USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Whately > History of the town of Whately, Mass., including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield, 1661-1899 : with family genealogies > Part 20
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Gentlemen: The proceedings of the town of Boston under the present exigencies, we esteem very laudable and worthy of a metropolis. We concur in general with your sentiments in stating the rights of the colonists and province, and of the in- fringements of these rights. We hold fast loyalty to our sover- eign, yet we groan under our burden, but do not despair of re- dress. If the importunity of a poor widow may move an unjust judge to avenge her how much more may we hope for redress by frequent applications to a gracious king. We shall at all times heartily join with you, in all legal and constitutional meas- ures, for the keeping of these inestimable privileges wrested from us, and firmly to secure those that remain. For we are sensible that, should we renounce our liberty and privileges, we should renounce the rights of man, the rights of humanity and,
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even our duty to God and man. We have no doubts but that the Parliament of Great Britain will hereby understand that 'tis not the discontedness of a faction, but that the whole people are sensible of the burdens they labor under.
This letter is indicative of the general popular sentiment. The people were still strongly attached to their sovereign, and had not given up hope of securing redress for their grievances, but they were ready to stand by their leaders and to defend their ancient rights and privileges. In this town, as in other places, the use of tea and most West India goods, had almost entirely ceased. Foreign calicoes and woolens, which had largely taken the place of homespun, were now discarded. The spinning- wheels were restored to their places in the living rooms, the looms were repaired, and the younger girls became ambitious to learn all the mysteries of making and dyeing cloth, and men and women alike returned to the wool and flaxen garments of their grandparents. Great care was taken to increase the number of sheep. The acreage of flax sown was doubled. All projected public improvements were stayed, and family expenses were cut down to the lowest point. Lawsuits were taken out of court and settled, alienated neighbors became friends.
1774. This was a year of active preparation. The central committee of correspondence called for money to help the dis- tressed citizens of Boston, and further the plans of armament and organization. And at a town meeting in Whately, held 21 July, it was voted, "To pay out of the town stock the sum sent for by the committee."
Oliver Graves was chosen deputy to attend the Provincial congress to be holden at Concord the second Tuesday in Octo- ber. Elisha Frary was delegate to the second congress, held at Cambridge, 5 Feb., 1775, Noah Wells and Salmon White went to the third congress, which met at the meeting-house in Watertown the last of May, 1775.
During this fall-1774-a company of minute men was organized. As was natural, the men who had been trained in the French and Indian war were looked to as best fitted to lead in this new struggle. Lieut. Ebenezer Bardwell, who had seen most military service, was now sixty-eight years old, and Henry Stiles, now in the prime of life and next him in military expe- rience, was selected to command the company. The best men of the town enlisted and took their place in the ranks.
At a meeting in December the town voted, "To provide one
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hundred weight of powder, two hundred weight of lead and two hundred flints for the use of the town."
1775. Early in January a committee of correspondence was chosen, consisting of Oliver Graves, Benjamin Smith, Oliver Morton, Joshua Belden, John Smith, Elisha Frary and Paul Smith. And at the same town meeting it was voted, "To raise money for the minute men."
VOTED, "That the minute men be allowed 8d for each half day spent ; the sergeants, rod; the lieutenants, 12d."
VOTED, "That the minute men train four half days between this and the first day of May next."
THE LEXINGTON ALARM .- The battle of Lexington was fought April 19th, and the news reached the valley late in the day of the 20th. The alarm was instantly sounded, and the Whately company of minute men was ready to start early the next morning. They marched that day and the next forenoon forty miles, and receiving intelligence that the British had retreated and that their services would not be required, they returned home the 23d.
The roll of this company, found in the state archives, is as -. follows :
Capt. Henry Stiles
Lieut. Noah Bardwell
Sergt. John Lamson
Sergt. John Brown
Benjamin Smith
Thomas Sanderson
Paul Belden
Joel Waite Daniel Wells
Ebenezer Bardwell, Jr.
Salmon White
Edward Brown
John Waite, Jr. Simeon Wells
David Ingraham
This list, however, comprises less than half the Whately men that marched that day for the scene of strife. The Hatfield companies were made up largely of our townsmen, and some of the Deerfield company, though then living over the line, should be reckoned to our account. In Capt. Perez Graves' Hatfield company were :
Silas Smith John Smith Gaius Crafts Jonathan Edson, Jr.
Elisha Smith Gideon Dickinson Gad Waite Salah Scott
Ebenezer Dickinson
Niles Coleman
Roswell Smith
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This company marched to Ware, twenty-three miles, and returned with the Whately company.
In Capt. Israel Chapin's company, Colonel John Fellows' regiment, that marched 20 April, and was out seven days, were:
Lieut. Perez Bardwell
Joseph Crafts
Sergt. Nath'1 Sartwell
Noah Field
Sergt. Joseph Belden, Jr.
Salah Graves
Corp. Abel Scott
Joel Scott
Drum'r Phineas Frary
Elijah Scott
Fifer Eleazer Frary
John Sanderson
Zenas Field
Solomon Snow
Josiah Brown
Elihu Waite
Abel Bacon
Gad Waite
Simeon Morton
Salah Scott
John Crafts
In Capt. Jonas Locke's company of Deerfield minute men were :
Jonathan Spafford Abel Parker
In Capt. N. Leonard's Sunderland company we find :
Ebenezer Barnard
In Capt. Seth. Murray's Hatfield company, Col. Wood- bridge's regiment, that marched 29 April and was out till 25 August, were the following Whately names :
Jonathan Edson Elisha Wells
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In Capt. Stebbins' company we find: Abraham Parker. He assisted in making the redoubts on Bunker Hill and his company was in the battle the 17th. One of the men was killed and Capt. Maxwell was wounded, but Parker came out unin- jured.
The other Whately men who took part in the battle of Bunker Hill were :
Jonathan Edson Jonathan Edson, Jr.
Jonathan Spafford Elisha Wells
They also assisted in throwing up the redoubts the night before the battle. Perhaps there were others, but our careful search has failed to locate them.
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This is an honorable record. The number of males in town, at this date, between sixteen and sixty, was less than one hun- dred. And you have found before a list of fifty men who volun- teered to march at a minute's warning in defense of their char- tered rights. And the fact deserves mention in this connection that, from the beginning to the end of the war, Whately was never deficient in her quota of men.
We however claim credit for Julius Frary, born at Whately, 27 July, 1755, and his brother, David Frary, born 12 Sept., 1747, sons of Moses Frary who first built where George B. Mc- Clelan now lives, and Joel Dickinson, Jr., who came to Whately with his father, Dea. Joel, but who had removed to Conway, and Jacob Walker, then living in Hatfield.
Some of the companies contained father and son, as for in- stance, Jonathan Edson and son, Jonathan, Jr., Benjamin Smith and his son, Roswell Smith. Some of those who started were only out a few days and then returned, as they were not needed, while others pulled through and served for some time, drawing clothing in the fall. We are glad to note that five of them were in the battle of Bunker Hill.
About this time, August, 1775, Gen. Gage had impris- - oned several outspoken whigs in the Boston jail and was treating them as felons. Gen. Washington remonstrated and said unless he ceased his persecution for opinion's sake, he would retaliate, which he did by sending several naval officers to the Hampshire Co. jail, at Northampton, where they were held for sometime.
The artillery regiment, under Col. Thos. Crafts, was ordered to fortify the islands in Boston harbor. So on the 13th of June, 1776, although the British troops had evacuated Boston, yet their fleet lay off the harbor, really controlling the entrance to the port, he began with six hundred men, and the first night finished the earthworks on one island and soon had cannon and ammunition ready for use. This was on Moon island, Haffs neck, etc. The next night defences were thrown up on Long island and at Nantasket and cannon were mounted and they began to play on the British fleet, and the fleet left for Halifax.
After partially finishing the harbor defences, a convoy of English storeships sailed into the harbor, and when all were safely in, they were amazed to find that the army had evacuated Boston and the fleet had been compelled also to give up the blockade, and they too surrendered. The storeships were loaded
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with war material and convoyed by a war ship. Its officers and crew and some troops, in all seven hundred men, were made prisoners.
These men, or a portion of them, were quartered in Hamp- shire county, among its several towns. Several officers were quartered at the old red hotel in the Straits (Whately) and one of them, with a diamond, cut his name on a pane of glass which Mrs. Samuel Bartlett well recollected of seeing. She was Sophia Smith, daughter of Gad Smith of Whately, and born in 1790. She said the old red house was pulled down or burned when she was but a young girl, but she distinctly remembered of seeing the name on the pane of glass and of hearing her par- ents relate the fact of these British prisoners being quartered at the old hotel. It is confidently claimed that some of the Whately soldiers assisted in the work of re-establishing the de- fences in Boston harbor. This is the reason for alluding to the fortification of the islands in Boston harbor,
The act of the British troops in marching from Boston for the destruction of military stores, and the bloody encounters at Lexington and Concord, virtually extinguished hope of recon- ciliation and severed the bond which bound the colony to the king's authority. And it is a matter of interest to know how a people suddenly loosed from government restraints will conduct themselves. The following paper will show what was the first action of our town's people : "Whereas the law of the Province, or the execution of it is ceased, and the constables have not had the power to collect the rates as heretofore : These are to let you know, as constables, that this town's committee, chosen for that purpose, will and do protect you in the collection of those rates that are now behind, in six weeks from this date, or the town treasurer shall have full power to distrain on said con- stables."
Signed, David Graves, Jr., Philip Smith, Joseph Belden, Elisha Belden, John Crafts, Noah Wells, Oliver Graves, Benj. Smith, Elisha Frary, Josiah Allis.
Whately, May ye 4th, 1775.
1776. Before it was known what had been the action of the Continental congress, at a town meeting, held 6 July, 1776, it was voted, "That in case the Continental congress shall de- clare the colonies to be an independent state fromn Great Britain, we will support the declaration with our lives and fortunes."
Previous to this, i. e., on the 25th of June, an order had
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been issued for raising five thousand men for immediate service. The troops from Hampshire county were destined to march to Canada. The quota required of Whately was nine, and the fol- lowing men enlisted :
Bacon, Philo
Sanderson, Asa
Crafts, Joseph
Scott, Phineas
Dickinson, Ebenezer
Scott, Elijah
Morton, Joel
Scott, Luther
Morton, Samuel G.
These men received a bounty of £7 from the state, and the town voted £54 "For their encouragement."
As soon as the news arrived at Boston that the united colo- nies had declared their independence, an order was issued (10 July) for the enlistment of every twenty-fifth man in the state, to re-enforce the northern army. The town records do not give the names of men who answered to this call, but the following list contains the names of all the three years enlisted and drafted men required to fill the town's quota from 1776 to 1779, inclusive :
Bacon, Abel
Bardwell, Ebenezer, Jr.
Belden, Joab from Northfield
Blackman, Samuel
from Peru
Bragg, Joab
Brown, Edward
Fuller, Amos
from Worthington
from Peru
Train, Oliver
Hawley, John
Nine Whately men and substitutes.
Oliver Morton and others (names not given) went on an expedition to Ticonderoga sometime during this year.
The muster roll of Capt. Oliver Lyman's company in service at Dorchester, 27 Nov., 1776, to March, 1777, contains the fol- lowing names :
Brown, William Smith, Adna
Parker, Benjamin Smith, Phineas
Parker, Abraham Smith, Bezaliel
In Capt. Benjamin Phillip's company at Fort Ticonderoga,
Harrington, Thomas from Shutesbury
Jones, Henry from- -? Snow, Solomon
Snow, Bernice
Snow, Zephaniah
Phelps, Bezaliel
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23 Dec., 1776, to 24 Feb., 1777, were the following Whately men :
Frary, Julius
Sanderson, James
Graves, Mathew
Smith, Elisha
Pratt, Aaron, was of Deerfield, but afterwards lived in Whately.
In Capt. Thomas French's company, expedition to Sara- toga, were these Whately men :
Sanderson, John
Smith, Elisha
Sanderson, James
Graves, Simeon
Other Whately men at the surrender of Burgoyne were :
Bardwell, Ebenezer, Jr. Keyes, Stephen
Brown, William
Frary, Seth
Field, Zenas
Wells, Elisha
Parker, Abraham .
Military stores were scarce and the several towns were called upon to furnish their quota of blankets, shirts and stock- ings, as well as beef and bread. In one of the first calls for four thousand blankets, the number required of Whately was seven. The method of collecting these was, for a committee to go to a house and, after inquiry and examination, to decide whether the family ought to furnish one, two or three blankets, make the demand and pay a specified sum in the paper money of the day. Sometimes blankets were taken directly from the beds in use. Beef was collected by orders upon the town authorities, and was often delivered upon the hoof.
1777. Early this year the General Court passed "An act to prevent monopoly and oppression," in which the selectmen and committee of safety of the several towns were directed to set a price upon all the articles usually bought and sold, and also upon labor. "A list of several articles, with their prices, as delivered to the town clerk of Whately, 3 March, 1777, by the selectmen and committee of safety, by order of the Court, are here given : Good merchantable wheat, 6s per bu .; rye, 4s; Indian corn, 2s, 8d ; barley, 4s ; beans, 6s ; peas, 6s ; potatoes, IS, 4d ; oats, Is, 8d ; sheep's wool, 2s per lb; flax, Iod; salt pork, 8d; fresh pork, 4d ; beef, first quality, 372d ; butter, 8d; cheese, 6d ; men's yarn stockings, 6s; men's common shoes, 8s; wom- en's shoes, és, 6d; cider barrels, sap staves, 3s, 6d; common dinners, 9d; horse keeping per night, 107/2d ; New England flip, 9d per mug ; shoeing horse all round, in the best manner, 6s ;
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rawhides, 3d per.1b. ; raw calfskins, Ed; tanned leather, Is, 3d ; making shoes, ¿common sort, 3s per pair; tow cloth, yd. wide, 25, 3d per yard; striped flannel, yd wide, 3s, 6d; cotton and linen cloth, 3s, 6d ; weaving tow cloth, 5d, 3f per yard ; a yoke of oxen per day, Is, 4d ; riding horse per mile, 2d ; cart or other carriage per mile, 2d ; 2 qts. oats, 2d, 2f ; pasturing a horse per week, Is, rod; do. a yoke of oxen, 2s, 2d; common summer labor, 2s, 8d per day ; winter labor, 2s per day ; men's board per week, 55, 4d ; English hay per hundred, 25, 2d; and all other things not mentioned, according to the common usage and cus- tom of the town."
April 23. An order was issued for raising two battalions of seven hundred and fifty men each, from Hampshire county, for two months' service at Ticonderoga. A company of fifty-seven men under Capt. Salmon White, Col. David Wells' regiment, was out from 10 May to 10 July. The Whately men in this company appear to have been :
Smith, Elisha
Lamson, John
Brown, Abijah
Morton, Samuel G.
Coleman, Samuel
Scott, Joseph
Field, Zenas
Wells, Simeon
Morton, Joel
Crafts, Reuben
Scott, Elijah
Dickinson, Jehu
Wells, Perez
Faxon, Jacob Allen
Crafts, Moses
Parker, Benj.
Bacon, Philo
Scott, Abel
Carey, Richard
In Capt. Seth Murray's company, expedition to Fort Ed- ward and Moses Creek, 9 July to 12 Aug., were :
Sanderson, Thos., Lieut.
Morton, Daniel, Jr.
Bardwell, Noah, Lieut.
Edson, Jona., Jr.
Waite, John, Sergt.
Wells, Lemuel
Wells, Elisha
Field, Noah, Sergt.
Waite, Elihu
Smith, Phineas, Corp.
Morton, Simeon
Morton, Levi
Graves, Reuben
Walker, Jacob
Belden, Paul
Smith, Elijah
Graves, John
Graves, Salah
Turner, Abraham, Jr.
Smith, Roswell
Waite, Joel
Scott, Ebenezer
Frary, Seth
Belden, Paul, Jr.
Crafts, Graves
Ingraham, David
Scott, Salah
Bardwell, John
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At this time Gen. Burgoyne, in command of the British forces, was on his victorious march from the Canadian frontier. Ticonderoga was invested I July, and abandoned by Gen. St. Clair on the 5th; and Gen. Schuyler, then in command of the northern army, was slowly retreating on Saratoga and the mouth of the Mohawk. Gen. Horatio Gates was appointed 4 Aug. to succeed Gen. Schuyler, and immediately issued a call for rein- forcements. The march of Col. Baum on Bennington hastened the alarm, and the whole country, though in the midst of early harvest, turned out. The defeat of Baum by Gen. Stark, 16 Aug., will account for the short campaign made by the compa- nies next to be mentioned.
In the muster roll of Capt. Salmon White's company of militia, that marched at the request of Gen. H. Gates, 17 Aug., and was discharged by orders, 19 Aug., 1777, all but thirteen were Whately men :
White, Salmon, Capt.
Scott, Gad
Wells, Elisha
Smith, Benjamin
Brown, Edward
Bardwell. Ebenezer, Jr.
Turner, Ezra
Parker, Benjamin
Graves, Israel, Jr.
Wells, Lemuel, Sergt.
Crafts, Joseph
Crafts, John, Sergt.
Dickinson, Abner
Frary, Elisha
Smith, Gad
Brown, John
Scott, Joseph, Jr.
Brown, Abijah
Coleman, Nathaniel
Graves, Nathan
Sanderson, Asa
Graves, Oliver
Kellogg, Joseph
Morton, Samuel G.
Handy, Levi
Frary, Eleazer
Smith, Adna
Scott, Elijah
Crafts, Reuben
Belden, Joshua
Morton, Joel
Smith, Philip
White, -Salmon, Jr.
Allis, Russell
In Capt. Russell Kellogg's company, out from 17 to 19 Aug., on the Bennington alarm, were:
Carey, Richard
Graves, Amasa
Waite, John
In Capt. Abel Dinsmore's company, out 17 to 19 Aug., were :
Sanderson, James
Graves, Simeon
Graves, Mathew Sanderson, John
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In Captain John Kirkland's company in the northern army at Saratoga, from 16 Aug. to 14 Oct., 1777, were :
Crafts, Moses Wells, Simeon
Scott, Phineas
Some of the Whately men that went out at this time contin- ued in service through the campaign, till after the surrender of Burgoyne, 17 Oct.
Muster roll of Capt. Salmon White's company of Massachu- setts Bay militia, Col. Ezra May's regiment, in an expedition to Saratoga, 20 Sept. to 14 Oct., 1777 :
White, Salmon, Capt.
Graves, Nathan, Jr.
Sanderson, Thos., Lieut.
Crafts, Reuben
Bardwell, Noah, Lieut.
Allis, Russell
Wells, Lemuel, Sergt.
Scott, Gad
Crafts, John, Sergt.
Brown, Abijah
Frary, Eleazer, Sergt.
Smith, John
Graves, Martin, Corp.
Smith, Jona.
Bardwell, Eben'r, Jr., Corp.
Handy, Levi
Scott, Elijah, Corp.
Ingraham, David
Wells, Elisha, Corp.
Graves, Oliver
Kellogg, Joseph
Smith, Elisha
Dickinson, Eben'r
Sanderson, Asa
Smith, Gad
Graves, Nathan
Belden, Joshua
Bacon, Benjamin
Smith, Adna
Morton, Samuel G.
Smith, Phineas
Turner, Ezra
Bacon, Philo
Waite, Joel
In Capt. Seth Murray's company, expedition to Saratoga and at the surrender of Burgoyne, were :
Frary, Seth Munson, Moses
Wells, Elisha sub. for Simeon Graves
sub. for Julius Allis
To show that men of means often sent some one as a substi- tute, I will copy an agreement :
Whately, 27 Aug., 1782. Recd. of John Crafts and Lemuel Wells twenty-two pounds, in a note of hand, for which I prom- ise to take William Giles' place, late of Whately, now in the Continental service, and there serve the term of five months after taking said William Giles' place. If not so serve
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the damage is the sum set forth in this obligation, which I promise to pay.
Witness my hand, JOHN BEMENT.
N. B. The class is to draw John's wages.
I give one more case of a substitute. In 1782 Benoni Crafts was drafted to serve three years and, as he was well advanced in life, he hired Oliver Waite, a son of Jeremiah, to go in his stead, as his sons, Reuben and Asa Crafts, were much in serv- ice. Oliver Waite was discharged for disability in the fall of 1782. Copy of settlement :
This is to certify all persons that Benoni Crafts and Reuben Crafts have settled their rates with me for my sons going into the army for the term of three years, as witness my hand,
JEREMIAH WAITE.
Whately, Oct. 7, 1782.
Oliver Waite died of consumption in about eighteen months, aged 21 years, 1 month, 15 days.
1778. The town voted, 8 January, to raise £90 for four men to engage in the service of the United States. The names are included in the list of three years men already published.
An order of the General Court was issued 20 April, for a levy of nine months men to complete the fifteen battalions re- quired of Massachusetts. Under this call Whately is credited with the following men :
Dickinson, Nathaniel Edson, Jonathan service not designated.
In Capt. Abner Pomeroy's company, Col. Ezra Wood's regiment, were :
Scott, Abel, Sergt. Carley, Samuel, Corp.
In Capt. Joseph Storrow's company, same regiment, was : Sartle, Nathaniel, Lieut.
This regiment had headquarters at Peekskill, N. Y., Octo- ber to February. One return is dated "Soldier's Fortune," N. Y.
In Capt. Woodbridge's company of new levies, for service in Rhode Island, after 8 June, was :
Philo Bacon.
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In Capt. Daniel Pomeroy's company, Gen. Stark's com- mand, from I July to 5 Feb., 1779, were :
Ingraham, David Sanderson, Isaac
In Capt. Harrow's company, Col. David Wells' regiment, were :
Graves, Moses Sanderson, Isaac
1779. During this year no less than six levies of men were ordered by the General Court. The term of enlistment in most cases was nine months. The fine for refusing to go when drafted was from £45 to £50. The pay of a soldier was £16 per month, in addition to the regular Continental pay, with allowance of $6 for blanket and 6d per mile travel. In the requisition for two thousand men to co-operate with the French allies, a bounty of £30 and 2s mileage was allowed, the bounty to be paid by the town. This town voted, "To allow three men, that will en- gage nine months in the Continental army, 40s per month -- equal to wheat at 4s a bushel-with addition of the bounty and mileage allowed by the Court." The men who enlisted were Samuel G. Morton, Gardner Marcy, aged 17, and Simeon Wells. At the same time Joseph Scott enlisted in the Hatfield quota, and Abijah Harding and Allen Faxon in that of Deerfield.
In Capt. Joseph Cook's company, in service at New Lon- don, from 20 July to 27 Aug., were :
Scott, Abel, Sergt.
Wells, Perez
Bacon, Philo
Frary, Seth
Brown, Isaiah
Edson, Jona., Jr.
Frary, Elisha
Smith, Bezaleel
Sanderson, Asa
Waite, Consider
Graves, Salah
Dr. Perez Chapin was surgeon's mate in Col. Elisha Por- ter's regiment, at New London, from 19 July to 27 Aug. Jona. Spafford was in the same service to 31 Aug. Aaron Pratt and Rufus Smith were in the same service, in Capt. Abel Dinsmore's company, to 31 Aug.
Oct. 19. The town voted, "To raise two thousand four hundred pounds for soldiers gone and going into the army."
The condition of public affairs at the close of this and the
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opening of the next year was gloomy and disheartening. The season's campaign was remarkable mainly for the feebleness of the American efforts and the indecision of the British. The latter did little in this vicinity but plunder, ravage and burn the defenceless towns on the seacoast. Rhode Island remained in the hands of the enemy and, since the failure of the French fleet, no effort had been made to get possession. Draft followed draft in rapid succession. The soldiers received their bounties in state bills and town notes, and their pay in Continental money, which at the end of their term of service, would hardly meet the expenses of their outfit. If the father enlisted, his family must suffer or depend on the town's charity ; if the son enlisted, his wages would hardly suffice to pay the state taxes.
Perhaps the burden that weighed heaviest just then in our community was the depreciation of the currency, and the uncer- tainty and distress which it occasioned. The first emission of bills of credit by Congress was made in June, 1775-the amount first authorized was two millions of dollars. At the expiration of eighteen months twenty millions had been issued. And near the close of 1779, nearly two hundred millions were in circula- tion. As their redemption depended on the ultimate result of the war, these bills began to depreciate at an early period. By the end of '77, the depreciation was two or three for one, in '78, it was six for one, in '79, twenty-eight for one, in '80, sixty for one. An extract from Mr. Wells' account book, and some votes copied from the records, will best give an idea of the condition of things in this town.
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