USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 32
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History of Framingham.
of service of this company expired April 1. The town paid our own men a bounty of f1 each.
March 4. A call was issued for men to fortify Dorchester Heights. In addition to the men already in the service, under Capt. Edgell, this town sent five recruits, who were assigned to Capt. John Hartwell's company, in Col. Eleazer Brooks' regiment.
Simultaneously with this call, Gen. Washington formed the deter- mination to force the British to evacuate Boston. As a first step, on the night of March 4, he quietly took possession of, and fortified Dorchester Heights, which commanded the harbor and shipping. The result was that on the 17th, Lord Wm. Howe and the British troops set sail for Halifax, and Gen. Washington and the American army entered the city, after it had been for sixteen months in posses- sion of the enemy.
The Committee of Correspondence elected in this town this year, were, Ebenezer Marshall, Elijah Kendall, Capt. Joseph Eames, Ens. Jesse Haven, Lieut. David Haven, Peter Parker, Capt. Amos Gates, Dr. Ebenezer Hemenway, and Benjamin Eaton. £ Voted, that the Committee have no power of Inspection, but of correspondence only.
The officers of the South Middlesex regiment of Militia, this year, were,
Col. Samuel Bullard of Sherborn,
Lieut. Col. Micah Stone of Framingham,
First Maj. Abner Perry of Holliston,
Second Maj. John Trowbridge of Framingham,
Adj. John Gleason of Framingham.
The regular officers of our North militia company were, Capt. Joseph Winch, Lieut. Lawson Buckminster, Ens. Gideon Haven. Of the South company, Capt. Jesse Eames, Lieut. Richard Fiske, Ens. Asaph Bigelow.
Up to this date, all town meetings had been called "In his Majesty's name." But the warrant issued May 6, this year, was headed, " In the name of the Government and People of the Massa- chusetts Bay."
Early in April, Gen. Washington removed his headquarters from Cambridge to New York. Col. John Nixon's regiment went thither probably with Sullivan's brigade. Capt. Micajah Gleason and a number of Framingham men, followed the fortunes of their colonel. Among these were Lieut. Peter Clayes, Lieut. Jonathan Maynard, Samuel Frost, and Charles and Micah Dougherty. The last three received commissions as lieutenants in different companies, and con- tinued in the service (as did Clayes and Maynard) through the war.
Jacob Cromwell of this town was in camp at Hull, in Capt. A. Haskell's company, from May to August.
299
War of the Revolution.
In June, a requisition was made for troops "for the defence of Boston." Sergt. Frederick Manson and a squad of ten men marched June 19, and were stationed at Noddle's Island, till Dec. 2. They were attached to Capt. Henry Prentiss' company in Col. Thomas Marshall's regiment. The men received £2. 8 advance pay, and a like sum per month as wages. Sergt. Frederick Manson, Corp. Micah Drury, Nathan Barrett, Caesar Boston, Caleb Drury, John Holbrook, Perley Howe, Hezekiah Rice, Jona. Rice, Sen., Jona. Rice, Jr.
June 25, another call for troops was made. At a town meeting July I, it was "Voted to pay £7 per man to all that will voluntarily enlist into the continental service;" and Capt. Josiah Stone was appointed a committee to secure enlistments, form companies, collect arms, etc. The whole sum which he expended in securing men to go to New York in the three months service was £139. 17. 8. This did not include the £63 paid to Capt Edgell's men.
July 8, the town "voted that Wm. Maynard be a committee to purchase ten good fire arms, and John Pratt to purchase twenty blankets for the use of the soldiers that shall enlist."
Under this call Capt. Simon Edgell raised a company of seventy- eight men, and marched for Ticonderoga, Aug. 15. The company was attached to Col. Samuel Brewer's regiment, and was in service till Dec. 1. The men from this town were
Capt. Simon Edgell,
Jotham Eames,
Ens. John Drury,
Eleazar Kendall,
Corp. Nathan Dadmun,
Israel Leadbetter,
Nathaniel Bigelow,
Jacob Pike,
William Cushing, Elijah Dadmun,
Barechias Wait.
This company marched via Bennington and Pawlet, Vt., and was stationed at Ticonderoga Mills, Mt. Hope, Mt. Independence, etc.
July 4, the Congress passed a Declaration that the thirteen colonies are, and henceforth shall be Free and Independent States. This Decla- ration was signed Aug. 2, and soon after sent to all the Colonies. On its reception in this town, it was carefully entered in the town records.
Aug. 9, Col. John Nixon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and his brother Thomas was commissioned colonel of his regiment. Gen. Nixon, with his old regiment and another, and a corps of artillery, was placed in command of Governor's Island in New York harbor. This island is situated at the mouth of the East river, and was strongly fortified. After the defeat of Washington and his army at Brooklyn, Aug. 27, Gen. Nixon drew off his brigade and crossed over
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History of Framingham.
to New York, without accident. He moved up the North river with the army, and with his brigade served on this line of defence through the remainder of the war.
Aug. 22, twelve Framingham men enlisted "for the defence of Boston," and were assigned to Capt. Caleb Brooks' company, in Col. N. Dike's regiment. They were in service till Dec. I. Their names are as follows: Ebenezer Ballard, Daniel Bigelow, Jona. Dadmun, Perley Fairbanks, Thomas Fessenden, Ebenezer Hemenway, Elias Hemenway, Timothy Pike, Daniel Rice, James Rice, John Stone, Samuel Walker. Seven of the above, and John Fairbanks, Silas Smith, and Isaac Cutler, re-enlisted in the same company and regi- ment for three months, from Dec. I, to Feb. 28, 1777.
At the same time, Dec. I, the following Framingham men enlisted in Capt. Moses Harrington's company, same regiment, for three months service, viz.
Corp. Joseph Belcher, William Richards,
Jacob Belcher, Daniel Rugg,
John Maynard, Azariah Walker,
Benjamin Morse, Samuel Walker.
Lieut. Jonathan Temple of this town, enlisted in Capt. John Walton's company (of Cambridge), Col. E. Brooks' regiment, and was in service on the North river through the year.
Under the call of Sept. 10, Capt. Aaron Gardner of Sherborn, raised a company of seventy men, who were assigned to Col. E. Brooks' regiment, and were in service on the North river, till Nov. 19, sixty- two days. Micah Stone of this town was Lieut. Colonel in this regiment, and Moses Adams was chaplain.
Muster-Roll of Capt. Aaron Gardner's company in Col. E. Brooks' regiment.
Capt. Aaron Gardner, Sherborn
Lt. Lawson Buckminster, Framingham
Ens. John Parmenter, Hopkinton
Sergt. Abijah Stratton, Natick
Abel Fisk, Hopkinton
Eben" Winch, Framingham
Asa Drury, Natick
Corp. David Whitney, Holliston
James Mellen, Framingham
Elisha Johnson, Holliston
Josiah Bent, Framingham
Drum' Joshua Hemenway, Holliston
Fifr Silas Stone, Sherborn
301
War of the Revolution.
Abijah Abbott,
Framingham
Samuel Angier,
66
Elisha Bemis, Jr.,
Nathan Bixby,
William Clark,
Joseph Darling, 66
Zaccheus Fairbanks,
George Gates,
Isaac Gibbs,
Thaddeus Hemenway,
Samuel Jones,
Cheever Kendall,
Nathan Kendall,
Thomas Kendall, 66
Benjamin Morse, 66
James Morse,
Jonathan Morse,
James Newton, 66
Samuel Odell,
Abner Pratt,
Elisha Robinson,
Isaac Smith,
Jonas Underwood, 66
Joshua Burnam, Hopkinton 66
Ebenezer Claflin,
66
Joseph Frail,
66
Amariah Haven, Jr.,
Richard Hiscock,
Thomas Hiscock, 66
Benj. Mastick,
66
John Morse,
66
Jacob Parker,
William Pierce,
66
Zedekiah Hill, Sherborn
Jona. Holbrook,
66
Ebenezer Stratton,
Joseph Ware, 66 Jona. Fairbanks, Holliston
Jonathan Gay, 66
Abner Johnson, 6
James Johnson, 66
Zedekiah Johnson,
Lemuel Clark,
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History of Framingham.
Daniel Leland, Holliston
Ebenr Littlefield,
John Merrifield,
Simon Slocum, 66
Asa Underwood, 66
Nathaniel Battle, Natick
Andrew Dewing,
William Dyer,
John Felch, 66
Caesar Jahah,
Eleazar Perry, 66
Marcus Scammon,
Moses Stanford, 66
Ephraim Whitney, 66
This company was in the battle at White Plains, Oct. 28. Lemuel Clark was killed, and Silas Stone, Samuel Angier, Benj. Mastick, Jona. Holbrook, Joseph Ware, Ebenezer Stratton, wounded. This town paid her own men on this expedition, £4. 10. bounty each.
Capt. Micajah Gleason, and his company, of Col. T. Nixon's regi- ment, were in this battle at White Plains, and Capt. Gleason was killed.
Nov. 3. A number of our men enlisted for three months, under Capt. Trowbridge, for service "in the Jersies." The roll has not been found ; but it is known that Uriah Rice was one of the men.
Nov. 21. Joseph How of this town, enlisted into the army, for the war.
1777. - The officers of the Framingham militia companies this year, were John Gleason, captain; John Eames, lieutenant; Nathan Drury, ensign of the South company; Richard Fiske, captain ; Cornelius Claflin, lieutenant; Josiah Temple, ensign of the West company. Capt. Joseph Winch commanded the North company.
Capt. Benjamin Edwards, Benjamin Eaton, Lieut. Lawson Buckmin- ster, Daniel Hemenway, Noah Eaton, Jr., Adj. John Gleason, and Capt. Thomas Drury, were chosen Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety.
Gen. Washington early perceived the impossibility of organizing an efficient army, out of recruits enlisted for short terms of three to eight months. And when his forces marched up the North river, after the defeat at Brooklyn, the army came near being broken up by the discharges of these short-term companies. At his earnest solicitation, seconded by all his general officers, the Continental Congress, in the autumn of 1776, provided for the formation of a regular army by the enlistment of men to serve during the war. As an inducement to enlist,
303
War of the Revolution.
a bounty of £20 was offered, to be paid at the time of muster; and the following quotas of land promised : To a colonel, 500 acres ; to a major, 400 acres ; to a captain, 300 acres; to a lieutenant, 200 acres ; to an ensign, 150 acres ; and 100 acres to non-commissioned officers and privates. These terms were afterwards modified, so as to admit of enlistments for three years, or during the war; but the three years men were not entitled to any grant of land.
Of the eighty-eight battalions ordered to be raised, Massachusetts was required to furnish fifteen.
Jan. 26, 1777. In accordance with this order of the Congress, the Massachusetts Assembly passed a resolve, requiring each town in her jurisdiction to furnish "every seventh man of sixteen years old and upwards, without any exceptions, save the people called Quakers."
The quota of Framingham under this call was fifty-five.
One of our men, Joseph How (son of Joseph, born April 8, 1754), had enlisted for the war in November preceding. And without waiting for any action of the town, in January and February sixteen of our men enlisted. At the town meeting, March 10, Adj. John Gleason, Capt. Thomas Drury, Lieut. William Maynard, David Patter- son, Lieut. John Eames and Jonas Eaton were appointed a committee to find men who were willing " to engage in the service on any terms," the committee to be at liberty "to act discretionary in making proposals of enlistment." At an adjournment, the town "voted, to give every non-commissioned officer and soldier £30 that would engage in the army during the war or for three years, to be paid on their passing muster, if they engage by next Thursday." Later, the bounty offered was increased to £40, as the surrounding towns paid this sum. The town hired the sum of £1,000, to pay these bounties. And Lieut. Wm. Maynard was desired to go to Boston to hire men.
While this enlistment was in progress, under a call of April 12, Capt. John Gleason was sent with twelve Framingham men to North Kingston, R. I., where he was in service in Col. Josiah Whitney's regiment, two months and eight days. The men were, Corp. Elias Hemenway, Corp. Joshua Hemenway, Fifer Luther Eaton, Increase Claflin, Jonathan Dadmun, Micah Drury, Silas Gates, Ebenezer Hemenway, Benjamin Holden, Solomon Newton, Jacob Pepper, David Rice.
Henderson Walkup was in Capt. Isaac Martin's company, Rhode Island service, from April 17, twenty-three days.
In obedience to a resolve passed April 30, requiring the Massa- chusetts quotas of soldiers for the Continental army to be immediately completed, the selectmen, Committee of Correspondence and militia officers united in warning the inhabitants of Framingham to meet at
304
History of Framingham.
the meeting-house in said town on May 15, at twelve o'clock M., " to determine the best method for raising the number that is wanting of our complement in this town." "Likewise the Militia and Alarm Companies are required to meet at 1 o'clock the same day, to enlist or draft the number from said Companies as best shall serve the good of the town." At the meeting thus called, it was " voted, not to draft any men for the service, as we now want but two men of our quota, and have nine commissioned officers going out of this town." The commissioned officers (not including Col. Thomas Nixon) referred to, were Capt. John Gleason, Lieutenants Peter Clayes, Chas. Dougherty, Micah Dougherty, Cornelius Claflin, Samuel Frost, Nathan Drury, Jonathan Maynard, Luther Trowbridge.
The names of the men known as The First Three Years Men, who had enlisted at this time, with date and term of enlistment, are here given. Such as re-enlisted in 1780, under the second call, are indicated.
NAME.
RESIDENCE.
DATE.
TERM, ETC.
John Byrns,
Framingham,
John Boyden,
Boston,
Jan. 1, 1777, re-enlisted, 1780. Jan. 1, 1777.
Cæsar Boston,
Framingham,
killed.
Joseph Barrett,
Jan., 1777.
Nathan Barrett,
Jan., 1777.
Edmund Britt,
Michael Caravan,
Boston,
Jan., 1777.
Benjamin Clark,
Framingham,
April 5, 1777,
re-enlisted. re-enlisted.
Samuel Everdon,
66
Jan., 1777.
Samuel Evens,
for the war.
Cato Freeman,
for the war.
Isaac How,
66
Feb. 8, 1777, re-enlisted, 1780. Mar. 2, 1777.
for the war.
Morris Handley,
Londonderry.
John Hood,
Boston,
Jan., 1777, for the war.
John Hofard,
Framingham.
Wm. Hemenway,
Mar. 22, 1777,
re-enlisted.
Aaron Hill,
66
Jan., 1777.
Joseph How, Jr.,
Nov., 1776,
for the war.
Silas Haven,
Jan. 1, 1777,
for the war.
Jona. Hemenway,
Mar. 2, 1777.
Cato Hart,
66
Feb., 1777,
for the war.
Elijah How,
66
Feb. 1, 1777.
Isaac Hemenway,
Feb. 1, 1777.
66
Simon How,
Daniel Heley,
Boston,
David Drury,
War of the Revolution. 305
NAME. RESIDENCE. DATE. TERM, ETC.
Sergt. James Hemenway, Framingham, Jan. 1, 1777, re-enlisted, 1780. Adam Isar, Boston.
Reuben Jager,
John Larkin,
66
Moses Learned, Framingham, Mar. 1, 1777, re-enlisted.
Daniel Maxwell, Boston, for the war: K.
Benjamin Morse,
Framingham, Feb. 28, 1777, for the war.
Job Mehorton,
Michael Manley, Boston.
Daniel North,
Framingham, Jan. 1777.
David Norris,
Boston.
Jonathan Norris,
Thomas Nixon, Jr.,
Framingham, Mar. 14, 1777, re-enlisted.
Obed Nute,
66
William Powell, Richard Pool,
Boston.
for the war.
Joseph Pognet,
Framingham, Feb. 12, 1777.
Joseph Pullen,
Feb. 8, 1777.
James Riley,
Boston, for the war.
Richard Smith,
Peter Salem,
Framingham, Jan. 1, 1777,
re-enlisted.
Isaac Silver,
Boston.
John Taylor,
Framingham.
Peter, Tower,
March 20, 1777.
Joseph Vale,
Thomas Winch,
William Welch, 66 Feb. 14, 1777, re-enlisted.
A considerable number of these men were assigned to Capt. A. Holden's company, in Col. T. Nixon's regiment.
June. Capt. Josiah Stone was elected a member of the Massachu- setts Council. His letter of acceptance is as follows :
To the Honbl the President of the Council of the State of Massachusetts Framingham June 23, 1777
Honoured Sir :- When I received from the Secretary an account of my Election to the Board, was confined in the hospital with the small-pox - where I remained till the 19th instant, in which time I buried a dear daughter, eleven years old - have had the disorder myself very violently, whereby I am reduced to a very low state of health ; but through Divine goodness am now in a fine way.
When I consider the importance of the duty to which I am called, 1 almost stagger at the thought of accepting the trust: but considering the Righteous Cause in which we are engaged that must be defended, rather
20
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History of Framingham.
than be thought a deserter or a coward, I have determined to wait on the Honbl Board as soon as my health will permit.
Your Honours most obdt
and humble Servt JOSIAH STONE.
June 14. A squad of men was called for to guard the stores in the garrison house at Sherborn. The number and names of the men have not been found.
June 23. The town chose Maj. John Trowbridge as their agent, "to inspect any person who should be thought enemical to the United States of America, as provided by a law of the Great and General Court."
July 5, Ticonderoga was surrendered by Gen. St. Clair, to the British forces under Gen. Burgoyne. This severe loss to the Ameri- can cause was followed by what was known as The Bennington Aiarm.
Under the call of August 9, Capt. Joseph Winch raised a company of ninety men and marched Aug. 14, via Bennington, for service in the Northern Department, and was out till Dec. 10. Noah Eaton, Jr., carted the soldiers' baggage as far as Bennington. The men belonged to Framingham, Sherborn, Holliston, etc. As this company was engaged in the battles, under Gen. Gates, which led to the surrender of Burgoyne, and was present at the surrender, their names are here preserved.
Muster-Roll of Capt. Joseph Winch's company in Col. Samuel Bullard's regiment of Massachusetts State Militia, from August 16, to Dec. 10, 1777.
Service in the Northern Department.
Capt. Joseph Winch Joshua Kendall
Lieut. Abel Fiske Oliver Leland
Ens. Joshua Fisk Benjamin Lamb
Sergt. Barechias Wait Thomas Low
Shubael Seaver
Timothy Leland
James Nutt Nathaniel Moulton
Zechariah Johnson Jesse Miller
Corp. Amos Morse Aaron Pierce
Timothy Ballord
Hezekiah Rice
Samuel Stone Richard Stanford
Barak Leland
Amos Underwood
Drumr Abel Greenwood
Thaddeus Wait
Fifer Isaac Smith
Joseph Wood John Wesson
Ebenezer Allen
Jonas Breck
Reuben Asten
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War of the Revolution.
Ephraim Bigelow
John Cody
John Barney
Thomas Drury
Joseph Breed
Allen Flagg
Asa Bullard
Stephen Kilburn
Benjamin Butcher
Alexander Kelley
Silas Bacon
James Morse
Joel Coolidge
Joseph Norcross
Cuff Cuzzens
Levi Smith
Isaac Cuzzens
John Wilson
Phineas Chamberlain
Paul Bigelow
Perley Death
Jotham Brick
Ebenezer Death
Timothy Bacon
Ebenezer Dowse
John Badger
Noah Eaton
Thomas Dority (negro)
Simeon Evans
Jotham Eames
Jesse Foristall
Edmund Entwishill
Hopestill Fairbanks
James McFarland
Elisha Frost
Oldham Gates
Silas Fairbanks
George Gates
John Foristall
Nathaniel Graves
Joseph Foristall
Caesar Jahah
James Gibson
James Johnson
Joshua Hemenway
Eleazar Kendall
Ebenezer Hemenway
Marcus Lyman
Elias Hemenway
David Morse
Thaddeus Hemenway
Joseph Nichols
Abijah Hemenway
Joseph Nurse
John Holbrook
David Rice
Samuel Kendall
John Stone
Daniel Knowlton
Caleb Seager
Nathan Knowlton
Sergt. James Nutt of this company was killed in battle at Stillwater, Sept. 18.
Sergt. Maj. Frederick Manson and Drum Maj. Joshua Eaton were in Capt. Joseph Fuller's company, Col. Samuel Bullard's regiment, from Aug. 16, three months and twenty-five days. They were in the battle of Stillwater.
Job Houghton (died 1779) and John Harvey, both credited to Framingham, were in Capt. Aaron Haynes' Sudbury company, three months, from Aug. 15.
Jonathan Gleason enlisted in Capt. Noah Allen's company, Col. Edw. Wigglesworth's regiment, Aug. 15.
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History of Framingham.
Jacob and Samuel Hemenway were in Capt. John Maynard's Shrewsbury company " that marched on the Bennington Alarm," and were out three days.
Aug. 16, Lieut. Cornelius Claflin, with a squad of men, went to Cambridge to guard public stores.
Sept. 29, Lieut. Nathan Drury and other Framingham men, were in Capt. Daniel Eames' Holliston company, in the Rhode Island service, thirty-three days. Their names were, Sergt. John Bent, Sergt. Aza- riah Walker, Corp. Elias Grout, Corp. John Maynard, Elijah Dadmun, Hanover Dickerson, Nahum Pratt, Micah Drury, Jacob Belcher, Increase Claflin, Timothy Haven.
Timothy Eames was in Capt. Asahel Wheeler's company in service in the Northern Department one month, from Sept. 28.
Rufus Hemenway was out in Capt. Nathan Watkins' company, Col. Samuel Brewer's regiment, till Dec. 26.
Lieutenants Peter Clayes, Jona. Maynard, Samuel Frost, and the two Doughertys, and all our three years men were in Gen. Gates' army, and in the battles at Stillwater and Saratoga. David Haven was " slain by the enemy near Saratoga, Oct. 8, aged 17."
Gen. John Nixon's brigade, in which was Col. Thomas Nixon's regiment, performed gallant service in the decisive battles of Sept. 19, and Oct. 7.
The following entries in Col. T. Nixon's Orderly Book, have interest as showing the movements of his own regiment and his brother's brigade; and incidentally referring to other persons and events :
" Headquarters at Peekskill July 3, when was ordered to move up the River, above the chain at Fort Montgomery.
"July 8, at Albany.
"July 12, at Fort Edward. This day Gen. Schuyler orders Gen. Nixon to immediately march his brigade to Fort Ann; to detach two scouts, one to the west and the other to the east side of Wood Creek, to discover if the enemy are approaching either by land or water. . . . Having dispatched the scouts you are to burn the saw-mills which are near Fort Ann, and then fall the trees growing on the banks of Wood Creek into the same. If a superior body of the enemy shall appear, you are to retire, and break up all bridges in your rear.
" You will find Brig. Gen. Fellows with a body of men, on your march. You are to take him and the troops along with you.
"July 14. Gen. Nixon's camp was at Kingsborough. Gen. Nixon received orders to march : the army to move in the following order, viz. the regiment of Col. T. Nixon in the front, followed by Colonels Alden, Putnam and Greaton : The York militia to follow Greaton :
309
War of the Revolution.
Col. Brown's regiment to bring up the rear ; Capt. Goodrich and Capt. Maxwell to command the Advance guard. The utmost vigilance to be observed: nothing must be done in a hurry: great order and silence must be observed on the march. He that behaves well, from a private upwards will be rewarded.
"July 19. Headquarters at Fort Edward. The advance brigades ordered to keep scouts continually out : Gen. Learned to send his up Hudson's river and Lake George: Gen. Nixon to send his to South Bay, Skeensborough and Fort Ann.
"July 26. Col. Samuel Brewer is detailed as president of a general court martial.
"July 27. Gen. Nixon's headquarters at Moses Creek.
" Aug. I. Headquarters at Saratoga.
" Aug. 9. Headquarters at Stillwater.
"Aug. 13. Col. Samuel Brewer is ordered to cross the River, march through Scaticook to collect cattle and drive them down to New City.
"Aug. 15. Nixon's camp was five miles north of Half Moon.
"Aug. 20, when General Gates took command of the army, Nixon's headquarters was at Van Schaik's Island.
"Sept. 9. Headquarters at Stillwater.
"Sept. 16. Gen. Burgoyne's army is marching this way. Every man on this ground is to have two days' provisions cooked this morning.
"Sept. 18. The commissary is to deliver half a gill of rum to every man in camp to-morrow morning.
"Sept. 19. This day a battle was fought from 3 o'clock till a quarter after six in the evening. [In this battle Nixon's brigade formed a part of the right wing, under the immediate command of Gen. Gates. Ebenezer Drury a native of this town was taken prisoner.]
"Oct. 7. This day a battle was fought on Bemis Heights and the enemy retreated; it began about 4 o'clock."
Oct. II. When it was proposed to assault Burgoyne's camp, north of Fish Creek (Saratoga), Gen. Gates ordered Morgan's corps of sharpshooters, Nixon's and Glover's brigades, to lead the attack. At daylight, under cover of a thick fog, which at that season of the year lies upon the valley until after sunrise, Nixon with his brigade crossed the Creek, advanced upon the plain and reached Fort Hardy, where he captured a picket of sixty men. At this juncture, through a deserter, it was ascertained that Burgoyne's whole army was lying in ambush, having received information of the proposed advance of Gates. Nixon and Morgan received orders to fall back; and the former had scarcely re-crossed the Creek when the fog lifted, and the British opened fire upon him. A cannon-ball passed so near his head as to impair the hearing and sight ou one side.
310
History of Framingham.
After the capitulation of Burgoyne, Oct. 17, Gen. Nixon's brigade had head-quarters at Albany. The General himself, with five men of his brother's regiment, was detailed to accompany Gen. Brickett and . Gen. Glover, in escorting the prisoners from Saratoga to Cambridge. Gen. Nixon's furlough was extended till the next June; and he improved the time in marrying, as his second wife, the widow of his old friend, Capt. M. Gleason, who was killed at White Plains in 1776.
The total number of men in the service from this town (including the Three Years' men), in this memorable year, was one hundred and twenty-six.
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