History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register, Part 30

Author: Temple, J. H. (Josiah Howard), 1815-1893
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Framingham, Pub. by the town of Framingham
Number of Pages: 822


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 30


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2


Lawson Buckminster I4


Phinehas Graves


.


5


Sergt. William Maynard


4


James Greenwood


.


8


Asaph Bigelow


8


Isaac Haven


4


Noah Eaton Jr.


I4


William Haven .


7


Clerk Matthias Bent Jr.


19


Jesse Hayden


I4


Corp. Frederick Manson


4


Daniel Hemenway


14


66 Samuel Frost Jr. .


4


Jacob Hemenway


2


66 Joseph Temple


IO


Jeffrey Hemenway


David Morse


3


Shadrack Hill


4


Drum' Josiah Atkinson


I4


Benjamin Holden Jr. .


4


Fifer Moses Edgell


Joseph Jennings Jr.


I7


Samuel Abbott


8


Moses Learned .


4


Andrew Allard


IO Joseph Mixer


2


Sylvanus Ballord


4


John Mixer Jr.


8


Timothy Ballord .


4


Asa Morse


IO


Abraham Belknap 3


James Morse


IO


Joseph Bennett


4


Jonathan Morse


9


Josiah Bent


I7 Cyrus Munger


14


Benjamin Clark


8 Joseph Nichols Jr.


4


James Clayes Jr. .


7 Samuel Ordway .


1


Increase Claflin


4 David Patterson


2


278


History of Framingham.


William Cushing . ·


IO


Asa Pike


3


Elijah Dadmun


4. Silas Pike


14


Nathan Dadmun .


IO Simon Pike Jr.


4


Nathan Drury


8 Simon Rogers


4


Benjamin Eaton Jr. 4 David Sanger


17


Ebenezer Eaton


4


Peter Salem


4


John Eaton .


14 Abel Stone


14


· Maltiah Eaton .


IO Abner Stone 14


Noah Eaton 2d .


John Stone 2


4


Silas Eaton .


Luther Stone 4


IO


Samuel Everdon 4 John Trowbridge


I7


Joshua Fairbanks 14 Joshua Trowbridge


2


John Fiske . I4 Jonas Underwood


2 2


Amos Gates


4 Samuel Underwood


4


George Gates


4 Nehemiah Wright


4


A Roll of Minute Men from Framingham under command of Capt. Micajah Gleason, at Concord and Cambridge, April 19, 1775.


NAMES.


DAYS OUT.


NAMES.


DAYS OUT.


Capt. Micajah Gleason .


4 Moses Fiske 12


Lieut. John Eames


28


John Hemenway 16


Samuel Gleason ·


16 Jona. Hemenway


5


Sergt. John Gleason


Nathan Hemenway 9


II


66 Tho. Buckminster .


4 Francis How


IO


Corp. Gideon Rider


22 Simon How


I4


Alpheus Nichols


5


6 John Mayhew


9


Roger Brown


IO


John Maynard


6


Drum' Isaac Hemenway


.


14 Needham Maynard


6


Fifer Thomas Nixon Jr.


5 David Rice Jr.


IO


Jonathan Adams .


2 Ezekiel Rice


14


Daniel Bridges


16


Moses Rice


IO


Andrew Brown


9 Samuel Stone


16


Joseph Brown .


12


Jonathan Temple


4


Abel Childs


6 Joseph Tower


5


Charles Dougherty 6 David Waight


14


Micah Dougherty 6 Josiah Waight


14


Elisha Drury


4 Azariah Walker


14


Joseph Eames


3


Joseph Webb


6


Nathaniel Eames


3 Joseph Winch


I6


Zaccheus Fairbanks 16


.


9 Silas Hemenway


Jonathan Hill


5 Joseph How


IO


Clerk Eben' Hemenway


6 Parley How


6


Cheever Kendall IO


66 Ebenezer Winch


Shubael Seaver ·


.


.


.


279


War of the Revolution.


Muster-Roll of a Militia Company belonging to Framingham, that marched to Concord and Cambridge, April 19, 1775.


NAMES. DAYS OUT.


NAMES.


DAYS OUT.


Capt. Jesse Eames


IO Henry Eames


· IO


Lieut. John Shattuck


9


Jotham Eames


. IO


Sergt. John Eames


IO Nathaniel Eames Jr. IO


Samuel Hemenway .


.


IO Isaac Gibbs


5


John Clayes .


IO Seth Harding


3


James Glover


IO Wm. Hemenway


IO


Corp. Richard Rice


IO Daniel Jones


IO


Thomas Bent .


9 James Mellen


9


Thaddeus Hagar .


7 Asa Nurse .


9


John Jones .


IO John Nurse


9


Ebenezer Boutwell Jr. 22 Abner Pratt


IO


Gershom Eames .


IO Silas Winch


7


From the foregoing rolls, it appears that Framingham had a total of 153 men in service on this memorable nineteenth of April, out of a population of 1,500.


The pay of the captains was 4s. Iod. per day ; lieutenants, 2s. rod .; sergeants, Is. rod .; corporals, Is. 7d .; musicians, Is. 6d .; privates, IS. 5d.


It was at the earnest entreaty of the Committee of Safety and the general officers, that Capt. Edgell, Capt. Gleason and Capt. Eames, and so large a part of our Minute Men and militia remained at Cambridge. The Executive Committee had summoned the Provincial Congress to meet April 22 ; and they begged these Minute companies to hold the ground till more permanent companies could be enlisted.


On the 23d, the Congress resolved to call on Massachusetts to furnish 13,500 men for eight months' service.


On that day, Capt. Gleason resigned command of his Minute company, and immediately raised from his own men, and other companies on the ground, a company of fifty men, and reported for duty. His commission is dated April 23, and his company was that day mustered into service.


The next day, Lieut. Thomas Drury, of Capt. Edgell's company, resigned his commission, and commenced recruiting a company for the eight months' service. On that and the few following days, he enlisted sixty-three men. His commission is dated April 24, and his company drew pay from that date.


The names of our own men, who thus volunteered on the instant for an eight months' campaign, and most of whom were in the battle of Bunker Hill, the 17th of June, are worthy of being recorded.


.


.


280


History of Framingham.


In Capt. Micajah Gleason's company were Ens. John Eames, Sergt. Jonathan Temple, Sergt. Peter Clayes, Sergt. Joseph Nichols, Sergt. Morris Handley (then of Londonderry, N. H.), Sergt. Shubael Seaver, Michael Caravan, Elisha Drury, Samuel Eames, Samuel Ever- don, John Jones, Moses Learned, Frederick Manson, Samuel Stone, Ebenezer Temple.


In Capt. Thomas Drury's company were


ENLISTED.


ENLISTED.


Lieut. Wm. Maynard


Apr. 24 Blaney Grusha


May 4 6.


Ens. Joseph Mixer


66 Cato Hart


Jeffrey Hemenway


Apr. 24 66


66 Jona. Maynard


Joseph Nichols


Joseph How


Apr. 28


66 Noah Eaton


66


Francis How


66


Corp. Cornelius Claflin . 66


Simon How


May 4 66


Joseph Temple


May 4 Joseph Jennings


John Trowbridge


Nathaniel Merritt


May I


Josiah Waite


Joseph Nurse


Apr. 24


Drum' Isaac Hemenway


66 Samuel Ordway


66


Fifer Luther Eaton


May I John Parker


Abijah Abbott


Apr. 28


Jacob Pepper


May 4


Abraham Abbott


66


James Pike


Apr. 30 66


Joseph Bennett


Apr. 24


Jonathan Pike


Daniel Bigelow


May 4


Joseph Pogonit


Apr. 24


Josiah Bent .


Joseph Brown


May I


Simon Rogers


Apr. 24 6.


Benjamin Clark


Apr. 28


David Sanger


May 4


Samuel Drury .


Apr. 24


Joseph Seaver


Apr. 30


Benjamin Eaton


66


John Stacey


May 4


Brigham Eaton (Killingly)


66


John Stone


Apr. 24


Ebenezer Eames .


May 4


John Tozer


May 4 .


Amos Gates


Apr. 24


David Waite


George Gates


Azariah Walker .


Henry Gates


May 4 Nehemiah Wright . Apr. 24


John Gleason


66


Simon Pratt Ezekiel Rice


66


May 4


John Claflin


Apr. 24


Peter Salem


Elijah Dadmun


Windsor Stone


At the same time the following Framingham men enlisted in other companies. In Capt. David Moore's Sudbury company, Lieut. Jona- than Hill, Drummer Ebenezer Boutwell, Jr., Fifer Thomas Nixon, Jr.,


66


Ebenezer Eaton 66


Shadrack Hill


Sergt. Samuel Frost


Benjamin Holden


281


War of the Revolution.


Isaac Goodnow, Jr., Silas Hemenway, Alpheus Nichols, Joseph Nichols, 3d.


In Capt. Aaron Haynes' Sudbury company, Sergt. Joshua Fair- banks, Sergt. Samuel Fairbanks, Ens. John Maynard, Corning Fairbanks, Needham Maynard.


William Dougherty of this town enlisted in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's Sherborn company.


James Greenwood of Framingham enlisted April 24, in Capt. Joseph Morse's Natick company.


The same day, April 24, Capt. John Nixon was tendered a com- mission as colonel of a regiment ; and on the 27th, the Committee of Safety ordered that he receive nine sets of "beating papers," which he was to send to such men of his acquaintance as were considered suitable to be commissioned as captains. The following is a copy of one of these beating papers :


In Committee of Safety, Cambridge, April 24, 1775.


To Capt. Sir: You are hereby empowered immediately to enlist a company, to consist of 56 able-bodied and effective men, including sergeants, as soldiers in the Massachusetts service, for the promotion of American Liberty, and cause them to pass muster as soon as possible.


JOSEPH WARREN chairman.


From Col. John Nixon.


Capt. Gleason and Capt. Drury immediately reported for duty, with their companies, to Col. Nixon. The other captains to whom papers were sent were Capt. Joseph Butler of Concord, Capt. Abishai Brown of Concord, Capt. William Smith of Lincoln, Capt. David Moore of Sudbury, Capt. Moses McFarland of Haverhill, Capt. Jeremiah Gil- man of Plaistow, N. H., Capt. Samuel McCobb of Georgetown. The field officers of the regiment when organized were, Col. John Nixon of Sudbury, Lieut. Col. Thomas Nixon of Framingham, Maj. John Buttrick of Concord, Adj. Abel Holden of Sudbury, Quartermaster, John White of Haverhill, Surgeon, Isaac Spofford of Haverill, Sur- geon's mate, Josiah Langdon of Sudbury. The officers of the regi- ment drew pay from April 24, and it was recognized by Gen. Ward, and sent by his orders on several important expeditions ; though it appears not to have mustered into service, as a regiment, till June 5.1


April 24, the Committee of Safety sent ten sets of beating papers to Col. Jonathan Brewer, a native of Framingham, but who, since 1770, had resided in Waltham on the border of Watertown. Col. Brewer was a man of adventure, and undoubted courage, who had seen


1 May 27, 1775, Gen. Ward orders Col. Nixon and his regiment to proceed to Chelsea to protect a party that went from Malden, Medford and Chelsea "to bring off the stock (cattle) upon Noddles and Hog Islands."


282


History of Framingham.


considerable service in the French and Indian wars; and in 1759, was in command of a company of Rangers in the expedition against Quebec. He promptly raised a regiment, composed of eight com- panies and 400 men. About the middle of May, he addressed the following paper :


"To the Provincial Congress now sitting at Watertown: The petition of Jonathan Brewer of Waltham, Humbly sheweth


"That your petitioner, having a desire of contributing all in his power for his country's good, begs leave to propose to this Honbl House, to march with a body of 500 volunteers to Quebeck, by way of the rivers Kennebeck and Chaudiere, as he humbly begs leave to apprehend that such a diversion of the Provincial troops into that part of Canada would be the means of drawing the Governor of Canada with his troops into that quarter, and which would effectually secure the Northern and Western frontiers from any inroads of the regular or Canadian troops. This he humbly conceives he could execute with all the facility imaginable : He therefore begs that this Honorable Assembly would take this his proposal into consideration, and act thereon as in their wisdom shall seem meet.


" Signed JONATHAN BREWER."


It appears that Col. Brewer had in some way already incurred the displeasure of the Committee of Safety; and now by addressing his petition directly to the Congress, instead of addressing it to said Committee, he gave the said Committee great offence. And May 26, they sent a paper to the Congress, containing charges against Mr. Brewer, with a view to defeat his proposed expedition, and to secure his rejection as colonel of the regiment. The only charge which could affect his military character and standing, that Mr. Brewer did not deny and repel, was that, in some of the beating papers sent to his friends, he inserted this clause in brackets: "You are to enlist a company of Rangers whereof Jonathan Brewer is colonel." He frankly acknowledged the charge, and admitted his intention to raise such a regiment and obtain permission of the Congress to conduct a ranging expedition, as indicated in his petition.


A heated contest took place between the friends and the enemies of Col. Brewer. Col. Buckminster, Capt. Edwards, and others of this town, appeared before the Congress in the interest of their former townsman and neighbor. His proposition was rejected. But his failure to secure the indorsement of his pet project did not dampen the zeal of Mr. Brewer. His chosen captains and their men were faithful to him, and June 7, sent in their returns to the Congress. June 13, he was ordered to make an official return of the companies then comprising his regiment. June 15, he received the necessary


283


War of the Revolution.


recommendation; and June 17. his regiment was commissioned. That he had the confidence of Gen. Ward and Gen. Warren, and that he proved himself a patriotic man and brave commander, will shortly appear. The officers of the regiment, all of whom enlisted April 24, were,


Col. Jona. Brewer of Waltham, born in Framingham.


Lt. Col. Wm. Buckminster of Barre, born in Framingham.


Maj. Nathaniel Cudworth of East Sudbury.


Adj. John Butler of Peterborough.


Quartermaster, Charles Dougherty of Framingham.


Surgeon, D. Townsend of Boston.


April 24, nine sets of beating papers were issued to Col. David Brewer, a brother of Col. Jonathan, then a resident of Palmer. June 15, the Committee of Safety reported that "Col. David Brewer had raised nine companies, amounting, including officers, to 465 men, who are now posted at Roxbury, Dorchester and Watertown." This regiment was commissioned June 17. The Lieut. Colonel was Rufus Putnam of Brookfield ; the Major was Nathaniel Danielson of Brim- field; the Adjutant was Thomas Weeks of Greenwich ; with Ebenezer Washburn of Hardwick, Quartermaster, and Estes Howe of Belcher- town, surgeon. Micah Dougherty of this town enlisted for the eight months service in Capt. Jona. Danforth's company, in Col. David Brewer's regiment.


Other Framingham men who were out in this campaign were, Isaac Haven, Silas Haven, Jona. Hemenway.


Samuel Brewer, a native of this town (brother of Jonathan and David) but then living in Rutland, enlisted in the eight months service ; was appointed adjutant-general of the troops in Roxbury, under Gen. Thomas. He was wounded at Bunker Hill, June 17. In 1776, he raised and commanded a regiment which served at Ticon- deroga. He with his regiment was in the campaign of 1777, which ended with the defeat of Burgoyne.


At a town meeting held May 29, 1775, it was voted, "To choose two members to represent the town in the Provincial Congress which meets at Watertown May 31; and accordingly chose Joseph Haven Esq. and Capt. Josiah Stone; and ordered that one only of them should be constant in attendance, except while the debates in Congress lasted relating to assuming government, they have liberty both to attend."


The committee of correspondence this year were, Joseph Haven, Esq., Dea. W'm. Brown, Capt. Josiah Stone, Ebenezer Marshall, David Haven, Maj. John Trowbridge, Capt. Daniel Stone, Lieut. Lawson Buckminster, Gideon Haven, John Shattuck.


284


History of Framingham.


BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL, JUNE 17, 1775. - The part taken by Framingham men in this eventful battle has never been told in the published histories of the war. Like the Minute Men at Concord and Lexington, these early volunteers went into the struggle for Liberty to fight, and not to boast of it !


Our town records are silent on the subject. The recruits furnished the army at this juncture were all - officers and men - volunteers. The muster-rolls, already given, show who enlisted in the eight- months service, but fail to indicate the names of those who were on duty on the 17th. They also fail to indicate the casualties of the battle. From the best data obtainable, it is believed that sixty-eight of our men took part in the action on that day.


A brief resumé of the state of things at the American head-quarters and outposts on the day preceding the battle, is necessary in order that the account of the action itself may be clearly understood.


Artemas Ward, the general in command, had his head quarters at Cambridge. He had under him an army of recruits, most of whom had seen military service, numbering in all about 9,500 men, a consid- erable part of whom were not fully armed. Very few of the soldiers had bayonets.


"The army was posted nearly in the following manner: The right wing, under Gen. Thomas was at Roxbury, and consisted of about 4,000 Massachusetts troops. The Rhode Island forces, under Greene, and the greater part of Spencer's Connecticut regiment, were at Jamaica Plains. The centre division of the army was at Cambridge, and consisted of fifteen Massachusetts regiments, the newly organized battalion of artillery under Col. Gridley ; and Gen. Putnam's regiment, with some other Conn. troops. They were quartered in the colleges, in the meeting-house, and in tents. Most of the Conn. troops were at Inman's Farm ; part of Little's regiment was at the tavern in West Cambridge ; Patterson's regiment was at the breast-work near Prospect Hill ; and a large guard was at Lechmere's Point. Of the left wing of the army, three companies of Gerrish's regiment were at Chelsea ; Stark's regiment was at Medford; and Reed's regiment was at Charlestown Neck." 1


Of powder and ball, the men averaged, in their horns and pouches, less than fifteen rounds each. Col. Brewer's men had five rounds each ; Col. Nixon's had thirteen rounds ; Col. Gerrish's had twenty- four rounds. Of powder in camp, exclusive of thirty-six half-barrels received from the Governor of Connecticut, there were in the magazine only thirteen and one-half barrels. Of stores, there were only sufficient to keep along from day to day.


1 Frothingham.


285


War of the Revolution.


In anticipation of a movement by Gen. Gage on the American lines, Gen. Putnam, Col. Prescott, and the majority of the Committee of Safety, urged the necessity of fortifying Charlestown heights and one of the hills on Dorchester Neck. Gen. Ward, Gen. Warren, and the Council of War were opposed to such a step till the army was in a better condition to hold the exposed positions.


June 15, the Committee of Safety passed a resolve, which really amounted to instructions to the Commander-in-chief, "to take posses- sion of, hold, and defend Bunker Hill in Charlestown." Under this pressure, on the evening of the 16th, Gen. Ward issued orders accordingly.


Prescott's, Frye's and Bridges' regiments, a party of about 120 Connecticut troops under Capt. Thomas Knowlton, and Capt. Grid- ley's company of artillery of forty-nine men, and two field-pieces, were detailed to execute the order. The detachment, amounting in all to about 1,000 men, was placed under the command of Col. William Prescott, who had orders in writing from Gen. Ward, to proceed that evening to Bunker Hill, build fortifications to be planned by Col. Richard Gridley, the chief engineer, and defend them till he should be relieved.


All accounts agree that the duty of constructing the intrenchments on Charlestown heights was intrusted to Col. William Prescott. The " Prescott Manuscript " is explicit on this point. "The detachment was drawn up on the Common in Cambridge, on the evening of the 16th, attended prayers by the Rev. Dr. Langdon, then President of Harvard College, and when daylight was gone, Col. Prescott led them silently down Charlestown road over the Neck, and then halted, called around him the field officers, with Col. Gridley, and then first commu- nicated to them his orders.


"The whole height at that time was popularly called Bunker Hill, although the southern part was known as Breed's Hill by the neigh- bors."


After discussion, it was determined to so far disobey orders, as to construct the fortifications on the southern eminence, which was about 130 rods from the other. The detachment proceeded to Breed's Hill, and Col. Gridley laid out the works, a redoubt and intrenchment, which the troops immediately commenced building. This was about eleven o'clock.


Breed's Hill was then open pasture-ground, divided up by stone and rail fences, and rows of apple trees. The slope towards Mystic river was mow-land, then partly in standing grass, and partly in new-mown hay, lying in windrows.


During the night, Col. Prescott's men threw up a redoubt on the


286


History of Framingham.


top of the hill 132 feet square. He also constructed, early the next morning, an earth breastwork, extending from the northeasterly corner of the redoubt, on a line with its eastern face, 400 feet down the hill towards the Mystic.


Such was the condition of things when the morning of the seven- teenth broke.


Not so much from a spirit of insubordination, as from a spirit of independence, Prescott had constructed his redoubt where he thought it would be of most service; and he strengthened it, and defended it, when the need came, with a courage that is worthy of the highest admiration. He defended his works, partly because of his orders to do it, partly because he knew no fear, and partly because he felt himself responsible for assuming that advanced position. When Putnam came upon the ground, he saw Prescott's mistake, and withdrew Capt. Knowlton's men and the intrenching tools to the northerly height, and stopped some advancing regiments there, to provide against the impending defeat which he foresaw. For his tactics were those of the independent Ranger-any expedient to meet an emergency.


The regiments that were sent earliest upon the field chose their own position. They naturally took post near the end of the earth- work cover, and so extended towards the left. They took for granted that Col. Prescott would take care of his redoubt. Colonels Brewer and Nixon were the first, or among the first, to reach the ground. When Warren came, soon after, the three saw the need of some cover for the men, and made the rail-fence breastwork, and took position at the head of it, and defended it; and by their obstinate resistance at the gap, held the key of the situation, till the raking fire from Howe's artillery and the bayonet charge forced them to retreat. This hay breastwork was not begun till after the British had landed on the peninsula, and was put up while they were lunching and forming. It was built about 600 feet in the rear of Prescott's earthwork cover. The width of the open space between the lower end of the earthwork and the upper end of the hay-work, was about 700 feet - though if the hay-work had been brought forward to the line of the earthwork, the width of the open space would have been only 100 feet.


When Col. Stark arrived upon the ground, his quick eye saw the weakness of the extreme left at the Mystic side, and he at once went there and built the stone-wall cover, and held it - thus holding in check the British right, and saving the retreat of Prescott and the American right.


Neither Colonels Stark, nor Reed, nor Brewer, nor Nixon, nor Little ; nor Majors Moore and Durkee; nor Captains Chester and


287


War of the Revolution.


Benjamin Hastings, got credit for the part they took in the action - because they did nothing but defend the positions which they volunta- rily selected ; and Gen. Warren received poor praise for his foresight and counsel - because he opposed the plan which brought on the battle ; and because - he was killed.


The controversy as to who was commander-in-chief on Bunker Hill, was an afterthought. No one had received such an appointment, and no one then claimed the honor. Prescott and Gridley were held responsible for the mistake in locating the redoubt, by the Committee of Safety ; and no regiment of the reinforcements sent upon the field was ordered to report for duty to either Col. Prescott or Gen. Putnam, as commander. Putnam acknowledged the mistake of the night before, and (if he counselled it) tried to throw off the blame by building a new redoubt where it was first ordered to be built. Warren, anxious about the issue of a movement which he had not approved, went upon the ground before it became certain that the British would attack our position, and held himself ready for emergencies, and did what a brave man and true patriot would do. He was the accepted commander of the centre of the line of defence, as Prescott was the hero of the redoubt. All did the best they could in the battle ; all admitted a defeat; all thought it might have been prevented ; and each (who outlived the day) was willing that the other should bear the responsibility.


It was not till the personalities of the fight and its adjuncts had been buried -either in the grave or in forgetfulness, - and the real and glorious significance of the action was seen in its ultimate results, that the friends of the deceased heroes put forth their rival claims to the honor of directing the general movements of the day.


Needham Maynard, one of our Framingham boys, who had excep- tionally favorable opportunities for knowing the facts, has given a detailed account of what took place at the centre of the American position, immediately preceding and during the action. It supplies particulars relating to men and movements not elsewhere recorded. He does not profess to give details of the battle as a whole, but only of those things which he saw and took part in. He gives the exact location of several regiments, not otherwise known, whose gallant fighting had a material influence on the fortunes of the day. He was not cognizant of the movements of Putnam and Stark ; nor does he comment on the orders he received and executed. He shows no partizan interest in the question as to who had the chief command on the Hill that day - though he makes it certain that Warren took the direction of affairs at the centre of the line, and that orders from him


288


History of Framingham.


were carried to the redoubt on the one hand, and to Col. Nixon's position towards Mystic on the other.


Judge Maynard was then in his twentieth year. He was a Minute Man in Capt. Micajah Gleason's company, and participated in the affair of April 19. May 7, he enlisted for eight months in Capt. Aaron Haynes' Sudbury company, and after the 17th was with Col. Jona. Brewer's regiment at Prospect hill. At the close of the war, he married a Framingham girl, and settled at Whitestown, N. Y. He was regarded as a man of great intelligence and probity, and was appointed judge of the county court. In June, 1843, he revisited Framingham, where in the presence of several gentlemen, he narrated the facts now to be given. The statement so interested his friends that it was written down by one of them at the time, and was after- wards read, corrected and subscribed by Mr. Maynard. This will account for the peculiar style of the document.




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