USA > Massachusetts > History of Massachusetts, for two hundred years: from the year 1620 to 1820 > Part 30
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Orders were issued, at this period, for raising men to take the place of those whose term of service was about to expire, who had been called out for the defence of Rhode Island, and other places on the seacoasts ; and some were enlisted particulary for the defence of Boston and the public stores deposited there ; as the regular regiments had been marched to the main army some time before. General Heath, then in the continental service, applied to the state for a loan of. $30,000; which was furnished ; but the state had to borrow it ofindividuals. In February, 1778, the legislature chose a com- mittee to confer with General Washington, as to the additional number of men he might probably require for the approaching campaign ; and the committee were instructed to assure him " that the state of Massachusetts had a high and grateful sense of his incessant and unwearied services in behalf of the country, and would cheerfully cooperate with him, to their utmost ability, in endeavors to expel the enemy and to save America from thraldom and slavery." At the same time, the assembly voted to provide a full suit of clothes for all the soldiers in the continental army from Massachusetts ; and to
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make a grant to the officers who had been some time in service and who should promise to remain ; to field officers $150, and to others, $120. Some officers had then recently retired from the army, to take care of their families, which were in a destitute condition.
When the committee returned from a consultation with General Washington, the legislature called on the towns which had not furnished their full quota of men, to raise them immediately ; and directed the attorney for the state to prose- cute them after a few weeks, if they should still be delin- quent. As it was found very difficult to enlist men for three years, the general court voted to raise 2000 for nine months, to fill up the regiments, which were deficient, and the enlistment for the longer term to proceed also with all possible despatch. The towns were required to give these men a bounty, and the state furnished arms and other military equipments. An addi- tional number of men, being 1500, were soon after ordered to be raised, partly for Rhode Island, and partly to defend the north- western frontier, where some British and Indians were still making inroads.
Such exertions and expenses by the people, could not be expected without an appeal to their patriotism and their love of freedom, which had been proved to be equal to every ex- igency. "Act like yourselves," was the language addressed to them ; " arouse, at the call of Washington and your coun- try, and you will soon be crowned with glory, independence and peace. We must part with present ease and property, for a time ; and let us rejoice at the sacrifice. Let us antici- pate the joy which will fill our minds when we shall receive the reward of our labors ; when we shall see our land flourish in peace ; when grateful millions shall hail us, as the pro- tectors of our country's freedom, and an approving conscience shall light up eternal sunshine in our breasts."
ยท In December, 1777, the continental congress proposed a plan of "Confederation and perpetual Union" between the states, which would give more authority to that body. Hitherto, its acts had been only advisory ; and it was provided by the pro- posed plan, that they should be binding on the several states. Massachusetts early assented to the system ; but some of the states declined for two or three years, which was attended with much weakness and evil to the interests of the country.
Early in the year 1778, John Adams, of Massachusetts was appointed, by congress, ambassador to France, and em- barked at Boston in a continental frigate. Mr. Adams was some time at Paris, and afterwards in Holland, as minister to
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the United Provinces. He was an able negotiator, faithful to his high trust, and his services proved very useful to the country. The delegates appointed to congress, for this year, were Samuel Adams, Francis Dana, Elbridge Gerry, James Lovell, and Samuel Holten. Mr. Adams had been one of the delegates from the first congress, which was in September 1774. The judges of the superior court at this time, were William Cushing, N. P. Sargeant, Jedediah Foster, James Sullivan, and David Sewall. When the general court ad- journed in March, they authorized the council to provide for the defence of the state, in any exigency which might occur ; and to order out 3000 men, if they should be requested by General Washington.
CHAPTER XXI.
British Army leaves Philadelphia-Battle of Monmouth-Massachusetts Regiments-General Lee arrested-Rhode Island invaded-Militia order- ed there-French Fleet-American Army retreat-Lafayette-Additional expenses and taxes in Massachusetts-New Bedford attacked and burnt by the British-Colonel Alden killed at Cherry Valley-General Gates commands in Boston sometime in 1778-9-British Government offer to negotiate-Engage the savages-Finances-Congress call for money-At- tempts to prevent monopoly and speculation-Gen. Washington calls for more men-Want of provisions in Massachusetts-Officers of Army poor- ly paid-Convention-Further requisitions of Congress-Penobscot ex- pedition-Further attempts to regulate the price of provision-Men and money called for-Bounties of land promised to officers and soldiers- Public Fasts.
THE British army left Philadelphia in June, 1778, and proceeded through New Jersey for New York. General Washington, with the American troops, pursued and gave them battle at Monmouth. He ordered an attack on their rear, and endeavored to bring on a general engagement ; for his men and officers were in high spirits, and his numbers were respec- table. General Lee, to whom an important command was assigned, failed to accomplish the object designated by the commander-in-chief, either through treachery or want of neces- sary promptness ; and the fortune of the day was far less favorable to the Americans than it promised to have been, when the attack began. The number of the enemy, however, killed, wounded, and taken, was about 2000; and the Ameri- cans had 350 killed and wounded, or who died by the exces- sive heat and the imprudent use of cold water. A large por- tion of the troops, engaged in this affair, were from Massachu- setts. General Knox commanded the artillery on that occa- sion, and received the special thanks of the commander-in- chief. General Lee was put under arrest for unmilitary con- duct and disobedience of orders .*
* The battle of Monmouth was on the 26th day of June; and was long remembered as an uncommonly hot day. Massachusetts had fourteen regiments in the engagement. General Lee was tried by a military court, .
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The British still kept possession of Rhode Island, and by help of their fleet had command of the waters in the vicinity. They landed at Warren, in May, and took or destroyed the property of the inhabitants. And soon after visited Fall River, in the south part of Freetown, and set fire to mills and other buildings. In both these cases, they were attacked by the militia and were compelled to flee. There was a constant alarm in that quarter, for most of the summer. Great part of the militia in Dartmouth, Freetown, and Swanzey, were required to keep guard along the coast and near all the har- bors in those places. And the militia in large numbers were sent on to the borders of the state, from a great distance. In August, the plan was revived of a descent on Rhode Island, to drive the British from Newport. And a great number of militia were ordered to assemble in the vicinity for that pur- pose. Some regiments of regular continental troops were also sent on by General Washington to aid in the design; and Gen- eral Sullivan was appointed to command the expedition. Mr. Hancock, who was a major-general of militia, commanded those who went from Massachusetts. Several volunteer com- panies joined him, from Boston, Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, and Newburyport; and some from towns in Maine. The whole formed a large force : the British were estimated at 8000; and were strongly fortified in Newport. It was a part of the plan, that a French fleet, then expected, should assist in the expedition. The Americans passed on to the Island and advanced far towards Newport, and began to throw up fortifications. The French heard of a British naval force com- ing from New York and endeavored to meet them, but en- countered a severe storm, and was obliged to put away for Boston harbor, after suffering considerable loss by the gale.
The British, from Newport, made an attack on the Ameri- can lines, and were received with great spirit. The attack was kept up most of the day ; and many were killed and wounded, both of the Americans and British ; but the former kept pos-
soon after ; by which he was found guilty of the charges preferred against him ; which were disobedience of orders, and for a disorderly and shameful retreat : and the sentence was that he be suspended from his command in the American army, for one year. In January, 1780, congress dismissed him from his rank ;- and he retired from the public service. General Lee was a foreigner, and had been in the country but a short time before the war began. He was a conceited man, and considered himself better entitled to the chief command than Washington. It was doubtful whether his conduct originated in envy towards General Washington, or whether he was sin- cerely friendly to the British cause.
35
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session of their entrenchments .* The enemy received large reinforcements in a few days, from New York ; when General Sullivan, by advice of his officers, concluded toleave the Island. The retreat was well conducted, and without loss to the Amer- icans.+
The expenses of this expedition fell heavily on Massachu- setts, which furnished a large portion of the men engaged in it. The militia were raised and paid by the state. The loss of labor, too, on the farmers, in August and September, was very severely felt. It was a time of great alarm ; and extraor- dinary efforts were made either to force the enemy to leave the Island, or to prevent their depredations on the neighboring territory. Their vessels visited most of the bays and harbors on the coasts, and plundered the inhabitants of their sheep and cattle, fruit and grain. A squadron entered Buzzard's Bay and landed a number of troops in Dartmouth, near Bedford village. They marched up the river, about four niles on the west side, and through that village, where they set fire to sev- eral houses, and wounded two of the inhabitants. They passed down on the east side of the river, through Fairhaven village ; and there also burnt a number of buildings. A de- tachment of artillery attacked them, but too small to give them much annoyance. The lieutenant commanding the detach- ment was mortally wounded by the British. The militia from the neighboring towns collected by evening, and obliged them to take to their boats and return to the squadron in the outer harbor. Colonel Fearing, of Wareham, commanded the mili- tia that were out on that occasion. A large amount of proper- ty was destroyed by the enemy at this time, in the villages of New Bedford and Fairhaven.
* About 200 Americans were killed and wounded in this engagement : among the former were two lieutenants in Col. H. Jackson's regiment, be- longing to Massachusetts.
t The Marquis Lafayette was a volunteer in this enterprise. He came on from the main army, with General Greene ; and their advice and as- sistance were very acceptable to General Sullivan. When the French fleet put into Boston harbor, he went to that place, to consult with the admiral, and to urge him to afford further aid to the Americans. He hastened back to Rhode Island, and assisted in conducting the retreat after the reinforce- ments received by the British. Lafayette visited Boston again the winter following, and there embarked for France. His influence with the French ministry was highly favorable to America. He soon visited the United States again, and remained till the close of the war. He enjoyed the entire confidence of Washington ; and was the chief in active command at the capture of Cornwallis, in 1781. On that occasion, he rendered very efficient service. He visited America again in 1784, was greeted with peculiar wel- come by his companions in arms, and by the whole people. After a long period of reverses and trials, Lafayette once more landed on our shores and
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A party of continental troops, chiefly from Massachusetts, and commanded by Colonel Alden, of Plymouth county, who were posted at Cherry Valley, in 1778, about seventy miles west of Albany, were surprised by the British and Indians, in the month of November, and a great number of the Ameri- cans were killed or taken. It was an outpost built under the superintendence of Colonel Alden, and kept up for the de- fence of the inhabitants in the frontier settlements. At that period, the population was few and scattered beyond Schenec- tady ; but it was judged necessary to have a fort in advance of the inhabitants to prevent the depredations of the enemy ; and after the capture of Bourgoyne, several posts had been retained on the western and northwestern frontiers. The fort was attacked by surprise, the enemy having approached by a blind and unusual path, while two other ways to the fort were carefully guarded. The British and Indians numbered seven hundred ; no notice was received of their approach, till they rushed upon the fort and the house a few rods distant, where the commander lodged ; who fell before he could reach the fort. Lieutenant Colonel Tracy was taken, and about seventy soldiers were killed or captured by the savages.
In November 1778, General Gates was appointed com- mander of the troops in Boston and vicinity, who had before been under the command of General Ward and General Heath. There was an apprehension, at that time, of a visit by the British fleet, which was formidable both at New York and Newport ; and which gave indications of preparing for some new expedition. The British commander was impatient of making an attack on places on the seaboard, which could be approached by a naval force; and there was reason to sup- pose that the capital of Massachusetts was his particular object. Preparations were therefore made for such an event. General Gates remained at Boston and Providence through the winter ; and when he left the state be expressed his satis- faction of the measures of the general court and of the conduct of the people.
An attempt was made by the British government, in the. summer of 1778, to suspend hostilities and to open a dis- cussion for reconciliation. Commissioners were appointed to treat with congress, or with any separate state. No satisfac- tory proposition was made, but merely a vague promise of
made a tour of the United States, in 1824 and 5; when he was received with such honors and rejoicing, as had been awarded to no one except Gen- eral Washington, the commander of the American army of the revolution, and the first President of the United States.
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pardon and of favor, on condition of a previous submission. The object probably was to gain time for further preparations to prosecute the war, to detach one state, or one part of the country from the rest, or to prevent an alliance with France, which the British dreaded, and which was then expected to take place. Besides, at this period, it was the determination of congress and of all the states not to relax in their opposition to England, until their independence was fully acknowledged. The plan of reconciliation, on the terms proposed by the British ministry, was considered, even by some statesmen in England, to be vain and impracticable. The proclamation, issued by the British ministry after congress rejected the proposition, threatening the Americans with all the vengeance and cruelty which savages could inflict, was condemned by en- lightened Englishmen, as unjust, unchristian and inhuman. They said " it was a proclamation contrary to humanity, to christianity and to every principle of virtuous policy ; that it was their duty to soften the horrors of war, and to act as christians. But that now a war of revenge was threatened, such as Moloch in Pandemonium advised ; which would fix an inveterate hatred in the people of America against the very name of Englishmen, and which would remain to the latest posterity." And Burke asked-" against whom are these dreadful menaces pronounced, but against those who are conscious of rectitude, who are acting in a righteous cause, and contending for freedom and their country ?"
Early in 1779, congress voted to raise $15,000,000, of which Massachusetts was to provide $2,000,000. It was provided, that the amount might be appropriated by the authority of the state, but for general or continental purposes ; and it was to be accounted for, on an adjustment between the state and the continent at a future time. Most of the ex- penses for the common defence of the country were incurred originally by each state, and a claim thence arose on congress for reimbursement, when the just proportions of the respective states for the whole aggregate amount should be ascer- tained.
The complaints increased, on the part of the great body of the people, of extortion, monopoly, and of the depreciation of the public paper occasioned by speculators ; and the atten- tion of congress was called to the subject. The attempt by the New England states, for this purpose, had proved in- effectual. Nor was it more practicable for congress to provide a remedy or a preventive. They recommended to the states, to regulate the prices of the common and necessary articles
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of living. It was a question with some members of congress, and with others in Massachusetts, whether such a measure would be practicable or politic. The system was approved by a convention of the northern states, which was held at Hartford. The legislature of Massachusetts gave its sanction, by passing a law in favor of it. But all proved ineffectual. Public opinion was such as to make it difficult to execute the law. Many doubted the right of the legislature to prevent speculation, or to regulate the prices of articles in any measure. Personal interest prevailed with too many, who had the ability to profit by the necessities and wants of the common people. The soldiers were obliged to part with their certificates of public service at a great sacrifice, and those who had articles for sale demanded exorbitant prices. In the spring of this year (1779,) there was such a scarcity of provisions, that the attention of the legislature was called to devise some relief. The summer of 1778 had been a very dry season ; the army had taken up great stores of meat and grain ; the British troops captured in October 1777, were supported in Massa- chusetts most of the time subsequently and through the year 1778 ; and an embargo had been laid, so that vessels were prevented coming from the south, even if they might escape the British. The sum of $200,000, (to be paid however, in paper much depreciated) was voted by the general court to purchase grain ; and it was distributed principally among the people in towns on the seacoasts, who suffered much more than those of the interior parts of the state. Except for a few years in the early settlement of the country, the suffer- ings of the people had never been so great.
The condition of the army, both officers and soldiers, was still such as to require immediate relief; and congress was unable to procure it. The soldiers of the seventeen regi- ments raised by Massachusetts were furnished with necessary clothing ; and the general court gave orders to the towns to. provide for their families. And, as on a former occasion, advances were made to the officers, of different sums, accord- ing to their rank.
In the spring of 1779, General Washington made a request for a reinforcement to the continental army. He inquired what number could be raised in Massachusetts. The general court replied, that if he thought the public service required it, they might raise two thousand, besides those now en- gaged, in the continental army, at Rhode Island, and on the seacoasts. Soon after, orders were issued to enlist one thousand five hundred for nine months, and the towns were
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required to furnish their respective quota. The towns which should furnish their proportions by the first of June were to receive a bounty from the state. A few weeks later, five hundred of the militia were ordered to Rhode Island and a regiment was raised to serve within the state, to defend the seacoasts.
It was proposed again by the general court, in February, 1779, to the people, to express their opinion of forming a con- stitution, and of calling a convention for that object. In June, a return was made of their votes on the subject. The majority given in was in favor of the measure, but many towns made no return. Precepts were issued for a convention to be held in September; and it was formed at that time. James Bowdoin was elected president. A committee was chosen to prepare the draft of a constitution; and after a few weeks, the conven- tion adjourned to January, 1780.
Congress made a requisition for $45,000,000; and the por- tion of Massachusetts was $6,000,000. It was to be paid in their own paper, before issued, which had become much de- preciated, so that the nominal sum was far beyond the real value .* Massachusetts obtained relief, however, under this heavy demand, by a loan from Congress, for three months, of $2,500,000. A request was also made to congress, to use the six millions for the immediate benefit of the state, as its ad- vances were already great to the continent; congress was not able to comply with the request, but acknowledged " the great zeal and exertions of Massachusetts in the common cause."
In June, 1779, a British naval force from Halifax took pos- session of Penobscot. There were nine armed vessels, with one thousand troops, in the enterprise. It was believed they would commit depredations on the fishing and coasting vessels, and on the inhabitants of the seaboard. An armament was fitted out in July, to dislodge them. It was the plan and at the expense of Massachusetts, though congress was made ac- quainted with the expedition. The popular voice was in favor of the measure. The fleet consisted of nearly forty armed vessels and transports, with twelve or fourteen hundred men; a part of which was pressed into the service, on that occasion. The fleet was commanded by Commodore Saltonstal, and the troops by Generals Lovell and Wadsworth. The armament sailed under disadvantages, for want of time in making the pre- parations ; and there was some disagreement between the naval
* The paper was then about $20 for one in specie ; and it continued rapidly to depreciate, so that in 1780 it was at $40 for one.
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commander and General Lovell, after their arrival at Penobscot. The British had erected fortifications on an eminence. But an attack was soon made by the Americans ; and in doing it, they were obliged to climb up a very high and steep cliff. But they resolutely advanced, though exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy ; whom they drove into their entrenehment. Many of the Americans were killed and wounded in ascending the precipice. They retired to a little distance from the fort, to wait for a reinforcement from their vessels. But no assistance was received, as was expected; and in the meantime, the British were strengthened by more troops from their fleet ; when all further attempts would have been desperate. The Americans retired from the peninsula ; and destroying most of their vessels, proceeded to Boston by land. The country was then a wilderness most of the way to Kennebec ; and the men suffered very much. A committee of the general court was appointed to inquire into the causes of the failure. Lovell and Wadsworth were acquitted of all misconduct ; but the naval commander was censured for not acting more promptly in con- cert with them.
Further efforts were made to regulate the price of the neces- sary articles of living by the general court, and by county conventions; but they proved ineffectual. All those who received salaries, including the officers and soldiers of the army, suffered extremely. In many towns the people gener- ally provided for the support of the clergy ; but their losses were still great, on account of the depreciation of the paper in circulation. The evil was so great, that congress soon after negotiated loans in Europe, and made large importations of specie; and the general court of Massachusetts chose rather to raise money by taxes, than to emit more paper, which it was supposed would increase the depreciation. The public taxes were very high, and the people generally with little means to pay them.
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