USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Somerville, past and present : an illustrated historical souvenir commemorative of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of the city government of Somerville, Massachusetts > Part 3
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The knoll, with its adjacent lands, was at the extreme of the Stinted
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Pasture, at the division of which in 1685 it was allotted to Sergeant Richard Lowden, some nine or ten acres in all, long before which it had been worked as a quarry. After Richard's death, his son and executor sold the estate to Jonathan Foskett, and Foskett, in February, 1703-4, to " Jean Mallet," a shipwright, afterwards a miller, and who very likely built the curious old mill, though no record tells us so. Jean Mallett was a Huguenot, and probably came from France with many others, to these more congenial shores, shortly after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, settling unwisely, to say the least, in Worcester County, in what is now the town of Oxford, then a border wilderness, but which these Huguenots soon turned into blossoming fields and fruitful gardens; here they lived in contentment and security for many years, but in 1696 the Indians descended on their settlement and a dreadful massacre ensued. The survivors aban- doned their plantations, and most of them came to Boston ; among these was Mallet, who, a while after, we find here in Somerville. Little more is known of him except that he died about 1720, leaving the old stone windmill to his son Michael, who in 1747 sold it to the State for a powder-magazine ; prob- ably long before this its millstones had ceased to grind, though undoubt- edly for many long years the old miller took his lawful toll of "one to sixteen " from the farmers for miles around.
A tragic legend shrouds the old mill, told of a captive Acadian maiden who, disguised as a youth, flees from her cruel master and seeks refuge in the family of the old miller; his rooms are few and accommodations scanty ; so the maid is given lodging in the old mill-loft, dusty and dismal. In the night comes her master; he has traced her here, and with smooth speech and specious story induces the miller to unlock the mill ; the master clambers clumsily up the ladder, reaches the loft and tries to seize his victim ; in the unfamiliar darkness he loses his foothold, plunges to the mill floor, clutching the rope as he falls. The great fans move, the mill- stone rolls hoarsely around, and soon all is over. The exile maiden is once more free.
It is a curious, grewsome story ; let us trust that it is only a legend.
THE OLD POWDER HOUSE.
JOHN C. MAGOUN.
CHESTER GUILD.
JOSEPH CLARK.
CHARLES E. GILMAN.
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CHAPTER IV.
THE REVOLUTION.
FRICTION BETWEEN THE COLONIES AND HOME GOVERNMENT. - PREPARATIONS FOR THE . GREAT STRUGGLE. - SEIZURE OF POWDER. - FIRST HOSTILE DEMONSTRATION OF THE REVOLUTION. - THE WHOLE COUNTRY IN ARMS. - RESIGNATION OF LIEUT .- GOVERNOR THOMAS OLIVER. - ARBITRARY MEASURES OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. - SECRETION OF ARMS AND DISTRIBUTION OF MILITARY SUPPLIES BY THE COLO- NISTS. - HOSTILE STEPS TAKEN BY THE BRITISH. - THE PATRIOTS WARNED. - PAUL REVERE'S RIDE. - BATILE OF LEXINGTON. - ROADS IN SOMERVILLE TRAVERSED BY BRITISH TROOPS. - BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. - VIVID SCENES.
THE Boston Port Bill, enacted March 31, 1774, was the punishment inflicted on the Americans for the destruction of the East India Company's tea ; it prohibited all commerce, export or import, with Boston and Charles town, and brought disaster and distress upon both cities, the ferries even being included in the embargo. All business was suspended, and the sufferings of both rich and poor were great. Neighboring towns came to their relief with food and fuel; committees were appointed to devise reme- dies, and arrangements made to quarter the most needy families upon other towns of the State.
The friction between the colonies and the home government had grown steadily for ten years, and a frowning fleet and formidable army, sent to enforce various odious enactments, increased to the utmost the spirit of resistance.
The Americans for a long time had been actively preparing for a struggle they believed imminent, and quietly collecting arms, accoutrements, ammunition and stores.
In this way it occurred that the powder of several towns was stored in the powder house on Quarry Hill; fearing for its safety, in the summer of 1774, some of the towns began removing it. This powder and also that belonging to the Province, as well as other military stores, were in the custody of Maj. Gen. William Brattle, of Cambridge, and to him General Gage wrote, in August, asking a return or schedule of "the different sorts of each." Brattle in his reply of August 29, speaking of powder, says that that in the arsenal at Quarry Hill, was " the King's powder only." Medford had just taken the last belonging to any of the towns.
On August 31, Sheriff Phipps called upon Brattle, with orders for the remaining powder and for two cannon at Cambridge; in compliance Brattle
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delivered up the key of the powder house, and ordered Mr. Mason, who was in charge of the cannon, to deliver them also.
On the next day, September 1, 1774, occurred the first hostile demon- stration of the Revolution ; by a miracle, almost, it ended without bloodshed. It is described in the news of the day as follows : -
"On Thursday Morning [ Sept. 1 ], half after four, about 260 Troops embarked on board 13 Boats at the Long Wharf, and proceeded up Mystic River to Temple's Farm, where they landed, and went to the Powder- House on Quarry Hill, in Charlestown Bounds, whence they took 212 Half Barrels of Powder, the whole store there, and conveyed it to Castle William." ... "A detachment from this corps went to Cambridge and brought off two field pieces, which had lately been sent there for Col. Brattle's regiment."
Another account says that "250" half-barrels of powder were taken.
These troops were under the command of Lt. Col. Madison, and in Boston it was believed that they had gone out to capture the Committee of Conference at Salem, who were promptly notified ; but when their actual destination was discovered, the alarm spread like wild-fire throughout the country, to the north, west and south, even to Pennsylvania.
Before night there was a general uprising of the militia of the State, and the next day, along the roads in all directions, were squads of men marching towards Cambridge, ready to repel the invaders.
As was natural, the news of the raid was heightened by sensational accounts of fighting and bloodshed. Boston had been bombarded by the fleet, and Americans killed and wounded.
It was estimated that fifty thousand "well armed " men had responded to this alarm : "the whole country was in arms " ; they came not only from Middlesex and the adjacent counties, but from the western parts of the State, and even from Connecticut.
They poured into Cambridge, and assembled by thousands on the Common. It was an orderly throng, but determined. The Crown officers were alarmed ; Judge Danforth and Judge Lee addressed the assemblage, and both expressing regret at having accepted appointments under acts so obnoxious to their fellow citizens, then and there resigned their offices, and promised never again to accept any position in conflict with the charter rights of the people.
Phipps, the high sheriff, appeared also; he was aggrieved at the feel- ings of the people towards him for his action in delivering up their powder, but in view of the fact that he acted under orders from his commander in chief, his offense was condoned.
Lieut .- Governor Thomas Oliver lived then in the mansion which since was the home of the poet Lowell. Several thousand people, militia and "lookers on," appeared before his house. Previously he had parleyed and hesitated, fearing His Majesty's displeasure if he should resign, as requested to do, but intimating that he might do so if the whole province desired it ; but now, seeing the determined spirit of the people, and the uselessness of
FRANCIS TUFTS.
NATHAN A. FITCH.
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further refusal, he signed his resignation as Lieutenant-Governor and President of the Council.
Meanwhile Brattle, who by his prominence in this affair had brought upon himself the indignation of the inhabitants, fled to Boston, and sought refuge in the fold of General Gage, whence he wrote a woeful story of his wrongs and banishment, claiming to be a friend of his country, acting for its true interest, yet expressing himself sorry for what had oc- curred.
Meantime the wild rumors afloat had been contradicted, and the people returned again to their homes and employments, and all seemed as tranquil as before.
This great uprising was the rumble of the approaching storm, and warning of the coming tempest.
PAUL REVERE'S RIDE.
The English Parliament and press during the winter of 1774-5 dis- cussed vigorously the dispute with the Colonists ; among each were friends to America ; but the Ministerial party were in the majority, and, urged on by the King and Lords, endeavored to enforce the most arbitrary measures, among which were further restrictions on trade and the act forbidding importation into the colonies of arms and munitions of war.
This last act caused much alarm, and the Americans took immediate steps to secrete and protect the military supplies already accumulated.
These were distributed among various towns, one of which was Con- cord. Gage learned this, and determined on their capture, divining which, the patriots took precautions to prevent. A company of thirty men arranged with each other to watch "two and two" the movements of the British ; among these were William Dawes and Paul Revere. Several days previous to April 19, the unusual activity of the troops and fleet announced to the Americans that some important movement by the enemy was contemplated.
John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were in Lexington, were cautioned that Gage intended their capture. About this time the wife of a British soldier carelessly divulged the order for the expedition to a lady who employed her, who promptly gave the patriots warning. William Dawes was immediately sent by way of Roxbury and Paul Revere by way of Charlestown, to alarm the inhabitants. Revere crossed Charles River past the frigate Somerset just before orders were received to stop all boats, and taking horse on the Charlestown shore, rode with all speed over the Neck and up Washington Street, to near the present Cresent Street ; here he saw two horsemen standing in the road a short distance away ; perceiving that they were British officers, he wheeled and galloped back to the Neck, and around into Broadway, pursued by one of the horsemen ; the other endeavored to head him off by crossing the fields, but fell into a clay pit, thus enabling Revere to escape. He rode over Winter Hill and Main Street, to and through Medford and Arlington, to Lexington and
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beyond, where he was captured; not, however, until he had thoroughly alarmed the country. At the junction of Broadway and Main Street stands a granite tablet commemorating this historic ride.
BATTLE OF LEXINGTON.
At about ten o'clock on the night of April 18, 1775, Lieutenant Colonel Smith of the Tenth British, with eight hundred men, marched quietly to the foot of Boston Common, and crossed Back Bay in boats to Lechmere Point, now East Cambridge, landing not very far east of the present Court House ; the troops, avoiding the roads and highlands for fear of discovery, skirted the marshes ; and the tide being up, or rising, and East Cambridge then an island at high water, they were obliged to wade "thigh deep" in crossing to Somerville, where, striking a byway, they emerged upon Washington Street, probably at or near Prospect Street ; thence their march was through Washington Street, Union Square, Bow Street; Somerville Avenue and Elm Street, and thence to Concord.
In those days, an old house, owned or occupied by a widow Smith, stood on the east side of the present Wesley Park ; here the troops halted and quenched their thirst at the well, and were seen by the frightened occu- pants of the house.
Next they passed the residence of Samuel Tufts (now Mr. Blaisdell's), who was in the kitchen at the time, moulding bullets; thence on past Thomas Rand's house ; Mrs. Rand, who had not yet retired, saw the threatening platoons, and after they had gone by sent her son to alarm the neighbors. Then they came to Timothy Tufts' house on Elm Street, near Beach, stopping there again for water. Mr. Tufts' dog woke the echoes of the night, and also the family with his vehement protests. Peering out, they saw the hostile columns and flash of the bayonets in the moonlight, and then saw the soldiers turn into Beach Street and disappear, as they con- tinued their silent march.
Their encounters at Lexington Common and at Concord Bridge, and their disastrous retreat, reinforced and perhaps saved from capture by Lord Percy, yet still flying, harassed and relentlessly pursued by the Americans, have become notable events in the world's history. Like a rabble rout they came down Arlington Avenue into Cambridge and Somerville. The Ameri- cans supposed they would retreat as Percy came, through old Cambridge, Brighton, and Roxbury; but a confused throng, they turned through Beach Street into Elm. At the westerly corner of these streets was a grove, where minute men were secreted, who gave the troops a galling fire. The British who fell here were buried in Mr. Tufts' land, just inside the wall.
Percy, who at every available point had endeavored to check the pur- suit with his artillery, again opened fire with his cannon, from the northerly slope of Spring Hill, on the pursuing minute men, but with little avail ; his troops continued their retreat down Elm Street and Somerville Avenue, one man being killed near Central Street, at which point a volley was fired into Mr. Rand's house, and near Walnut Street another soldier fell. Down
ALBERT L. DODGE.
DAVID CUMMINGS.
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Washington Street they went, skirting the foot of Prospect Hill, where oc- curred some of the hottest fighting of the day.
It was now evening, and the flashes of musketry, which were plainly seen in Boston, told vividly the story of their retreat and disaster.
Throughout the retreat, wherever possible, flanking parties of British had been sent out to drive off the minute men.
The only Somerville citizen who fell on this day was shot by the flank guards. He was James Miller, an old man and patriot.
He with others were on the slope of Prospect Hill, firing on the British in the street below, when the flankers surprised them; the rest fled, but Miller, still firing, stood at his post, and when called upon to fly made the memorable answer, " I am too old to run."
On the north side of Washington Street, nearly opposite Mystic Street, is the house then owned by Samuel Shed; a British soldier entered it, and while rummaging a bureau, was shot, falling dead over the drawer ; this bureau, or "high boy," as it was called, with its bullet holes, is now in pos- session of the descendants of Nathan Tufts.
The British flight and pursuit continued until they had crossed the Neck into Charlestown, which they did just as Colonel Pickering, with seven hundred Essex minute men. came hurrying over Winter Hill, to intercept them. Had he arrived a little earlier the entire force would have been captured.
During the battle, General William Heath assumed command ; after the Americans had ceased further pursuit, he "assembled the officers around him, at the foot of Prospect Hill, and ordered a guard to be formed and posted near that place." This was the first guard mounting of the Revolution. Sentinels and patrols were also posted near the Neck, to give warning of the enemy's movements. The minute men were ordered to Cambridge, where all night they lay on their arms.
The battle of the nineteenth of April began at Lexington, and ended in Somerville, and in its glory Somerville is entitled to share.
BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
On April 20, General Artemas Ward, the senior in date of commission, took command of the American forces, with headquarters at Cambridge, whence, under the resolve of the Provincial Congress for the enlistment of thirty thousand men, the militia from all directions began to march.
Within a short time there were fifteen thousand troops, or more, in the American camp, among them many from New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Early in May, a report was made to the Committee of Safety, recom- mending the immediate fortifying of Prospect Hill and vicinity, and of Bunker Hill : and probably not long after, earthworks were thrown up near Union Square, commanding the Charlestown road (Washington Street). Troops meanwhile were posted both in Roxbury and Somerville, to repel any attempt that might be made by the enemy to march out of Boston.
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Roxbury Neck had been fortified the previous winter by the British, and now bristled with thirty cannon or more, but Charlestown was still neutral ground, Gage probably fearing to divide his forces by its occupation.
The measure suggested in May for fortifying Bunker Hill was not finally decided on until June 15, when rumors became prevalent that the British were again planning to march out into the country.
On the 16th, General Ward ordered Col. William Prescott, with three Massachusetts regiments, and a batallion of Connecticut troops, about a thousand or twelve hundred in all, to proceed that night to Charlestown and seize and fortify Bunker Hill. The troops were paraded on Cambridge Common, and after a prayer by Dr. Langdon, President of Harvard College, at about nine o'clock in the evening, commenced their march towards Bunker Hill, passing through Somerville, by way of Washington Street and Union Square, down to and across the Neck. Colonel Prescott, with two sergeants carrying dark lanterns, led the way.
General Israel Putnam and Colonel Richard Gridley, the engineer of the army, accompanied the expedition, and following after were wagons with intrenching tools. Their destination was kept a profound secret from the troops until after crossing the Neck.
Prescott had been ordered to fortify Bunker Hill, but it was soon discovered that Breed's Hill was a superior military position, and after consultation, and some loss of time, it was determined to fortify that in place of Bunker.
Col. Gridley immediately laid out the works, which, rising as if by magic, confronted and challenged the British fleet and army at sunrise.
The details of the battle on Bunker Hill are familiar to all, and only such events connected with it as occurred in Somerville need be related.
For some time previous to the 17th, Colonel John Patterson's regiment of Berkshire men had been stationed at the redoubt near the foot of Pros- pect Hill, where they probably remained throughout the day, having been, with Ward's regiment and part of Bridge's, held back as a reserve. All other Massachusetts troops, and those of New Hampshire and Connecticut, were ordered to the front. A great part of them never arrived there, the furious cannonading from the fleet across the Neck, and into East Somer- ville, rendering any attempt to reach the peninsula perilous. Yet it was over this Neck, and through this storm of shot and shell, that the terror- stricken people fled into Somerville from their burning homes in Charles- town.
Early in the fight, Major Gridley, son of the engineer, was ordered with his company of artillery to reinforce Prescott ; he was a young man with but little military experience, and instead of obeying orders, he took a position, with a portion of his force, on Cobble, now Asylum Hill ; the rest of his company marched on to the scene of action. Col. Mansfield's regi- ment passing forward at this time with orders to the front, was directed by Gridley to support his battery, which disobeyed previous instructions. Mansfield did so, and also took a position on Cobble Hill. From this hill
FREDERICK G. SMITH, M. D.
DANIEL D. DUNKLEE.
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Gridley opened a feeble and ineffectual fire from his light guns upon the British ships which lay in the bay east of the hill.
Disobedience, or misunderstanding of orders, seemed to be a common occurrence. Colonel Scammon's regiment had also been ordered to the field of battle, which he curiously interpreted to mean Lechmere Point, now East Cambridge, and thither went. From there, however, he soon crossed to Cobble Hill and reinforced Gridley, and later on marched as far as Bunker Hill, but too late to be of service. Colonel Gerrish's regiment, also under orders to reinforce Prescott, found lodgment on Ploughed, now Convent Hill; part of the regiment later were led into action by a brave officer, named Febiger, and did valiant service.
Gridley, Mansfield, Scammons, and Gerrish, were each court-martialed. Gridley, Mansfield and Gerrish were cashiered, and Scammons acquitted : Gridley on account of his youth not being deprived of the right to hold future commission in the Continental Army.
Somerville beheld vivid scenes of war that day: incessant marching of troops towards the front, over Washington Street to Broadway; citizens fleeing here from their burning town ; officers galloping to and fro between the battlefield and Cambridge ; artillery bombarding the fleet from Asylum Hill; shot and shell from the frigates mercilessly raking the easterly part of the town ; fugitives and wounded soldiers, on litters or the shoulders of their comrades, hurrying to places of safety ; and finally the retreating army, who, victorous in defeat, planted themselves on Prospect and Winter Hills, expecting and ready for a renewal of the battle.
CHAPTER V.
THE SIEGE OF BOSTON. - INTRENCHMENTS MADE. - EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. - BATTLE OF HOG ISLAND. - GAGE'S PROCLAMATION OF AMNESTY. - FORTIFICATIONS ON PROSPECT AND WINTER HILLS. - ARRIVAL OF GENERALS WASHINGTON, PUTNAM AND LEE. - DECLARATION OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS. - DESCRIPTION OF THE PATRIOTS' CAMPS. - SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE AND TROOPS. - FIRST UNFURLING OF THE NEW FLAG OF THE UNITED COLONIES. - SEIZURE OF DORCHESTER HEIGHTS. - EVACUATION OF BOSTON BY THE BRITISH.
THE investment of Boston began on the night of the battle of Lexing- ton, when General Heath posted the guard at the foot of Prospect Hill.
Speaking of that battle a British officer says, " About seven o'clock in the evening we arrived at Charlestown." .. . "The rebels shut up the Neck and placed sentinels there." . .. "So that in the course of two days we were reduced to the disagreeable necessity of living on salt provisions, and fairly blocked up in Boston."
The posting of troops in Somerville and Roxbury shortly afterwards, to check any attempt of the enemy to again leave Boston, and the building of fortifications near Union Square and the Cambridge line, the first works
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thrown up by the Americans in this war, convinced the British that a siege was actually begun.
In the latter part of May General Burgoyne arrived in Boston, and writing to a friend in England, says, speaking of the town, that it is " invested by a rabble in arms, who, flushed with success and insolence, had advanced their sentries to pistol shot of our outguards; the ships in the harbor exposed to, and expecting a cannonade or bombardment."
The incidents of this siege crowded one upon another in quick succes- sion, and we can more readily chronicle them by noting each in the order of its occurrence. The earlier operations of the siege were probably desultory, and dictated by circumstances.
In the interim between the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, many events of interest took place.
On April 20 the Americans held their first council of war, at which were Generals Ward, Heath and Whitcomb, with many other Massachu- setts officers, some of whom figured prominently in the battle of June 17, notably Colonel William Prescott. Communication between the people of Boston and those outside was immediately cut off by Gage, who expressed fears to the Selectmen that the Americans would attack the town, and might be aided by its citizens, which would cause serious results; accordingly, on April 22, a town meeting was held, resulting in an agreement allowing all women and children who desired, to leave " with all their effects"; and " their men also," by solemnly engaging not to "take up arms against the King's troops, " "should an attack be made "; a further condition being that all firearms and ammunition be delivered up. This was reciprocated by the Provincial Congress, who gave to all outsiders who might wish, per- mission to enter Boston on similar terms ; and officers were stationed at the "Sun Tavern " at Charlestown Neck, and also in Roxbury, to issue passes
therefor. Under this arrangement nearly thirty-five hundred weapons were taken by the British, and never returned. For a while Gage kept the agreement in good faith, but later, at the instance of Tory advisers, he threw many obstacles in the way of those leaving, such as searching goods, separating families, etc., and finally forbade their leaving the town.
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