History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 143

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 143

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As there are no names of contumacious per- sons to be found upon the town record, it is to be in- ferred that all the male inhabitants of the town, of twenty-one years of age and upward, signed the agreement. This agreement was certainly very strict and comprehensive in its terms, indicating an invin- cible determination to resist to the bitter end all en-

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croachments upon their rights. As the prospect be- came increasingly clear that a resort to arms would be necessary for the preservation of these rights, it was voted, " that one-quarter part of all the training soldiers of the town enlist themselves, and for their encouragement they are promised pay for every half- day they shall be exercised in the art military." While preparation was thus made for war, a large and influential "Committee of Safety" was chosen, whose duty it was to suppress mobs and riots, main- tain peace and harmony, good will and affection among the people, and, by their advice and example, promote good manners and correct living. To this committee was soon after added another, called a " Committee of Inspection," whose duty it was to see to it that the "non-consumption agreement be strictly adhered to;" that every species of extravagance and dissipation be discountenanced. They were to rec- ommend a reduction in the articles and expense of mourning apparel, to inspect the traders of the town, and if any had violated the rules of the Association, to publish their names. They were further "to en- courage the people to improve the breed of sheep, and to increase their number ;" at the same time they were to "promote agriculture, arts and manufac- tures."

It is to be observed that these frequent town-meet- ings and their energetic acts were in defiance oflaw, the Provincial Legislature having been set aside by the Governor, and the town-meeting suppressed by act of Parliament. But never were town officials more efficient or better obeyed. Events moved fast in those days. In January, 1775, the Committee of Inspection was chosen ; in February it was voted to furnish the enlisted soldiers "with bayonets at the expense of the town," and for this purpose, after col- lecting those "in the hands of individuals," the per- sons in charge were directed to " procure one hundred more to be made as soon as possible, and supply those firelocks that are effective, which belong to the min- ute-men, with good bayonets as soon as may be." At this time there were four enlisted companies of one hundred men each in the town-two belonging to the South Parish, and two to the North. These were put under drill two or three times a week.

While the provincial towns were thus preparing to defend their rights by arms, the Parliament of Great Britain was sending an address to the King de- claring that "a rebellion existed in Massachusetts," and pledging "their lives and properties for its sup- pression." An act was also passed, aimed especially at Massachusetts, excluding the fishermen of New England from the Banks of Newfoundland. By this act the coercion of idleness and starvation was brought to bear upon disloyalty. Its effect was to change in- dignation into detestation. The yeomanry of the country deeply sympathized with the fishermen of the coast. These aggressive acts, designed to punish and subdue the malcontents, served to unite all

classes of the people, North and South, more firmly, and to deepen their determination to maintain their rights at every cost. The Second Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, sitting in Concord, appointed officers to command the forces of the colony, if there should be occasion for their use; chose a "Committee of Safety," charged to resist every attempt at executing the Act of Parliament, and another committee to draw up regulations for the constitutional army ; ad- vised the people to pay their province tax to a treas- urer of their own choice; made announcements for collecting military stores ; sent out an address to their constituents, in which they declared "that resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual," and after appointing a day of fast- ing, dissolved on the 15th day of April.

On the day after this adjournment General Gage began secret preparations for sending out an expedi- tion to destroy some military stores which had been collected at Concord. As stealthily as possible, on the evening of the 18th of April, under the shelter of the darkness of night, eight hundred infantry and grenadiers, the flower of the army in Boston, left the barracks, crossed the Charles, and took up their march for Concord, delighted at the prospect of an agreeable excursion into the country, and the opportunity of inspiring terror among the boorish rebels of the vil- lages around. This expedition, with its purport, was quickly known to the patriots within the city, and speedily the news of it was communicated to the towns between Charlestown and Concord, and from them spread far and wide over the country. As the expedition, in the dawn of the morning, entered the village of Lexington, it came upon a small body of armed men drawn up near their meeting-house. Here was an opportunity for eight hundred disciplined soldiers, well armed, to show their superior valor in an attack upon some sixty villagers, assembled with muskets to protest against an invasion of their rights. They were bidden to disperse, failing in which, they were fired upon. Seven of these Lexing- ton men were killed and nine wounded-a quarter part of all who, that morning, stood upon the village green, as the picket-guard of American liberty.

The news of this slaughter spread over the country upon the wings of the wind. And while the British company proceeded on this expedition and spiked two old cannon at Concord, destroyed an insignificant amount of flour and some old gun-carriages, wounded two and killed two of the Concord minute-men, los- ing, in turn, two killed and others wounded, the county towns in Middlesex and Essex had been aroused, and armed men from all quarters flocked to the scene of conflict. In Andover, as in other towns, the meeting-house bells rang out their warning, and the heavy beat of the alarm-drum summoned the farm- er at his plow, the mechanic in his shop and the min- ister in his study ; and all, leaving their teams, their tools, their books, without even stopping to change

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS

their clothes, hurried to the places of rendezvous, with musket and powder-horn in band.

Before night came on, the four militia companies of Andover were on the march. There were two hun . dred and twenty-two men in these companies, some of whom doubtless belonged to the neighboring towns of Methuen and Boxford. They marched nnder the command of Captain Henry Abbot, Captain Joshua Holt, Lieutenant John Adams and Lientenant Peter Poor.

They were, however, too distant to arrive in time to participate in the running fight from Lexington back to Charlestown. They were in season, however, to see some of the results of the first fight in the in- terest of American independence,-the broken win- dows, the plundered houses, the burning barns, the wonnded and the dead, both grenadier and minute- man. It has been reported, with doubtful authority,

that a private of Captain Joshua Holt's company, ous contest for their inalienable rights.

Charles Furbush, with another, on being fired upon by a British soldier, who was plundering a house, rushed into the house and killed the plunderer. . 1 private belonging to the company of Captain Ames, Thomas Boynton, kept a journal, and has left this record of the day's experience, which was included in the printed documents of the Massachusetts His- torical Society for 1877 :

" ANDOVEN, April 19, 1775.

" This morning, being Wednesday, about the sun's rising the town was alarmed with the news that the Regulars was on their march to Concord. Upon which the town minstered and about 10 o'clock marched onward for Concord. In Tewksbury news came that the Reg. ulars had fired on our men in Lexington, and bad killed 8. In Bilricke dewe came that the enemy wera killing and slaying our men in Concord. Bedford we hned the news that the enemy had killed 2 of onr men and had retreated buck ; we shifted our course and persned after them as fast as possible, but all In vain ; the enemy had the start 3 or 4 miles, It is baid that their number was about 1500 men. Thay were persned as far as Charlestown that night ; the next day they passed Charles River. The loss they sustained as we hear were 500 ; our men about 40. To return, after we came Into Concord rond we saw houses burning and others plundered and dead bodies of the enemy lying by the way, others taken prisoners. About eight at night our regiment came to a hult in no time The next morning we came into Cambridge and there u bode."

This is doubtless a correct account of the day's work of the Andover companies. It shows the mar- vellous celerity with which, in those days, when there was neither telegraph, railroad nor even a daily stage, the news of the marching of the grenadiers from Boston for Concord, on the night of the 18th of April, must have reached Andover in season to have col- lected together more than two hundred men from all over the town, ready for a march to Concord at ten o'clock in the morning of the 19th. They certainly deserved the name of "minute-men."

The Andover troops went into camp in Cambridge under the command of General Ward. Here they were subjected to a drill not very exacting. Many of them obtained short furloughs to return to their homes, which they had so hastily left, to put their atlairs in order and make better provision for their own confort.

The women and children who were left on this eventful morning, when their husbands, fathers and brothers marched away to join battle with the British forces, were in no enviable condition. The fortune of war being proverbially nncertain, these loved ones might never be seen by them again alive. The sudden- ness of the departure had precluded any preparation for the care of farm, barn, stock or children. Then, might not the British push forward even so far as Andover? Fear started the rumor in one neigh- borhood that the dreaded regulars were coming. After the noise of the morning, the stillness of the evening was itself a terror. The isolated farm-house, without the husband and father, became the habitation of anx- iety, tears and prayers. But, however painful and bnrdensome might be this desolation and the ang- mented care and toil, the women of that day did not hold back their husbands and sons from the peril-

The apprehension in Andover was at this time so great that, on the 29th day of May, in town-meeting, it was voted "that a watch should be kept in the town." Sentinels were appointed to patrol the streets at night : and, if any person should be found walking the streets or elsewhere after nine o'clock, he should be questioned as to his business, aod if, on being thus questioned, he should neglect or refuse to reply, he should be challenged "with a strong voice," and commanded, on the authority of a "gnard," to stop, on his peril. If the challenged person should disre- gard this summons, then the sentinel was directed to fire. The sentinel was further empowered to detain and bring before a magistrate any person who did not give a good account of himself. This action shows a startled, tremulous state of feeling among the people. There was something in the air to arouse suspicion and demand extraordinary vigilance. Spies, informers, British sympathizers, incendiaries might choose the darkness of the night to do some mischief to the property or families of the absent soldiers. For the first time in its history, the town felt its need of night watchmen to guard its streets with loaded muskets in their hands. But these nervous apprehen- sions were soon to be overborne by serious distresses.

Lord llowe had superseded Gage in the chief com- mand of the British forces in America. He had brought with him from England large re-enforce- ments, with an ample supply of military equipments and such able officers as Clinton and Burgoyne. It was chafing to the pride of the British commander and soldiers to be cooped up in a small town by a heterogeneous company of undisciplined, badly- equipped and poorly-officered farmers. An aggres- sive movement was planned. This becoming known to the Committee of Safety and communicated to the officers and men at Cambridge, a counter-movement was determined upon in advance of the British at- tack. It was decided to occupy Bunker Hill, one of the neighboring heights which commanded Boston.

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A thousand men were detailed under the command of Prescott. Among this detachment were three companies under the command of captains from An- dover,-Captain Benjamin Ames, Captain Charles Furbush and Captain Benjamin Farnum. A large proportion of the private members belonged also to Andover, though by no means all. There seems to have been a great mixing up of companies for this en- terprise, not a few volunteers falling into the ranks of the detached companies to take the places of ab- sentees.

As the sun was setting on the afternoon of the 16th of June, the forces under command of Prescott were drawn up on Cambridge Common, where they listen- ed to an earnest prayer offered by Dr. Langdon, pres- ident of Harvard College. The hour, the special interest shown by all in authority in what was trans- piring, the solemn and fervent supplication for the blessing of heaven upon the assembled companies, added to the mystery as to their destination, gave to the common soldier a profound sense of the signifi- cance and peril of the work in which he was about to engage, and the honor to which he was called, in be- ing selected to participate in such a work. When night came on and silence reigned in camp, this de- tachment, laden with pick-axe and shovel, as with musket and powder-horn, marched across Charlestown Neck, with no sound of fife or drum-beat, to Breed's Hill, threw up their intrenchments, and, to the best of their ability, prepared themselves for the desperate and bloody struggle of the next day. The discovery by the British of this earth-work in the early morning, their astonishment, the bombardment by the war-ves- sels lying in the offing, the embarking of two thousand of the choicest troops of England, with Major-General Howe himself in command, and their landing in Charlestown, the two unsuccessful and disastrous attacks, and the final successful one, together with the retreat of the American soldiers for lack of powder, are familiar in their details to all.

The description of these events by Thomas Boyn- ton, sergeant in the Andover company, commanded by Captain Ames, is worth quoting. It runs thus:

" Three regiments were ordered to paraid nt 6 o'clock in the after- Doon, namely : Conl. Fryes, Cool. Bridgs's and Cont. Prescotts, after which being done we attended prayers aad about 9 at night we marched to Charlestown with about a 10 0 men, and at about 11 o'clock we began to intreoch ia sight of Boston aod the shiping. At the sun's rising, they began to fire upon us from the shiping, the 3d or 4th shot they kild one man, and many others escaped very narrowly. At leogth they ceased their fire. Our work went on continually ; they be- gan about 8 or 9 o'clock from Corps Hill and continued a hot fire. About 2 or 3 o'clock the enemy landed and advanced toward us, its that to the oumber of 2000 med, and soon plaoted their caonon and begao the fire and advancing up to our Fort. After they came withio guo- shot we fired, and then ensued a very hot engagement. After a number of shots passed, the enemy retreated, and we ceased our fire for a few minutes. They advanced again, and we began a hot fire for a short time. The enemy scaling our walls nod the number of our men being few, we was ordered to retreat, at which time the enemy were allmost round us aoda continual firiog at our heals."

It will be observed that there is no mention here of

the second repulse, which our histories of the day's transaction uniformly narrate. This omission, on the part of one engaged in the struggle, is certainly no- ticeable. But this evidence of omission on the part of one narrator cannot invalidate the testimony of many equally competent witnesses to the fact that three attacks were made, with two repulses.

That there was fighting going on in Charlestown, and that the Andover companies were engaged in it, was known in Andover in the early part of the day. The booming of cannons from the ships and from Copp's Hill was heard in the homes of the soldiers in the trenches. The people left their work, gathered in the streets and on the hill-tops. Many hastened to the place of conflict with provisions and other supplies, women brought out their old linen for band- ages and their choice cordials, for the use of the wound- ed, and many a parent's, sister's or wife's heart beat anxiously for the loved one exposed to death. possi- ibly lying wounded, possibly dead.

The next day brought tidings of the battle and its disasters. There is no full record to be found of the casu- alties in the Andover companies. It is known, how- ever, that Captain Farnum was badly wounded, that Captain Furbush was disabled early in the fight, and that his lieutentant, Samuel Bailey, Jr., was killed. Of Captain Ames' company, it is known that Joseph Chandler, Philip Abbot and William Haggit were killed, and that Lieutenant Isaac Abbot, Lieutenant Joshua Lovejoy, James Turner, Jeremiah Wardwell, Stephen Chandler and Israel Holt were wounded. Thus was a nation's joy at the successful resistance by undisciplined militia to the systematic and repeated attacks of the veteran soldiers of England tempered by the tears of those who mourned over their heroic dead. The next day was the Sabbath. When its sacred light dawned upon the hillsides of Andover the town was in a ferment of excitement. It was rumored that a large number of her sons had been killed or wound- ed. Uncertainty, anxiety and grief pervaded the place.

The thoughts of all were turned towards Cambridge. All who could go, hastened thither. The sanctuary was forsaken. The Rev. Jonathan French, the pas- tor of the South Church, who in early life had been a soldier and afterwards a military surgeon, seizing his Bible and surgical instruments, hastened to the succor of his wounded and bereaved parishioners in camp. This is the account he gives of the state of things on that Sabbath day in June :

" Our houses of public worship were generally shut up. It was the case here. When the news of the battle reached us, the anxiety and distress of wives and children, of parents, of brothers, sisters and friends was great. It was not known who were among the slain or living, the wounded or the well. It was thought justifiable for us who could to repair to the camp, to know the circumstances, to join in the defence of the country and prevent the enemy from

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pushing the advantages they had gained, and to afford comfort and relief to our suffering brethren and friends."

The presence of this helpful and sympathetic pas- tor was a healing balm to his wounded parish- ioners and a sweet consolation to those who wept over their dead. Dr. Thomas Kittredge, of the North Parish, was the surgeon of Colonel Frye's regiment, and doubtless gave special care to bis wounded fellow-townsmen and acquaintances.

But, with all these alleviations, not a few Andover homes were made desolate by these glorious battles, which awakened a nation to a consciousness of its power, and to a determination to use that power for the preservation of its rights.

The Andover soldiers were doubtless better cared for than were those from a distance,-garments, pro- visions, powder, accoutrements and other things that contributed to their comfort and efficiency were taken to them by relatives, friends and the officers of the town. They also enjoyed the privilege of visits from their parents, wives, children, friends and fellow-townsmen, and the not infrequent opportunity of short visits to their homes. Those who had been engaged in the Bunker Hill fight doubtless felt their importance among their old friends and associates, and never allowed the stories or achievements of that momentous day to lose anything of interest or marvel by frequent repetition. Thus it came to pass that single exploits were claimed by or ascribed to different persons. These men were certainly the licrocs of the hour, and their memory is sacred.

The nine months which followed the battle of Bunker Hill previous to the evacuation of Boston were trying months to its citizens. Not a few of the poorer ela-s of the people were driven from the city by the British sokliers. They found refuge and support in the neighboring towns. A company of them came to Andover, where they were hospitably received and their necessities relieved. There were also some rich and well-to-do citizens who volun- tarily left the city, who, from their acknowledged sympathy with "the rebels," had reason to fear mo- lestation or insult. Andover had its share of such exiles. Among the number we find Mr. William Phillips, nephew of Rev. Samuel Phillips, first pastor of the South Church. He was a wealthy merchant of Boston, the associate of Hancock and Samuel Adams in their unflinching hostility to the Stamp Act and the tea tax. Mr. Nathan Appleton, also a prosperous merchant and ardent patriot, found for a time a safe retreat on the Andover hills. He de- scribes himself as seeking amusement in his forced retirement from business in "hoeing my potatoes and beans " And when in this quiet retreat a son was born to him, he writes exultingly to a friend. "1 mamed him last Sabbath, George Washington." Another Boston man who at this time made Andov- er hi temporary nbode was Mr. Joseph Hall.

While here he became the father of a boy, whom " he had christened by the Rev. Mr. French," pastor of the South Church, as "Joseph Warren, to perpetuate the memory of Major-General Joseph Warren, who was slain on Bunker Hill in the ever memorable battle on the 17th of June, 1775."

This christening took place on the 19th of Novem- ber, five months subsequent to that "ever memorable battle." Most likely it was the first christening of the kind, of which there have been multitudes since, in honor of that high-spirited, self-sacrificing man, who, to rare abilities and generous culture, added purity of life, manly character and fervent patriot- ism, and who, to crown all, gave up his life fighting as a common soldier in the ranks for the liberty of his country.

In these perilous times Andover became not only the refuge of the poor driven from their homes hy hostile soldiers, and the wealthy fleeing from them for safety, but Harvard College sought protection for her choicest treasures within its bounds. By a special act of the Provincial Congress, a portion of the library of the college was transferred to this town, and placed in the residences and under the care of Mr. Samuel Osgood and George Abbot, Esq., This removal was for the purpose of preserving these invaluable books from destruction or capture, should the British, in the fortune of war, gain possession of Cambridge. This small library was held to be of such priceless worth by our fathers as to make it fitting for the Congress, which had taken in hand the task of resisting the tyranny of Britain, to make special provision for its safety.

On the disbanding of the companies first enlisted and the calling out of a fresh levy of troops for a much longer term of service, Andover came promptly forward with a large number of enlistments. The brave and experienced Colonel James Frye, who led her sons in the siege of Louisbourg and at the battle of Bunker Hill, had ceased from his labors, dying at his home on the 8th of January, 1776. Captain Ben- jamin Farnum and Captain John Peabody, natives of this town, commanded companies in which were en- rolled many Andover men. But, in the new disposition of the troops, companies were not made up, as at first, so exclusively of men belonging to one town or sec- tion of a town. Thus, in the company of Captain Peabody were to be found men from Haverhill, Meth- uen, Bradford, Boxford and other places as well as Andover. Hence the Andover soldiers were also scat- tered among different companies, regiments and bri- gades. This renders it impossible, at this remove in time, to follow their course or note their conduct. A few of them were assigned to the detachment of Gen- eral Heath and went with him to the neighborhood of New York. A much larger number were sent North to support the army under the command of General Schuyler. In this service the company of Captain Farnum, composed largely of Andover men, as part

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of the regiment of Colonel Francis, was ordered to reinforce Fort Ticonderoga. Their march towards this distant fortress was through roadless forests, muddy morasses, swollen creeks and bridgeless rivers. Before they could reach their destination the strong- hold capitulated. This surrender forced a retreat, which, if possible, was more exhausting than the ad- vance. For needed rest, they halted for a time on an island in the Hudson River, between Fort Edward and Saratoga. From hence they marched to this village, shipping their stores down the stream. Here they remained until August 3d, when they were ordered to Stillwater, where they arrived, according to the diary of Captain Farnum, "about one o'clock at nite; lodged on the wet ground. In the morning the ground was laid out for each brigade to camp in. We got our boards out of the river and made our huts. Those that had tents pitched them." Tents were scarce. The soldiers were disheartened by their wearisome and useless marches, retreats, reverses, sicknesses and bad leadership. But to this despond- ing company there came the cheering news that their compatriots had rallied and beaten the choice sol- diers of Britain at Bennington. In his hut at Still- water, Captain Farnum makes a note of this,-" The following is just from Bennington by express : that the battel their has turned in our favor; that our army has kiled and taken 936; that the loss on our side 20 kiled and 80 wounded. 4 brs. field Peaces taken from the enemy." This good news was refreshing to the wearied soldiers at Stillwater. And when, two months later, Burgoyne surrendered with his army of nearly six thousand choice troops and capable officers, this oil of joy must have done much towards bringing health to their sickened hearts.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 143

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672