USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 17
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omy may be used in expending the public moneys ; and that no pres- ent grants may be made to those who serve the government. And we, in general, recommend to your care that the moneys of the Prov- ince, drawn from the individuals of the people at a time when almost every avenue of our trade is obstructed, may not be applied to any other purpose, under any pretence of necessary contingent charges, or of making up private losses, but what were evidently intended in the Act for supplying the Treasury. And, in the managing all other things that may come before you in the General Assembly, we wish you that wisdom which may be profitable to direct you therein."
Though the Stamp Act was repealed the following year, the mother country voted that she had a right to tax America whenever she found it expedient; which vote was, in principle, the same as the Stamp Act. On the 29th of June, 1767, the King, George III., signed another Act, which was even worse than the Stamp Act had been.
These acts of aggression worked on the minds of the colonists so that almost unanimously they agreed not to purchase clothing, &c., of the English ; but to use, as much as possible, their own manufactures. This was the time when nearly every household introduced the old-fashioned spinning-wheel and loom, and set about making their own cloth. The inhabitants of Boxford, on the 22d of March, 1768, "taking into consideration the deplorable circum- stances this country is under respecting the great decay of trade, the scarcity of money, and many other things, and that it is highly necessary that they should take all prudent and legal measures to encourage their own produce and manufactures, and discourage the unnecessary use of all foreign superfluities, and discountenance all vice, and pro- mote and encourage industry, economy, and good morals," it was therefore voted that Mr. Thomas Perley, Aaron Wood, Esq., and Mr. Luke Hovey, be a committee to pre- pare some proper resolves to lay before the town at their meeting the next May ; at which time the following resolves were accepted by the town : -
205
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
" Whereas, this Province labor under a heavy debt incurred in the late war; and the inhabitants by these means must be for some time subject to very burdensome taxes : and as trade has for some years been on the decline and is now particularly under great embarrassment and burthened with heavy imposition; our medium trade thereby greatly become very scarce and the balance of trade turned against the country ; and this town, in their proportion with other towns, feel the sad effects thereof. As it is the duty of every individual to aim at the public good of the society whereof he is a member, so it is the duty of every incorporated body to aim at the general good of that country of which they are a part. And although this town is but small, among the many towns in the country, yet it would do every thing in its power towards promoting every public good, and discounte- nancing all vice. Because of the poverty of the town, and its situa- tion, the inhabitants have never been able to go into the use of many articles mentioned in the votes of the freeholders and other inhabit- ants of the town of Boston, at their meeting at Faneuil-Hall, on Wednesday, October 28, 1767; yet they cannot wholly excuse them- selves from the use of some of the superfluities mentioned in said votes. Therefore, the town would strongly recommend to every house-holder and head of a family to endeavor, as much as they possi- bly can, to lessen in their families the use of all foreign superfluities, and to use such things in the room thereof as shall be of their own manufacture, and to do every thing they can to promote industry, economy, and frugality, and to discountenance all sorts of vice and immorality."
This resolution was so generally adhered to, that the consumption of British merchandise was greatly reduced in the Colonies, especially in the large and populous towns. In Boston alone, having then about fifteen thousand inhab- itants, it was lessened in the year 1764 more than ten thousand pounds sterling in value; that is, about fifty thousand dollars. But this, instead of inducing the Eng- lish to relax the severity of their measures, only caused them to persevere in their oppression. As matters grew worse, societies were formed; of which, probably, the most notable were the "Sons of Liberty." They consisted of those men who were determined to unite (which they did
206
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
by a kind of national compact) in resisting parliamentary oppression. Other societies were formed, of quite a differ- ent kind. These embraced persons of all ages, and of both sexes, who were more willing to do without luxuries, and live by their own industry, than to depend on Great Britain.
Instead of wearing imported cloth, the wealthy people were soon seen in dresses of their own manufacture ; and, for fear there might not be wool enough for this purpose, the use of sheep for food was discouraged. The most fashionable people could now card, spin, and weave their own cloth, and deny themselves the use of all foreign luxu- ries. Close economy became the order of the day.
In 1767 a law was passed by Great Britain, which obliged the several American legislatures to provide quar- ters for a part of the British troops, and furnish them with necessaries. Still more than this : an Act passed Parlia- ment, establishing a custom-house and board of commis- sioners in America. The duties were to commence Nov. 20; and early in that month three of the commissioners arrived at Boston. This inflamed the Colonists more than ever. The consequences were resolves, petitions, and remonstrances, from all parts of the country. A general petition of the Colonies on the subject was sent to the king, which greatly offended the British Administration, who, in their turn, sent a circular to the Colonies, demanding that they should retrace the steps they had taken, and crush in the bud the rising propensity among them to act in concert ; but all to no purpose.
The Colonies generally agreed, as we have before affirmed, that they would not allow any kind of goods or merchandise to be imported from Great Britain for one year, except a few articles which they specified ; nor to purchase British articles of the same kind from other colo- nies or nations who had procured them from England.
207
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
As time passed, and the indignation of the people in- creased, the board of commissioners found it harder and harder to perform their duties. As it was asserted by England, to help the commissioners prosecute their affairs, two regiments of British troops were sent across the At- lantic, and stationed in Boston. This act created a more general and inflamed indignation throughout the Colonies than any previous vote of the Crown.
In the early part of 1770, an Act was passed by the British Parliament for repealing all the duties which caused so much complaint, except the duty on tea.
Though the British soldiers and the people of Boston were continually insulting each other, there was no open quarrel until the 5th of March, 1770, when a mob gathered, and, proceeding to the custom-house, attacked the sentinel. He called to his aid the remainder of the guard, who marched out with guns loaded ; and, after being bullied by the mob, and stumped to fire, fired upon them, killing three persons, and wounding several more. The governor at last persuaded the mob to disperse, and go quietly to their homes. The next morning the troops were ordered off to Castle William, one of the city fortifications.
In the following May, Boxford expressed its mind, regard- ing the train of events through which we have just been leading our readers, in the following terms. It is very expressive of the patriotism that the town sustained all through the Revolution.
" At a meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Boxford, legally assembled, on Thursday, 24th of May, A.D. 1770 : the town taking into their most serious consideration the distressing circumstances this people are reduced to by means of the hard and oppressive acts imposing duties on sundry articles usually imported here from Great Britain, which, till of late, was unknown to us; and the sending of troops here to force us to comply with the same, under pretence of aiding the civil magistrates, and their most inhuman and barbarous actions since their being quartered in the town of Boston in
208
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
abusing, wounding, and killing some of the inhabitants thereof, con- trary to the laws of God and man ; and the unparalleled patience and prudence of the inhabitants of the said town of Boston, being very desirous of doing all in their power to try and preserve their liberty ; and sensible that the virtuous resolutions of the merchants and traders, not to import goods and merchandise from Great Britain, ought to be applauded by all,
" Therefore, Voted, That the quartering of troops in this Province in a time of profound peace, under pretence of aiding the civil magis- trate, when justice, until they were quartered here, was so impartially administered, is a great grievance; and that their so barbarously shedding innocent blood, with their other cruelties committed on the first of March last, in the town of Boston, is alarming and shocking to the last degree ; and that the patience and prudence of the inhabit- ants of the town of Boston, in consequence of that horrid and bloody scene, ought always to be remembered and spoken of to their praise.
" Secondly, Voted, That they will, to their utmost, encourage the produce and manufacture of all such articles as have formerly been imported from Great Britain and used among them.
" Thirdly, Voted, That they will not use any foreign tea, nor suffer it to be used in their families (cases of sickness excepted), until the duty upon it shall be wholly taken off, -the duty on which has so largely contributed towards the support of such a .. . * set of men.
" Fourthly, Voted, That they will not by any means whatever, knowingly, have any sort of trade or dealings with those detestable persons who have preferred their own little interest to the good of the country in contriving to import goods contrary to the non-importa- tion agreement of the merchants and traders on the Continent; and that whosoever shall be found to trade with them, knowingly, shall be deemed unworthy to hold any office, or place of trust, in the town forever hereafter."
We have never seen, in plainness of speech, a set of resolves so becoming a "Son of Liberty," as were these passed by Boxford. They expressed their total abhorrence of those persons who claimed to be friends of the British municipality, and who upheld the doings of the British
* Hon. Aaron Wood, who was town-clerk when these resolves were passed, being a moral man, left this word out and inserted a blank in its stead.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
troops, in a manner perhaps too forcible. As time passed the feeling against Great Britain increased, especially in Boston and the immediate vicinity ; and the people could not restrain themselves from giving expression to their feelings as the repulsive acts of the mother country were constantly bearing down upon them harder and harder.
The people of Boston met on the 20th of November, 1772, prepared a set of resolves, stating the rights of the Province, and setting forth the infringements thereon, had them printed in a pamphlet, and sent them to each town in the Province, desiring the people to express their opinion in the matter, and to pass such votes and resolves thereon as they should judge proper. A committee was chosen to conduct the correspondence. In due time Boxford received one of the pamphlets, accompanied by a letter ; whereupon a town-meeting was appointed Jan. 21, 1773, but was adjourned until the 4th of the following month, when the inhabitants assembled, and, after the letter and pamphlet were "publicly read and duly considered," it was voted "that the thanks of the town be offered to that respectable community ; not only for their own unalterable firmness and heroic exertions in the cause of liberty, but also for the care and vigilance they have exercised in rous- ing up their brethren through the Province to consider of some proper methods which may be taken to avert the many unconstitutional innovations that have been and still are imposing upon us. We judge it unnecessary to particu- larize the many grievances we labor under, or to enumerate the many bold and glaring attempts offered by the British Parliament and Ministry to deprive us of our natural rights and charter privileges ; but concur with the results of a meeting of the town of Boston, held on the 20th of November last, both in stating the rights of the Province, and in setting forth the infringements thereon, they being agreeable to our sentiments, which we think not only our
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
indispensable duty to show at this critical time, but also that it is the duty of every incorporated town throughout this Province, although ever so small. On these principles we have acted, knowing ourselves to be enrolled in the lower class of these bodies ; yet are desirous to exert our utmost abilities in all legal and Constitutional methods to break, if possible, the iron band of oppression, and prevent the welding of the last link in our chain of impending slavery." It was voted to transmit a copy of these resolu- tions to Boston.
Again, on the 27th of December following, eleven days after the tea was thrown overboard in Boston Harbor, the town assembled to consider a letter and other papers which they had received from Boston, relating to the infringements and violation of their rights, by the East India Company's endeavoring to force upon the Colonies large quantities of tea, subject to a duty from them, which they had but recently been privileged to do by an express Act of Parliament. After " having taken under our delib- erate consideration the many and grievous acts of the British Parliament to deprive us of our Charter rights and privileges, but more alarmed at the late Act of the British Parliament, passed in the last sessions of Parliament, where- by the East India Company in London are empowered to export their teas on their own account to the British Plan- tation in America, and to expose the same for sale, subject to a duty payable in America, to be collected by a set of men worse than Egyptian taskmasters, which, if submitted to, we fear will prove fatal to the Colonies. Therefore, it is the resolution of this town to do all that is in their power, in a lawful way, to heave off this yoke of slavery, and to unite with their brethren of the town of Boston, and the other towns in the Province, to defend our rights and Charter privileges, not only with our estates but with our lives; considering how dear those rights and privileges
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
were purchased for us by our forefathers at the expense of their own blood and treasure. Whereas some of the merchants of Boston, to their shame, and contrary to their agreement, have imported teas subject to a duty payable here : although it is but a small quantity yet we look upon all such persons who import teas upon any pretence what- soever, subject to the payment of a duty in America, as, in an eminent degree, enemies to their country, and ought to be treated with contempt; and the town return their hearty thanks to the committee of correspondence of the town of Boston, and to the inhabitants of said town, for the heroic exertions of themselves in the defence of all our rights and privileges against such persons as have sought to enslave us." It was voted to send a copy of these resolves to Boston.
The next act of aggression of Great Britain was the " Boston Port Bill," which would not allow any goods to be landed in Boston, thus placing it in a blockade. But the Americans were bound to be at the head ; for no sooner had this Act been passed than a League and Covenant, as it was called, -an agreement not to trade any more with England, - was signed by multitudes.
In the progress of the year 1774, the governor of Mas- sachusetts, who was a favorite of the King, began to for- tify Boston Neck; this being done, he sent out troops, and seized upon the powder-magazine at Charlestown. In Portsmouth, N. H., the Colonists seized upon the fort, though garrisoned with British troops, and carried off every gun and every pound of powder. The people of Newport, R.I., also took possession of forty pieces of cannon in the same way. Many will remember the stratagem the Colo- nists used to remove their stores of munitions of war from Boston, where they were deposited, into the country. Thus matters went on. The British took all the cannon and stores of ammunition that they heard of in the vicinity,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
while the Colonists were gathering every thing that would help them in the tempest which they foresaw must soon break upon their monotonous lives. The Provincial Con- gress had given out orders to have the whole Province armed, and that twenty thousand soldiers should keep themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning. And, as soon as Boxford received the order, nearly every man and boy that was old enough and able to carry a gun, who was not obliged by law to train, and others, separated themselves from their companies, making the number of fifty-two in all, and enlisted as minute-men. There were, therefore, now three companies, - two of the regular mi- litia, and one of the minute-men, - all of which contained one hundred and forty-two soldiers. One hundred and forty-two men out of a population of only about nine hun- dred! Think of the spirit which animated the breasts of our inhabitants at this early period in the history of the Revolution, when the first gun had not been fired, and, as yet, almost nothing had been done. But they had been cautiously watching the movements of the British in Bos- ton ; and as they watched they grew more confident that an open affray would soon take place; and their watching was not in vain.
No orator has so eloquently described the interest that was manifested when the British began their attacks, as these simple figures. When we consider that the soldiers were not called out by any special order of authority ; that their patriotic spirit had not been stirred by the appeals of the press, or by the eloquence of orators whose hearts were burning with the love of liberty and the hatred of oppres- sion ; that they only knew from the signal-guns, and the fires on the neighboring hills, that the British were in motion ; and that nearly, if not quite, every able-bodied man in town, must, of his own accord, have left the work upon which he was engaged, and shouldered his musket,
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
and marched, at a moment's warning, to meet the foe,- we cannot help giving them a large place in our history. With this spirit they entered the conflict of seven years' duration ; and may the gallantry and honest-heartedness that they ever manifested in the service of their country be recorded to their praise !
As a proof of the belief that the minute-men would soon be needed, we find that the town voted, March 14 (1775), "that the minute-men shall train one half day in a week, for four weeks after this week is ended." The town also voted, on the 5th of the preceding January, to give some- thing to those soldiers that would arm, equip, and hold themselves in readiness to march in any emergency in defence of the Province. How many did this, we have already seen ; their names may be found in the following chapter.
CHAPTER X.
THE REVOLUTION- Concluded.
BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. - MUSTER-ROLLS. - CAPTAINS CUSHING, GOULD, AND PERLEY. - BATTLE OF BUNKER-HILL. -- ASSIST- ANCE SENT TO GLOUCESTER. - WASHINGTON CHOSEN COM- MANDER-IN-CHIEF. - MANUFACTURE OF GUNPOWDER. - CON- CURRENCE OF THE TOWN IN DECLARING INDEPENDENCE. - ROLLS. - EVACUATION OF THE BRITISH FROM BOSTON. - IN- TRENCHING TOOLS. - THE HESSIANS. - EXPEDITION AGAINST THE SIX NATIONS. - EVENTS OF 1777 .- SOLDIERS HIRED. - ANTI-TORY SENTIMENT. - EVENTS OF 1778-1781 .- SOLDIERS. - HENRY PERLEY. - THE ARMY DISBANDED.
E cannot longer procrastinate in coming to the opening conflicts of the Revolution. The Brit- ish troops were already committing depredations in the surrounding country ; and the militia everywhere were constantly engaged in training themselves for real service. Excitement, such as has been known in few periods of the history of our country, prevailed wher- ever the people were congregated, and the condition of affairs was the theme of the hour.
Late in the evening of April 18, 1775, Gov. Gage sent out eight hundred of the British troops to destroy some military stores at Lexington and Concord, - about four- teen miles north-west of Boston. But, in spite of the late- ness of the hour and the secrecy of their movements, they were discovered, and messengers, like Paul Revere, quickly carried the news to the neighboring towns. Many
214
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
of the farmers in Boxford had already begun their daily labor on this beautiful spring morning, when they heard the alarm-gun fired at Andover ; and, unhitching the oxen, they left their plough in the furrow. Hurrying to their rendezvous, the three companies began their march to Lex- ington, where, they were informed, the fighting was going on. Hardly daylight when they started, the sun arose in all the glory of a sunrise in spring ;
" And, as they neared Lexington town, The hands pointing six on the clock, They heard the bleating of the flock, And the twitter of birds among the trees, And felt the breath of the morning breeze Blowing over the meadows brown."
But they arrived as the dead were being laid out, - too late to participate in the fight at either Lexington or Con- cord. But their long march was not to be for nothing, and they fell in with the provincials, before whom the British were retreating back to Boston ;
" .... And gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and barnyard wall, Chasing the red-coats down the lane, Then crossing the field to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load."
They pursued the British back to Boston, which was reached about sunset, and took up their position with the rest of the militia in Cambridge, as we find by the rolls that they went from forty to sixty-five miles, and were in the service from four days to a week. Probably some of them could not conveniently be away for so long a time when there were so few men remaining at home. We give below verbatim copies of the rolls of the two companies of militia and the company of minute-men, each of which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
These rolls have been carefully transcribed from the originals in the State archives of Massachusetts.
" A muster roll of the Compy under the Command of Capt Fohn Cushing, in Colo Samt Johnson's Regt of Militia which march'd on the Alarm Apr' 19th 1775." [Mass. Archives, "Lexington Alarm," Vol. XI., p. 259.]
NAMES.
Quality.
no. miles out
& home.
Amot @ Id
p. mile.
no. days ea : man
was in service.
Wages due to ea: man.
Total of travel & Wages.
John Cushing
Capt
62
5/2
6
£1 .. 5 .. 8/2
£I .. IO .. 10/2
Jonª Foster
Lt
63
5/3
6
0 .. 17 .. 1/2
I .. 2. 4/2
Amos Spafford
Ensn
24
2/.
I
O .. 2 .. 6
o .. 4 . 6
Abra Tyler
Serjt
64
5/4
5
O .. 8 .. 6/2
o .. 13 .. 10/2
Moses Tyler
do
24
2/.
I
O .. I .. 8/2
0. 3. 8/2
Lemuel Wood .
do
60
5/.
4
o .. 6 .. 10
O .. II .. IO
Sammuel Runnels
Drum™
62
5/2
3
O ..
4 .. 8/2
O .. 9 .. 10/2
Thos Adams
Priva
64
5/4
5
O ..
7. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
5/2
Daniel Adams .
do
64
5/4
4
O ..
5. 8/2
6
O .. 13 . 7
Gilbert Chadwick
do
61
5/I
5
0. 7 .. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
Thos Chadwick
do
60
5/.
5
0. 7. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
1/2
Isaac Chadwick
do
60
5/.
5
O .. 7 .. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
1/2
Enos Carlton .
do
63
5/3
5
O .. 7 ..
I/2
O .. 12 .. 4/2
Joseph Carlton
do
24
2/.
I
O .. I ..
5
O .. 3 ..
5
Ephm Foster
do
64
5/4
4
..
5 ..
8/2
O .. II ..
0/2
John Hovey
do
54
4/6
4
o ..
5 ..
8/2
O .. IO ..
2/2
Luke Hovey.
do
63
5/3
5
O .. 7 ..
1/2
0 .. 12 ..
4/2
David Kimball
do
63
5/3
4
..
5 ..
8/2
O .. 10 .. 11/2
Pelatiah Lakeman
d°
64
5/4
6
0
..
8 .. 6
O .. 13 .. IO
Wm Porter .
d.
60
5/.
4
O .. 5 ..
8/2
O .. IO ..
8/2
Sam1 Porter
do
62
5/2
5
..
7 .. 1/2
0 .. 12 ..
3/2
Benja Porter
do
62
5/2
5
O .. 7 .. I/2
O .. 12 ..
3/2
Tyler Porter
do
62
5/2
5
O ..
7. 1/2
0 .. 12 ..
3/2
Nath1 Peabody
do
62
5/2
3
O .. 4 ..
3
o .. 9 ..
5
John Pearl
do
60
5/-
4
O ..
8/2
O .. IO ..
8/2
Stephn Spafford
do
64
5/4
5
.. 7 .. I/2
0 .. 12 ..
5/2
Parker Spafford
do
64
5/4
5
7 ..
1/2
0 .. 12 ... 5/2
Parker Tyler
do
59
4/II
4
O .. 5 .. 8/2
O .. IO ..
7/2
Jonª Tyler
do
62
5/2
5
O .. 7 .. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
3/2
John Tyler
62
5/2
5
O .. 7. 1/2
O .. 12 ..
3/
Reuben Gragg .
do
24
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