USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > History of the town of Acton > Part 19
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"Resolved: That the sum of two thousand dollars be, and hereby is, appropriated for a monument to Capt. Isaac Davis, to be erected in the town of Acton, under the direc- tion of his Excellency the Governor, in connection with a committee of said town, and the Governor is hereby au- thorized to draw his warrant accordingly: Provided the citizens of the said town of Acton raise the sum of five hundred dollars for the same purpose."
The resolve came up suddenly for a third reading on February 3, 1851.2 Mr. Wilson of Lenox opened the debate with a history
1 Historical Papers, vol. 2.
2 Boston Semi-Weekly Atlas, Feb. 8, 1851.
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of the gallant Davis and concluded with an earnest appeal for the passage of the motion.
Mr. Curtis of West Brookfield was decidedly opposed to military monuments in general and made the point that ere long the rep- rehensible Mexican War would be producing its patriots whose friends would be seeking similar monumental honors.
Mr. Nettleton of Chicopee expressed amazement at such an attitude and suggested that should the motion fail that another be introduced whereby all monuments, even that of Washington himself, be struck from their pedestals.
By a political manoeuver Mr. Woodbury had been caught un- awares but his adversaries were ill advised if they thought he was so readily whipped. This was just the sort of tight spot that challeng- ed his mettle and called forth all his forensic talents. He rose in his place and began as follows:
I had not expected that the question would be taken on these resolves at this day or at this hour. I am not pre- pared as I would have been to go into this, to me and the people I represent, exceedingly interesting matter. But the discussion of the merits of this bill has come on; objections, - very unexpected objections, - have been urged to its passage to a third reading; and I have just concluded that I may as well state my whole case to this House, now as ever. As I have the honor to present this petition, and was chosen by the town of Acton on the committee for the procuring of aid from the Commonwealth, it will be expected of me that I should make some extended remarks; other- wise I might have sat in dumb silence during the passage of these resolves, leaving to other abler men the stirring theme. But even in that case I doubt, - averse as I honestly am to talking in any assembly, - whether I should have had sufficient 'restraining grace' after what has been said in opposition to this bill."
With withering scorn he made the observation that the "Breed of Tories had not yet died out" and then for an hour and a half, speaking entirely extemporaneously, he held the chamber spell bound. Holding aloft the shoe buckles of Davis and the powder horn of Hayward, which he had had in readiness against the day when he made his formal speech, he made what was undoubtedly the most sensational oration of his career.1 At its close a goodly number of eyes were damp.
1 The speech, subsequently written out for the press, fills forty two pages. See Historical Papers, vol. 2 in Acton Library.
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Mr. Kingman of Bridgewater then spoke in opposition to the measure and chided Mr. Woodbury for his anti-peace sentiments. He was interrupted by a motion to adjourn which by parliamentary rules coud not be debated and had to be immediately put to a vote. It failed decisively.
Mr. Banning of Monterey and Messrs. Schoulder and Munroe of Boston all supported the bill. They were interrupted by another motion to adjourn, a device evidently of the opposition to prevent action. The motion failed again, however, by a vote of 124 to 76. Immediately Mr. Kimball of Boston moved the previous question and the bill passed by a vote of one hundred ninety to thirty three.1
One month later to a day the town voted to raise not only the speci- fied five hundred dollars but an additional two hundred should it prove necessary. Evidently the decision was not universally pleas- ing since the records show that at a meeting held a monh later there was an attempt made to abandon the whole project. The answer to this move was to reiterate the previous vote and in addition to proceed with a great celebration in which surrounding towns would be invited to participate.
Once these details were settled events moved on apace. The build- ing committee believed in and practiced economy and expedition. Governor Boutwell was nominal chairman but the actual operations went forward under the indomitable drive of Mr. Woodbury. A variety of models were submitted by professional designers, not only for the monument but for the enclosing fence as well.2 In the meantime a sub committee had reported the cooperation and consent of the friends and relatives with respect to the moving of the remains.
Another sub committee authorized to proceed with proposals to build, advertised in the Quincy Democrat for three weeks, giving the information that inquiries were to be made at the state house where the models could be examined, and that bids would be accepted until May 19th .. On May 26th contracts were signed with G. K. Eastman of Lowell and A. L. Hutchinson of Manchester, N. H.
On July 2nd the building committee of six already mentioned was augmented by thirty others to have overall supervision of the projected ceremonies.3 In August the committee was instructed by the town to guarantee to the caterers a minumum of one thousand plates at the huge dinner contemplated for the dedication exercises.
1 The thirty three who opposed the measure are listed in Historical Papers, vol. 2.
2 Monument design by a Mr. Parker of Boston; fence design by Smith & Lovett of Boston.
3 Winthrop E. Faulkner, Jonathan B. Davis, Nathan Brooks, Daniel Wetherbee, Andrew Hapgood, Simon Tuttle, Winthrop Conant, Asa Parker, Frederick Rouillard, John Fletcher, Silas Hosmer, Simon Hosmer, William Wilde, Robert Chaffin, Alden Fuller, Abraham Jones, David Handley, John Buttrick, Moses Taylor, Bradley Stone, Ebenezer Davis, Harris Cowdry, John Miles, Reuben Green, Rufus Holden, William Lothrop, Levi Stevens, Elbridge Robbins, Stevens Hayward, Horace Tuttle.
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The corner stone was laid on August 21st. A large choir directed by Col. Faulkner sang three Watts psalms, namely Majesty, North- field, and Truro. Prayer was offered by Rev. Stinson and hymns written by Rev. Richardson were sung.1 Under the corner stone were placed, in a copper box, the following papers:
1. A letter of Josiah Adams to Lemuel Shattuck (author of a his- tory of Concord written in 1835) vindicating the claims of Capt. Isaac Davis to his share of the honors of Concord Fight: also the depositions of the witnesses to the facts.
2. An adddress by Josiah Adams delivered July 21, 1835 upon the occasion of the first centennial of the town's incorporation.
3. An oration by Robert Rantoul, Jr. and an account of the union celebration at Concord, April 19, 1850.
4. An address by his Excellency George S. Boutwell to the two branches of the Massachusetts legislature on January 16, 1851.
5. The annual report of the attorney general of Massachusetts for February, 1851.
6. Valuation of the real estate, and the names of the owners, in Acton as of November 2, 1850.
7. Report of the joint standing committee of the militia, to which committee had been submitted the petition of Ivory Keyes and others for aid in building the monument.
8. A statement in brief of the history of the Davis Monument together with several committees, cost, and certain statistical data concerning the town of Acton.
Previous to the laying of the corner stone the committee on arrangements had met on July 5th, and each Monday evening thereafter, had chosen Rev. Woodbury as chairman and had decided to invite Gov. Boutwell of Groton to deliver the oration and Rev. J. Pierpont of Medford to give the poem. Sub committees were selected to attend to invitations, contract for the dinner, the tent, to disinter the remains and prepare them for burial, to prepare the music, and to attend to the decorations.
Concord, Sudbury, Stow, Boxborough, Littleton, Westford and Carlisle were invited through their selectmen to participate in the celebration. All but Sudbury responded favorably. James Kimball of Littleton and John Fletcher of Boxborough were added to the com- mittee on the dinner; John Keyes of Concord was added to the com- mittee on invitations as were also Rev. Bannister of Carlisle, E. Whitney of Stow, and Deacon Cutter of Westford.
On October 6th the committee voted that Col. Winthrop E. Faulkner be marshal of the day, that Rev. Mr. Frost of Concord act as chaplain, and that adjacent towns be asked to send an assistant marshal and 1 Boston Semi-Weekly Advertiser of August 23, 1851.
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three vice-presidents.
On October 20th Rev. Woodbury, since he was president of the day, resigned as chairman of the committee whereupon Mr. Luther Conant was chosen in his stead.
The vice presidents from Acton were Luther Davis, Jonathan B. Davis, Capt. Jonathan Hosmer, and Stevens Hayward (all nephews of men killed at Concord) plus Robert Chaffin and Abraham Conant.
The representatives from the adjacent towns listed in the Boston Weekly Journal of October 30, 1851 were as follows: Concord; Stedman Buttrick, F. R. Gourgas, John Stacy, J. S. Keyes; Littleton Benjamin Hale, Benjamin Barrett, Joel Boynton, John Jacobs; Westford; James Prescott, Isaac Day, Jr., Solomon Richardson, D. C. Butterfield. There were no representatives from Stow or Sudbury for reasons that do not appear in any of the records of the three towns concerned.
Before giving the details of the dedication exercises it might be well to consider the salient points with respect to the monument itself. The base is fifteen feet square, surmounted by an arch, which in turn supports an obelisk four feet four inches square at the top. The capstone is seventy five feet from the foundation which sets eight feet into the earth. The blocks are of Acton granite split from the ledges lying in the pasture of Mr. Putnam and several hundred feet to the rear of the Pederson truck barn on Newtown Road.1 These blocks are so cut that footholds exist on the inside of the obelisk making it possible for any reasonably agile adult to climb to the top. Every few courses a granite cross beam ties the whole rigidly. These are cleverly cut and placed so that the flag pole may be lowered for painting and incidental repairs. The bottom of the pole is squared to fit into a recess chiseled out of the last cross beam a few feet below the capstone. The pole is twenty five feet tall. Twice it has been shattered by lightning, once about Civil War time and again in the early nineteen hundreds. In the autumn of 1876 an American eagle created a minor sensation by perching on the top of the pole for a quarter of an hour.2
On the northwest face of the monument, directly under the arch, is cut the following inscription:
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the town of Acton, co-operating to perpetuate the fame of their glorious deeds of patriotism, have erected this monument in honor of Capt. Isaac Davis and privates Abner Hosmer and James Hayward, citizen soldiers of Acton and Provincial Minute-
1 At the time of the building of the monument Rev. Woodbury lived in the house now occupied by Mr. Putnam.
2 Acton Patriot, October 12, 1876, front page, column 5.
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---
Men, who fell in Concord Fight, the 19th day of April, A. D. 1775.
"On the morning of that eventful day the Provincial officers held a council of war near the old North Bridge in Concord; and as they separated, Davis exclaimed, 'I haven't a man that is afraid to go!' and immediately marched his company from the left to the right of the line, and led in the first organized attack upon the troops of George III in that memorable war, which by the help of God, made the thirteen colonies independent of Great Britain and gave political being to the United States of America.
"Acton, April 19, 1851."
The slate gravestones, which stood for seventy five years to mark the resting place of the three patriots in the old burying ground (not at this time named Woodlawn) had been laid on the sides of the mound surrounding the base of the monument. They were of ancient design and bear the following interesting inscriptions.
"MENENTI MORO
Here lies the body of Mr. Abner Hosmer, who was killed at Concord April 19th 1775 in ye defense of ye just rights of his country, being in the twenty first year of his age."
Hayward's stone has on it this poem.1
"This monument may unborn ages tell How brave young Hayward like a hero fell,
When fighting for his countries liberty Was slain, and here his body now doth lye - He and his foe were by each other slain, His victim's blood with his ye earth did stain. Upon ye field he was with victory crowned, And yet must yield his breath upon the ground. He expressed his hope in God before his death, After his foe had yielded up his breath. Oh, may his death a laysting witness lye Against oppressor's bloody cruelty."
The nature of the first fence surrounding the monument is not known. Fletcher shows a photograph of a pen and ink sketch but whether it is a picture of the designer's draft or of the actual finished structure is not made clear. An article in the town warrant of June 1876 speaks of removing the inside fence. At the turn of the century there was but one, formed of heavy, sagging chains supported
1 At the time of his death Hayward was twenty five, his birthday being April 4.
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by square granite posts, which enclosed the whole banking including the gravestones mentioned above. At that time, what is now called Woodbury Lane, continued on across the main street and made a junction with the road past the church in front of the present fire house.
The dedication exercises took place on October 29, 1851. The day was lowering but comfortable and the rain held off until well after the conclusion of the exercises. The stars and stripes floated over the monument; four lines of flags extended from the ground to the corners of the capstone; the streets were ablaze with bunting and the village houses as well. In addition some five thousand persons were present to witness the spectacle.
The procession formed on the green at noon. In the forefront was the military escort of honor for the dead consisting of the First Artillery, the Concord Artillery accompanied by Flagg's Boston Brass Band, the Prescott Guards of Pepperell, and the Sudbury Rifles. Then came the civic procession under the command of chief marshal Col. Winthrop E. Faulkner of Acton. The next section was made up of the Governor and his staff, the President of the Massa- chusetts Senate, the invited guests, and the joint committees of arangements for the various towns. Following these came the #1 division of the Order of United Americans and the Okommakamesit Fire Company #2 of Marlboro. The final two divisions were composed of citizens of Acton and the seven adjacent towns. Several of the delegations caried appropriate banners, the most conspicuous being that of Lexington. It was large and white with red fringe, carrying the date April 19, 1775, and the famous words, "Oh what a glorious day for America", uttered by Samuel Adams as he left Lexington that morning. On the reverse side were the names of Capt. Parker and the other patriots who fell in the cause of liberty on Lexington green.
From the common the procession moved toward the old burying ground where the remains of Davis, Hosmer, and Hayward awaited removal to the monument. The bones, which had been disinterred some days previously, were nearly entire, and were enclosed in an oblong, black walnut box, highly polished and studded with silver nails. The remains were enclosed in separate compartments, each marked upon the cover by a silver plate bearing the proper name. The cheek bone of Hosmer showed the trace of the ball which caused his death, entering just below the left eye and emerging at the back of the neck. The box was placed in a hearse and under the escort of the Acton militia company, the Davis Guards, with First Lt. Daniel Jones in command, met the procession at what is now the junction of Concord Road with Nagog Hill Road. Here both
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parties halted - the military escort in open order with arms pre- sented awaited the approach of the sacred remains - the Lowell Band, which accompanied them playing a dirge by Kurick. Flagg's Band, accompanying the escort then played the dirge, "Peace troubled Soul", after which the escort fell into position and the procession, including the remains, proceeded to the monument.
Eight venerable citizens of the town served as pall bearers. They were Joseph Harris and Dr. Charles Tuttle, each eighty two: Matthew Hosmer, nephew of Abner, eighty; John Harris, Daniel Barker and James Keyes, each seventy six; Jonathan Barker, seventy four; and Lemuel Hildreth, seventy.
Upon arrival at the monument the box was opened and placed in the middle of the street upon a stand covered with a black velvet pall, in order that those who so desired might look upon the remains. Then the box was closed and set into a niche prepared for it in the eternal stone of the monument.1
At one o'clock the exercises began in the huge tent sheltering the tables for the dinner. An invocation was offered by Rev. Mr. Frost of Concord and an original hymn, written by Rev. Henry Durant and set to the tune "Hamburg", was sung.
Thereupon Mr. Woodbury, president of the day, introduced as the orator of the occasion Governor George S. Boutwell of Groton. Mr. Boutwell's speech was fullsome.2 Two paragraphs are typical of the style.
"Patriotism is one of the most exalted virtues. It is not, as some would have us believe, a mere excitement, or even a passion. It is high among the virtues which men, in this state of existence, may exhibit. ... It is a large and noble view of the entire nation, a regard for its institutions, social, moral, civil and religious, crowned by a manly spirit which leads its possessor to peril in all their defence. The patriot is devoted and self sacrificing. Such were Davis, Hosmer and Hayward. Their names were comparatively humble yet they were men of duty, men of religion, men of Liberal patriotism."
"The sentiment of the Revolution was altogether moral. There was an entire absence of the spirit of revenge, rapine or blood. They never for a moment placed as much reliance upon their numbers as upon the justice of their cause and the existence of a Supreme ruler, who controls the affairs of men. Such was the tone of the press, the pulpit and the
1 The Acton ledges from which the monument stones were quarried belong to a crystalline series which according to a competent present day geologist are at least two hundred million years old.
2 Historical Papers, vol. 2 . Twenty three pages.
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bar. Everywhere the morality of the contest was examined and the ground carefully tested at each step; not by leading men only, but by all those who had a vote to give in a town meeting, or an arm to sustain the weapons of war. They were no zealots like the crusaders, but plain careful men of sound moral perception and correct judgement. It is true that they were the descendants of those who re- joiced when Charles the First was beheaded and James the Second was dethroned. This feeling however had no mix- ture of cruelty in it but proceeded from a conviction that the monarchs were unworthy of the throne. Their im- pulses were always in favor of liberty. They sympathized with the republican party in England, encouraged them at home, and welcomed them to these shores."
After the governor took his seat Rev. Mr. Pierpont of Medford read a long poem into which were ingeniously interwoven the events of April 19, 1775. Nevertheless genius, however potent, could not compete with hunger. The press reports make the observation that before the conclusion of the poem the listeners, who had sat for nearly two hours before chilled viands, were guilty of a disturbing clatter of utensils.1
There then followed thirteen toasts (having some connection presumably with the thirteen original colonies) to which responses were made at some length as the populace got what solace it could out of the cold repast. Mr. Robert Winthrop had this to say:
"We are here today not to inaugurate the opening of some magnificent highway; not to display the rich trophies of agricultural or horticultural industry and skill; not to celebrate the triumphs of modern mechanic art and in- vention; not to offer homage to some chief magistrate. These are not the ohjects that have summoned to this re- tired spot such masses of the people of Middlesex and of Massachusetts. We have assembled on the contrary to pay grateful, though tardy, tribute to the memory of three humble citizens of one of the smallest towns in the state, two of them privates in a militia company, and the third with no higher rank than that of a captain, whose simple story is that they laid down their lives seventy six years ago in defense of American liberty.",
and Mr. Thompson of Charlestown this:
"Coming as I do from the far famed monumental city where stands Bunker Hill, it is with peculiar pleasure that I unite this day with the citizens of Acton in the dedication 1 Boston Weekly Journal, October 30, 1851.
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of the Davis Monument now erected here. I have observed this fair and appropriate structure so justly due to the hon- ored dead and I welcome Acton as hereafter to be dis- tinguished among the monumental places of Middlesex. I know this sequestered and quiet spot was not a battlefield of the Revolution but I know also that brave men were born and reared here, who, with the morning sun went forth to battle for freedom, and with its evening shade were brought back to be buried among its first martyrs."
There were numerous letters from interested and prominent figures in the state and nation. One was from Daniel Webster who had befriended Acton eleven years previous when he lifted his gifted voice in the United States Senate to secure a pension for the aged widow of Isaac Davis. Mr. Webster closed his letter with the now famous observation, "Isaac Davis, - an early grave in the cause of liberty has secured to him the long and grateful remembrance of his country".
Due to the fact that President Fillmore had attended the great Railway Jubilee in Boston just the month previous he did not accept the invitation of Rev. Woodbury. He did, however, send the following note of regret:
Mr. J. T. Woodbury, Esq., Acton, Mass.
Dear Sir,
I have yours of the 7th instant inviting me, on behalf of the Committee of Arrangements, to be present at the dedi- cation of the granite monument on Acton Common, on the 29th instant.
I am glad to see deserved honors paid to those who fell fighting for liberty in the Revolution, but regret that my official duties will not allow me the gratification of show- ing, by my presence, on the interesting occasion for which you are preparing, my appreciation for the services of the departed heroes whose memory your monument is intended to perpetuate.
Truly yours, Millard Fillmore
Such is the story of the granite memorial on Acton Common that stands there to honor the men "Who were not afraid to go". It should remind every citizen that passes it by of his obligation to meet the challenges of the present day with a spirit comparable to theirs.
At the time of the dedication of the monument several of the venerable persons who could recall the days of the Revolution spoke of the confused state of affairs on the morning of Concord Fight. For weeks the word had gone around that when the time came Gage's
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troops would wipe out completely the families of all rebels and obstructionists. Hence many women and children on that morning hid the most valuable possessions and fled to the woods where they remained crying and praying until past noon when the wonderful news came from Concord.
Dr. Charles Tuttle, aged nine at the time, related that he remem- bered his house being filled with women. He lived on the town farm1 and the place had been chosen as a refuge because it was well off the mainly travelled roads. Some even came from Westford and remained until the news of the British retreat. He and his brother Simon, two years older, were delegated by their mother to guide these women through the woods toward Westford, and once or twice the whole company took fright and ran for their lives, thinking they saw the British regulars.
It was also recalled by some of the nonogenarians that Capt. Joseph Robbins2 had certain stores of powder and ball and other items belonging to the province. These he carried back into the woods and hid. He was a great strong man and well proportioned although he weighed over three hundred pounds.
Mrs. Joseph Harris, aged eighty one at the time of the dedication, remembered the morning well. She recalled that a neighbor, Mr. Francis Chaffin, with his gun on his shoulder, awakened them. Her father, Joseph Reed, was one of Davis's minute men and served as an excellent soldier throughout most of the war. As he started to leave his wife said, "Husband will you not stop for breakfast,". He replied, "No, no, I can't stop for that", and taking a piece of bread and some cheese he rushed from the door, but immediately turned back to embrace his family with the remark, "My wife and my children, may God be with you, for I cannot be".3
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