USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > History of the town of Acton > Part 8
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All through the summer and autumn of 1773 the argument concern- ing the landing of tea continued to occupy the stage. Meetings were frequent, merchants were warned both by letter and by groups of incensed patriots not to become involved in any way in the disposal of such shipments of tea as should arrive at the port of Boston.
Finally, on December 16th, the ship Dartmouth, together with others, lay at the wharf ready to unload unless drastic measures were taken. Those measures are now a matter of history and by the dawn of December 17, 1773 three hundred and forty two chests of tea had disappeared on the outgoing tide and the famous Boston Tea Party was on the record for better or worse.
With this action the whole quarrel had been thrust out into the open where none could cover it up. Facts as well as rumors spread apace across the countryside and caught up all the citizenry of the colonies, far outside of Massachusetts, in a spasm of suspense and conjecture. Town meetings galore were held to formulate opinion and in this current Acton was as ardent as the rest. On January 17, 1774 a special town meeting was held to consider papers received from Boston and it was voted that Joseph Hayward, Mark White,
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Deacon Brooks, Francis Faulkner, and Daniel Fletcher be a com- mittee to draft resolves and report at the annual meeting in March.
The aforesaid meeting was convened on March 7th, 1774. Article two of the warrant read as follows; "To hear the report of the Com- mittee that was Chosen at our last Town meeting to form Resolves to Lay Before the Town at this meeting Relating to the East India Company Sending Their Tea to the Port of Boston Subject to a Duty to be Laid upon its Being Landed by an Act of the British Parliment and act thereon as the Town shall think Proper when met".
The record does not give the text of the reply drawn up by the committee but does state that it was accepted by a unanimous vote.
At this same meeting, even though the relations with England claimed the forefront of attention, certain matters of local concern were taken up that deserve comment.
Article four was "to see if the town will agree to move the school house that stands near Mr. Joseph Pipers1 according to the reports of the committee that was chosen to agree upon the Centers for the schools in the Town or grant to Samuel Fitch and a number of his neighbors who think themselves injured by being too remote from any schools so much money yeerly as they pay to the school to be expended in their Neighborhood in Schooling."
On this article it was decided that Samuel Fitch, David Lamson, John Lamson, William Jonson and the Widow Temple shall have so much money yearly for a school as they pay to the School Rate.
Also at this same meeting it was decided to fence the burying place and assess the expense exempting those living in the northeast part of the town because they had built a stone wall (still standing) around that cemetery. In addition Lt. Billing was to be exempted in the event that he built "a good gate". The town went on from there to vote that , "Ensign Joseph Robbins, Simon Hunt, and Joseph Barker be a committee for the said purpose, said committee to compleat said fence with a good wall by the last day of September next. Also voted that said committee shall deliver a bill of the charges that shall be due for fencing the Burying ground to the assessors and the asses- sors do assess the town for the same."
Of course this action, and the wall built as a result of it, refers only to that portion of Woodlawn Cemetery containing the old slate gravestones. The presumption would be that the wall when built would have enclosed an area somewhat larger than the immediate necessities demanded. As has already been pointed out, the first deed was given by Nathan Robbins2 for one half acre (January 16,
1 Now the residence of Mr. Edward Bursaw.
2 Fletcher p. 246.
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1737). A second deed was given by Joseph Robbins on December 11, 1769, for a small tract adjoining the southeast corner. Apparent- ly the wall mentioned above included this new area which was not at that time utilized to any considerable degree. A third deed was dated November 2, 1812, a fourth January 4, 1844, and a fifth August 22, 1862. Fletcher gives the area as of 1890 as between eleven and twelve acres and states that the oldest inscribed slab is dated 1743. It must not be understood, however, that this date identifies the first interment since many of the graves are merely unmarked mounds or depressions or have stones taken from the field without date or inscription.
During this time the irritation relative to the town lines between Acton and Stow seems to have been kept alive since we find that in May of 1774 it was voted to take legal action and prosecute the selectmen of Stow for refusing to perambulate the bounds. Before the matter reached the courts an agreement, whether amicable or otherwise , was reached, and the selectmen of the two towns met and made the necessary inspection and signed a statement to that effect which same appears in the town record with the respective signatures.
One other item is of passing interest since it shows the general outlook at that time with respect to one's financial obligations to the town. During the year 1774 Titus Law had the misfortune to have his dwelling completely consumed by fire. In consequence he be- sought the town to abate his taxes for that year. The citizens when convened voted in the negative as any native New Englander would expect. As a matter of fact the author's ancestor of this period, Joseph Reed, who was at Concord Fight and Bunker Hill and then saw service throughout most of the war,1 returned to find that his farm had been sold for taxes.2
By late summer of 1774 the cast of public opinion was taking shape prophetic of things to come. The populace was apprehensive but withal determined. On August 30th and 31st one hundred and fifty delegates met in a county convention at Concord at which Hon. James Prescott of Groton presided. The Acton delegates were Francis Faulkner, John Hayward, and Ephraim Hapgood.
Nineteen resolutions bearing on the state of the3 province were brought before this body and passed after serious and dignified debate. The spirit in which these difficult matters were discussed is best understood by a consideration of the following excerpts taken from the preamble and concluding paragraph of the document as finally accepted.
1 Fletcher, page 263.
2 See minutes of town meeting of March 9, 1781.
3 Shattuck, page 83.
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DAVIS'S COMPANY DEPARTING FOR CONCORD From an Oil Painting by A. F. Davis
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BLOODY BUTCHERY.
BRITISH TROOPS:
RUNAWAY FIGHT OF THE REGULARS.
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"It is evident to every attentive mind that this Province is in a very dangerous and alarming situation. We are obliged to say, however painful it may be to us, that the question now is whether, by a submission to some late Acts of the Parliament of Great Britian, we are contented to be the most abject slaves, and entail that slavery on posterity after us, or, by a manly, joint, and virtuous opposition, assert and support our freedom. There is a mode of con- duct, which in our very critical circumstances, we would wish to adopt, - a conduct on the one hand never tamely submissive to tyranny and oppression, on the other, never degenerating into rage, passion, and confusion. There is a spirit which we revere, as we find it exhibited in former ages, and which command applause to latest posterity. The late Acts of Parliament pervade the whole system of jurisprudence by which means we think the fountains of justice are fatally corrupted. Our defense must therefore be immediate in proportion to the suddenness of the attack, and vigorous in proportion to the danger. We must now exert ourselves, or all those efforts which for ten years past have brightened the annals of this country, will be totally frustrated. Life and Death, or what is more, Free- dom and Slavery, are in a peculiar sense now before us, and the choice and success, under God, depend greatly on ourselves. We are therefore bound, as struggling not only for ourselves, but for future generations, to express our sen- timents in the following resolves,-sentiments, which we think are founded on truth and justice and therefore senti- ments we are determined to abide by."
"These are great and profound questions. We are grieved to find ourselves reduced to the necessity of entering into the discussion of them. But we deprecate a state of slavery. Our fathers left a fair inheritance to us, purchased by a waste of blood and treasure. This we are resolved to transmit equally fair to our children after us. No danger shall afright, no difficulties intimidate us. And if in sup- port of our rights we are called to encounter even death, we are yet undaunted, sensible that he can never die too soon, who lays down his life in support of the laws and liberties of his country."
The lead taken by Boston and the towns thereabout in the matter of committees of correspondence began immediately to take effect. The populace saw thereby a means of keeping in touch with the march of events and in addition a device for circumventing in large
65
measure the machinations of an unpopular administration. If the governor refused to call the regular session of the General Court an organization was now available to convene a provincial congress.
In matters of this nature Acton played its part and we find that a special town meeting called on October 3rd, with Capt. Samuel Hayward acting as moderator, the town took three important steps. In the first place Josiah Hayward was elected as representative to the General Court if and when the governor dared to call it into session. Secondly, Francis Faulkner and Ephraim Hapgood were chosen as delegates to a provincial congress to be held at Concord the second Tuesday of October. Thirdly, Ephraim Hapgood, Francis Faulkner, John Hayward, Mark White, and Capt. Samuel Hayward were elected as a committee of correspondence for the town.
This date of October 3, 1774, together with the list of men just mentioned should be well marked. It defines the time when Acton cast in its lot against the Crown and the committee sets out in relief forever those who were to guide the political destiny of the town in the very earliest stages of its progress along the chosen path of resistance.
The provincial congress aforementioned convened as arranged on October 11th with two hundred and eighty eight delegates. John Hancock presided and Benjamin Lincoln served as secretary. An address was directed to Governor Gage without avail and in con- sequence the body adjourned to Cambridge on October fifteenth, presumably to be closer to the focus of affairs. Even so no favorable action resulted and consequently a motion to adjourn was passed on October 17th.
The spirits of the citizenry were fully aroused. Very shortly after the meeting of October third, only a few days in fact, a mass meeting was held on Concord Common at which time a committee was chosen, with Robert Chaffin of Acton as chairman, before whom every person suspected of being a Tory was compelled to appear for trial.1 An ordeal known as "humbling the Tories" was devised and applied to more than a few of the stubborn royalists.2 The exact nature of this punishment is not recorded but we do know that it varied from community to community and also depended upon the ingenuity of the admonishing committee and the degree of truculence of the victim.
It was a natural step from the state of affairs to the carrying of arms and the training in military technique. In consequence a company of minute men was raised by volunteer enlistment in November of
1 Shattuck, p. 89.
2 Robert Chaffin lived in the house now occupied by Mrs. Amanda Bulette on Newtown Road. John owned the next house, now the home of Mr. Ralph C. Choate.
66
1774. Isaac Davis, a gunsmith by trade, and a man of extreme sobriety and sound judgement, was elected captain and by mutual agreement the company met twice each week for instruction and drill.
This was wholly voluntary. The town took no action until several weeks later when on December 5th a meeting was held at which article four of the warrant read as follows:
"To see if the Town will Chuse a Committee to Proius the Minute Men in the Town".
The word "Proius" is obscure. It is legibly written and there can be no doubt as to the intent of the clerk with respect to the spelling. In any event the article was dismissed and the members of Davis' company went about their military duties without aid or interference from the town for another month.
Early in the new year of 1775, on January 4th in fact, a committee consisting of Lt. Billing, Capt. Samuel Hayward, Lt. John Heald, Josiah Piper, Deacon Brooks, Joseph Robbins and Francis Faulkner was selected to see that the resolves of the Continental Congress, in particular the Association of the said Congress, were strictly observed in the town.
By the middle of January the people had become aware that it was their duty to support the Minute Men so on the 18th it was
"voted to pay thirty men, if so many shall Inlist, Eight Pence per Day twice in a week they to spend in Exersising three Hours in Each Day untill the first Day of may Next, also voted that any man that Does not atend his Duty on Said Day for Exercise within Half and Hour of the time Perfixed Shall not be Intitled to any Pay for that Day."
In addition to the military preparations many of the towns were refusing to make payment to the provincial treasurer of the annual tax allotments. Acton was staunchly in line on this issue. At a meeting called in December of 1774 with Capt. Samuel Hayward acting as moderator it was voted that
"the town will raise 20 pounds 10 shillings 10 pence for the use of the province, also voted that the constable do pay the said sum to the treasurer of the Town and that said Money be Paid out by order of the Selectmen, also voted that this town will Defend and Save Harmless the Assessors of this Town for their not making return of the Province Rate to Harrison Gray, Esq. this present year."
As the posture of affairs moved to a climax General Gage was not remiss in his duties either. On February 10th he sent to Worcester two spies, Capt. Brown of the 52nd regiment and Ensign D'Bernicre
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of the 10th regiment.1 They wore brown clothes and reddish hand- kerchieves tucked into their necks. On March 20th they again set forth, this time through Roxbury, Brookline, Weston, and Sudbury to Concord with the objective in view of ascertaining where military stores might be secreted and the best roads of approach. They fooled nobody since their mission was immediately known and spread broadcast. On the other hand they learned much from the several loyalists with whom they lodged particularly from a Mr. Bliss in Concord.
In addition it became the custom at about this time for large con- tingents of redcoats to take practice marches several miles into the hinterland. No doubt this was partly due to the fact that the winter of 1774-75 was amazingly mild, some of the days being of summer- time character. But the balmy weather was not the sole reason as the yeomanry well knew, both from common sense and from certain aggravating episodes. For instance, Rev. Mr. Gordon of Roxbury records how one such expedition of one thousand men marched to Jamaica Plain by way of Dorchester on March 30th during which the soldiers amused themselves by pushing over the stone walls along the wayside.
This sally doubtless gave rise to the false rumor which was im- mediately circulated to the effect that the British were enroute for Concord. The excitement was so great that some carried arms at all times, even to church. The provincial committee met on April 1, 5, 14, and 17th and on the latter date ordered Col. Barrett to raise an artillery company and to send four cannon to Groton and two to Acton.
At this time there were in Middlesex County two regiments of the military, one of the regular militia and one of minute men. The militia had for officers the following personnel:
Colonel, James Barrett, Concord,
Lt. Colonel, Ezekiel Howe, Sudbury,
Captains, Nathen Barrett, George Minot, Concord, Joseph Robbins, Acton, John Moore, Bedford, Samuel Farrar, Lincoln, Moses Stone, Aaron Haynes, Sudbury,
and for the regiment of Minute Men; Colonel, Abijah Pierce, Lincoln, Lt. Colonel, Thomas Nixon, Framingham, Majors, John Buttrick, Concord,
1 Frank W. Coburn; The Battle of April 19th, 1775, p. 16. This little volume, written by a native of Lexington, gives the most detailed and authentic account of the incidents of the whole day, from the start of the British from Charlestown until their return at dusk.
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Jacob Miller, Holliston, Adjutant, Thomas Hurd, East Sudbury, Captains, David Brown, Charles Miles, Concord, Isaac Davis, Acton, William Smith, Lincoln, Jonathan Wilson, Bedford, John Nixon, Sudbury.
According to a committee appointed by the Provincial Congress to look into the matter in detail there were at this time1 in the vicinity of Boston about 2850 British troops distributed as follows: Boston Common 1700, Fort Hill 400, Boston Neck 340, in barracks at the Castle 330, King Street 80. This total included grenadiers, dragoons and about 460 marines under Major John Pitcairn.
About 800 of these, consisting of light infantry, grenadiers and marines were taken off regular duty on Saturday, April 15th under the pretense of preparing for special maneuvers. At ten o'clock Tuesday evening, April 18th they embarked from Boston under the command of Lt. Col. Francis Smith and Major Pitcairn. They landed an Lechmere Point, each man provided with one day's rations and thirty six rounds of ammunition. Due to the fact that the Lechmere shore was marshy and shallow the soldiers had to wade several rods in water above their knees. In consequence the column was slow in forming. From the standpoint of the common foot soldier it was a welcome circumstance that the night was almost balmy and the moon was just past the full. But for sheer luck the ground could have been covered a foot deep with frozen slush with razorlike edges that would have cut their boots to ribbons before they were halfway to Lexington.
The object of the foray was to destroy the stores in Concord and to apprehend Adams, Hancock, and any other important rebels that might fall into the net. As an additional precaution Gage had sent along the day before ten men with instructions to watch the roads during the night for suspicious persons who might be couriers carry- ing the alarm.
The British thought that they had been very cautious in concealing their plans for the expedition to Concord but it is long since a matter of history how wrong they were. The ever vigilant Sons of Liberty were aware of their every move and even before the com- pletion of the crossing of the Charles two riders, Paul Revere and William Dawes, who had been chosen for the task several weeks in advance, were on their way to warn the countryside. Due to the Long- fellow poem the part played by Dawes never had its full share of attention. He arrived first at the rendezvous, the residence of Dr. 1 Coburn : Battle of April 19th, 1775, p. 14.
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