History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 151

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 151

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" The Committee will also say that the number of families assisted at the present time is one hundred and forty-three, the amount now paid each family is from one to four dollars per week. Your Committee would further say, although the amount of money expended is a large sum io the aggregate, yet, when we consider the condition of many of the families of the Volnateers owing to the stagnation of business and the want of employment for several months previous to their enlistment, we think the wonder is that so little has anewered for the purpose. If by even a greater sacrifice of property the Government of the Country ie

rescned from the unscrupulous attacks of a widespread and atrocione rebellion, which threatens our very existence as a Nation, wo onght to be exceedingly thankful :- at any rate, the tax-payers of the Town will have reason to feel that the old Town of Danvers, hy encouragement of tbe enlistment of her patriotic sone, has not fallen from the reputation acquired in the timee of the Revolution.

"And may God grant us a speedy and honorable peace. All of which is respectfully submitted. In behalf of the Committee.

"EGEN HUNT."

At an adjournment of this meeting $5000 was ap- propriated for soldiers' aid, in accordance with the act of May, 1861, and $500 additional to be expended under the authority of the committee appointed May 3d.

At the annual meeting, 1862, the finance commit- tee recommended the adoption of annexed votes pro- posed by the chairman of the relief committee, which were, first, that a relief committee, like that of last year, be chosen for the ensuing year to aid in the dis- tribution of the War Fund ; second, that the sum of $15,000 be raised and appropriated for aid to soldiers' families, under the statutes ; and, third, that $500 be placed at the disposal of the relief committee. These measures were all passed and the committee re- elected. $1000 was at the same time added to the appropriation for the town's poor.

At a meeting held in midsummer, July 25, 1862, the Governor's call for one hundred and four volun- teers was considered, and, agreeable to the expressed desire of a mass-meeting of citizens held ten days be- fore, the matter of bounty was the chief object of action. The first offer of bounty here made by the town was on the adoption of J. D. Black's motion, 96 to 1, to pay $125 "to whatever person may report himself to the selectmen of Danvers, upon his being or having been accepted into the United States ser- vice, as furnishing a part of our quota."

On August 4, 1862, the first draft was ordered, for 300,000 nine months men. Early in that month a town-meeting was held, at which it was first voted to continue the payment of bounty until our quota of volunteers was full, and to include also drafted men ; but this action was reconsidered, and Henry Fowler, Wm. E. Putnam and the Selectmen were appointed " to wait upon the Governor and to ascertain if our quota can be reduced, to get further information in regard to the draft, and to report at the next town- meeting."

On the heels of this meeting came Lincoln's call for 300,000 more men. Immediately another warrant was posted, calling upon the citizens of Danvers to meet on Monday, August 25th, to consider the call. A motion that the selectmen open a recruiting office and pay $100 bounty to each recruit volunteer- ing and making one of the quota under the call, was successfully amended to $125.

The committee appointed August 12th, to attempt to secure a reduction of the quota, presented a letter to the Adjutant-General in the following forcible and direct terms :

534

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

" To HION. WM. SCHOULER, Adjutant-General.

" DEAn SIR,-We, the undersigued, would represent that the town of Danvers has furnished the following volunteers for the war :

3 monthe men ... 37

3 years men, to June 1st, 1862. 285

Salem Cadets, Fort Warren 10

Salem Light Infantry, Co. B 6

Under General Order No. 26.

398

3 months men re-enlistod.

381

" The Town has paid to Volunteers under General Order No. 26 Eight Theusand Seven Hundred and Fifty Dollars (§8750). By the Adjutant- General's Report to the Leg. of 1862 the town of Danvers had furnished for the war Eight officers and Two hundred and fifty-six privatee, giving one Volunteer to fifteen inhabitants of the town, under the State census of 1855.

" This proportion exceede that of the towne of Beverly, Gloucester, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lynn, Marblehead, Newburyport, Salem and South Danvere, from 9 te 57 per cent.

" The ninety-nine Volunteers received and put into the service of the United States since Inst December makes the samo dispreportion between the tewn of Danvers and the towne above referred to, hold goed.

" The assessor. of 1861, in Danvers, mistaking the law on this matter, returned nliens oo the Militia Roll, which materially increased our number liable to do military duty.

"The town of Danvers deee not shrink from any duty imposed on her in this great crisis of our Country, neither will she fail to do her part in furnishing men to crush out this rebellion, but knowing from the nbovo facts that the town has furnished more men in proportion to her Inhabitants than the other Inrge towne in the County, and feeling that the payment of the benety to the thirty-four Volunteers required to fill the queta for Danvers of 104 men, will be burdenseme beyond what strict equality would require of us, we ask, therefore, that the town, by furnishing seventy men under General Order No. 26, may be considered as having filled her quota."

Respectfully submitted,

WILLIAM DODGE, JE.

Selectmen

CHARLES CHAPLIN.

AUGUSTUS FOWLER. Danvere.

Danvers, August 14, 1862.

Approved, WM. SCHOULER,

Adjt .- General.

In seventeen days, another meeting to act on propositions for more bounties, for three-years' men and drafted men, principals or substitutes. A motion made by Samuel Moore in the afternoon failed of passing, because but fifty-four voted for it, less than the by-laws required-it was hard work to get the requisite number together, so many were away during the war-but in the evening it passed, eighty to twelve, namely to pay one hundred and twenty-five dol- lars to each person, resident in town, who had en- listed for three years of the war, and was not already in receipt of a bounty, "provided said person has served nine months, or has been earlier discharged on account of injuries received in service ; said bounty to be payable at the end of said volunteer's service." It was immediately voted to extend the bounty to drafted men.

Busy times, these, for selectmen and voters. While this meeting of the 11th was in session a warrant for still another meeting had already been two days posted, the special object being the consideration of a matter, which was disposed of by the unanimous adoption, eighty-six voting, of these resolutions pre- sented by W. L. Weston :

" WHEREAS, att n legal meeting of the tewn on the 25th day of August last, it was voted 'to pay a bounty ef $125 to each recruit volunteering in the service of the United States, and making one of the town's quota under the call of the President for 300,000 military for nine menthe service,' and

" WHEREAB, ncting under the belief that the tewn might be called upon for a considerable number of recruits to fill thie requisition, a enccessful effort has been made to raise a Company under Capt. A. G. Allen-snid Company having made arrangements by which it is to form a part of tho 8th Regt. now being recruited under Col. Coffin, and have already placed themselves in Comp, und

"WHEREAS, it now appeare to be nocertain whether the men so raised will be required as part of the town's quota, thus rendering said vote inoperative,

"Therefore, in view of the patriotic action of the young men composing eaid Company, and that the faith of the town has been pledged to them and also in view of the fact that other calls for men may be made upon the town, it is hereby

"Voted, that the town will pay n bounty of 125 dellare to each resi- dent of Danvers who has volunteered, or may volunteer as ut member of Capt. A. G. Allen's Company, upon his having been accepted and sworn into the United States service.

" Voted, that the town Treasurer be and is hereby authorized to hire a eum of money enfficient to pay the bouatice mentioned in the above vete."

The names of the company here referred to, Com- pany K, Eighth Regiment, nine months' men, mus- tered in October 1, 1862, and discharged August 7, 1863, will be found further on. The regiment sailed from Boston November 7, 1862, under Colonel Coffin, of Newburyport, for Newbern, N. C., and in June, 1863, was transferred to Baltimore, thence to Mary- land Heights and experienced hard service in the pursuit of Lee after the battle of Gettysburg.

The adoption of the resolutions in regard to Captain Allen's company was the only business this meeting could in strictness consider. But there was a man present with something in his pocket to read, the man who in the first war town-meeting had voiced the determination of his fellow-citizens to stand by the government, who, long years before, had stood up to strike the first blow for temperance, and had been foremost in every reform and the uncom- promising foe of wrong in whatever guise, and who, with the courage of his convictions, entered active service in the war despite his advancing years-Doc- tor Ebenezer Hunt. There is a ring to his words not unlike certain resolutions already quoted which came from the ancestors of these very men, citizens of Danvers in town-meeting assembled, in those other days which tried men's souls :

"WHEREAS-The town of Danvers has alrendy furnished mere than her full quota of men, and is rendy and willing to send more if neces- sary, and to expend her last dellar in defence of the Common Country, Therefore-

"Resolved, that the citizens have a right te ask and do ask the Gov- ernment for a vigorous prosecution ef the war and that nothing shall be permitted to stand in the way of the progress of our armies in crushing out the rebellion and restoring to our country a speedy and permanent редсе.

"' Resolved-That hud there been no elnvery, there would have been no rebellion, und as the rebellion will continue so long as slavery exists, we, the citizene of Danvers, in town meeting assembled, nek, that the war forced upon ue by the rebels in defence of slavery, shall be so prose- cuted as te leave no vestige of that ttccureed institution."

The first of these resolutions was passed unanimously ; three voters could not accept the second. At the fall

535

DANVERS.

election, 1862, John A. Andrew received four hun- dred and twenty-six votes to one hundred and fifty for Charles Devens, Jr. February 9, 1863, five thousand dollars was appropriated for military aid.

At the annual meeting of 1863 the relief committee which had been at work during the previous year, reported that they had assisted two hundred and fifty- one families. "At the present time," they say, "the number is reduced to one hundred and ninety fami- lies receiving aid in various ways from one dollar per week to twelve dollars per month." A relief commit- tee for the ensuing year were chosen,-Drs. Hunt and Chase, William Dodge, Jr., Nathan Tapley, John A. Sears, C. H. Gould, Josiah Gray, C. P. Preston, S. P. Fowler and Philemon Putnam.

At this time S. D. Shattuck and others petitioned for the purchase by the town of a lot in Walnut Grove Cemetery for the burial of deceased soldiers, and the selectmen were instructed to purchase the lot which has been used for this purpose.

The vote of September 11, 1862, as to bounty for three years' men was prospective ; no appropriation was then made. It became necessary to think about a large appropriation. If at any time after nine months' ser- vice the war should end, these bounties would be at once payable. So in midsummer, 1863, a special meet- ing was called to see if the town would raise money to defray the expenditure contemplated by the vote of Sep- tember 11th. This meeting, held first July 3d, after sev- eral adjournments unanimously voted to appropriate fifty thousand dollars for the purpose, a sum so large that Mr. Howard underlined the words when he entered the vote on the permanent records of the town. This amount was never paid nor raised, for the reason that certain citizens petitioned for an injunction, on the ground that such an appropriation was illegal, prohibiting the borrowing or payment of money under said vote. The case came before the Supreme Court in January, 1864, and is reported in Massachusetts Reports, 8 Allen 80, under the title "Samuel P. Fow- ler and others vs. Selectmen and Treasurer of Dan- vers." The decision turned on the interpretation of the statute of 1863, ch. 38, entitled " An act to legalize the doings of towns in aid of the war," and the court held that the statute while covering appropriations for bounties to induce enlistment, did not legalize a vote to pay money to persons who had already en- listed in the service of the United States.

There was a light vote for Governor in the fall of 1863,-Andrew receiving two hundred and seventy, Henry W. Paine forty-seven. At the March meeting of 1864, Dr. Hunt was again on hand with a report from his relief committee; two hundred and forty- five families, he said, had received State aid.

"Yonr committee propose to make no prediction in relation to a speedy peace. This subject is still a question of time. We can only say the omens are auspicious, and that if the people of the Loyal States shall do their duty in sustaining the Government in a vigorous prosecu- tion of the war, and in following the leadings of Providence in the path

of Justice and Humanity, and if the heads of the Departments and other Politicians at the Capitol interest themselves as heartily in crushing out the Rebellion, as in making a new President, our honored ilag will at length wave in triumph over a regenerated and glorious Union, inhab- ited only by Freemen."

At this same March meeting of 1864, fifteen thous- and dollars were appropriated " for families of volun- teers who have enlisted or may enlist during the present war." Once only in the summer of 1864 was there a special meeting, occasioned by the President's call for five hundred thousand more men, and at this time an appropriation of eleven thousand two hun- dred and fifty dollars was made for the purpose of fill- ing our quota under this call.

At the presidential election in the fall of 1864, the Lincoln electors received five hundred and ninety-two Dauvers votes against one hundred and twenty-five for the MeClellan electors; John G. Whittier, of Amesbury, whom Danvers is now so proud to claim among its residents, was chosen elector from the Essex District over S. Endicott Peabody, of Salem. For Governor, John A. Andrew received five hundred and ninety-six votes ; H. W. Paine, one hundred and twenty-five.

December 19, 1864, another call. "We're coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more!" On the day after Christmas men read a warrant, sum- moning them to meet on the fourth day of the new year to face a demand for still more money. Voters were slow of coming forward, and, as on some other occasions during the war, adjournments and rallying- committee tactics were necessary ; but finally, by a ·large vote, it was decided to pay another bounty of $125 to each volunteer going to fill the town's quota under the new call.

Before November the men whom the majority of Massachusetts citizens had kept at the head of the State Government in these years of trial, had done with life. At the election of 1865 Danvers helped to elect his successor, Alexander H. Bullock, of Worces- ter, by a vote of 588, to 64 for Darius N. Couch, of Taunton.

Recruiting was ordered to be discontinued on April 13, 1865. Danvers furnished in all seven hundred and ninety-two men for the war, which was a surplus of thirty-six over and above all demands. Forty- four were commissioned officers. The total amount of money raised on account of the war, exclusive of State aid, was $36,596. The amount of State aid raised during the war for soldiers' families, 1861-65, amounted to $66,068.11. The appropriations for aid made subsequently were,-1871, 85000; 1872, $4000, also $200 for special cases not within the law ; 1873, $2000 and $200 special; 1874, $4000, $200 special ; 1875, $3500, also $150 special; 1876, $2500, $150; 1877, $2500, $150; 1878, $150; 1879, $100; 1880, $800; 1881, $1000 ; 1882, $1000; 1883, $800; 1884, $600; 1885, $600; 1886, $700 ; 1887, $700.

Of the voluntary contributions all through the years of the war, of money, materials, labor, amount-

536

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

ing in value to perhaps thousands of dollars, and cheerfully given, no record has been kept.

In the warrant for the annual meeting of 1868 ap- peared this article : "To see what action the town will take on the petition of S. P. Cummings and oth- ers to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of erecting a suitable monument or tablets whereon shall be inscribed the names, age and date of death, of all Danvers soldiers and sailors who fell in the late war for the union." The matter, when reached, was referred to a committee, one from each school district: No. 1, William Dodge, Jr .; No. 2, E. T. Waldron ; No. 3, J. F. Bly ; No. 4, William R. Put- nam; No. 5, Dean Kimball ; No. 6, George Andrews; No. 7, Timothy Hawkes ; No. 8, Rufus Putnam. S. P. Cummings was added.

At an adjournment, this committee reported rec- ommending the erection of a monument at a cost of not less than three thousand dollars, that fifteen hun- dred dollars be appropriated by the town and the balance by subscription, through a committee of one from each district. The committee already appointed were made a subscription committee, to report at a meeting specially called when they should have se- cured the required sum.

At the March meeting the next year, 1869, the committee reported that they " have attended to their duty, and by the patriotism and generosity of our citizens we have been enabled to raise the required sum. The committee would, with the consent of the Trustees of the Peabody Park, recommend that place as the most appropriate for the erection of said monument."

The old committee were elected for the ensuing year, with the addition of the selectmen. But the question of location was not easily settled. At the next March meeting, 1870, a motion was introduced to place the monument in front of the Town House, but was withdrawn to give place to the proposition that, at the adjourned meeting a ballot-box be so placed that citizens might informally express in writing their preferences for location. The result of this ballot showed ninety-three votes for Peabody Park, and sixty-six for the Town House yard.

May 2d, Simeon Putnam was added to the commit- tee. On that same day it was reported that the Trustees of the Peabody Institute had declined, on account of some legal objection, to allow the monu- ment to be erected in the park. In the meantime, March 21st, an additional appropriation of sixteen hundred dollars was voted.

In June a special meeting was called to consider several important subjects, first of which was the re- port of the monument committee. Those who strongly favored the park as a location disliked to accept the decree of the trustees as final. Some one, to fame unknown, succeeded in getting recorded a pithy motion "that the Monument be paid for and stored until consent be obtained of the original

grantors and the Trustees," but not in getting it passed.

Mr. Augustus Mudge moved that the committee be instructed to place the monument on the Common at Danvers Centre. The motion was declared carried, was doubted, and on division was declared carried, one hundred and thirty-five to eighty-five. To clinch the matter, a vote was taken to re-consider, and lost.

This seemed decisive. Doubtless the inhabitants of the Centre, as they passed old Deacon Ingersoll's training field on some of those summer evenings, saw with no great stretch of imagination certain ghostly monumental outlines rising from the green sod, where soon the substantial shaft would consecrate anew the historic ground. But no. In just one week a warrant was issued to act on a petition for the re- location of the Soldiers' Monument. The meeting was held July 11th. Dr. Hunt moved for a re-loca- tion within half a mile of the flag-staff at the Plains. On a large vote by ballot the motion was carried,- yeas, 264; nays, 161. The definite location was then left with the committee, who decided upon the Town House yard. The monument was dedicated No- vember 30, 1870. It is of Hallowell granite, thirty- three and one-quarter feet high, and seven and three- quarters feet square at the base ; its total cost, $6298 .- 20, towards which sum Edwin Mudge contributed the larger part of his two years' salary as the Representa- tive in the Legislature of the district composed of Danvers and Wenham, the remainder being pre- sented to the latter town for a similar object. The names inscribed upon the monument are these :

MAJOR WALLACE A. PUTNAM,

LT. JAMES HILL.

Hector A. Aiken.

Daniel H. Gould.

Heory F. Allen.

Samuel S. Grout.

James Battye.

Ambrose Hiods.

Edwin Beckford.

Levi Howard.

Isaac Bodwell.

James J. Hurley.

Sylvester Brown.

Thomas Hartman.

James H. Burrows.

Ahiel A. Horne.

Lewis Britton.

James H. Hao.

John H. Bridges.

Everson Hall.

William H. Croft.

Charles Hiller.

Simeon Coffin.

T. C. Jeffs.

HI. Cuthbertsoo.

William W. Jessup.

Thomae Collios.

James W. Kelley.

Wm. 11. Chanuell.

Moses A. Keat.

Charles W. Dodge. James E. Lowell.

George H, Dwioell.

Samuel A. Lefflau.

Moses Delaud.

Joseph Leavitt.

William C. Dale.

Charles H. Lyons.

George A. Ewell.

George W. Earl.

Reuben Ellis.

Charles E. Meader. John Merrill. T. A. Musgrave.

George A. Elliott.

James Morgan. Michael McAnliff.

Nathaniel P. Fish.

Beuj. M. Foller.

Ephi'm Getchell.

E. I. Getchell.

William II. Parker. George W. Peabody.

J. Frank Perkins.

Georgo W. Porter.

Samuel M. Porter.

William F. Gilford. John Goodwin. C. W. C. Goudy.

Alonzo Gray.

William Metzgar. Allea Nourse. William H. Ogdet.

William S. Evans.

537

DANVERS.

Alfred Porter. Robert W. Putnam.

Milford Tedford.

Patrick Trainer.

Isaac N. Roberts.

Wm. F. Twiss.

John N. Thompson.

S. P. Richardson. S. A. Rodgers.

Anstin Upton.

Israel Roach.

Angus Ward.

Daniel Smith.

William Ward.

Henry A. Smith.

Joseph Woods.

Wm. E. Sheklon.

C. E. M. Welch.

Charles W. Sheldeu.

George Woodman.

John Shackley.

John Withey.

Second Regiment.

Age.

David A. Fuller, Co. C. 28

John Smith, Co. I. 28

Levi E. Goodale, Co. C. 19

James Patterson, recruit. ...

John Stonehall, Co. C .. 20

Ninth Regiment.

Age.

John Fitzpatrick, Co. B 26

Abram Yates, Co. E 21

James Brown, Co. D.

Jas. Mclaughlin, corp., Co. F .. 23

Daniel Buckley, Co. E 18

Ulick Burke, Co. F 24

Richard Bush, Co E 32

1 Patrick Shea, Co. F. 20

Tenth Regiment.

Age.

Wallace A. Putnam 1 24

George W. Bigelow, 2d lieut ... 32

Eleventh Regiment.

Age.

Alexander Spinney, Co. C ...... 29

George A. Ewell, Co. I .. 28

Michael McAuliffe, Co. D ...... 22

Henry Beckett, recruit .. 22

Wm. Shackley, Co. G. 30

James Finnerty, recruit. 23

Horace L. Hadley, corp., Co. H. 21

George A. Wilson, recruit. ...

Fourteenth Regiment. (See Ist Heavy Artillery below.)

Seventeenth Regiment.

Age.

Age·

Robert W. Jessop, Co. A .. 36

Chas. M. Goldthwaitt, Co. D .. 22

Geo. Putnam, Jr., corp., Co. B. 18

Dominick McDavitt, Co. D ... 31

James Battye, Co. B. 43

Thomas J. Shea, Co. D. 26

Patrick Carr, Co. B 33

Artemas Wilson, Co. D. 34

David Coleman, Co. B. 41

Joseph H. Coley, Co. G. 18

Lawrence Fox, Co. B. 39

Nicholas Congdon, Co. G 25

George H. Goss, Co. B 22

Ephraim Getchell, Co. G. 35

Thomas Hartman, Co. B. 42

Wm. Ober, Co. G .. 27

James McCarty, Co. B. 47

Seward Sylvester, Go. G .. 18

Andrew Patton, Co. B 38

Jas. Smith, sergt., 2d and 1st

George Pitman, Co. B 34

lieut., Co. I. 30

Reuben H. Coffin, Co. D. 29

COMPANY C, SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT .- Those marked with a star were original members of the Danvers Light Infantry.

Age.

* Nehemiah P. Fuller, capt., promoted major 2d H. Artillery. ....... 31

* Wm. W. Smith, Ist lieut., promoted capt., major, lieut .- colonel 23

* Ruel B. Pray, 2d lieut., 1st lient. 24

* Lewis Cant, sergt. 2d lieut., Ist lieut., capt. 23

* Henry G. Hyde, sergt., 2d lieut., 1st lieut

* Uriah Robertson, sergt., 2d lieut., 1st lieut

Timothy Hawks, priv., 2d lieut., Ist lieut

* Robert Smith, sergt., 2d lieut., Ist lieut.

* Malcolm Sillars, 2d lieut., Ist lieut

22 * Andrew Cook, sergt., 2d lieut.

* James Inman, sergt., 2d lieut.

* Joseph G. Martin, sergt., 2d lieut.

* George H. Putney, sergt.

* Richard W. Fuller, pr., sergt.

* Timothy Hawks, Jr., corp., sergt.

* John B. Moores, pr., sergt. 26

William H. Ogden, pr., sergt.

* John F. Wells, pr., sergt.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 151

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538