USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 38
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 38
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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"First, That we will not import from Great Britain or Ireland or from any other place, any such goods, ware or merchandise as shall have been imported from Great Britain or Ireland, nor will we from this day import any East India from any part of the world, nor any molasses, syrup, Panely coffee, or pimento from the British Plantations or Dominions, or wine from Madeira or the West- ern Islands or foreign indigo."-Braintree Records.
1. Capt. Adams died of dysentery contracted in camp while with his company at Cambridge.
395
MILITARY.
July, 1775. Three hundred men, commanded by Maj. Tupper, manned the whale boats lying at Germantown, went to Long Island and brought off seventy sheep, fifteen head of cattle and sixteen prisoners, thirteen of whom had been sent to the island to mow the grass. They were found asleep in the house and barn; three women were also found with them. The Ameri- cans not desiring that this barn and house should afford the enemy so comfortable a shelter, concluded the next day, to fit another expedition to the island and destroy the house, barn and hay. This enterprise consisted of twenty-five men under Capt. Wild of Braintree, and twenty-five men of Capt. Gold's com- pany of Weymouth, with volunteers amounting to one hundred. Receiving permission from head-quarters, they went to Moon Island and set fire to the buildings and hay. The British cut- ters immediately surrounded the island and commenced a hot and continued fire upon the Americans, the bullets flying in all directions. Many citizens of this town witnessed this spirited action with great anxiety, expecting every moment to see their friends killed. Our forces came off of Long Island without even a man being wounded. One man of the covering forces on Moon Island was killed by a cannon ball from the enemy's man- of-war ships.
A few days after this encounter, an expedition of the Brain- tree, Weymouth and Hingham companies went to Nantasket, reaped the grain and brought it off. They then took whaleboats and started for the Boston Lighthouse and set fire to it. On their return the English came down upon them with eight barges, one cutter and one schooner, in battle array and opened a terrific fire upon them. The Americans arrived safely back, with the exception of two, who were slightly wounded in the legs. Our forces brought off with them from the lighthouse one field piece, a swivel, and the lamps of the lighthouse.
Soon after this skirmish, the British sent thirteen carpenters, and thirty marines as a guard to protect them while repairing the lighthouse. The Americans, on the evening of the thirtieth of July, under Major Tupper, with men from Squantum and Dorchester, attacked the British at the lighthouse, killed the lieutenant, one man, and captured all of the enemy,-fifty-three
396
MILITARY.
in number. Our forces were hotly pursued by the enemy, and were obliged to run one of their whaleboats ashore. One of their number by the name of Griffin, from Rhode Island State, the only person killed in this fight, having been shot through the temples, was buried from Germantown with military honors. Minister Wibird, of this town, conducted the funeral services. The next day General Washington, in general orders, commend- ed their gallant and soldier-like conduct. After this year the seat of war was removed from this section of the country, and its inhabitants relieved from the alarms of an approaching ene- my. For an account of these brilliant skirmishes, see Bancroft Gordon's Revolution Remembrances, and Mrs. Adams' letters.
Mr. John Adams, the previous year, was chosen, with other gentlemen,1 a delegate to attend the Continental Congress which was to be held in Philadelphia, and after its adjournment he returned home. He again went to Philadelphia, after its recess, and it may be a matter of some importance to give the items of the expenses2 of his second journey to that place. Probably Mr. Adams did his own barbering, as we find no tonsorial bill - against him ; but we do find quite a bill against Mr. Samuel Adams, his kinsman and also a delegate to the Continental Con- gress, viz :- " For three months' shaving and dressing, one hun- dred and seventy-five pounds," which was paid by the Colony of Massachusetts.
1. The delegates appointed in June, 1774, by the General Court, to attend the Continental Congress, were as follows :- Mr. Bowdoin, Mr. Cushing, Mr. Sam- uel Adams, Mr. John Adams and Mr. Robert Treat Paine. After a laborious and incessant session, they took a short adjournmeut in the summer of 1775. On their arrival home they immediately took their seats in the State Council, to which they had been chosen, where they acted during the recess of Congress.
2. "COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY :
To JOHN ADAMS, DR.
1775.
£ S. D.
Aug. 28. To cash paid at Davis's, Roxbury, for oats, 0 0 8
Watertown for horse keeping and ser-
vant's board, &c., 1 14 2
66 Baldwin's for oats, 0 0 8
Buckministers, at Framingham, 0 50
Bowman's, at Oxford, 0 2 4
66 Sherman's, in Grafton, 01 8
397
MILITARY.
The method and fashion of travelling has so changed, that the curious may like to know the course Mr. Adams took at this time. He hired a sulky, in which he rode and was escorted by his man servant, Joseph Bass, on horseback, although a note on
£ s. D.
Sept. 4. To cash paid at Hide's, in Woodstock, for board, lodg- ing for ourselves and servants, and horse keeping, from Sat. to Monday,
1 13 0
66
Clark's, at Pomfret,
02 0
Cary's, at Windham,
0 7 4
Gray's, at Lebanon,
0 9 10
Taynter's, in Colchester,
060
66
Smith's, in Haddam, .
04 0
66 Camp's, in Durham,
0 8 6
Bear's, of New Haven,
060
66
Bryant's, of Milford,
0 8 10
66
Stratford Ferry,
0 2 0
66
Stratfield's, for oats,
0 0 6
Betts's, of Norwalk,
060
66
Penfield's, of Fairfield,
0 14 7
Fitch's, of Stamford,
0 6 11
66
Knap's, of Horseneck,
0 16 0
038
Jasper's, the ferryman at Dobb's Ferry, for dinner and ferriage, 04 0
66
Mrs. Watson's, at Hackensack,
0 8 10
66 Pierson's, of Newark,
0 2 10
66 Graham's, of Elizabethtown,
0 18 4
Elizabeth Town for horse shewing,
0 0 10
for horse and man to Newark, after our man, and to the hostler, 0 5 8
Dawson's, at Woodbridge, 0 16
Farmer's, of Brunswick, at the ferry, 0 8 0
Jones', at Ten Mile Inn,
0 0 10
60
66 Princeton,
0 3 0
66 Trenton,
Priestley's, at Bristol, 0 12 0
0 28
66
Wilson's,
0 0 6
Sept. 14. 66
Shammony Ferry, Cash paid for paper, sealing wax, &c.,
0 2 0
Oct. . Caslı for Tavern expenses of committee, 0 60
0 12 0
16. Pamphlets, paper, wax, mending bridle and pistol, For tobacco, a plan of Boston Harbor, and sundry other small things, 0 14 0 . Nov. 1. John Wright, for pasturing my horse, 2 14 0
66 13. Paid an apothecary for family medicines,
0 12 0
0 8 6
Bull's, of White Plains,
398
MILITARY.
page 421, vol. II, of Mr. John Adams' works, says, " he was on horseback," which evidently implies that he went to his place of destination monnted. This, we think, is a mistake, as he relates in his bill of items, that he met with a serious accident to his
£ s. D.
Nov. 15. Mr. MeLane, for Leather Breeches and Doublet, 2 16 0
" 27. Mrs. Lucy Leonard, for Mrs. Yard's bill, 16 0 0
Dec. 8. Paid Mr. Atkin's account, 0 16 0
my washerwoman, 140
Mr. John Stille, 300
" Mr. Marshall, 040
" James Starr, 0 8 10
Mr. Smith, 0 10 4
my man, Joseph Bass, 0
Mrs. Lucy Leonard, 0 16 0
Mr. William Barrell, .
2 30
Mr. Hiltzerman,
0 8 0
Mr. Joseph Fox, 0 10 0
William Shepard, 10 14 0
To one pair of leather gloves, 0 6 0 To balance of Mrs. Yard's board bill, 23 18 6
Dec. 9. Cash paid at Anderson's, the Red Lyon, . 034
9.
Bassenith, at Bristol, 08 2
" 10. " Shammony Ferry and at Trenton Ferry, 0 6
Cash paid Williams,
Hire, at Princeton,
0 11 8
040
at the Ferry,
016
Dec. 12.
Dawson, at Woodbridge, 0
7 6
Graham, at Elizabeth Town, 030
Pierson, at Newark, 030
Hackensack, Phillipsborough and White Plains, including ferriage at North River, 4 0
Dec. 13. at Knap, Horse Neck, 060
Betts, Norwalk, 0 8 0
for shewing horse at White Plains and Nor- walk, 04 0
4 Fairfield for dinner and shewing horse, . 070
Dec. 16. Bryant's, at Milford, 0 8 6
Bear's, New Haven,
0 50
Robinson's, at Wallingford, and at another tavern for oats,
.
0 6 0
Collins, at Hartford, for entertainment and horse shewing, 0 11 0 Nicholas Brown, for girth, and transporting my wrecked sulky, (90 miles, ) from Horse Neck to Hartford, . 5 G
Paid for oats and hay at Woodbridge, East Hartford, . 010
0 3 0
Farmers,
399
MILITARY.
sulky while travelling through Connecticut State, by his horse taking fright and running against a rock and dashing the top and body in pieces, and also, that he had to transport it ninety miles for repairs. It is also somewhat curious to see how
£ s. D.
Paid Fellow's, at Bolton, for dinner, oats and hay, . 0 2 6
Cash paid at Windham, for entertainment and horse keeping, 070
Paid at two Taverns for oats, 0 1 4
Providence, for entertainment, 0 12 4
Mory's, of Norton, 0 2 8
Dec. 21. Col. Howard's, Bridgewater, 0 60
Paid my man for his account, .
170
Paid my man for another account,
1 11 6
Paid my man for another account,
11 5 0
To the hire of two horses from August 1st to December 21st, 115 days,
20 0 0
127 7 10
Cash received from the Treasury, . ·
130 0 0
Received of Mr. Samuel Adams, for his share of our
expenses from Woodstock to Philadelphia, 5 6 4
135 6 4
Balance due the Colony,
7 18 6
"COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY:
To JOHN ADAMS, DR.
1775.
£. s. D.
To the hire of two horses from April 26th to August
14th, 110 days, 28 0 0
a sulky from April to Dec., 8 00
To wages of a servant from the 26th of April to August 14th, at £3 per month, 10 16
Cash paid Mrs. Yard, in Philadelphia, for board and
30 18 10
lodging, for myself and servant,
4 16 3
Paid for keeping my horse,
Dibley and Stringer, for keeping my horse, 700
Moses Marshall, for sundry medicines, 0 8 0
Daniel Smith, for sundries, . 3 0 0
66 cost of saddle at Horse Neck, after my sulky was wrecked and destroyed, 31 0 0
4 0 0 Cash paid for a light suit of clothes,
Cash paid for my expenses of keeping two horses, and a servant's expense upon the road from Braintree to Philadelphia, and from thence to Braintree, with sundry miscellaneous expenses while there, 26 12 11
400
MILITARY.
punctiliously exact Mr. Adams was in enumerating the most minute and trivial items in his bill of expenses while travelling to and in Congress, from which members of Congress at the present time, might take an example.
£ S. D.
Paid Mr. Joseph Bass for a surtout coat and a pair of leather breeches before I went, which were brought out of Boston, April 19th, and there remained, 3 16 0
To damages done my sulky, by my horse taking fright and running against a rock and dashing the top and body in pieces,
12 8 6
134 8
Balance due the colony from another sheet, 7 18 6
Prior charge of Mrs. Yard,
4 15 9
12 14
Balance due Mr. Adams,
121 13
A true account, errors excepted, JOHN ADAMS.
Nov. 13. To 2 ounces of Cinnamon, 060
" 13. To 1 ounce of Turkey Rhubarb, 0 26
" 13. To 1 ounce of Cloves, 0 2 0
To 1 ounce of Pink Root, 0 2 0
0 11 6
Nov. 29. To washing 7 dozen of linen, at 3s. 6d. per dozen, 1 5 9
For mending, 13 9
Board from Sept. 12th to December 8th, at 30s. per week, 18 17 0
Servant's board for the same time, at 15s. per week, .
C. 8 6
Clubb in Punch and Wine, at dinner, in your own room, 11 0 0
Spermaceti candles, at 5s. per week,
3
0 0
Cash paid for Post, 030
46 8 0
"HON. SAMUEL ADAMS AND JOIIN ADAMS,
To JOSEPH BASS, DR.
£ S. D.
Nov. 8. For travelling charges to Philadelphia, 19 8 0
One dozen pipes, . 0 15 0
Horse hire, 1 3 9
Nov. 28. For one dozen pipes, 0 18 0
For 1-2 dozen ditto, . 030
To two pounds of tobacco, 0 18 0
23 15 9
One-half by Mr. John Adams.
Fire wood for 8 weeks, at 7s. 6d. per week, 1 10 0
MILITARY. 401
The system of enlistment, in which they served in the Revo- lutionary war, was similar to the French and Indian war. The time of service being short, the name of the same person will occur several times as they re-enlisted. Still the draft upon the town for men and money was quite onerous and severe. The first year of open hostilities she sent nine companies, the second ten, and in the other years of the war a like proportion. The patri-
"JOIIN ADAMS,
To J. YOUNG, DR. £ S. D.
1775.
June 14. To new pad and doublet, reined eurbed bridle, 0 14 6 " mending an old bridle, 01 0
July 3. " a cover for a sword scabbard, 030
July 14. " a small pad for housings, 0 2 0
July 3. " a portmanteau and strap, 1 70
July 3. " a pair of pistol bags, 100
"JOHN ADAMS,
To WILLIAM BARRELL, DR.
1775.
£ s. D.
June 21. To 2 1-2 yards of Nankeen, at 15s. 1 17 6
23. " 1-2 yard more, 07 6
Oct. " 2 yards quality binding, 4s. 0 8 0
2 13 0
" JOIIN ADAMS,
To MR. STILLE, DR.
£ S. D.
June 24. To making a suit of Nankeen,
1 60
66 3 3-4 yards of Linen, 3s. 6d., 0 13
" Buttons, 0 2 7
" Thread, 1s. Gd .; silk, 3s .; hair, 2s .; Buckram, 3d .; and Staying, 1s. Gd., 0 8 3
0 4 0
" 3 yards of superfine white flannel, 7s., 110
3 14 10 ₺
May 13. To 1 bottle Braudy, 0 2 6
26. " 1 bottle Brandy, 0 26
July 10. " 1 quart of spirits, 0 2 6
To 5 dinners, Club, with the delegates, . 2 9 8
2 17 2
Sept. 16. To 6 lbs. Cut Tobacco, 1s.,
0 60
" Pigtail, 2s. Gd., . 0 2 6
" 1 Earthen Pot, 0 0 4
0 8 10"
52
.
3 7 G
Nov. 7. To making 2 pair drawers,
402
MILITARY.
otism of the town is fully exemplified by the active part she took in the conflict, sending about sixteen hundred men into the field of strife out of a population of 2871. Even half of this pro- portion would have been a large number to have sent. No wonder that Mrs. Adams says, " that if this great demand for men continues, the women will be called upon to attend to the agricultural pursuits." The call for means to carry on the war was equally as oppressive on the inhabitants of the town as the call for men. In one year the town assessed upon its citizens the large sum of one million of dollars for the purchase of beef for the army and other necessary expenses of the town. The enhanced price of all articles required to sustain life caused great suffering and distress, as in 1779 Mrs. Adams says :- " We have been greatly distressed for the want of grain. I have scarcely known the look or taste of biscuit or flour for this four months. Yet thousands have been much worse off, having no grain of any sort." At this juncture of the conflict, when money and men were hard to procure, the liberal, generous and patri- otic General Palmer, an Englishman by birth, came forward in open town meeting and gave them one thousand and eighty dollars for the enlistment of thirty-six men, called for by Con- gress in 1780, and at the adjourned meeting it was found that another call had been made for nine more men. For this call he gave two hundred and seventy dollars more, making the total amount thirteen hundred and fifty dollars, for which he received the gratitude and earnest thanks of the town. Thus, we see the great sacrifices our ancestors were obliged to make in estab- lishing the American Republic.
The following persons of Braintree received high military promotions :- Jonathan Bass, as Colonel, from the South Pre- cinet ; Major Stephen Penniman and Colonel Ebenezer Thayer, from the Middle ; General Palmer, from the North, first as Col- onel and afterwards as General.
Capt. Seth Turner's company of minute men of the South Precinct of Braintree, Col. Benj. Lincoln's Regiment, assembled April 19th, 1775. Time of service, four days.1
1. We do not vouch for the correct orthography of these names; we have given the names on these rolls as we have found them.
403
MILITARY.
"Seth Turner, Captain ; Moses Spear, Ist Lieutenant ; Nathan- iel Pain, 2d Lieutenant ; Noah Thayer, Joseph Tower, Samuel Belcher, Joseph Spear, Sergeants; Isaac Niles, Ebenezer Crane, Samuel Cheesman, Hezekiah Thayer, Corporals ; Micajah White, Fifer ; Eli Spear, Drummer ; Joseph Hayward, Jonathan Wild, Thomas Penniman, Thomas French, Isaac Spear, Joseph Gooch, Joshua Hayward, Ephriam Wales, Hezekiah Ludden, Nathaniel Ludden, Jr., Joshua French, Isaac Spear, Jr., Seth Turner, Jr., John Jordan, Nehemiah French, Deering Spear, Nathaniel Pain, Timothy Smith, Levi Thayer, Rufus Stetson, Zebulon Hayward, Samnel Cheesman, Isaac Thayer, John Hunter, Seth Mann, Micajah White, Ephriam Hunt, Timothy French, Gideon Tow- er, John Slone, David Slone, James Stoddard, Phillip Silvester, John Wild, Isaac Smith, Josiah Thayer, Jr., Sampson Dunbar, Pompey Negro, Rufus Thayer."-Muster Rolls, Vol. XIII, p. 144.
A true return of the travels and service of Capt. Eliphalet Sawen's company of minute men of Braintree, in Col. Benjamin Lincoln's Regiment, assembled April 19th, 1775. Time of ser- vice, eight days.
" Eliphalet Sawen, Captain ; Nathaniel Niles, Lieutenant ; Mathias Cheesman, Ensign; Zaccheus Thayer, Clerk ; Joseph Polson, Jacob Wales, Benjamin Hayward, John Niles, Sergeants ; Moses Littlefield, Gideon Stetson, Samuel Wood, James Niles, Corporals ; Lemnel Spear, Drummer ; Elisha Wales, Fifer ; Noah Cheesman, Ebenezer Niles, David Burrell, Daniel French, Thomas French, Jr., Paul Clark, Joshua Clark, Joseph Gooch, Jr., Benoni Hayward, Aaron Hayward, Jr., Hopestill Bradley, Jacob Hunt, Samuel Crane, Ephriam Man, Benjamin Dyer, John Slone, Jr., Jacob Spear, Samuel Spear, 2d, Jeremiah Thayer, Eleazer Taft, Robert Milton, Jonathan Wild, Jr., Ebenezer White, Jonathan Wales, Timothy Thayer, Noah Whitcomb, Benjamin Stetson, Josiah Thayer, Jr., Joseph Porter, Paul Thayer, John Wild, Samuel Cheesman, Jr., Nathaniel Niles, Jr., Joshua French, Jr."-Muster Rolls, Vol. XIII, p. 83.
A muster roll of Lieut. Linfield's company of Braintree, in Col. Benjamin Lincoln's Regiment. Term of service, four days.
404
MILITARY.
"Elihu Adams,1 Captain ; David Linfield, 1st Lieutenant; Sim- eon Thayer, 2d Lieutenant; Ephriam Thayer, Joseph White, Jr., Matthew Pratt, William Linfield, 3d, Sergeants; Jacob Whit- comb, Eben Pratt, Cornelius White, David Linfield, Jr., Corpo- rals ; Zebulon Hayward, Drummer; Joseph Waters, Fifer; Barnabus Clark, William Linfield, Moses Curtis, Jonathan Ran- dall, Benjamin Thayer, Elijah French, Nathaniel Hunt, Joseph Belcher, Thomas Belcher, David White, Joseph Porter, Timothy Thayer, John Hollis, Jr., Stephen Cheesman, William Thayer, Bartholomew Thayer, Nathaniel Linfield, Samuel Allen, Elijah French, Jr., Daniel White, Jr., John White, Jr., Thomas King- man, John Whitcomb, Samuel Linfield, David Linfield." (One name could not be deciphered.)-Muster Rolls, Vol. II, p. 184.
A true return of the travel and time of the minute company, under the command of Capt. Silas Wild of Braintree, in Col. Benjamin Lincoln's Regiment, April 19th, 1775. In service nine days.
" Silas Wild, Captain; Stephen Penniman, Lieutenant; Rob- ert Hayden, Ensign ; William Harriman, Jonathan Nash, W. Hayden, Jonathan Holbrook, Sergeants; Amminadab Hayden, James Tower, Ebenezer Thayer, John Thayer, Corporals; Jesse Pratt, Drummer; William Wild, Fifer; Joseph Niles, Abel Cheesman, Samuel Noyes, Benjamin Cheesman, James Lovell, Samuel White, (illegible) French, Josiah Thayer, Caleb Faxon, Joseph Arnold, Samuel White Thayer, Ebenezer Thayer, Clem- ent Hayden, John Tower, Alexander Hayden, Uriah Thayer, Samuel Clark, Daniel Hayward, Samuel Veasey, Benjamin Veasey, Jacob Nash, Loring White, Edmund Soaper, Joseph Allen, Nathaniel Wales, Calvin Thayer, Eli Ludden, Thayer, (the sirname was illegible,) Thomas Ludden, Belcher, (the sir- name was illegible.)"-Muster Rolls, Vol. XIII, p. 152.
1. There seems to have been some mistake about this roll, as Elihu Adams, the younger brother of President John Adams, is interlined in the place of Mr. Linfield, as Captain of the company. Mrs. John Adams, in her letters, seems to corroborate the fact that Mr. Adams was Captain of the company, as she says in her account of the attack of the Americans on the English foraging party at Grape Island,-" Both your brothers were there; your younger brother with his company. He was one of the first to venture on board a schooner, to land upon the island."
405
MILITARY.
Time of service of a company of minute men, in Braintree, under the command of Capt. John Vinton, in Col. Benjamin Lincoln's Regiment, assembled April 29th, 1775, three days.
"John Vinton, Captain ; Eben Thayer, 3d Lieutenant ; Thomas Hollis, Jr., Ensign ; Nathaniel French, Adam Hobard, Silas Hol- lis, Ichabod Holbrook, Jr., Sergeants; Zebah Hayden, Ephriam Thayer, Josiah French, Reuben French, Corporals ; Caleb French, Drummer; Robert Hayden, Isaac Thayer, Enoch Hayden, Adam Curtis, Edward Cheesman, Lemuel Veazie, Elkanah Thayer, James Faxon, Jr., William Hobard, Daniel Hayward, Daniel Hollis, Zach. Markquand Thayer, Elihu Penniman, Benjamin Veazie, Jr., Nathaniel Thayer, Nathaniel Hollis, Nathaniel Wales, Jr., Benjamin Whitmarsh, Eli Ludden, Ephriam Field, Benjamin French, Nathaniel Thayer, 2d, Nehemiah Thayer, John Hobard, 2d, Joseph Hayden, Silvanus Ludden, Oliver Thayer, Benjamin Ludden, 3d, Daniel Hayward, 2d, Samuel Cheesman, Jr., Joseph Biford, Phillip Thayer, Solomon Thayer, 2d, James Nash, Peter Slone, John Thayer, Jr., Abraham Thayer, Jr., Anthony Hunt, Christopher Thayer, Jr., Noah Thayer, Jr."-Muster Rolls, Vol. XIII, p. 145.
A true return of the time and service of a company of minute men, under the command of Capt. Stephen Penniman, in Brain- tree, in room of Capt. Silas Wild, who marched the 19th of April, 1775. In service from April 28th to May 5th, 1775.
NAMES. TIME OF SERVICE.
AMOUNT P'AID.
£ S. D.
" Stephen Penniman, Captain,
seven days, 1 10 0
Robert Hayden, Lieutenant,
66
1 0 0
Jonathan Holbrook, Sergeant,
0
12 0
James Tower, Corporal,
0
11 0
John Thayer, Corporal,
0
11 0
Jesse Pratt, Drummer,
0
11 0
William Wild, Fifer, Jacob Nash,
0 10 0
Loring White,
0
10 0
Abraham Thayer,
0 10 0
Edmund Soper, Jr.,
66
0 10 0
Joseph Allen,
60
0 10 0
0 11 0
406
MILITARY.
£
S. D.
Calvin Thayer,
seven days, 0
10 0
Eli Ludden,
0 10 0
John Thayer, three days, 0 4 21-2
Joseph Blanchard, 0 4 21-2
Sixteen men."-Muster Rolls, Vol. XIII, p. 63.
A true return of the time and service of a company in the North Precinct of Braintree, under the command of Capt. John Hall, Jr., in Col. Benjamin Lincoln's Regiment. Assembled April 19th and 29th, 1775. Time of service, seven days.
"John Hall, Jr., Captain; Daniel Arnold, Lieutenant; Seth Baxter, 2d, Thomas Newcomb, Samnel Bass, 2d, Thomas Pratt, John Vinton, Sergeants; John Mills, William Field, Eben Field, Jr., Moses Brackett, Corporals; Joseph Gleeson, Fifer; Benja- min Pray, Drummer; Lemuel Field, William Marsh, Jr., Jona- than Marsh, John Briesler, Jacob Spear, Peter Newcomb, Eben. Brown, James Clark, Jr., Nathan Arnold, John Nightingale, Oliver Newcomb, Edmund Bass, Samuel Spear, Daniel Spear, Abram Newcomb, Nathan Tirrell, John Field, Jr., Stephen Hay- den, Benjamin Sanders, William Spear, Jr., William Brackett, Joseph Field, 2d, Jackson Field, Isaac Copeland, Samuel K. Glover, John Pray, Seth Copeland, John Copeland."-Muster Rolls, Vol. XII, p. 174.
The several independent companies enlisted in 1775, at the beginning of the war, not being regimented, caused some little controversy between the town and the Continental Congress, in reference to their pay, as the following report of General Wash- ington will illustrate :-
" Enclosed you have a copy of a representation sent to me by the Legislative body of this Province respecting four companies stationed at Braintree, Weymouth and Hingham. As they were never regimented, and were doing duty at a distance from the rest of the Army, I did not know whether to consider them as a part of it; nor do I think myself authorized to direct pay- ment for them without the approbation of Congress." Dec. 31st, 1775 .- Spark's Washington, Vol. III, p. 218.
On this same question John Adams says, in a letter dated at Philadelphia, Jan. 16th, 1776 :- " Congress has just received a let-
407
MILITARY.
ter from General Washington, inclosing the copy of an applica- tion of our General Assembly to him, to order payment to four companies stationed at Braintree, Weymouth and Hingham. The General says they were never regimented, and he cannot comply with the request of the Assembly, without direction of Congress. A committee is appointed to consider the letter, of which I am one. I fear there will be a difficulty, and therefore I shall endeavor to prevent a report on this letter, unless I shall see a prospect of justice being done the Colony."
Roll of Capt. Seth Turner's independent company, all enlisted from May 3d to May 13th, 1775.
" Seth Turner, Captain ; Seth Baxter, 1st Lieutenant; Thomas Newcomb, 2d Lieutenant ; Jacob Wales, Joseph Payson, John Vinton, Jacob Frieze, Sergeants ; Benjamin Dyer, James Niles, Lemuel Dwelle, Elijah Gurney, Corporals ; Eli Spear, Drum- mer ; Joseph Wales, Fifer; Nathaniel Arnold, John Ayers, Ed. Willard Baxter, Hopestill Bradley, Moses Brackett, Jr., William Brackett, John Briesler, Noah Cheesman, Leonard Cleverly, Elisha Wild, Joseph Curtis, Lemuel Clark, Regemmelech Cush- ing, Samuel Clark, Joshua Clark, Ichabod Dyer, Lemuel Field, Timothy French, William Ford, Adam Hunt, Ebenezer Han- cock, Nathaniel Hayden, Simeon Hollis, Thomas Hayward, Zeb- ulon Hayward, Nathaniel Ludden, John Morrain, Abraham Newcomb, Bryant Newcomb, Daniel Nash, Moses Nash, Jr., Micajah Newcomb, Peter Newcomb, Benjamin Pain, William Penniman, Benjamin Richardson, Jacob Spear, Jacob Spear, 2d, Rufus Stetson, Wm. Sumner, Benjamin Thayer, Seth Turner, Benjamin Veazie, Daniel White, Jr., John Wild, Noah Whit- comb, Samuel Wild."
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