USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > History of Worcester, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to September, 1836 : with various notices relating to the history of Worcester County > Part 17
USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > History of Worcester, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to September, 1836 : with various notices relating to the history of Worcester County > Part 17
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Major General Warner was left in command at Worcester, with a regiment of infantry, a corps of artillery, including Capt. Tread- well's company, two field pieces, and a party from the legionary bat- talion of volunteer cavalry. Information having been given that a body of about two hundred insurgents had assembled at New Brain- tree, intercepting travellers and insulting the friends of government, twenty horsemen, supported by about 150 infantry in sleighs, were sent out, on the night of the 2d of February, to capture or dis- perse the disaffected. Upon approaching the place of their destina- tion, the cavalry were ordered to advance at full speed to surprise the enemy. 'The insurgents, apprised of the expedition, had aban- doned their quarters at the house of Micah Hamilton, and taken post behind the walls of the road side, and having fired a volley of mus- ketry upon the detachment, fled to the woods: Mr. Jonathan Rice of Worcester, a deputy sheriff, was shot through the arm and hand : Doct. David Young was severely wounded in the knee: 1 the bri- dle rein of 'Theophilus Wheeler, Esq. was cut by a ball. Without halting, the soldiers rapidly pursued their way to the deserted head quarters, where they liberated Messrs. Samuel Flagg and John Stanton of Worcester, who had been seized the day previous, while transacting private business at Leicester. Having dispersed those who occupied the barracks at Rutland, the next day, the companies returned with four prisoners.
The career of Shays was fast drawing to its close. Driven from post to post, he suddenly retired from Pelham to Petersham, where he expected to concentrate the forces of expiring rebellion, and make
1 Dr. Young afterwards recovered £ 1000, in a civil action, against those by whom he was wounded.
150
FORCES OF THE INSURGENTS ROUTED.
[1787.
his final stand. Intelligence of this change of position reached Gen. Lincoln at Hadley, February 3d, and he determined, by prompt and decisive action, to terminate the warfare. When the troops took up the line of march, at 8 o'clock, the evening was bright and mild. Before morning the cold became intense : the dry and light snow, whirled before a violent north wind, filled the paths and rendered them almost impassible. The severity of the cold prevented any halt for rest or refreshment. At a distance from shelter, withont defence against the inclemency of the weather, it became necessary to press on, without pausing, to the camp occupied by men possessing all martial advantages, except courage and a good cause. The heavy sufferings of the night were terminated, by the arrival of the troops in the very center of Petersham. The followers of Shays, trusting to the violence of the storm and the obstructions of the highways, rested in careless security. The first warning of danger was from the appearance of the advanced guard of the forces of government, after a journey of thirty miles, in the midst of their cantonment. Had an army dropped from the clouds upon the hill, the consterna- tion could not have been greater. Panic struck, the insurgents fled, without firing a gun, or offering resistance to soldiers exhausted by fatigue, with frozen limbs, and almost sinking under the privations and hardships of the severe service.
Thirty of the citizens of Worcester were in this expedition, and shared in the movement, called by Minot ' one of the most indefati- gable marches that ever was performed in America.' Gen. Lincoln writes from Petersham, Feb. 4, ' we arrived here about nine o'clock, exceedingly fatigued by a march of thirty miles, part of it in a deep snow, and in a most violent storm. When this abated, the cold in- creased, and a great part of our men were frozen in some part or other ; but I hope none of them dangerously so, and that most of them will be able to march again in a short time.' The insur- gents never again collected in force : independent parties appear- ed in different parts of the western counties : but they were soon compelled to seek safety by submission, or flight into the neigh- boring states. Two or three only, of our townsmen, bore arms with Shays.
The rebellion being terminated, the infliction of some punishment for the highest political crime was deemed expedient. Some of those who had been in arms against the laws, were brought to trial, convicted of treason, and sentenced to death. Henry Gale of Princeton, was the only insurgent found guilty of capital offence,
151
INSURGENTS PARDONED.
1787.]
in this county.1 On the 23d day of June, at the hour fixed for his execution by the warrant, he was led out to the gallows erected on the common, with all the solemn ceremony of such exhibitions. A reprieve was there read to him, and afterwards full pardon was giv- en.2 Proceedings for seditious practices, pending against several prisoners, were suspended. The mercy of government was finally extended to all, who had been involved in the difficulties and disor- ders of the time, upon taking the oath of allegiance to the com- monwealth, after some temporary civil disqualifications.3
CHAPTER IX.
Reception of Washington, 1789. Memorial on the treaty with England, 1797. Volun- teers, 1798. Funeral honors to Washington. 1800 Militia volunteer, 1807. Boston memorial. 1808. War of 1812. Br tish prisoners. Troops called into service, 1814. Visit of Lafayette, 1824. Amendments of the Constitution. Benefactions of Isaiah Thomas. Incorporation of Holden and Ward. Proposed division of the county.
In the progress of the narrative, we have arrived to that period, when the events of the past are so closely connected with the feelings of the present, as to impose painful restraint on the course of minute recital. The faithful review of the incidents of local his- tory from the adoption of the federal constitution, embracing the
1 The court assigned as h's counsel. Levi Lincoln, sen. and James Sullivan. The warm support of government by the former had rendered him obnoxious to the insur- gents. During their occupation of the town, they seut parties to seize his person, who surrounded and searched his house. Seasonably informed of their intentions, he was able to disappoint them.
2 Six were convicted of treason in the county of Berkshire, six in Hampshire, one in Worcester, and one in Middlesex, all of whom received sentence ol dea h, but were sub- sequenily pardoned. The only public punishment actually inflicted, except limited disqualification from civil or military office, was on a member of the house of represen- latives, guilty of seditious words and practices, who was sentenced to sit on the gallows with a rope about his neek, pay a fine of £50, and to be bound to keep the peace and be of good behavior for five years.
3 The facts stated in the foregoing chapter have been derived, from the Worcester Magazine. published by Isaiah Thomas, 1786, 1787 Independent Chronicle, Columbian Centinel, Minot's History of the Insurrection, Files in the office of the Secretary of State, Correspondence of Levi Lincoln, sen. American Antiquarian Society's MSS. Some notice of Daniel Shays will be found in the appendix.
152
VISIT OF WASHINGTON.
[1789.
struggles of the great parties dividing the community, executed in the spirit of independence and impartiality, would be alike useful and interesting. But the time has not yet come when the details of the contest agitating every village of the country, and kindling strife in the relations of social life, can be recorded with freedom and frank- ness. The embers of political controversy, long covered over, have not been so extinguished, that the annalist may tread with safety over the spot where they once glowed. The sons may not hope to render unbiassed judgment of the measures of the sires, in scenes of intense excitement. When another generation shall have passed away, and the passions and irritation of the actors shall exist in memory alone, the story may be told faithfully, without fear that in- herited partiality or prejudice may lend undue coloring to the pic- ture delineated.
Some particulars of the history of the last half century, insulated from those dissentions which have long been quieted and which it is not desirable now to recall to recollection, are scattered through the space remaining to be traversed.
In 1789, President Washington visited New England, and was received with those demonstrations of gratitude and respect. due to his eminent services and exalted virtues. The notice of his arrival at Worcester, in the Spy, is characteristic of the style of the times.
' Information being received on Thursday evening, [October 22] that his Highness would be in town the next morning, a number of respectable citizens, about forty, paraded before sunrise, on horse- back, and went as far as Leicester line to welcome him, and escort- ed him into town. The Worcester company of artillery, command- ed by Major Treadwell, were already assembled ; on notice being given that his Highness was approaching, five cannon were fired, for the five New England States ; three for the three in the union ; one for Vermont, which will speedily be admitted ; and one as a call to Rhode Island to be ready before it be too late. When the Pres- ident General arrived in sight of the meeting-house, eleven cannon were fired : he viewed with attention the artillery company as he passed, and expressed to the inhabitants his sense of the honor done him. He stopped at the United States Arms, and breakfasted, and then proceeded on his journey. To gratify the inhabitants, he po- litely passed through the town on horseback, dressed in a brown suit, and pleasure glowed in every countenance ; eleven cannon were again fired. The gentlemen of the town escorted him a few miles, when they took their leave,'
153
BRITISH TREATY. VOLUNTEERS.
1796.]
Acceptable as the testimonials of the enthusiastic joy of his fellow citizens must have been to the great patriot, the extravagant epithets of description comported little with the simplicity and unostentatious plainness of his character.
On the request of a number of the principal inhabitants, a meeting was convened, May 2, 1796, for the expression of sentiments in re- lation to the commercial treaty with England ; a memorial, reported by a committee,1 was adopted and transmitted to the Hon. Dwight Foster, representative of the district in Congress, for presentation.
'To the honorable House of Representatives of the United States : The inhabitants of the town of Worcester, in the county of Worces- ter, and state of Massachusetts, sensible that it is not wise in the peo- ple in their primary assemblies, to decide confidently on important and difficult political questions, or even to use their right of petition- ing with design to impose their particular opinions, yet, on the pres- ent occasion, when the voice of the people appears to be called for, and is going forth to your honorable body from all parts of the union, leaving all questions concerning the merits of the treaty with Great Britain, take the liberty to suggest, as our opinion, that, considering the present state of the treaty already ratified by the President and Senate, we believe from a serious impression of duty, and considering the happy advantages of peace and neutrality now enjoyed by this country, and the alarms, the anxieties, and interruptions to business, if not war, that may be the consequences of delaying to carry the treaty into effect, it would be best, and we, therefore, beg leave to ex- press our wishes, that your honorable house would not delay to make appropriations to carry the same into effect.'
The hostile attitude of France, in 1798, required energetic pre- parations for defence. Congress authorized the President, to raise troops for the war establishment, and to organize volunteer corps in a provisional army, to be called out in case of apprehended invasion, or on pressing emergency, but not to receive pay unless in actual service. A company of sixty, rank and file, was formed here, un- der Capt. Thomas Chandler, called the Worcester Volunteer Cadet Infantry, holding themselves in readiness to march on the reception of orders. A standard was wrought, and presented to this corps by the ladies, with the usual complimentary and patriotic address, and received with the accustomed chivalrous expressions of grati-
! Edward Bangs, Isaiah Thomas, Samuel Chandler, Benjamin Heywood, and Wi !- liam Caldwell.
20
154
WASHINGTON. LIGHT INFANTRY. [1807.
tude. The company of artillery joined the forces collected in the south part of the county, and was in the bloodless campaign of 'the Oxford Army.' A rendezvous was opened here, during the differ- ences with the French republic. Some of our citizens enlisted, and encamped with the 14th regiment, commanded by Lient. Col. Rice. No opportunity of distinction was afforded by land ; the laurels were exclusively gathered from the ocean.
The town joined in the national honors paid to the memory of Washington, on the 22d of February, 1800, the anniversary of the birth of the father of his country. The company of cavalry, the artillery, cadets, militia, the youth of the schools, and a great con- course of citizens, moved with solemn music to the old south church, which was hung with black and with emblems of mourning. An eloquent eulogy was pronounced, by the Rev. Doct. Bancroft, on the virtues of the departed soldier, statesman, and patriot.
During the political controversies, which, for nearly thirty years, divided public opinion in the United States, a decided majority of the inhabitants of Worcester, were of the democratic party, when the name marked well defined distinction of principles. The leading men of the times were ardent politicians, and there were periods of excitement, when diversity of sentiment impaired the harmony of so- cial intercourse, separated those closely allied by the ties of kindred, and dissolved the bonds of ancient friendship. When the feuds and animosities of the past have subsided, it excites surprise, that the sur- face, now so tranquil, should ever have been agitated by commotions as angry as were those which once disturbed its repose.1
Conventions of the antagonist parties constantly assembled here, and embodied, in their resolutions, the feelings of the times.
In 1807, after the attack on the Chesapeake, when it was appre- hended that hostilities with England would immediately ensue, the Worcester Light Infantry, then commanded by Capt. Enoch Flagg, tendered their services in defence of the union. At a meeting of that military corps, August 4, 1807, it was resolved, unanimously, ' That in the present exigency of our country, the characters of the citizen and the soldier are inseparable ;' and with the same unanim- ity, it was voted, 'that we are ready, at a moment's warning, to march wherever the executive authority may direct, in defence of the independence and integrity of our country, in repelling and chastising insult or invasion; and that, for this purpose, we will
1 The state of political sentiment will be sufficiently indicated by the list of votes for executive officers, in successive years, in the appendix.
155
EMBARGO.
1808.]
constantly hold ourselves in a state of preparation.' Soon after, the company of artillery under Capt. Curtis, two companies of infan- try under Capts. Harrington and Johnson, and the company of cav- alry of Worcester and the adjacent towns, under Capt. Goulding, volunteered to serve as occasion might require.
The selectmen of Boston, on the 10th of August, 1808, transmit- ted a petition, adopted by the citizens of that place, addressed to President Jefferson, praying the suspension of the embargo laws ; or, if doubt existed of the competency of the executive for affording relief from measures that pressed heavily ou commerce, requesting that congress might be convened for the purpose of taking the sub- ject into consideration. The communication was accompanied with an invitation to call a meeting of the inhabitants of the town to ob- tain their concurrence in the sentiments expressed by the capital. The municipal officers declined compliance with the proposition. In their reply they say : ' we deferred returning an answer, because we thought we had reason to believe, that there would be found ten of our own freeholders, knowing our sentiments and differing from us, who, by signifying their desire in writing, would make it our du- ty to call such meeting. We can delay no longer a civility due to our fellow citizens of the respectable town of Boston. We will, therefore, with that friendly freedom which becomes citizens whose interests are the same, expose the reasons and sentiments, which for- bid us to act, in our official capacity, according to your proposal.' Assenting to the constitutional right of the citizens to assemble and consult for the common good, cordially concurring in respect for the constituted authorities of the country, they depart widely from the views of policy entertained by the petitioners, and conclude by de- claring, that, ' fully persuaded we have expressed the sentiments of a large majority of the inhabitants of this town, in expressing our own, we cannot believe it would be satisfactory to them, on this oc- casion, at this season of the year, to be called together in town meet- ing.' 1
In the same year, the town voted bounties to the soldiers, detached in conformity with the act of Congress, March, 30, 180S, as a part of the state's quota of 100,000 men, and the Light Infantry again tendered their services.
On the declaration of war with England, in 1812, an act of Con-
1 The letter is subseribed by Ephraim Mower, Edward Bangs, Nathaniel Harrington, Nathan White, Thomas Nichols, Selectmen, and was published in the National Ægis, Aug. 24, 1808.
156
BRITISH PRISONERS.
[1813.
gress authorized the President to require of the governors of the sev- eral states and territories, to take effectual measures to arm, organize, and hold in readiness to march on the shortest notice, their respec- tive proportions of 100,000 militia. Massachusetts was called on to furnish men for the fortresses on the maritime frontier. The execu- tive declined compliance with the requisitions, on the ground of con- stitutional objections, and the troops of the state were not called to the field. The town voted, Nov. 9th, 1812, to allow each soldier detach- ed, when mustered and ready to march, ten dollars bounty, in addition to the wages. Recruiting officers were stationed here, and some of the citizens enlisted in the regular army, or entered the navy, and served with various fortune.
In the summer of 1813, several British officers, captured on the northern frontier, were quartered here, on parole. Sir George Pre- vost, commanding in Canada, with the sanction of his government, selected from the American prisoners of war, and sent to Great Bri- tain, for trial as criminals, a number of individuals, who had emi- grated from the king's dominions long previous to the war between the two nations, become naturalized, and were taken fighting under the banners of their adopted country. For the protection of these citizens, charged with violation of their duties of allegiance to the land of their nativity, an equal number of English subjects were or- dered into confinement, to endure the same fate which might befall those for whom they were hostages. The effect of this stern meas- ure of retaliation was, to induce the enemy to commit to prison two American officers, for every one of the British soldiers confined by the President, to suffer death if vindictive punishment should be in- flicted on the latter. Forty-six British officers, prisoners of war, were immediately placed in the prisons, and the Prince Regent was informed of the determination of the government to deal with his subjects in the same manner in which our citizens in captivity should be treated. On the 2d of December, ten of those who had resided here,1 on parole, were committed by the marshal of the district, to the jail in Worcester, to abide the issue of this deplorable contest. On the 12th of January, nine of these persons succeeded in mak- ing their escape, by overpowering and binding the attendant, who had entered their room between 10 and 11 o'clock of the evening, to secure them for the night. The turnkey was so loosely confined,
1 Lt. Col. William Grant, of the Beauharnois militia: Maj. Charles Villette, Capt. Francis Decenta, Lt. David Duvall, Lt. Albert Manuel, of the Waterville regiment: Lt. William A. Steel, Adjutant, Lt. Joseph F. Green, Commissary, 89th regiment : Lt. Ar- thur Carter, of the Royal Artillery : Lt. Charles Morris, of the Halifax Volunteers.
157
MARCH OF LIGHT TROOPS.
1814.]
that he extricated himself in about fifteen minutes, and communi- cated information of the flight of the prisoners. Actual invasion could scarcely have produced greater commotion : the bells were rung and cannon fired at midnight. Vigorous search was prosecu- ted in the vicinity, and hot pursuit extended in all directions. In the excitement of the time, houses were entered without the formal- ity of warrants, and domiciliary visits paid without the justification of judicial process, to detect the supposed concealment of the fugi- tives. About two o'clock the next morning, one of the prisoners was apprehended in Holden, nearly exhausted by the labor of trav- elling on foot, in an inclement season, after long confinement : four more were apprehended the succeeding evening in Barre : and four succeeded in eluding capture, and reached Quebec in safety. After this event, the prisoners were removed. The returning sense of justice of their own government, permitted the liberation of gallant but unfortunate enemies, from the gloomy prospect of execution, in accordance with that necessary, but cruel policy, which holds the innocent subject to expiate the sins of the sovereign, and would have forfeited life to a contested point of international law.
In the summer of 1814, two companies of militia were drafted from the county, and served on the forts in the vicinity of Boston.
The capture of Washington, the violations of our territory by the British forces, the menace of destruction to the cities and villages of the sea board, by the naval commander on the American station, while they spread alarm, roused the patriotic spirit of the people to vigorous action. Governor Strong, by general orders, September 6, 1814, directed the whole of the militia of the state to hold them- selves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, and called the flank companies of the seventh division into immediate service for the defence of the coast. The Worcester Light Infantry and Wor- cester Artillery, commenced their march for the metropolis, on Sun- day, September 14th.1 They were stationed at South Boston, and remained in camp until the 31st of October following, when they were discharged and returned. On the Sabbath following their ar- rival at their homes, the members of both corps attended divine ser-
1 The Officers of the Light Infantry were John W. Lincoln, Captain; Sewall Hamil- ton, Lieutenant ; John Coolidge, Ensign: Of the Artillery, Samuel Graves, Captain ; Simeon Hastings, Ist Lieutenant, Nathan Heard, 2d Lieutenant. The forces at South Boston were under the command of Major General Joseph Whiton, of Lee. Light companies were detached from the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th divisions, and the artillery of the 3d, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th divisions, to form the army for the defence of Bosten. The troops of the seventh division, including Worcester county, now in the sixth division, were in the regiment under Col. Salem Towne, jr, of Charlton.
158
VISIT OF LAFAYETTE.
[1824.
vice, in full dress, agreeably to the recommendation of the General in command, and offered public acknowledgments for restoration to their friends.
The town voted to procure complete camp equipage for the militia, to be kept in readiness for use in actual service, to provide for the families of soldiers where assistance was needed, and to furnish any inhabitant detached, with arms and equipments, if unable to procure them himself.
As the sound of war went through the land, the veterans of the revolution, persons exempted from military duty by age or office, and the youth, formed themselves, in many towns of the county, into volunteer corps, and prepared to strike for their homes and their rights. The step of an invader on the New England soil, would have found her yeomanry as prompt to answer the summons to battle, as in the glorious days of old.
The ratification of the treaty of peace was celebrated with fes- tive rejoicing.
Gen. Lafayette, during his visit to America, in the journey which resembled a triumphal progress through the land, arrived at Wor- cester, September 2d, 1824. He was received on the northern boundary of the town by a deputation from the committee of the citizens, and escorted by two companies of cavalry, a regiment of the light troops of the division, and a great concourse of the people of the county. From hoary age to lisping childhood, all were ca- ger to manifest affection and respect for the guest of the nation. He passed through crowded streets; between lines of the children of the schools, ranged under the care of their teachers, who scat- tered laurels in his path; beneath arches inscribed with his own memorable words and with the names of the scenes of his signal services ; amidst companions who had borne arms with him in the army of independence ; and through the multitudes who had gath- ered from the vicinage to greet the return of the friend of their fa- thers.
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