History of Bolton, 1738-1938, Part 3

Author: Bolton (Mass.)
Publication date: 1938
Publisher: 1938
Number of Pages: 346


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Bolton > History of Bolton, 1738-1938 > Part 3


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Isaac Brooks


Levi Whitcomb


Abraham Bruce


Aholiab Sawyer


The service of Captain Asa Whitcomb's company lasted from March to December, 1758.


At the battle of Ticonderoga in 1758, Captain Asa Whit- comb mustered another company. The entire regiment was detailed as rear guard at the sawmills near the fort, where it threw up earthworks which may be seen today. Four Bolton men were in this engagement at Ticonderoga : Hezekiah Gibbs, Joseph Hazletine, Jacob Gould, and Joseph Snow.


In March and April of the next year, 1759, many men of the Lancastrian towns were enrolled. A direct attack upon Quebec was planned, to be followed by an advance on Mont- real. Enthusiasm ran high and most of the men previously enrolled re-enlisted in Colonel Oliver Wilder's regiment, Captain Aaron Willard's company. The Bolton men were :


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HISTORY OF BOLTON


Josiah Priest


Age 23


John Pollard . Age 29


Benj. Marble


Age 32


Aholiab Sawyer, Jr. . Age 17


Jonathan Holman


Age 23


Jonas Pollard . Age 25


Ephraim Ward


Age 25 John Townsend Age 17


Josiah Pratt


Age 59


Jonas Whitcomb .


Age 24


Joseph Pratt


Age 32


Denis Lockling


Age 39


John Wilder


Age 17


Josiah Moore .


Age 32


Benoni Bigelow


Age 18


Edward Roach


John Wheeler .


Age 25


John Law


In Colonel Abijah Williard's regiment, Captain Benjamin Hastings' company, were these men from Bolton :


Captain Benjamin Hastings


Andrew McElwain


Corporal John Richardson


James Townsend


Ephraim Butler


David Whitcomb


Cyrus Houghton


Ezra Wilder


Francis McFadden


The great campaign for the conquest of Canada was suc- cessful. In September, 1759, occurred the final conflict with its dramatic ending, the battle of Quebec on the Plains of Abraham. It was a turning point in American history : when Quebec fell, the long struggle was ended, and England had thenceforth no rival in America but Spain.


The men in the conquering army expected to return to their homes, but more than two months were spent in repairing fortifications and barracks. Finally the colonial regiments were released, and the men of Lancaster marched through the woods, across Vermont, and thence to Lan- caster, arriving on December 1, 1759, amid great rejoicing.


The next few years were peaceful. Soldiers returned to their peacetime occupations, and the only warlike activity was the drilling of the militia on the village common. Each town in Worcester County had a company of militia, and


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EARLY MILITARY HISTORY


Bolton's captain was Samuel Baker, its lieutenant Oliver Barrett, and its ensign William Wilder. In 1767, a second militia company was organized in the town, but all militia was disbanded on order of the county convention seven years later, in 1774.


Some of the veterans of the French and Indian wars re- enlisted in the army, most of the New England men going to garrison the forts at Crown Point and Halifax. There were five Bolton men at Crown Point: Thomas Barney, Ephraim Butler, Joseph Pratt, Ezekiel Snow, and Josiah Wood.


V THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. . . . THOMAS JEFFERSON


THE story of events leading up to the Revolution is too well known to bear repeating. The numerous indignities heaped upon the Colonial soldiers during the various cam- paigns of the French and Indian War had rankled. The attitude of the British officers toward the Colonials was one of superiority and contempt. When the wars were over, the British government refused to pay the Colonial soldiers all the money due them, and in addition to this, many Colonial officers who had paid their men from their own pockets were never reimbursed.


The Stamp Act followed soon, and to many it seemed that loyalty to a King whose one idea was personal aggrandize- ment was no longer a virtue. James Otis in Massachusetts and Patrick Henry in Virginia voiced the sentiment that was beginning to be felt in every backwoods hamlet. Liberty poles were raised in every village, and the town meeting, that most democratic of institutions, became the scene of fiery denunciation and determined protest.


The Loyalist side was represented by the ministry in nearly every town. In Bolton the famous Goss Con- troversy which shook the church to its foundations was doubtless aggravated by the fact that Mr. Goss was an


32


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


ardent Loyalist. The Goss Controversy is detailed in Chapter VII.


But it would seem that Bolton had almost no Tories or Loyalists except Reverend Mr. Goss, for at a town meeting held on May 21, 1770, the town voted " very unanimously" to "abstain from the use of tea and other British goods imported contrary to the agreement of the Merchants of the town of Boston." A committee composed of Caleb Rich- ardson, Colonel John Whitcomb, Captain Samuel Nurss "prepared a suitable vote relative thereto." The vote was as follows :


At a legal meeting of the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Bolton on the 21st day of May, 1770, Taking into serious consideration the present unhappy situation of our publick affairs at this critical juncture of Times passed the fol- lowing votes viz. That we highly approve of the conduct of the Merchants of the town of Boston Respecting the nonimporta- tion of British Goods and that we will none of us on any pre- tence whatsoever purchase one single article (Except in cases of absolute necessity) of any merchant or trader that has Imported Goods contrary to the agreement of the merchants of the sd Town of Boston and that we shall Esteem such purchasers as Enemies to the country and not fit to be Employed in any Business of Importance - and that we will abstain from the use of all Foreign Teas ourselves and that we will not suffer it to be used in our families until the whole of the late Revenue acts are Repealed. -


And that we will use our utmost Indeavor to promote Indus- try, frugality and our own manufactures amongst ourselves, as judging it the most likely means to Save our country from slavery and to Leave a lasting Inheritence to our posterity.


Voted unanimously.


Although the town was mostly concerned with internal troubles with the church and Mr. Goss, it was soon reminded


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HISTORY OF BOLTON


of far-reaching disturbances in the "town of Boston." At a town meeting held January 4, 1773, a letter was read from Boston "Respecting an Infringement of some part of our Civil Rights and Privileges." In reply, the Representative was directed "to use his best Indeavor towards Constitu- tionally Redressing the same." The thanks of the town were also sent to the town of Boston "for their care and Seasonable notice."


On July 15, 1773, the town "chose a committee of cor- respondence of five persons to join the Committee of Cor- respondence for the town of Boston viz : Caleb Richardson, John Whitcomb, Esquire, Captain Sam'l Baker, Captain Samuel Nurss, and Mr. Joshua Johnson." At a town meeting on March 7, 1774, the same committee was again chosen "to consider and report upon an article lying in the warrant Touching infringement on our natural Charter Rights." This committee reported their findings on March twenty-first. The first two pages of a three-and-a-half page report are taken up with a discussion of "taxation without Representation," concluding very decisively that it is tyranny. Also "that every Englishman in America is born with a right to Civil as well as natural Liberty," "and now after these our reasonings on the point we declare our- selves on the Liberty Side of these Questions."


The report continues with several resolves : first, "that no law is binding if framed by a British Parliament where we have no representation"; second, "that in order to counteract and render abortive (according to the utmost of our power) the British Act respecting the duty on Tea to be paid here; we will not taste of this politically forbidden fruit even if solicited thereto by the Eves of our own Bosoms, nor on any other consideration whatever whilst it remains


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


under this circumstance of Taxation"; third, that any person "bringing said commodity into the town . . . shall be deemed inimical to the rights and Liberties of America." The report was read twice, freely debated, and then ac- cepted, one copy to be entered in the records and one to be sent to the Committee of Correspondence in Boston.


During these stirring times a sort of perpetual town meet- ing was in session; that is, the meetings were never dis- solved, only adjourned to a time a few weeks distant. On July 4, 1774, at one of these adjourned meetings, two more members were added to the Town's Committee of Corre- spondence. These were Nathaniel Longley and Eliakim Atherton. The next adjourned meeting voted to purchase no more British goods of any kind "except medicinal drugs," until such time as the Port of Boston should be opened. The Selectmen were also directed to move the stock of ammunition from the meetinghouse to a safer place.


At a meeting on October 3, 1774, Captain Samuel Baker was chosen Representative to the Great and General Court to be held at Salem. He was instructed to "absolutely refuse to be sworn by any officer but such as are appointed according to the Constitution "; also to refuse to attend the General Court at Boston while the town was invested with troops and ships of war. Then he was instructed that if anything prevented the meeting of the General Court in Salem he was to join with others in a Provincial Congress in Concord. Captain Samuel Baker and Ephraim Fairbanks were also chosen to represent Bolton at the Congress in Concord.


1253504


Captain Baker returned from Concord and acted as moderator of town meetings spaced about two weeks apart during several months. Although the town was on the


36


HISTORY OF BOLTON


alert, nothing of importance, with the exception of the Goss controversy, was brought up for some time. However, at a town meeting on January 2, a number of articles were up for discussion. First, a commission was appointed to carry into execution "the non-importation, non-exportation and non-consumption agreement." Next the town directed the Constables to pay to Henry Gardner of Stow whatever tax money they had on hand, instead of to the Provincial Treasurer. In this they followed the advice of the Pro- vincial Congress.


At a meeting on April 10, 1775, the town voted to pur- chase ten guns for the use of those unable to purchase their own. This meeting was adjourned to the 25th of April, but before that date came, the embattled farmers had fired the shot heard 'round the world.


Early in the morning of the nineteenth of April, 1775, a rider sped through the town giving the alarm, and the town "field-piece " boomed out the news of war. From breakfast table, from chores, and from the field, one hundred and twenty-seven men of Bolton swarmed down the Great Road to drive the invaders back.


Although most of our men arrived too late to take active part in the fray, it is known that Bolton's chief military man, General John Whitcomb, and at least a portion of his regiment of minute men were in the battle. Those who missed the fight marched to Cambridge, where the com- panies remained for about two weeks, although some were allowed to return to their homes in a few days.


Nearly a third of the men enlisted for the remainder of the year 1775. These men had been training for months, and some were skilled in the use of firearms. Each soldier was expected to be fully armed at his own expense, although


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


the town supplied some who could not afford to buy guns. The equipment consisted of a gun, bayonet, blanket, knap- sack, a cutting sword or hatchet, a powder-horn and powder, some tow for wadding, and a quart-size wooden canteen. Clothing was not specified, and each man wore his ordinary homespun garb with numerous additions, whatever his wardrobe boasted. Even the officers had no distinguishing uniforms until later, when Washington required them to wear cockades in their hats, the color signifying their rank.


On the Lexington alarm, three companies marched from Bolton, one hundred and twenty-seven men in all. This is the roll :


Captain Benjamin Hasting's Company, Colonel John Whitcomb's Regiment


Capt. Benja. Hastings


Abel Moore


Lieut. Jonathan Houghton


William Bigelow


2d Lieut. Jonathan Merriam


William Sawyer


Sergt. Benjamin Gold


Israel Sawyer


Sergt. John Wilson


Nathaniel Hastings


Sergt. Timothy Mosman


John Ross


Sergt. David Moore


Hezekiah Gibbs


Corp. James Townsend


Levi Merriam


Corp. Andrew McWain


Nathaniel Holman


Corp. Silas Welch


Samuel Stanhope


Corp. James Briges


Abraham Holman


Josiah Cooledge


Calvin Holman


Ephraim Fairbank


Joel Fosket


John Houghton


Simon Houghton


John Hasting


Sanderson Houghton


Abner Moore Joseph Pratt


Jeremiah Priest Josiah Sawyer, Jr.


Jonathan Whitcomb


Joseph Amsden Elijah Foster


Abraham Whitney


Josiah Moore


Josiah Sawyer, 3d


Benjamin Marble Lemuel Bruce


Joshua Townsend


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HISTORY OF BOLTON


Jeremiah Wilson Nathan Ball


Cyrus Gates Jonathan Robins


Nath1 Oakes


Amos Fuller


Joseph Sawyer


Jacob Houghton


William Ross


Thomas Atherton


Jonas Welch


Captain Artemas How's Militia Company


Capt. Artemas How


George Sawyer


Lieut. David Nurss


Jonas Johnson


2d Lieut. Joseph How


Samuel Jones


Sergt. Wm. Pollard


Nath. Longley


Sergt. Wm. Jones


Thos. Pollard


Sergt. Jotham Maynard


Amos Osgood


Sergt. David Rice


Eben. Worcester


Corp. Josh. Johnson


Nathan Jones


Corp. Timo. Bailey


John Bruce


Corp. Elisha Hodson


Asa Fay


Drumr. Jabez Fairbank


Silas Bailey, Jr.


Fif. Samuel Jones, Jr.


Benj. Muzzy


Samuel Baker


Asa Johnson


John Coolidge


Silas Bailey, Senior Jacob Moor


Joseph Woods


Solomon Jones


John Barnard


Benja. Bailey


Robert Fife


Eben. Bailey


Steph. Bailey


Company of Captain Robert Longley, Colonel Asa Whitcomb's Regiment


Capt. Rob. Longley


Epm. Whitney


Lieut. Paul Whitcomb


David Stratten


Lieut. Thos. Osborn


Jonas Whitcomb


Sergt. John Townsend


John Pierce


Sergt. Oliver Barrett Jona. Whitcom, Jr.


Sergt. Phin. Moore


Sanderson Houghton


Sergt. Abel Piper


Saml. Bruce


Sergt. Oliver Jewett


Asa Nurss


Drummer Jonas Priest


Benj. Nurss


Samuel White


William Sawyer


William White


John Welch


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


Gabriel Priest


Israel Foster


Jonas Nurss


James Flood


Isaiah Bruce


Wm. Cooledge


Beriah Oak


[Cyrus] Gates


David Stiles


Josiah Edwards


Jabez Walkett


Richard Hazeltine


Thaddeus Pollard


Jacob French


Sam. Blood


Ephm. Chamberlain


In the Field and Staff of the regiment of Minute Men was Colonel John Whitcomb of Bolton. In the Field and Staff of the militia regiment was Adjutant Eliakim Atherton of Bolton.


In June, 1775, three Bolton men petitioned for commis- sions as officers of the company they had raised for Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment. These were: Benjamin Hast- ings, Captain ; Jonathan Houghton, Lieutenant; and Jonathan Merriam, Second Lieutenant. Captain Robert Longley had also raised a new company of men, which was in action at Bunker Hill. We have no records of his men, or the casualties, if any.


As has been explained previously, enlistment in 1775 was a very different matter from joining the army today. At that time men enlisted for a battle, a campaign, or a certain objective. When the campaign was over the soldiers went home to attend to their farms and the needs of their families. Some enlisted for three months, some for eight months. For this reason, we find the same names again and again on Revolutionary rolls.


In July, 1775, thirteen thousand coats were ordered for the army, each town being required to furnish its share. Bolton was required to send fifty-five. If a soldier furnished his own he was entitled to twenty shillings in money.


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HISTORY OF BOLTON


All the following winter Washington's men camped around the city of Boston and it is probable that the soldiers from Bolton were with this army. How many are not known, as we have only fragmentary records. The follow- ing were enlisted in companies taking part in the Siege of Boston :


Captain Benjamin Hastings' Company


Captain Benjamin Hastings Joseph Hoar


Lieut. Jonathan Houghton


John Houghton


Lieut. Jonathan Merriam


Joseph Houghton


Sergt. Benjamin Gould Abel Moore


Sergt. Timothy Mosman


Joseph Pratt


Corp. William Bigelow


William Ross


Corp. William Sawyer


Benjamin Sawyer


Corp. Israel Sawyer


Jonas Welch


James Bridges


William Whitcomb


Isaac Buck


Sergt. Silas Welch (died Sept. 8)


John Chowen


Amos Southgate (died Sept. 21)


Josiah Coolidge


Abner Moore


Ephraim Fairbanks


David Moore


John Hastings


1


Captain Robert Longley's Company


Capt. Robert Longley


Jacob French


Sergt. Oliver Jewett


Richard Hazeltine


Corp. Gardner Moore


Samuel Jones


Corp. Joseph Blood


John Longley, Jr.


Thomas Burnam


Gabriel Priest


John Coolidge


Joseph Woods


Josiah Edwards (died)


There were also in Captain Samuel Wood's company, in Colonel Jonathan Ward's Regiment of Northboro, the following from Bolton :


Moses Hudson Soloman Jones


David How John Hudson Jonas Johnson George Sawyer


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


Two militia companies were also sent from Bolton, the captains of these being Jonathan Houghton and David Nourse.


A resolve of the General Court, June 25, 1776, made it necessary for Bolton to furnish thirty-three more men. A bounty of three pounds was promised each volunteer, plus eighteen shillings if he furnished his own equipment. Cap- tain Jonathan Houghton, with seventy-five men, joined the regiment of Colonel Jonathan Smith on July 22. Of this regiment, the Lieutenant-Colonel was Robert Longley, and the Surgeon, Dr. Daniel Greenleaf. The following Bolton men were in Captain Houghton's company :


Capt. Jonathan Houghton


Edward Johnson


Sergt. Samuel Baker


Jonas Johnson


Sergt. William Sawyer


Solomon Jones


Corp. Nathaniel Longley


Joseph Keyes


Silas Bailey William Bigelow


David Maynard


Samuel Blood


Levi Merriam


Adam Bartlet


Stephen Pratt


Benjamin Bruce, Jr.


Eliakim Pratt


Benjamin Bruce


William Ross


Daniel Bruce


Joseph Rugg


Jonas Bruce


George Sawyer Jesse Walcot


Benjamin Gould


John Greenleaf


Deliverance Wheeler


John Hastings


William Whitcomb


John Houghton


Ephraim Whitney


John Longley


In the town's records book, a copy of the Declaration of Independence may be found. Congress had ordered that it should be read "as soon as Divine Service is ended in the Afternoon of the first Lord's Day after they shall have received it." It was also directed that it should be spread


42


HISTORY OF BOLTON


on the records of the town, "there to remain as a perpetual Memorial thereof."


The monthly pay of a private in the army at this time was $6.67, and enlistments were discouragingly slow. For this reason, bounties were offered by the Congress and in some cases by the towns. One hundred acres of land was prom- ised each volunteer, twenty dollars bounty, and a suit of clothes.


Bolton, in a town meeting on April 15, 1777, voted to "give encouragement to the men that will Inlist into the Continental Army for three years." A week later, at an adjourned town meeting, it was voted "not to exceed 30 pounds to one man for encouragement." A committee was appointed to procure the money. This committee was composed of the commissioned officers of each company. On January 15, 1778, the town voted to pay the money the committee had borrowed to hire men into the public service, the amount being £112 to Captain David Nurse and £176- 13-6 to Captain Jonathan Houghton.


The quota of soldiers from each town was one-seventh of the males over sixteen years of age. In 1778, Bolton had, according to a town census, 299 men above sixteen, of which our quota was forty-three. As there were at that time only forty-two men in the service, the town doubtless "en- couraged," by bounty or otherwise, at least one more to enlist. A few months later a call came for sixteen more men, who were procured.


It is a fact that almost every male citizen of military age must have served at some period of the war; fully one- fourth of the whole population over sixteen years of age was kept constantly in the army during the height of the con- flict. Although the death records for Bolton are very


FE


" BRAECROFT," BUILT BY CAPTAIN CALEB MOORE IN 1795


43


THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


scanty, a number must have been killed in action or died of wounds or disease.


During the absence of the men, the wives and daughters kept the farms running. They took up their burdens with hands that were no strangers to hard work, and the crops were tended and harvested as usual. The town cared for needy families of those in the service. After the war was over, the widows and orphans were supported by the town, such expenditures being refunded by the state.


Below is given a list, as accurate as can be obtained, of the men from Bolton who were in the army from 1777 to the end of the war. The names of those who were hired or who were claimed by other towns have not been listed.


Colonel Abijah Stearns' Regiment, Captain Jos. Sergent's Company


Corp. Saml. Baker John Longley


Benj. Bruce


Josiah Sawyer


Thomas Burnham


John Whitcomb


Colonel Nathaniel Wade's Regiment


Sergt. Wm. Whitcomb


Jacob Houghton


Nathan Ball Jonas Houghton


Nathaniel Holman Abel Priest


Jonas Welsh


Colonel Wm. Furnas' Regiment


James Haten David Wetherby


Elihu Whitcomb


Colonel John Jacobs' Regiment


Capt. David Moore John Moore


Joseph Houghton Richard Townsend


Jonathan Whitcomb


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HISTORY OF BOLTON


Captain Hezekiah Whitney's Company


Lt. Richard Townsend


Simon Houghton


Lt. Thomas Mason


Nathaniel Longley


Sergt. James Burt


Edward Martin


Sergt. Wm. Haskell


Thaddeus Pollard


Sergt. Jacob Moore


Jonathan Stearns


Corp. Uriah Moore


Jonathan Symonds


Corp. Gabriel Priest


Richard Townsend Silas Whitcomb


Fifer Isaac Crouch


Oliver Atherton


Enoch White


Jonathan Clerk


David Whitney


Samuel Davis


Josiah Whitney


James Fife John Hill


Richard Whitney


Wm. Willard


Reinforcements, 1778


Abel Baker


Age 2I Josiah Sawyer, Jr. . Age 20


Ebenezer Baker


Age 27


Wm. Sawyer, 3d . Age 28


Timothy Blair


Age 28


Jesse Walcot .


Age 44


William Burges


Age 27


John Whitcomb, Jr. Age 18


Samuel Moore


Age 25


Nine Months' Men, 1779


John Barnard Gordon Goddard Benjamin Haskell Moses Haskell


Benj. Hastings Rufus Moore


Samuel Moore


Paul Wilson


Six Months' Men, 1780


Matthew Atherton Ebenezer Bailey John Barnard William Bigelow John Burnham Stephen Coolidge Moses Haskell


Rufus Houghton Eli Longley Nathaniel Oaks Abel Priest


William Ross


Nathan'l Whitcomb


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


West Point Expedition, 1781


Sergt. Daniel Harris


Matthew Atherton


Nathaniel Holman


James Houghton Rufus Moore Beriah Oaks


Moses Buck James Campbell


William Coolidge Michael Ferrin Joseph Salt


Fourth Regiment


Moses Hudson


William Bigelow


Josiah Goddard


John Chowen


Benjamin Bailey


Isaac Buck John Hastings Joseph Houghton


Fourteenth Regiment


Abner Moore Joseph Pratt James Snow


Fifteenth Regiment


Asa Johnson Edward Johnson, Jr.


Jonas Johnson Solomon Jones


Job Priest


Joseph Woods


Sixteenth Regiment


Daniel McDonald


Richard Joy John Newman


Fifth Regiment


Jeremiah Burnham


Tenth Regiment Andrew McWain


Twelfth Regiment


Thirteenth Regiment


James Bridges


John Barnard, Jr. Abraham Brigham Benjamin Bruce Daniel Bruce John Burnham James Crossman Elijah Foster, Jr.


First Regiment


46


HISTORY OF BOLTON


Colonel Crane's Artillery


William Whybert


Enlisted 1781, for Three Years


Jonathan Ball William Bigelow Levi Hazard Moses Haskell


Jonathan Munger


Plato Negro


Timothy Curtis


John Hill


Abel Priest


Rufus Houghton James McIntire John Moore


Thos. Wassels


John Whitney


Haran Eager


Although the United States was at peace in the first years of the nineteenth century, England and France were em- broiled in a struggle for supremacy that was to end at Waterloo. Neither combatant had the slightest regard for the rights of weaker nations. All sorts of trade restrictions were made, resulting in great hardship for the mercantile navies of the world, the United States merchant marine in particular, as their profitable trade was stopped and ships lay rotting at the wharves. In 1807, Congress passed the Embargo Act, forbidding United States vessels to leave home ports, and carrying out a strict policy of non-inter- course. New England suffered severely, as industrial life was rapidly destroyed and all shipping was at a standstill.


At a town meeting on August 29, 1808, a committee com- posed of Nathaniel Longley, Jr., Silas Holman, Caleb Moore, Stephen Gardner, and Caleb Nourse was chosen to draft a petition to the President of the United States for a sus- pension of the embargo. This petition is a somewhat lengthy document setting forth the hardships and embar- rassments caused the petitioners, "farmers, mechanics, and tradesmen," who suffer severely by the "stagnation of almost every kind of business," having no market for their


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THE REVOLUTION AND THE WAR OF 1812


produce and manufactures. It closes by asking that Con- gress be convened "that they may take the distress of the people into consideration and grant them relief."


A petition was sent to the state legislature in February of the next year which referred to the former petition to the President, saying that they had cherished a hope that the laws would be repealed "but to our surprise and astonish- ment Congress on the ninth day of January last passed an act for further enforcing the several Embargo laws." The legislature was enjoined to do all in its power to cause a repeal of these laws. In March, 1809, Congress was at last goaded into repealing the embargo, but substituted for it a non-intercourse act which was unsatisfactory to both parties.




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