Samuel B. Bennett, Jerome N. Briggs. Henry N. Brown, Walter S. Brown, Alden Carpenter, Seneca A. Carpenter, Charles G. Cartwright, Albert H. Cheesbro, Albert W. Cheesbro, Chad B. Cheesbro, Dwight Cheesbro, Daniel D. Clark, Jerome L. Clegg, Riley Collwell, John Courtney. William Crosier, Patrick Curley, Orson Dalrymple. Dennis Dilworth, George W_ Dodge. Ben- jamin C. Estes, Patrick Fern, Franklin Gove, Walter F. Gray, Willidhe Green, Charles B. Herman, John Hilliard, Edward Howland, James Hussey, Merritt Martindale. Micah G. Matterson, Henry H. May, John McGue, William H. Montgomery, Thomas Murphy, Almon F. Ormsbee, William S. Perkins, George B. Potter. John Quacken bush, Christopher Quell, Daniel Ray, Edwin H. Raymond. John F. Reynolds, Michael Reynolds, Francis G. Robertson, Isaac Roosevelt, Michael Ryan, Whiteanh Some son, Horace M. Sheldon, James D. Snook, Stillman S. Staples, James Stocking, Ed- win O. Tower, George Weeks, William A. Wilton, Ira Wood, Charles Wright.
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