USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Reminiscences of a nonagenarian > Part 22
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Mrs. Dr. Samuel Colman, and her children, at that time resided opposite ; their house was also burned.
William Atkins, esq., died Aug. 27, 1788, aged 77.
Mrs. Abigail Atkins died Dec. 5, 1786, aged 68.
Miss Mary Atkins died Aug. 31, 1802, aged 64.
Hannah C. Atkins died June 6, 1811, aged 57.
Elisabeth Atkins died July 30, 1838, aged 88.
Susanna (Atkins) Colman died in Salem, July 9, 1827, aged 65.
William Atkins, the only son, was lost at sea.
The Atkins arms are :
OR, A CROSS QUARTERLY PIERCED FLORY AND COUNT- ER FLORY, AZURE; BETWEEN FOUR MULLETS SABLE; CRESCENT, GULES, IN CHIEF. CREST-TWO GREYHOUNDS HEADS ENBOSSED, COLLAR DOVETAILED, PER PALE OR AND AZURE, COUNTERCHANOED.
22
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Dudley and Tyng per pale. Dud- ley-Or, lion rampant. Tyng-Ar- gent, on a chevron sable three martlets proper. Crest-a martlet.
Motto-"Esse quam videri."
ESSE
VIDERI
QUAM
CHAPTER XXXIII.
At the trying period of the Revolu- tion, Newbury and Newburyport dis- played great heroism. At the first in- telligence of the battle of Lexington, four companies immediately marched to the scene of action. Those from New- bury were commanded by Colonel Samuel Gerrish and Colonel Moses Little. The Newburyport companies were led by Capt. Ezra Lunt and Colonel Benjamin Perkins. On a stormy day, as we sat at our work, grandmother, aunt Sarah and mother often recalled those stirring times, and of a winter's evening my father and other friends frequently talked over the events of the war. My father was an excellent singer, and he was often in- vited to sing the songs that had then
been popular. Two of these "The Vision" and "Burgoyne's Lamenta- tion," I will note ; would that I could give the voice, expression, and enthus- iasm of the singer.
THE VISION.
"I was an old farmer, Was born in the woods,
Of late had a vision From one of the gods.
"Last Saturday night, As I slept on my bed, The following dream Came into my head :
"I thought I was towering Aloft in the air, Then rambled to Boston To see what was there.
"First viewing the troops, Which were tired of intrenching,
Then going to see Tom, Who was giddy with drinking.
"For of wine, gin and ale So freely he drank, That he was' scarce able To visit his rank.
"His friends were all round him, And if you think fitting,
I'll tell you the posture The club was now sitting.
"There were Tim, Dick and Will, And several more ; I thought in the whole, They would make nigh a score,
"Set round a large table, But all at a pause, To think of a plan To enforce these new laws.
"I wondered at this, And asking old Beetle, For knowing the villain Was apt for to tattle;
"He honestly told ine What was the reason, The Devil, says he, Has gone for a season,
"To help his friend North Project a new plan,
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And when this is done, We expect him again ;
"But if he should choose For to tarry all winter,
We think it not safe, Out of Boston to venture.
For the Congress has met, And passed such votes,
That all our old plans Are now come to nought.
"And the governor says, So well do unite, He believes the devilish villains Determined to fight,
"And think it not best To provoke them to blows,
Lest in a cold winter, The harbor gets froze ;
"And if they should come over us, Our fleet could not save us.
Of consequence, The Devil must have us.
"Many such stories He did mne detain, Till Tom got so well He could stagger again.
"And laying his course For crossing the hall,
He luckily met With an impudent fall,
"Which brought him at last, Two yards on the floor, Which tickled me so, I dreamed no more."
BURGOYNE'S LAMENTATION.
"Ye powers look down and pity my case, For the once great Burgoyne is now in dis- tress.
For I am surrounded by a numerous foe,
Who, I fear, my whole army will soon over- throw.
"Oh, cursed be the villain who did us much hurt,
Who carried to England so false a report.
For it is commonly reported in fair England, That the sight of a Briton would make Yan- kees run,
"That the report of a cannon would make Yankees fly,
"Oh, were they as numerous as stars in the sky.
To my woful experience I found it was false, For of two, the Yankees are better than us. "They will fight with great valor when in the open field,
Take them in the forest, then Britons must yield,
For they will shut up one eye, and squint at the gun,
And we are surely dead as soon as that's done. We stand no more chance among Yankee paws,
Than to fling an old cat into hell without claws."
On the arrival of the "courier" with news of the Lexington fight, the min- ute men of the upper parish quickly gathered at the training field on the main road. The company having been formed, boards were thrown over an ox-cart ; from this hastily improvised rostrum, Parson Toppan spoke a few words of patriotism and encouragement, then invoked the Divine blessing upon . the gallant band. Meantime individu- als were going from house to house, collecting food and other necessaries. The news came at midnight, and soon after sunrise the company commenced its march ; the rations, baggage, etc., being conveyed by two ox-teams. One can imagine the sensation throughout the usually quiet country side. The sorrowful faces and anxious hearts, prayerfully striving to bear the worst bravely, for the sake of country and liberty.
By order of the selectmen on the following day, a further supply of pro- visions was forwarded to the troops. Every household contributed, and the donations were most generous. The day had been a busy one at Crane- neck; the large and small ovens had been filled and refilled ; beef, pork, hams, flour, meal and a small supply
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of groceries and medicines, been pack- ed ; lint been scraped and bandages rolled. This was sad work, but pro- vision must be made for the worst. It was near sunset when aunt Sarah, (then a girl of sixteen,) on her way to the well, espied a horseman coming at a furious pace up the road. swinging his hat and shouting : "The regulars are coming ! They have landed at Plum Island, have got to Artichoke bridge, are burning and killing all before them !" For an instant the maiden stood in frightened bewilderment, then she ran to communicate the news. The neigh- bors flocked in, a terror stricken throng, to counsel respecting further measures. Most of the able bodied men armed themselves and went to seek the foe, if foe were there. After the first excitement had passed, doubts of the genuineness of the tidings arose. .Neither my grandfather Smith, nor grandsir Little credited the story, and they advised every one, after the men had marched away to stay quietly at home until further intelligence could be obtained. A few did so, but most, in a perfect frenzy of fright, sought every means for safety.
Uncle Thurrel's farm at that time be- longed to the family of the late Dr. Adams. This gentleman had been the first physician to settle in the town ; he acquired a wide spread practice in the surrounding infant settlements, and at his decease left a reputation for superi- or knowledge and skill. The house was occupied by his grandchildren, and their aged and feeble widowed mother. This household passed the night in the greatest anxiety and alarm. Having hidden their choicest effects, the horse was harnessed to the chaise, an uncovered vehicle on two
wheels, at that time the stylish equip- age for ladies, which was drawn up before the door through the night, while the old lady, wrapped in a cover- let sat through the long hours in her large arm chair, in readiness to be con- veyed down "South End," a rocky, steep declivity at the southerly side of the hill, a descent from which one might have expected as dire a catas- trophe, as from a raid of any number of "regulars."
Old Mr. Joshua Bartlett, commonly designated "Uncle Vun," yoked his oxen to the cart, and took his family to the Platts place, a lone, unoccupied farm-house, remote from the road. Several families sought the same ref- uge. Col. Stephen Bartlett was an in- fant just weaned ; in the flurry the jug of milk had been left behind, and the hungry babe demanded his food so lus- tily, that some one in the distracted throng proposed to kill him, lest his cries should disclose their hiding place.
Hannah Eastman, an old, asthma- tic woman, breathed so hard, she was wrapped in a blanket and buried in the leave's under a stone wall, at some dis- tance from the house. After a sleep- less night, at sunrise the crond ven- tured home. One young fellow, in- stead of marching to meet the "regu- lars," skedaddled into the pasture, having armed himself with a jnnk of salt pork, and half a loaf brown bread, in addition to his gun and powder horn ; he climbed into an oak, and quakingly awaited events. The night wore on, day dawned, the sun rose, ascended higher and higher, noon passed, still the young hero durst not venture from his sylvan retreat, until his absence having created a general alarm, he was descried by a squad of
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relatives and neighbors who had insti- tuted a search.
One gentleman hid his papers in a hollow tree from which they were ex- tracted with much difficulty ; his wife lowered her silver spoons into the well, and the servant girl, beside herself with fright, pulled the "nubs and drops" from her ears and flung them into the same receptacle. The spoons were re- covered, but the ear jewels could never be found. It was an anxious and sleepless night for all. I have often heard Mrs. Moses Colman, then Betty Little, a girl of nine, relate how she fancied the wind in the chimney, and the sizzling of the wood fire, were the drums and fifes of the enemy. Towards morning the men and boys returned, without sight or hearing of "regulars." How this scare arose was never known, but it was supposed to have been a strategem to try the mettle of the peo- ple.
Anxious weeks, which had brought but few tidings from the army around Boston, had glided away. The moru- ing of the seventeenth of June dawned, a hot summer day. The spring had been uncommonly warm, and vegeta- tion was unusually forward. In those days it was the custom to have men's garments made at home. Tailor Palm- er, a veteran of the old French war, came to Capt. Smith's that day to fash- ion the go-to-meeting coats and breeches for the summer. Aunt Sarah was sew- ing with the tailor, when her ear caught a rumble. "Did it thunder?" She rose and looked from the door. Not a cloud was in sight. Again and again she caught the sound as of distant thunder. The men came from the field to luncheon, but paused to look and listen. . "I'll tell ye what 'tis," said the
tailor, "its big guns, cannon. There's a battle." The noise increased, and it was evident the old soldier was right. Soon smoke was discerned on the southern sky, which momentarily in- creased in volume. It was thought that Boston was burning. Higher and higher rose the smoke, louder thundered the cannon, work. was forgotten, the dinner remained untasted. People be- gan to flock up the hill, in groups they watched and listened. Slowly the lurid sun sank in the sky, gradually the boom of the guns ceased, the smoke cleared, and all was over. Nothing could be done but to await intelligence, with what calmness and patience could be summoned. The news of the battle of Bunker Hill, and the burning of Charles- town was received the next day, but the full particulars did not come for more than a week. I believe no one in our companies were killed, a few were' wounded. Col. Joseph Whitmore and Sergeant Amos Pearson of Newbury- port were wounded, and several men killed. Capt. Ezra Lunt's company, acting as rear guard, suffered severely.
Quite a number from the four com- panies that fought at Bunker Hill joined the disastrous expedition against Quebec, the September following. This force consisted of eleven companies of musketmen and three companies of riflemen, amounting to eleven hundred men, under the command of Col. Ben- edict Arnold, Lieut .- Colonel Christo- pher Green of Rhode Island, and Ma- jor Timothy Bigelow of Massachusetts. The Newbury and Newburyport men were in Capt. Ward's company. The riflemen were commanded by Capt. Daniel Morgan. The Rev. Samuel Spring, afterwards the distinguished pastor of the North church in Newbury-
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port, acted as chaplain. Many noted men accompanied this band ; Matthew Ogden, Aaron Burr, John I. Henry, af- terwards Judge Henry of Pennsylva- nia ; Captain, afterwards Gen. Henry Dearborn of New Hampshire ; Major Keturn I. Meigs, Captains William Kendricks and Matthew Smith, with others whose names have descended amongst the Revolutionary heroes. The detachment arrived in Newburyport Saturday, Sept. 16th, and embarked at 10 a. m. on Tuesday, the 19th, in elev- en transports, sloops and schooners. The troops were quartered in the rope- walk of Edmund Swett, which extend- ed from Fair to Federal streets ; the riflemen bivouacked at the head of Rolfe's lane, now Ocean avenue, and the officers were entertained at the spa- cious and hospitable mansions of Na- thaniel Tracy and Tristram Dalton.
This was a notable epoch for New- buryport. The short sojourn of the army was, made a season of gaiety. The sunny side, with all the pomp and pageantry of war.
On Sunday, the troops, with drums rolling and flags flying, marched to the Old South meeting house. This had been completed but a few years, and was the largest and one of the finest places of public worship in New Eng- land. The high pulpit and elaborately- ornamented sounding board were cele- brated specimens of the style of the period. To the right of the sacred desk was a high seat for the sexton. and before it the "elders' seat," a square pew, raised a few steps, with a table in the centre. In front of this came the "deacon's seat." To this was attached the communion table, which was swung back when not in use. A broad aisle and two side aisles
ran through the house. The pews were square, with seats all around and a chair in the centre. Spacious galleries ran around three sides of the house, the ' singing seats." being opposite the pulpit, and at either end there were large porches.
The troops, having halted in the aisles, presented arms as their chaplain, a keen-eyed, stalwart young fellow, six feet high, passed through. The guns having been stacked in the aisles, the soldiers were seated in the body of the house, the galleries and every other available portion being packed by a crowd of citizens. The clergyman preached fromthe text, "If thy Spirit go not up with us, carry us not up hence." The eloquence and power of the preacher made such an impression on his audience, that before he left, a promise had been secured that he would return to the town, at the end of the war. This promise was re- deemed, and the South church and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Spring, became watchwords upon the hill of Zion. The following morning there was a grand review, in which the men ap- peared to great advantage, their spir- its being raised by the presence of hun- dreds of sympathizing spectators, drawn thither from far and near. The officers were entertained at dinner and evening parties, at whichi majestic mat- rons and lovely maidens, in their rich- est brocades, and choicest gauzes and laces, conversed most graciously and smiled their sweetest, using every ex- ertion for the amusement of the gallant men, about to risk their lives on the altar of liberty. In friendly courtesy, glass elinked to glass with fervent wishes for honor and success. Grace- fully the stately minuet was danced.
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Enthusiastically, patriotic songs were sung to the accompaniment of the spin- net or harpsicord. On the morning of the nineteenth, amid cheer upon cheer from the assembled multitude, the troops embarked. In a perfect whirl- wind of patriotic excitement, flags fly- ing, drums beating and fifes playing, the transports weighed anchor, their sails gleaming in the bright sunlight ; they slowly glided down the broad, beautiful Merrimac, and with aching hearts, but a brave front, the citizens dispersed, to pursue again the even tenor of life.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
From the settlement of the town, ship-building had been one of the chief employments of the "water side peo- ple." Prior to the revolution, this bus- iness had been very lucrative. Though many of the vessels launched at our yards were owned and fitted for sea by the "Port" merchants, others were built expressly for the English market. The British merchants purchased our ships and lumber; in return we re- ceived their manufactures, and the produce from their possessions in the West Indies. As Newburyport was the centre for the trade of a wide agri- cultural district, it had become one of the most thriving of the sea-board towns.
Partnerships often existed between our merchants and individuals in Eng- land. Mr. Benjamin Harris and an English gentleman, Mr. Witter Cum- mings, built a ship at Samuel Mogga-
ridge's yard, shortly before the war. At the commencement of the troubles, much of our merchant marine was sent out as privateers. Some of these were most successful, fully repaying their owners for the business lost by the war. So many prizes within a few days were brought in to Mr. Joseph Marquand, that in the press of the occasion, that gentleman hastily exclaimed, "Oh Lord ! Thy servant has enough ; stay thy hand." His prayer was answered, for with subsequent losses, and the great fire, the rich merchant died a . comparatively poor man.
Many of the vessels cleared from the port were either lost at sea or taken by the enemy. The fate of several with that of their crews was never known. The loss of one, the "Yankee Hero," carrying twenty guns, commanded by Capt. James Tracy, brought mourning throughout the town, as out of one hundred and seventy men, fifty were from Newburyport and vicinity, volun- teers from some of the first families.
Those so unfortunate as to fall into the enemy's hands, suffered great hard- ship in the loathsome English prisons and prison ships. The crews of the brig Dalton, fitted out by Stephen Hooper, and the brigantine Fanny, were confined between two and three years, in the Old Mill prison in Ply mouth.
Many of the privateers were of small burthen, and but poorly armed ; still this hastily improvised navy did good service, making many notable captures, and carrying havoc to the enemy's fleet.
The following is the commission of the commander of one of these ves- sels :
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COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
The Major of the Council of the Massachusetts Bay, New England. To John Wigglesworth, Gentleman, Greeting.
You being appointed to take the James Bowdoin Winthrop, Command Rich'd Derby jr. of the armed Sloop J. Cushing called the Swift, of the
S. Holton burthen of thirty-five Jabez Fisher Moses Gill tons, or thereabouts, mounting four swivels B. White & one carriage Gun, Benj. Austin and navigated by ten Henry Gardener men, fitted out at the W. Phillips Dan. Davis
expense, & for the service of this Colony. B. Lincoln By virtue of the pow- Dan. Hopkins er vested in us, we do by these presents (reposing special trust and confidence in your ability, courage, and good conduct,) commis- sion you accordingly, and give you the said John Wigglesworth, full power with such persons as shall engage to your assistance, by force of arms to attack, seize, and take the Ships, and other Vessels belonging to the inhabi- tants of Great Britain, or any of them with Tackel, Apparel, furniture & Lad- ing on the high seas, or between high water and low water mark, and to bring the same to some convenient Port in this colony, in order that the courts, which have been, or shall be hereafter appointed to hear & determine maritime causes, may proceed in due form to condemn the said Captaines if they be adjudged lawful Prize, the said John Wigglesworth having given bonds to the Treasurer of this Colony with suffi- cient Sureties that nothing be done by the said John Wigglesworth or any of his Officers, Marines, or Company of the said Vessel contrary to, or incon- sistant with the usage and customs of Nations, and the instructions that are or may be given to him by order of the Great and General Court. And we will, and require all our officers to give Suecour and assistance to the said John Wigglesworth in the premises. This commission to continue in force until further orders.
Given under our hands and Seal of the said colony at Watertown, the third day of June in the year of our LORD, one thousand seven hundred and sev- enty-six.
By their Honor's Command.
Of the Newburyport vessels, a large number were sent ont by Messrs. Na- thaniel and John Tracy. Their ships captured one hundred and twenty sail, which, with their cargoes, brought three million, nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Of this sum, one hundred and sixty-seven thousand, two hundred and nineteen dollars, was devoted to the army and other public exigencies. Out of one hundred and ten merchant ves- sels, twenty-three of which were let- ters-of-marque, only thirteen, and of twenty-four cruisers, but one, remained at the close of the war ; all the others had been lost or captured. The ship Friends, Capt. Bowie, of London, bound to Boston with provisions for the Brit- ish army, having mistaken her course, on the morning of the 15th of January was discovered off the "Bar." Three whale boats manned by armed men, commanded by Capt. Offin Boardman, immediately put out to her. Captain Boardman, representing himself as a pilot from Boston, was taken on board. Whilst the unsuspecting English cap- tain was conversing with the supposed pilot on the quarter-deck, the crews from the three boats, seventeen in num- ber, quietly ascended the gangway. See- ing all was ready, Capt. Boardman in stentorian tones ordered the English flag to be struck. Overcome by aston- ishment, neither the commander nor crew made the least resistance, and the prize was brought in triumph to the wharf.
The ship Hibernia, owned by Cap- tains Joseph and John O'Brien, and
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commanded by the latter, was very successful. On her first cruise she cap- tured three brigs, a ship, and two schooners, in less than four weeks. In this cruise she met with a sixteen-gun ship, with which she had an engage- ment that lasted nearly two hours, but from which she finally escaped, with the loss of three men and several wounded.
Capt. William Russell, in the Gen. Ward, a small vessel, mounting one light swivel, with about a dozen men, cach armed with a musket, captured two brigs and a schooner. Only two men could be spared to be put on board the schooner, and she was retaken, but the brigs were brought safely into town. The privateer Hawk, Captain Jack Lee, sent in an English brig from Oporto, loaded with wine, and a large amount of specic. Captain Moses Brown, in the privateer Gen. Arnold, toòk several rich prizes, but was at length captured by the British brig Ex- periment, of fifty guns. Capt. Brown was for some time confined on board a prison ship at Savannalı, Georgia, but was exchanged, and returned to New- buryport.
On May 19, 1780, occurred that phe- nomenon, commonly called the "Dark day." There had been extensive fires in the woods, and for several days pre- vious the air had been thick, and the sky murky. On the memorable nine- teenth, the sun rose as usual, but soon clouds began to appear and the whole sky became overcast ; about ten o'clock there was a slight shower. My mother, then thirteen years of age, had gone to the garret to give it the spring cleaning. At first she thought a thunder shower was rising, but the increasing dark- ness, and the singular aspect without,
caused her to leave her work, and in somewhat of a panic join the family below. Dense, black clouds overspread the heavens with a lighter gleam at the horizon ; the fowls went to roost, and the birds flew into the trees. The darkness was the most intense between twelve and one o'clock. Candles were lighted for the dinner table, and the meal was shorter and more silent than usual. Both grandsir and grandma'm Little were quiet, firm people ; there was no undue excitement in their household, still it was a strange, and somewhat solemn day. Many families were in a perfect frenzy. " The Judg- ment Day had come," and amid tears and piteous lamentations and confes- sions, with prayer and Bible reading, the frightened creatures tremblingly passed the hours, momentarily expecting that the dread trump would sound. The darkness continued into the night, but the following morning the sun rose bright and 'the air had resumed its usual clearness.
A while after, the inhabitants of the upper parish had another fright. Mr. Enos Bartlett, at the Training Field, had a load of bricks to draw to Byfield. The weather was intensely hot, and he started soon after midnight. The cart wheels were dry, needed greasing ; they soon began to creak. The noise increased, until it blended into a series of unearthly creaks and grinds. Along the route every one was aroused, half unconscious, and unable to understand the diabolical sounds, most were terri- bly frightened. As it was a still night, the noise reached quite a distance, and what it was could not be imagined. Some thinking the last day had come, fell to praying and reading their bibles. When Mr. Bartlett reached the brook
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