USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Gloucester > The book of the three hundredth anniversary observance of the foundation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at Cape Ann in 1623 and the fiftieth year of the incorporation of Gloucester as a city > Part 20
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Cadet Corps United States Coast Guard Academy from the U. S. Coast Guard Training cutter Alexander Hamilton, 70 cadets. Senior Cadet Nathaniel Dyer, commanding; Cadet Engineer T. R. Bailey, company sub-commander; Cadet R. V. Marron, commanding first platoon; Cadet O. R. Holberg, commanding second platoon.
First Division
Captain Carleton H. Parsons, Marshal; Col. E. R. Redmond and Col. Edward H. Eldredge, Aids; Lester R. Kelley, orderly.
Fifth Infantry band and buglers, 50 men. Warrant officer Kurt Freier, band master; Edward Sims, drum major.
One battalion 5th U. S. Infantry, 280 men, Major Harry C. McLean, commanding; Captain John E. Dahlquist, Adjutant; Captain C. E. Raynes, Captain L. E. Norris, Captain H. A. Wear, Captain W. D. Powell, Captain C. S. Whithead; Lieutenant H. B. Sherman, Lieutenant John E. Haleston, Lieutenant Lawrence C. Collins, Major Bollibaugh, Medical Corps.
U. S. S. Army trucks 39,631 and 38,927, tank trailer 06234 and tank truck 810,219.
U. S. S. Shawmut band, 22 men, D. R. Bowman, Drum Major; Charles Hill, bandmaster.
Battalion of bluejackets from U. S. S. Shawmut, 60 men; U. S. S. Mahan, 25 men; U. S. S. Maury, 25 men; U. S. S. Sharkey, 25 men; U. S. S. Flusser, 25 men; U. S. S. Lardner, 25 men; U. S. S. Brooks, 25 men; U. S. S. Mallard and U. S. S. Lark, 10 men each, Lieutenant-Commander R. C. Parker, U. S. N. of the Brooks, battalion commander; Lieutenant R. T. Darrow, U. S. N., Adjutant. Chief Torpedoman T. J. Flanagan and Bugler W. F. Nichols.
T. S. Plane A6248 from the U. S. S. Langley, Lieut. Braxton Rhodes, U. S. N., commanding; drawn by 30 bluejackets. Will David Doyle, young son of Capt. S. H. Doyle, commanding, was the aviator.
Two companies of bluejackets from the United States Coast Guard squadron, U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton, U. S.
HISTORICAL FLOATS IN PARADE
Above ---- Group Representing Myles Standish-Capt. Hewes
Clash at Stage Fort, 1625.
Below-The Jeffrey Parsons-Sarah Vincent Episode, 1657.
Above-Rev. Richard Blynman Leading His Parishioners to Church, 1642.
Below -- Visit of Champlain to Le Beauport, 1606.
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Coast Guard Cutter Modoc, flagship; U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Gresham, U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Tampa; Lieutenant Robert Donahue of the Hamilton, battalion commander; Lieutenant R. S. Patch of the Modoc, Adjutant.
First Company, 75 men-Lieutenant L. Spencer, commander; Ensign R. J. Mauerman and Ensign E. C. McNeil, platoon com- manders.
Second company, 75 men-Lieutenant R. T. McElligot, com- mander; Ensign E. H. Fritsche and Ensign H. E. Grogan, platoon commanders.
Gloucester High School Unit, Reserve Officers' Training Corps; U. S. A., 100 men, Major P. Elliot McLaughlin, commander.
102d Field Artillery Band, 28 pieces, Massachusetts National Guard, Warrant Officer John H. Lee, band master.
Battery A, 102d Field Artillery, Massachusetts National Guard, Lieutenant Charles H. Hilton, acting commanding officer; Lieutenant Francis A. Regan and Lieutenant John Borgstrom. The entire bat- tery of seven sections of 75 millimetre field pieces, caisson section, battery section, rolling kitchen, water cart and reel cart, preceded by a special commanding officers' detail of 20 men single mounted, 100 men and 114 horses in line.
Automobiles containing committeemen, officials and distinguished guests, led by a car containing Lieutenant Governor Alvan T. Fuller and Mayor William J. MacInnis.
City of Gloucester official car containing Aldermen Gilbert W. O'Neil, Henry H. Parsons, Martha N. Brooks and Harry G. Pew.
Automobile containing members of the Executive Committee, Charles H. Barrett, chairman; Harold H. Parsons, secretary; Edward Dolliver, treasurer, Howard F. Corliss and William D. Corliss.
U. S. Army car, containing Major General A. W. Brewster, U. S. A., commanding the First Corps Area, United States Army and Captain Cunningham, aid to the General.
U. S. Army car containing Brigadier General Melvin Hill Barnum, U. S. A., commandant Camp Devens, Mrs. Barnum and Mrs. Pollard.
Automobile containing United States Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, United States Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas, Wilfred W. Lufkin, Collector of Customs for the District of Massachusetts and John F. Redmond, secretary to Senator Lodge.
Automobile containing Captain W. L. Littlefield, U. S. N .; Cap- tain J. W. Greensalde, U. S. N .; Captain S. H. R. Doyle, U. S. N .; Commander W. T. Jacobs, U. S. N.
Automobile containing Commander B. M. Chiswell, U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Modoc; Commander F. C. Ballard, aide to the com- mander, U. S. Coast Guard; Lieutenant-Commander H. D. Hinckley, U. S. Coast Guard Training Ship Alexander Hamilton; Lieutenant Commander U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Gresham; Lieutenant-Com- mander James Pine, U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton; Lieutenant J. E. Stecker, U. S. S. Modoc.
Automobile containing official delegation representing the Massachusetts General Court, Representative B. Loring Young,
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speaker of the House of Representatives; Senator John A. Stoddart, official representative of the State Senate in the absence of its president; Representative John Thomas, Representative John A. Hawson and Charles O. Holt, sergeant-at-arms.
Twenty automobiles containing Massachusetts senators and rep- resentatives, mayors of cities and selectmen of towns, including of- ficial delegations from Gloucester City, N. J., Northampton, Quincy, Springfield, Marlboro, Boston, Weymouth and others.
Second Division
Col. A. Piatt Andrew, Congressman from the Sixth Massachusetts District, marshal; Lieutenant Sherman G. Harriman, 102d Field Ar- tillery, Massachusetts National Guard, aide.
Gloucester Cadet Band, 25 pieces, James B. Silva, leader.
Massed Colors, United Spanish War Veterans of William Mc- Kinley Camp 26, Roxbury Camp 13 and Grady Camp 3, of East Bos- ton, Nash Brothers of Grady Camp, color bearers.
William McKinley Camp, No. 26, U. S. W. V., of this city, 25 men.
Captain Lester S. Wass Post 3, American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps, 35 pieces; Robert Hennessy, drum major; Frederick McRae, leader.
Captain Lester S. Wass Post 3, American Legion, Lieut. Jerry E. Cook, commanding, 100 men.
Massed colors, American Legion; Captain Lester S. Wass Post 3, Frank Salles, Jr., and Maurice Dunn, color guards; Peatfield Wade Bruce Post 80 of Ipswich, J. H. Curry and Howard Morse, color guards; Earl T. Waddell Post 12 of Beverly, Albert O'Donnell and F. Woods, color guards; Lawrence Post 15, P. Sheldon Sudbay and Anton Morris, color guards.
Marine Corps and Naval detachment Captain Lester S. Wass Post.
Sons of Veterans Division, State Department, Eugene A. Atwood, Division Commander.
Massed colors, Sons of Veterans, including State colors, Camp 129 of Haverhill, Camp 56 of Cambridge, Camp 109 of Newburyport, Camp 94 of Marlboro, Camp 24 of Gloucester.
Delegation of 15 men, William Swasey Camp 109, Lynn, Frank E. Ryan, commander.
Delegation from Col. Charles R. Mudge Camp No. 1, Sons of Veterans, of Lynn.
Girl Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, 26 girls, Miss Elizabeth Baker, drum major; Miss Beatrice Madsen, acting leader.
Troops 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Girl Scouts.
Troop 1, Scouts of Roxbury.
Wahama Naval Girl Scouts of Rockport.
Waino Band, 25 pieces, John A. Jacobson, leader.
Troops 1, 3 and 6 Boy Scouts of America, John A. Coggeshall, Scoutmaster, 25 boys.
Five hundred school children of the schools of Gloucester.
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The Bradstreet school, 39 boys and girls. Haskell-Bray schools, 15 children. Blynman school, 15 children. Riggs school, 22 children. Babson school, 40 boys and girls. Eastern Avenue school, 30 boys and girls.
Collins school, 60 boys and girls. Lane school, 54 boys and girls. St. Ann's Parochial school, 30 children.
Point schools, 44 boys and girls. Maplewood school, 60 boys and girls.
Sawyer school, 60 children.
Hovey school, 20 children.
Third Division. (Color Red.)
Dr. Elmer W. Babson, chief and staff. Clark's Band.
Canton Gloucester, Patriarchs Militant.
Ocean Lodge, I. O. O. F.
Constantine Lodge, K. of P.
Constantine Lodge, K. of P., float.
Beverly Cadet Band. Cape Ann Lodge of Moose.
Clan Chisholm, Scottish Clans, and band.
Fraternity Drum Corps.
Portuguese Community. Portuguese Community, float, Ship Gabriel.
Junior Portuguese Fraternity.
Waltham Watch Co. Band.
Finnish Community.
Fourth Division. (Color Blue.)
William T. Gamage, chief, and staff. Putnam's Band.
Car containing Mrs. Emma Safford and Winnie Tantaquidgeon and Girl Scouts.
Historical Tableau of Parade.
1606-Champlain visited by Indian Chief Onemechin.
1625-Myles Standish demanding surrender of Hewes who had seized supplies of Pilgrim fishermen at Stage Fort. Roger Conant acting as peacemaker.
1643-Rev. Richard Blynman preaching to early settlers.
1657-Sarah Vincent and Jeffrey Parsons.
1713-Origin of "Schooner."
1776-Washington subscribing to relief of Gloucester inhabitants. 1861-Picking lint and rolling bandages for the Army.
City of Haverhill, float. Town of Nahant, float. Rotary Club of Salem, float. W. C. T. U., float.
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Cape Ann Encampment, I. O. O. F., float.
Wingaersheek Tribe of Red Men, three floats. Ucita Council, D. of P., float.
Col. Allen, Women's Relief Corps, float.
Gloucester Lodge of Elks, "Jolly Corks."
Seashore Rebekah Lodge, float.
Rogers Glue Co.'s float.
Louisa Parsons Auxiliary, float.
American Legion Auxiliary, float.
Gloucester Anti-Tuberculosis Society.
Kearsarge and Georgia floats, from Navy Yard at Portsmouth.
Companions of the Forest, float.
Carriage of Colonial Days.
Float demonstrating Public Health.
In a car in the historical section was Mrs. Emma Safford of Ipswich, a lineal descendant from Massasoit in the ninth genera- tion and with her was Miss Winnie Tantaquidgeon of the Mo- hegan Tribe of Mohegan, Conn. In the float representing the visit of Chief Onemechin to Champlain in 1606 was Mrs. Mary E. Chappell of Ponkapoag tribe, Miss Gladys Tantaquidgeon, Chiefs Matahga and Occum of the Mohegan tribe, all descend- ants of the first Americans.
Two models of ships in the parade from the Portsmouth Navy Yard were of unusual interest, that of the U. S. S. Kear- sarge, built at Portsmouth, N. H. in 1862, which sank the Con- federate "Alabama" and the U. S. S. "Georgia" one of the pioneer battleships of the new navy, built at Bath, Maine.
A special committee appointed to judge the school children in the parade comprised Rev. Charles H. Williams, Ph. D., Aldro Hibbard and Miss Gage of New York city. The awards were -- Maplewood school, first prize; Collins school, second prize ; Riggs school, special mention.
The committee to judge various features included Alfred Mansfield Brooks, William E. Atwood and Susan Babson.
Awards were as follows:
Best Floats-First, Town of Nahant, $100; second, Ucita Council, Daughters of Pocahontas, $75; third, late Colonial car- riage, $50.
Three prizes of $25 each: Cape Ann Encampment, I. O. O. F .; Seashore Rebekah Lodge, I. O. O. F .; Gloucester Anti- Tuberculosis Society.
Best appearance : First, Portuguese Community, $25;
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Photo by courtesy of Boston Transcript
GRAND PARADE PASSING JOAN OF ARC WORLD WAR MEMORIAL STATUE FRONT OF AMERICAN LEGION HOME Hull of seaplane at left commanded by Ensign Eric Lingard of Gloucester in the only engagement of the Great War on this side of the Atlantic. First aircraft ever to defend American shores from direct enemy attack. This hull (HS-1-L 1695) was presented by the Navy Department to the City of Gloucester at request of the City Council so that, in accordance with a letter
from the Secretary of the Navy, "it may be set up in the Marine Park as an historical relic of the war." Ensign Lingard gave
his life to the defence of this coast. He died as the result of exposure to freezing waves when his plane tossed for 27 hours in Massachusetts Bay, while on volunteer flight through a storm in response to S. O. S. from a vessel reporting U-boat attack.
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second, Clan Chisholm, Scottish Clans, $15; third, Cape Ann Lodge, L. O. O. Moose.
CARILLON CONCERT
After the parade a carillon program was given, George B. Stevens being the carilloneur, including the following selections :
"Fanfare to a Festival," Richard Hammond; Norwegian National Hymn, Nordraak; "Long, Long Ago", Bayley; "Three Hundred Years Ago", O. W. Lane; Aria, "Knowest Thou The Land ?" "Mignon", Thomas; Largo from "New World Symphony", Dvorak; "The Dearest Spot on Earth to Me, is Home, Sweet Home," Wrighton; "The Old Oaken Bucket", "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", Bland; Negro Spiritual, "Nobody Knows De Trouble I've Seen," Burleigh.
WAR SONGS-"Tenting To Night," Kittredge; "Pack Up Your Troubles in the Old Kit-Bag," Powell; "It's a Long Way To Tipperary," Williams; "The Long, Long Trail," Elliott; "Irish Folk Song," Foote; Song of India, Rimsky-Korsakoff; "Legend of the Bell" from "Chimes of Normandy", Planquette; Portuguese National Song; "The End of a Perfect Day", Jacobs-Bond.
THE PAGEANT-DRAMA "GLOUCESTER"
The new note in local celebrations was the pageant-drama "Gloucester" on the evenings of August 28 and 30.
The place of presentation was at Stage Fort park, the site of the settlement in 1623, where was reenacted some of the stirring episodes of the pioneering days. Very fortunately this tract has been preserved by the city. It is an unrivalled natural amphitheatre overlooking the magnificent Gloucester bay, the Le Beauport of Champlain, the stage of level greensward, an eighth of a mile wide in area skirting the beach upland, the gently rising terrain forming the auditorium, capable of seating twenty thousand people.
On the left of this stage is the granite escarpment now known as Tablet rock. On the right, half-revealed in a copse of wood, is the castellated Hammond home. In the center of the picture is the noble bay and the shore line to Norman's woe. A stage realism unrivalled. In such a setting was presented Gloucester's first historical pageant.
The nights were overcast, favorable for the best scenic ef- fects. The temperature was most unseasonable, that of Novem- ber, most of the spectators wearing heavy wraps. Seating ar- rangements for 7000 had been provided. Including the previous
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dress rehearsal it is estimated that nearly 40,000 witnessed the spectacle paid and unpaid admissions. Some 2300 costumed persons were in the cast said to be one of the largest assemblages on an outdoor stage in this country.
The success of the pageant was beyond expectations. Pageant-masters from all over the United States and the press ac- claimed the production one of the most outstanding given in this country.
The credit of this gratifying verdict belongs in large measure to the artistic skill of the director Miss Mildred Peabody, the executive capacity of Mrs. V. B. Pringle in assembling the groups and in its business management and, also, to the people of Glouces- ter, who rallied so enthusiastically to the call for participants. From these groups, principals of a high order of dramatic ability were selected.
The Pageant-Drama "Gloucester" was written and presented by James R. Pringle ; Director of the Pageant, Mildred Peabody ; Business Manager and Secretary, Mrs. V. B. Pringle ; Treasurer, Ethel H. Bradley; Musical Director, Jean Missud; Costume Master, C. W. Ware; Master of Lighting, Walter L. Brown, Jr .; Master of Construction, Walter E. Marchant; Seating Director, J. Levy ; Master of Properties, Harold B. Geary.
The music for the prelude and finale was composed by Richard Pindell Hammond; music by the Salem Cadet Band; announcer of episodes, Rev. Dr. E. R. Shippen.
The pageant embraced a prologue, eight episodes and a finale or epilogue. In range it covered the supposed landing of Thorwald at Krossanes (Cape Ann?) from the year 1004 to the present, a span of more than nine centuries.
The Prologue treated of "the coming of the. Norsemen and the Passing of Thorwald." At the time the Indians had gathered in the field under Tablet rock for their annual thanks- giving service. While their prophet from the top of the ledge was invoking the Great Spirit, the Norse ship "Long Dragon" was descried coming into the harbor. Instantly all was con- fusion. The Indians retired to ambush. The Norsemen, land- ing, were attacked and driven back to their boat, their leader Thorwald being killed. The scene was depicted with great dignity and beauty and struck the keynote of the production. The principals were :
Thorwald, Alexander Flygare; Prophet Chief, Wilfred H. Ringer;
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Thorfein, Charles W. Thompson; Olaf, Ernest G. Swanson; Indian Squaw, Mrs. Leah Woodbury; with Norsemen and Indians.
Episode I, was another scene of color treating of the coming of Champlain to "Le Beauport" in September 1606, during which stay he was visited by the Indians and narrowly escaped the fate of Thorwald, evading an ambush. The principals were :
Chevalier Champlain, Edmund T. Fanning; Sieur De Poutrin- court, Henry Garvey; Chief Quoihamenec, F. H. Rogers; Chief Co- honepec, H. B. Proctor; Chief Onemechin, Charles A. Davis; Indian Prophet, C. F. Bray, Jr .; Indian map drawer, William Lightizer; Indian interpreter, Leon Proctor; monk, Michael E. Fanning; stand- ard bearer, Everett Greel; chart maker, N. D. Souza; French sailors, musketeers, Indians.
After Champlain, in Episode II, came the redoubtable Capt. John Smith, he who named the cape Tragabigzanda, one of the three islands off the southeast coast, the Turks' Heads. Here the action began, far afield on a Turkish battlefield, where Capt. Smith challenged and slew in mortal combat three Mussulmen, was afterwards captured and released by the Princess Tragabig- zanda-hence the names bestowed. Then the scene shifted to the Royal palace in London where Prince Charles, afterwards Charles I, erased the name Tragabigzanda from the map and substituted that of his mother, Anne of Denmark, and Cape Ann it has ever remained. The cast included :
Captain John Smith, Frank S. Chadbourne; 1st Turk, Leland Smith; 2nd Turk, Cornelius Thibeault; 3rd Turk, Joseph Sears; Princess Tragibigzanda, Natalie Hammond; Attendants to Princess, Helen Carusi, Harriet Jordan Babson, Katherine Mayor, Elizabeth Phillips, Helen Patch, Paula Patch, Lucretia Collins; Queen Anne, Mary Hoyle; Prince Charles, George Frye Merrill; Captain John Smith, Navigator, Charles A. Ingalls; Turkish patrols, Wilson Pine, Roger Pine; Turkish servant, Howard Curtis; Turkish women, sailors, of the period, Turkish soldiers, Christian soldiers, Ladies of the court, Courtiers.
But it was in the next episode, "The Departure from Dor- chester, England," of the Founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1623 that, concededly, the culmination of pageantry in this country was reached. In this scene some 1800 persons par- ticipated. The spectators were, indeed, transported back three centuries, so realistic was the presentation.
The opening was on the village green, where the people of high and low degree were assembled to wish the departing colonists God Speed. The pageantry of the post-Elizabethan period was
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exemplified. Lords and ladies on gaily caparisoned steeds, ladies borne in sedan chairs, the yeomanry in russet smocks, the children dancing around the Maypoles, booths at which cakes and beer were sold, Merry Andrews, gamesters tricking the rustics, all made a composite which was in truth "Merrie England" revived on the shores of New England three centuries later. After the throng had disported itself Rev. John White, Puritan rector of St. Peter's Church, Dorchester, who sponsored the enterprise, came into the group and addressed the departing adventurers after which the colonists sailed on their great adventure.
This ship, a counterpart of the type of the time, was anchored off Dolliver's point and was the contribution of Mr. Edmund Heard of Boston, his schooner yacht "Mammy" being converted for the occasion. The principals of the episode were :
Rev. John White, Clifford B. Terry, Esq .; Sir Roger Branscombe, Hyatt Mayor; Sir Julian, Brantz Mayor; occupants of sedan chairs, Mrs. Edward D. Parsons, Ethel H. Bradley; hobby horse, E. R. Sweet; Jester, Wilmot A. Reed.
Followed the picturesque Episode IV. The scene shifted to Cape Ann, Fisherman's Field, 1623. The fishermen were busy mending their nets. Also appeared Capt. Hewes and his bucca- neering crew, who preempted the stage built by the Pilgrims of Plymouth who set up fishing here. To dispossess them the Pilgrims sent over the hot-tempered Myles Standish.
Hewes and his crowd were discovered making merry, singing ribald songs, attired in the costume which befits those crews who flew the Jolly Roger and brought back chests of pieces of eight and doubloons as booty. Appeared Standish and his men and de- manded peremptorily that the trespassers get out. But Hewes and his band laughed Standish to very scorn. The two factions pre- pared for warfare, bloodshed seemed imminent, when the peace- making Roger Conant came on the scene as arbitrator and sug- gested a solution which was accepted. The facts of the incident are inscribed on the bronze memorial tablet on the nearby ledge. The cast :
Roger Conant, Frederick Conant; Myles Standish, Dr. Philip P. Moore; Rev. John Lyford, a minister of the Established Church, George Frye Merrill, Esq .; Captain Hewes, Gilbert N. Ryan; Capt. William Pierce, commander of a pilgrim fishing craft, George E. Russell; fishermen, farmers, etc.
Episode V-Was America to be French or English? One of the most crucial periods in the history of the continent was
EXECUTIVES OF THE PAGEANT MILDRED PEABODY Director of the Pageant
MRS. V. B. PRINGLE Business and Executive Manager
RICHARD PINDELL HAMMOND Composer of Pageant Music
ETHEL H. BRADLEY Treasurer of Pageant JAMES R. PRINGLE Author and Producer of the Pageant Author "Permanent Settlement at Cape Ann 1625." (See page 142)
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embraced in the struggle of the French and English for domi- nancy. Both prepared for a war of extinction. The New Eng- land seaboard struck first. In March 1745, a company from Gloucester departed with 4000 Massachusetts men under Sir William Pepperell, joined the British squadron at Canso and re- duced the supposed impregnable stronghold of Louisburg, first in a chain of victories which lead to the downfall of the French on the American continent. Gloucester was represented in all of these campaigns.
While encamped before Louisburg in 1745 occurred the celebrated Peg Wesson incident. Capt. Charles Byles com- manded the Gloucester company. Before leaving home, so the story went, a number of the company roisterers had visited Peg, a reputed witch and so exasperated her that she vowed vengeance. Before the camp of the Gloucestrians at Louisburg, a crow caused much annoyance by circling about and continually caw- ing. Efforts to bring the bird down failed. Finally it was sug- gested that the crow was Peg Wesson, changed, according to the belief of the times, taking this method of wreaking ven- geance.
According to popular belief nothing but a gold or silver bullet could bring down the transformed witch. Hastily cutting a silver button from his waistcoat Capt. Byles bade a soldier use it as a bullet. The man fired and the crow fell wounded. At the same instant, so goes the tale, Peg fell at her house in Gloucester with a broken leg from which, it was averred, the attending sur- geon extracted the silver bullet.
This ancient story woven into the main fabric, featuring the departure served to vary the sameness of the military motive.
The dance of Peg's wood numphs in the distant forest was an effective and mystical adjunct.
The characters in the episode were :
Capt. Charles Byles, commander of the Gloucester company at Louisburg, Harland P. Dann; Stanwood, a soldier of Captain Byles' Company, Antone A. Silva; James Broom, a tavern keeper, Harry G. Pew; Mrs. Broom, Dorothy Burnham; Peg Wesson, Carrie E. Parsons; Lieutenant, Joseph M. Rivers; 1st soldier, Manuel Sousa; 2nd soldier, James M. Brazier; 3rd soldier, Everett Greel; soldiers of Captain Byles' company, townspeople, etc.
The period following the French and Indian war to the Revolution was the most prosperous in the history of the town. Episode VI covered this. It was divided into three sections. The first depicted a garden party on the grounds of a merchant
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prince of the time as typical of the social life of the wealthy class. This was a colorful setting the stately minuet and dances of the time being portrayed.
The second scene depicted the portentous days preceding the rupture with the Mother Country, a meeting at the Prentice tavern in June 1775, at which the citizens discuss the situation, denounce the tyranny of the crown and pledge themselves to re- sist at all hazards tyrannical rule, followed by the departure of two companies to Bunker Hill, attesting the patriotic spirit which preceded Independence. The participants in this scene were :
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