USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892 > Part 9
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Here is another list of Dartmouth men who enlisted in 1776 for three years, or during the war :
"Ichabod Gifford, Cuff Whittemore, Gideon Bennit, Samuel Odel, Samuel Trip, Joshua Austin, Gibs Tolman, Robert Wrightington, Salathiel Handy, Gaml. Hardy, Jeremiah Buck, George Reed, Pleasant Hitch, David West, John Blackman, Simeon Fuller, John Callendar, Anthony Buffom, James Wright, Mannel Cusen, Jacob Nott."
Still another roll of Dartmouth soldiers, dated December 7, 1777, is as follows :
" Captain, William Hicks; first lieutenant, Pardon Brownell ; second lieutenant, Robert Earl ; sergeants, Elisha Potter, Silvester Brownell, George Tyson; fifer, John Hicks; drummer, Christopher Earl; corporal, John Sowle; privates, Jonathan Taber, Constant Macomber, Joseph Devol, Samuel Brownell, Elick Potter, Anthony Shaw, Abner Brownell, Thomas Brightman, Abraham Gifford, Perserance Sherman, Job Ta- ber, Benjamin Davis, Benjamin Corey, David Hammond, Nathaniel Brownell, George Brownell, John Tiltbur, James Manchester, William Willcox, Peleg Taber, Jonathan Head, Arnold Wood."
Among the treasures of the Kempton papers is a little book of sixteen pages that gives us the male population in 1777, from sixteen to sixty years, curiously divided in three classes, Popular, Quakers, and Blacks. It is a fair conclusion that this census gave the number of men in the township liable to military duty. The statistics are arranged as if col- lected by nine different persons, and are as follows :
Mr. Tobey, Mr. Delano, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Coan,
POPULAR. QUAKERS. BLACKS.
185
21
3
47
5
3
162
31
1
93
5
1
88
HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
POPULAR. QUAKERS. BLACKS.
Mr. Tallman,
190
29
5
Capt. Sherman,
109
31
3
Thomas Smith,
103
74
7
Philip Shearman,
45
10
1
Jabez Barker,
74
42
6
1,008
248
30
Total 1,286. The entire population in 1776 was 6,773; in 1765 it was 4,506.
The following Dartmouth men were mustered at Taunton, July 14, 1778, for Fishkill, by James Leonard: Jethro Taber, David Spooner, Benjamin Weston, Leonard Crowell, Peter Sand, Preserved Wilcox.
In 1779 is found an item of cash paid by several companies of militia to a number of persons as a bounty, to engage said persons in the Con- tinental service during the war, or for the term of three years, £1,356, 9s. Id, as follows :
€
D.
Capt. Haskins' bounties,
203
17
9
Capt. Hathaway's 66
338
12
0
Capt. Hawfse's,
113
13
Capt. Taber's,
406
Capt. Hixe's
71
2
Capt. Warren's
0
It is a fair inference from the above documents that Dartmouth was represented in the different regiments of Massachusetts militia in 1778 and 1779 by at least six companies, and that these were largely com- posed of the soldiers belonging to the companies that have heretofore been given in the full muster rolls. If this conclusion be a just one, then it is a fair inference that Dartmouth had a share in the thrilling events that occurred at Stony Point, July 15, 1779, at West Point in 1780 (when Benedict Arnold made the treacherous attempt to surren- der that important fortress to the enemy), and at Yorktown in 1781.
A familiar sight to the present generation is the old cannon now planted in an upright position on the corner of Main and Center streets in Fairhaven. It has a Revolutionary history, the details of which were given the writer by the venerable Charles Eldredge, who received them from Mrs. Emily Winsor, the granddaughter of Col. Nathaniel Pope.
On February II, 1777, the war ship Alfred, 28 guns, under the com- mand of Ezekiel Hopkins, sailed from Delaware Bay to cruise with a
89
AN OLD CANNON.
squadron of ships on our southern coast in order to intercept and cap- ture English vessels. It is said that Paul Jones, the bold and saucy privateer captain, was lieutenant of the ship at this time. The fleet made sad havoc among the British merchantmen and performed many daring exploits. The Alfred entered the harbor at Nassau, West In- dies, March 2, 1777, and took General Brown, the acting governor of the island, a prisoner. Hopkins captured a large quantity of military stores and 100 cannon, and on March 13, thirty-four days from the date of sailing from Delaware Bay, landed his cargo at New London.
A short time after, a number of these cannon were sent to our harbor, mounted at Fort Phoenix, and put to the excellent service of protecting the towns from the British cruisers. During the British in- vasion in 1778 these guns were spiked by the enemy, trunnions knocked off, and the guns otherwise made useless. This one, now a lone senti- nel on Phoenix Hall corner, was secured by Capt. Nathaniel Pope, of naval battle fame, mounted on a carriage, secured with straps of iron, and was placed on duty again at the corner of Union and Water streets, to protect the shore from the landing of troops. It remained there till the Union wharf was built in 1833, and was then placed muzzle down- ward in its present location. There it was allowed to stand till the church was remodeled into the present Phoenix Hall, about 1846, when it was ordered to " move on." It found a resting-place on a public lot at the foot of Washington street, near the corner of Water, when it was again moved to the residence of Wilson Pope on Union street, a de- scendant of Capt. Nathaniel Pope. In 1883, through the public spirit and generosity of Capt. Alexander Winsor, the gun was removed once more to its old location on Phoenix Hall corner, where we trust it may remain forever, a monument of the early days of Yankee Doodle, and a visible reminder of the British invasion of September 5, 1778. The Fairhaven Improvement Association in 1885 placed a brass tablet on the old cannon that bears the following inscription :
" Taken from the British at Nassau, in 1777, by Colonial Ship of War Alfred. Placed on Fort Phoenix in 1778. Recaptured by the British and Left on the Fort Spiked and with Trunnions Knocked off. Afterwards Mounted on Union Street for Village Detense. Placed in its Present Position in 1883."
Many of the old papers contain lists of bounty money paid by the township, with dates and amounts; but no names are recorded of the
I2
90
HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
soldiers receiving it. This is proof that men were constantly being en- listed to fill Dartmouth's quota, and the proof is strengthened by re- peated records of soldiers' families who were assisted with money, clothing, and food. A curious record is one giving an account of the horses purchased by the town of Dartmouth for army use. The follow- ing verbatim copies of bills are found among the Kempton papers. The enormous prices were due to the depreciated currency :
"Town of Dartmouth to Nathan Nye, Dr .:
"July 7, 1778. To one horse, sold to the Selectmen of sd town for the use of the State of Massachusetts Bay, £750.
" To John Smith, town treasurer. Pay to Nathan Nye the above sum of seven hun- dred and fifty pounds, and charge the same to the town's act.
" August 22, 1780.
" WILLIAM DAVIS, RICHARD KIRBY, THOMAS KEMPTON, BENJAMIN RUSSELL.
Selectmen of Dartmouth."
"An account of horses purchased for the Armey. Dollars. £ s. d.
1 of Stephen Taber, . 1800 540 0 0
1 of Ephraim Kempton, 1900 970 0
1 of John Nie, 200 600 0 0
To time spent in purchasing said horses.
To 4 Days myself To Riding my horse 20 miles.
The above are sufficient to show the prevailing prices.
Here is an interesting account of the town of Dartmouth with Capt. George Claghorn. It is evidently a record of drafted men who paid for release from military duty, and a list of soldiers who received bounties as against their names :
1779. Cash recd. of Isaac Howland & Son, £300
William Russell, 150
John Williams, 150
Josepn Austin, 150
= Seth Russell, 150
. € Jonathan Allen, 150
Thomas Kempton by the hand of Charles Church, 600
£
S.
To Cash paid Jonathan Smith toward his bounty,
150
To Capt. Prince Jenne, as part of his bounty, 150
To ditto for milige, 1~
4
To Cash paid Seth Jenne as part of his bounty, 90
To Cash paid Seath Tobey as part of his bounty, 90
To Cash paid Job Tobey as part of his bounty, 90
To Cash paid Isaac Tompkins as part of his bounty, 120
Oliver Brocker
George V. Crocher
)
91
SOLDIERS' BILLS.
In the following bills may be seen some of the shady sides of the sol- dier's life :
State of Massachusetts Bay to Thomas Kempton :
July 24, 1779. To supplying Paul Johnson (died), Thomas Francis, Michael Boomer and John Williams, who had been prisoners at New York and were discharged and brought to Bedford sick and incapable of travelling home. €.
To 25 lbs. mutton, delivered at several times, 10
S. 4 To 6 feet of wood. 15 To 26 quarts of milk,
13 0
To Gideon Howland's Bill for a Coffin for Paul Johnson, 6 15
To Mary Doubleday's Bill for nursing, bording, washing and loging Robert Curney 45 days, at £3, 135 ()
To the amount of William Tallman's Bill, 17 10
To my time spent a taking the care of the sick and providing nuses and other supply from the 24th of July to the 17th of August, 45 0
An account for supplying the families of John Sullen and Philip Taber :
John Sullen's Family, September the 28th, 1779. € s. d. £ s. d.
To 15 lbs. of mutton at 4s. per lb., 5 0 stated price, . 0
St
To one gallon mo asses, . 1 stated price, 4 4 7 0
8 0 To 2 lbs. sugar, at 14s. per lb., 1 stated price, 1 8 To 1 Peck Corn, 1
1 2 6 66 0 To half a Bufhel of Rye, 4 10 0 stated price, 2
Philip Taber's Family, September 23d, 1779 :
To one half Bufhel purtatoes, 18
To one peck corn, 1 2 6
To 12} lbs. of mutton, 2 10 0
Account of orders delivered to several persons by the Selectmen for supplying soldiers' families, 1779:
Robert Bennett, the 2d, for one order to supply, £100
William White, to supply the family John Omey,
Bartholomew Aiken, to supply the family Paul Perry, 200
Lemuel Pope, to supply the family John Austin, 150
Benjamin Blossom, to supply the family Timothy Jenne, 150
Benjamin Church, to supply the family Cornelius Spooner, 100 Weston Talman, to supply the family Henry Wrightington, 100
John Chaffee, to supply the family James Bates, 100
Edward Thurber, to supply the family Jeremiah Exiene, 150
Thomas Kempton, to supply the family Samuel Tripp, 150
Malitiah Hathaway, to supply the family Mical Mosher, 2200 William White, to supply the family John Omey, 200
15
92
HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
Here is a petition that will explain itself :
" Dartmouth, February the 20th, 1779.
"Sir, We the subscribers, being the marjor part of the Selectmen of sd Town, Do think it not Safe for this Town nor for the Publick, that any person Should live and Improve on the Elizabeth Islands at this present time for Divers Reasons. One is that when the Enemy was there last there was three Refugees Left there, that is to say, one Eldad Tupper and two more that Compeld two of Said Islanders to Carry them to Newport, and kept them four Days and Sent them home. Therefore pray your hon- urs to take our Deplorable Situation under Serious Consideration and Do What you. think Will be most for the Publick Service, and for further Information we Refer you to Conl. Thomas Kempton, the Bearer.
" From your Esteemed Friends,
" PGD. KERBY, Selectmen
JOB ALMY, of
BENJ. RUSSELL. ) Dartmouth."
" To Brigdr. Gen. Cornell:
"N. B. There was Eight of the Inhabitants of the island on the Island at that time. Staid all night. Carried of foreteen Sheep, nine turkeys, one jug."
Another list of men furnished the army is as follows :
" Enlistment of Soldiers 1779 .- Worth Bates, David Hammond, Benajah Dunham, Stephen Potter, William Drafs, Nathan West, Stoghton Booth, Gideon Hathaway, Cornelius Grinnell, Obed Kempton, Isaac Hathaway, Thomas Smith, Jobe Trip, Elisha Smith, Thurston Dotter, Jabez Hathaway, Gideon Woodmane, Samuel Weller, Weston Bedon, Henry Bedon."
Perhaps'the reader is already weary of these extracts from Revolution- ary documents; yet they seem of sufficient importance to warrant their preservation here. They lift, to a certain degree, the veil covering a most interesting period of our local history ; and with the light given by a perusal of this fragmentary account, there comes a better knowledge of the conditions and circumstances with which our fathers were envi- roned in the early life of the nation. After a few further extracts from the records we shall return to the events preceding the British invasion of 1778. The following document is a novelty in its way, and illustrates the early methods of disciplining the raw recruit :
ADVERTISEMENT.
" Deserted from the Camp in Roxbury-Giles Talman and Robert Nolton, Soldiers in Capt. Kempton's Company of Col. Danielson's Regiment. Said Tallman is a native of Dartmouth in the County of Bristol-dark complexioned, well set and effects to be some- thing of a bully, about 5 feet 10 inches high. Said Norton is of a light or rather reddish complexion, a middling well set man about 5 feet 4 inches. They carried of with them
93
REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS.
all their Cloaths & two large Pistols & 17 cartridges belonging to another man. Whoever will discover said deserters and secure them so that the subscribers may come at them or will send them to him at the Camp in Roxbury shall Receive Ten Dollars reward or five dollars for either of them.
"Roxbury Camp, Nov. 11th, 1775."
The following letter needs no explanation :
" Watertown, Jan'y 24th, 1776.
"Sir-It is with pleasure that I have it in my power to informe you that you are ap- pointed a Lieut Colo. of a Regiment of Men to be raised as temporary reenforcement of men to continue for the Space of two months or until the first day of April next (if needed so long.) Jacob French is appointed Chief Colo. 50 men are to be raised in the County of Bristol, the other part are raised in the County of Cumberland, the Majr of F' Regiment is appointed in the County & the Adjitent also, the other officers time would fail me to give you a perticuler account off. Esqr. Baylies is appointed by the Court to come into the Town of Dartmouth in order to raise men. He will furnish you with more particu- lar accompts. I also expect to be at home this weak and shall be glad to see you before I return again. Tho this appointment may be unexpected, yet I hope it will not be dis- agreeable. I wish your conduct may anser the expectations of your friends, for in your appointment 1 have taken no small part.
" I with truth subscribe my Selfe
"Your Friend,
W. SPOONER." " To Colo. Thos. Kempton.
The regimental officers with whom Captain Kempton was associated in his promotion, follow: Colonel Jacob French, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Kempton, Major Nathaniel Jordan, Chaplain Mr. Cambel, Sur- geon Daniel Hathaway, Mate Surgeon Nathaniel Cook, Adjutant Thomas Beny, Quartermaster Jacob French, and a list of captains : Silus Cobb, Samuel Tubbs, Paul Elis, Winthrop Baston, Israel Now, Noah Hall, Matthew Randol.
While some of these documents do not bear directly on the military history of the township, they are none the less interesting and valuable as a part of its local history. The following petition for a town meeting reveals the early movement for the division of the township, though the town was not divided until 1787 :
" To William Davis, Thomas Kempton, Alden Spooner, Isaac Shearman, Job Almy, Benjamin Russell and Stephen Peckham, selectmen for the Town of Dartmouth.
" We the Subscribers, Freeholders in Sd Town do hereby request that you grant out your Warrant for Calling the sd Town together as soon as conveniently may be to act on the following Particular, viz., to know whether it is not the mind of said Town that
94
HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
it be divided into two Towns or Three, and if so to choose a committee to Point out the Bounds & Petition the General Court to Establish the Same.
" Dartmouth, Jan. 9th, 1778.
" Daniel Smith,
Edw. Pope,
Joseph Austin,
Abraham Smith,
Thomas Tripp, Isaac Shearman,
Patrick Huxfld,
Leonard Jacobs,
Ladok Maxfeld, Lemnel Williams,
Joseph Rotch, Samuel Pope,
Lemuel Pope, Jireh Swift, Jur.,
Jethro Jenne, James Huttlestain,
Clark Hathaway,
Joseph Russell, Jun."
The following valuable lists are on record in the State House, and constitute a part of the history of the period :
"List of men raised in Dartmouth Dec. 2, 1780: Edward Stebbins, Richard Covell, John Knolton, Cladne DeBoire, Cornelius Spooner, Levi Caswell, James I. Merill, Thomas Johnson, John Rannolds, Prince Jenne, William Stoodly, Abner Luce, Frans- wery Parran, Cain Abel, Seth Davol, Levi Tousant, Josiah Haskell, Nathan Claghorn, Elkanah Hamblin, Robert Crossman, Francis Rayrose, Jesse Richmond, Elijah Blackmer, Deliverance Bennet,1 Zilbah Fuller, Moses Gardner, David Cushman.
" Pay-roll of six months' men, October 5, 1781: Ebenezer Chace, David Handy, Pompey Peckham, Peter Pond, David Cushman, Martin Sekins, Eliphlet Weston, Jo- seph Shockley, Thomas Tobey, John Tobey, Solomon Deck, Prince Almy, Ebenezer Paine. Ezekel Tallman, Isiah Smith, Jonathan Smith.
" Dartmonth, Jannary 12, 1782.
" Vol. 4, page 66.
" WILLIAM DAVIS, ) Selectmen BENJ. RUSSELL, of
PARDON COOK, Dartmonth.
" List of soldiers raised on December 2, 1781, from Dartmouth : Richard Covell, James Merell, John Konnoles, Franswery Parran, Lois Tonsaint, Elkannah Hamblen, John Knolton, Thomas Johnson, William Stoodly, Seth Davel, Josiah Haskell, Nathan Claghorn."
Here is a letter that will explain itself : " DARTMOUTH March 7th 1781.
"Sr I understand that you have gave obligation to Ebenezer Chace for 15€ in ad- dition to his Bounty for the Servis Last Six Months in the Continental Armey. Now I beg that you will postpone the payment of that Obligation a littel while till Nathaniel
1 Mr Ricketson, in his History of New Bedford, tells the "Story of an old pensioner " who resided in New Bedford, and died in 1836, at the age of 86 years. Mr. Ricketson says : " At the cele- bration of the Fourth of July, 1835, our old friend [Deliverance Bennet] rode in an open carriage in company with two or three old Revolutionary soldiers in the procession. His appearance on this occasion was a very dignified one."
95
THE WHIPPING-POST.
Pope coms home which will Bee verry soon. Shure he can give you Satisfaction of the agreement Between him and Chase you may Depend on it the agreement no Doubt Can be proved that the hire of the man muft Com out of Chace, which I can be a good Sucumstance of Pope advanced one hundred paper Dollars which I know to be tor'ds the additional Bounty that the Town agreed to pay, which Chace Denies! Chase acts the grateft viliney that can be acording to his knoledge therefore I hope you will not settel till Pope coms home then you will have the true light of the whole afair. This is from your humbl Servt.
"CALVIN DELANO."
" List of six months' men enlisted 1783 : Eliphas Weston, Martin David ----- , Thomas Tobey, Pompey Peckham, David Handy, Jonathan Smith, John Taber, Joseph Shockley, Ebenezer Chase, Josiah Smith, Ezekal Tallman, Prince Almy, Solomon Hich, Ebenezer Doune, Peter Proud."
In the year 1785 there stood on the Head-of-the- River and Bellville roads, directly in front of Humphrey Hathaway's residence, a whipping- post that, up to that time, had been used for the punishment of public offenders.
" My mother," says George H. Taber, " witnessed the last whipping administered at this place. She, a little girl at the time, went to school in the school-house located just east of the 'Parting ways' (the point of intersection of Fairhaven and Head-of-the-River roads). This event drew a large crowd of the people, and its importance was signal- ized by the closing of the school, so the children experienced a thrill of joy that always comes with the unexpected suspension of school duties. When the bystanders had grouped themselves about the whip- ping-post they were entertained with the lashing administered to John Black, who was punished for stealing." Tradition says there was an- other whipping-post in Fairhaven, on the northwest corner of Center and Middle streets.
The gradual depreciation of Continental money, its failure as a cir- culating medium, and its disastrous effect on the country have been noted. Public credit was entirely ruined, and to restore it was the purpose of an important convention held in Concord in 1779.
Many readers remember the days during the civil war, when one gold dollar was worth nearly three paper dollars, and how the very foundations of business were unsettled because of the inflated currency. Can we comprehend the situation of affairs when one silver dollar was worth sixty paper dollars, as shown by the following document found among the Kempton papers :
96
HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.
" BEDFORD, July 28, 1780.
"We the Subscribers being desired by Col. Thomas Kempton to assemble & give our candid Judgment how much a silver dollar is worth in paper money, do unanimously agree that the medium of Exchange, as near as it can possibly be ascertained is $60 for one silver dollar. Witness our hands :
.
" JOHN PROUD,
A. H. SMITH,
CALEB GREENE,
ZADOK MAXFELD,
JAMES HAYDON,
MOSES GRINNELL."
What difficulties beset these wise men in their councils when it be- came necessary to establish an arbitrary list of prices for the very ne- cessities of life, and that on a basis of forty paper dollars for one Span- ish mill dollar. It is worth mentioning that the president of this im- portant gathering was the Dartmouth delegate, Walter Spooner, esq.
The following is an abridged account of their action, taken from a small pamphlet printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons, State street, Boston :
" Proceedings of the Convention Begun and held in Concord on the Sixth Day of October 1779-to take in Consid- eration the Prices of Merchandise and Country Produce and make such Regulations and Reductions therein as the public Good require.
"The Convention then made Choice of the Honorable Walter Spooner, Esq., of Dartmouth as President.
" There were 185 delegates from 143 towns."
The following selection is made from a long list of articles, with the rates as established :
" Prices at the sea ports, free of charge: Indian corn and meal 41. 4s. per bushel; wheat, 9 1. per bushel ; white beans, 61. 12s. per bushel, potatoes, 24s. per bushel ; butter, 12s. per lb .; new milk cheese, 8s. per lb .; new milk. beer measure, 3s .; good walnut wood, 221 .; oak and other woods, 201 .; train oil, £90 per bbl .; blubber, 30 1. per bbl .; New England rum, 41. 10s, single gallon ; coffee, 18s. per lb .; brown sugar, 13s. per lb .; loaf sugar, 36s. per lb .; cotton wool, 42s. per lb .; good merchantable French and Spanish Brandy, 71. per Gallon ; Bohea tea, 61. per lb .; white pine boards, 35 1. per thousand ; mackrell, per bbl. 30 1 .; Menhaden, Alewives & Herring, 25 l. per bbl .; mol- lasses, 41. 14s. per gall .; West India Rum, 61. 6s. per gall ; rice, 361. per C.
" Whereas, the goods and wares imported from Europe are so various in their kinds and Qualities as to render it quite impracticable to affix the exact Price at which every article ought to be sold and as it is necessary the Prices of those goods should be regu- lated-The average prices by Retail of all kinds of European wares and merchandize shall not exceed Forty Times what they were sold for in the year 1773.
" A long address is made to the People of Massachusetts Bay on the theme of the Restoration of the Public Credit &c. "Signed by WALTER SPOONER, President. " THOMAS LLOYD HALSEY, Secy."
97
FIRST PRIVATEERING EXPLOIT.
CHAPTER VII.
PRIVATEERING IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
Characteristics and Attractions of Privateering -- The Extent of this Species of Warfare - Dartmouth's Part in It - Beginning of the U. S. Navy -- Extracts from the Stoddard Papers -- Sir Peter Parker's Fleet -- Details of Spirited Contests.
T HE American privateer was a child of the American Revolution. Its existence was a cruel necessity. A monster of the sea, it preyed upon helpless commerce and throve to fatness on its spoils. Brave men and good men entered its service. But privateering was a cruel master. It caused them to commit deeds of violence ; it made the selfish man more selfish, the brutal man more brutal; it compelled the man of honor to wink at dishonorable transactions ; and it forced Chris- tian men to fight their brethren. On the other hand, privateering made heroes, prompted men to valiant deeds, to make noble sacrifices, and court death for love of country ; it was a strange mixture of good and evil.
The dreadful calamities following in the footsteps of the British sol- diery that invaded Dartmouth in 1778, were retributions visited upon the township for her part in the havoc made upon the British commerce by the privateers that swarmed the ocean during the Revolution. It is important to glance backward at the principal events which charac- terized that peculiar and effective feature of warfare.
The very first naval exploit and capture recorded in the annals of the American Revolution was made by Dartmouth men in this harbor, May 13, 1775. Does not Dartmouth, therefore, occupy the same honored relation in the naval struggles that Lexington does to the first clash of arms by the land forces ? Both performed a glorious part in the dawn of freedom.
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