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 19
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The following men were stationed at Dorchester for an unknown period : Stephen Gould, John Herrick, Samuel Stiles, Jesse Burbank, Pelatiah Lakeman, and Joseph Reynolds.
The following were stationed at New York for two months : John Curtis, Nathan Low, Solomon Perley, Ezra Wildes, Joshua Andrews, Abraham Tyler, Samuel Carle- ton, John Tyler, David Wood, jr., and Benjamin Foster.
The following were also stationed at the same place for the same length of, but at a different, time : John Dorman, Elijah Averill, Nathan Wood, Abner Curtis, Joseph Hovey, Benjamin Dwinnell, Daniel Chapman, Enoch Wood, and Samuel Chadwick.
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The following were stationed for two months at Winter Hill : John Dorman, Jedediah Stickney, Jacob Smith, Daniel Chapman, Daniel Nurse, Francis Perley, William Rea, Nathan Low, David Stickney, and Jeremiah Foster, jr.
The following enlisted into the Continental and North- ern Army, at a different time from those on the preceding page (their length of service is not known): Stephen Symonds, Jacob Perley, Elijah Dwinnell, Jacob Gould, Sol- omon Gould, Amos Perley, Moses Peabody, Amos Perley, John Butman, Francis Perley, Nathan Andrews, Thomas Perley, jr., John Curtis, Asa Peabody, John Andrews, Nathaniel Smith, Aaron Perley, Nathan Andrews, Samuel Kimball, Richard Foster, Joseph Hale, jr., Isaac Perley, Nathan Perley, Benjamin Porter, 3d, Jeremiah Perley, John Hovey, jr., John Foster, Moody Perley, Thomas Chad- wick, Ephraim Foster, Richard Hovey, Ephraim Peabody, Simeon Stiles, and Daniel Peabody. Whole number of men, thirty-four.
The following were in "the remainder of the Continental Army :" Stephen Spofford, Jonathan Tyler, Samuel Carle- ton, Oliver Foster, Joseph Hovey, Gideon Tyler, William Porter, Moses Tyler, Isaac Adams, Thomas Chadwick, Ephraim Chadwick, John Chadwick, Joseph Sessions, and Isaac Chadwick.
The whole number of men contained in these rolls is two hundred and eleven.
Among the notable events which occurred during the year 1776 was the evacuation from Boston of the British, who sailed to Halifax, and shortly afterwards returned, and took up their position at the New-York end of Long Island. This caused Washington also to take up his posi- tion at New York; and in that vicinity several battles were enacted between the contending armies. Among them we would mention the battle of Sullivan's Island, battle of Long Island, and battle of White Plains. As we do not
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know in which of these battles the Boxford men took part, we shall pass on without a more extended account of them.
The following order is found recorded on the selectmen's records :-
" Boxford Novr 16th 1776 Then Committed to Treasurer Nathan Wood the sum of nine pounds four shillings and ten pence, being what the Gen1 Court have allowed for providing the town with intrenching tools agreeable to an Act of the Gen' Court.
"ISAAC ADAMS Selectmen NATHAN WOOD of JOHN CUSHING Boxford."
Nov. 28, 1776, the town voted "to pay the expenses of such men as shall be called upon by authority to go into the public service for the future."
Dec. 5, 1776, Capt. Jacob Gould, Mr. Nathaniel Perley, and Ens. Gideon Tyler, were appointed a committee to hire soldiers for "future public service."
Dec. 23, 1776, the town voted " to raise £1,000 to defray expenses arising from the war."
In the spring of 1776 England hired seventeen thousand soldiers from the little state of Hesse, in Germany, called Hessians, and transported them to America to assist the British in prosecuting the war. As was the custom in ancient times, the soldiers' families followed the army, and were taken prisoners with them. More than a dozen of these Hessian prisoners were kept here in Boxford. Sev- eral of them lived with Capt. William Perley, others with Rufus Burnham, and one entire family resided in the Emerson house that stood near the residence of Mr. Francis Marden. One of these was Capt. Leach of the Queen's Light Dragoons. Kate Dunn and Sergeant Don- aldson, and an old man, by name Dunckleogleby, were some of the others.
The Six Nations, as they were called, of Indians, had promised to be neutral in the war; but all except the
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Oneidas became at length quite troublesome, - plundering, murdering, and burning, - being, no doubt, instigated by the British agents. Gen. Sullivan, with a part of the American army, was at length sent out against them. Nov. 15, 1776, orders were issued to Daniel Lane of Bux- ton, Me., to appoint his inferior officers, and enlist a com- pany of eighty-six men; said company to be under his command, and which ultimately was prominent in being connected with Sullivan's army. A bounty of twenty dollars was given to those who enlisted for three years, or during the war. Capt. Lane appointed Ebenezer Peabody of Boxford for lieutenant, and James Laury of Berwick, Me., for ensign. Shortly afterwards the rest of the officers were appointed, -among whom were Stephen Merrill as sergeant, and Enos Reynolds and Jonathan Gilman as cor- porals, from Boxford. Three Boxford men also enlisted in the company as privates ; viz., Seth Peabody and John Stiles, April 14, 1777, and David Kimball, April 21, 1777. The rest of the company was made up from various towns. It contained sixty-three men, including the officers, and was under the command of Col. Ichabod Alden of the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment.
In the spring of 1777 the company took up their sta- tion with the American army. One of the privates from Buxton died May 5, and on the 22d Seth Peabody died. July I they were at Cambridge, and also on the 20th. On the succeeding day the captain, a sergeant, and two privates were taken prisoners; nothing further is known as to what became of them. Aug. 31 they were on Van- sheit's Island ; and Sept. 8 they removed to Stillwater, and encamped with the American army. They were probably in the engagement at that place on the 19th, when a severe battle was fought for four hours, which was only checked by the darkness of night. Both armies, however, had suf- fered so much that they did not choose to renew the battle
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next morning. They were in sight of each other till Oct. 7, when a second battle was fought near Saratoga, in which Burgoyne was defeated. In this second conflict Capt. Lane's company lost one of its privates, and Lieut. Pea- body was wounded by a ball which passed through his belt, hit his thigh-bone, and, glancing upwards, came out near his shoulder. The belt which he wore at the time, showing the bullet-hole, is still treasured by the family of his son, the late venerable Benjamin Peabody. The regiment probably spent the winter at Albany. By trip- lets, pairs, and single men, the company gradually grew less in numbers. John Stiles died Feb. 3, 1778, and at the same time two more privates were sick in the general hospital. Oct. 18, another private died.
At the destruction of Schoharie, about fifteen miles from Albany, by the English and Indians, May 30, 1778, this company was engaged, and three of its privates killed. June 16, another private died. The company was then reduced to forty-two men. June 22, they were still at Albany. Shortly after, they were stationed at Cherry Valley, one of the frontier settlements of New York. Col. Alden's command, then numbering between two hundred and three hundred men, took up their station in the fort there. Early in the following November Col. Alden was apprised of the march of Brant, an Onondaga chief of the Mohawk tribe ; and, when urged to receive the inhab- itants into the fort, observed that there was no danger, as he would keep out scouts who would apprise them of the approach of the enemy in season to remove. Scouts were accordingly sent out (two of whom at least were of Capt. Lane's company), and one of them built a large fire, and lay down to sleep. Brant's warriors were not misled by so luminous a beacon, and the scouts were made prisoners. This was on the night of Nov. 9, 1778. On the morning of the IIth, favored by a thick and hazy atmosphere, the
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savages approached the fort. A Mr. Hamble was fired upon as he was coming from his house to the fort by a scout, which gave the first notice of the enemy. He escaped, and gave the alarm to Col. Alden, who, strange as it may appear, was still incredulous, and said it was nothing more than some straggling Indians. The last space of time was thus lost !- and, in less than half an hour, all parts of the place were invested by the enemy. As few arrangements had been made for such an assault the in- habitants fell an easy prey. Col. Alden was one of the first victims. The fort, containing about two hundred soldiers, was not taken, although several attacks were made upon it.
In a letter to his brother-in-law, John Pearl of Boxford, dated at Fort Alden, Cherry Valley, Dec. 13, 1778, Lieut. Peabody says: "I am almost naked for want of shirts, stockings, &c. . .. When the enemy were here they killed, scalped, and burnt thirty-two men, women, and children, and carried thirty-two prisoners to Niagara ; killed, of the Continentals, Col. Ichabod Alden and twelve privates, and scalped those that could not get to the fort. I was at my quarters, and tried to get to the fort ; they liked to have got me, but I made my escape. . . . The enemy have burnt one hundred and forty-odd buildings, and made the place desolate of inhabitants. ... Do not expect to leave the place this winter ; should like to; hope to get home in the spring." In another letter to Mr. Pearl, dated at Cherry Valley, Jan. 3, 1779, Lieut. Peabody says : "We live on Salt Beef & bread; can get no Syder nor Apples, nor no kind of Sarce. . .. Its very healthy at present. ... Hope to get home in the Spring."
The soldiers staid at Cherry Valley till June 18, when they marched into the Seneca country. They joined Sul- livan's army at Tuego, about the 25th of August, and participated in a fight with Brant and Butler (another
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chief) Aug. 29, at Newtown, now Elmira, N.Y., when the Indians were thrown into confusion. The Americans de- stroyed all traces of vegetation, such as fruit-trees, corn, and so forth, that lay in their path. It has been said that a hundred and sixty thousand bushels of corn were destroyed that summer (1779). In the fall the company disbanded.
The spring of 1777 opened. The British commander in New York amused himself by sending out detachments of troops to ravage the country ; the towns of Peekskill, N.Y., Danbury, Conn., and others, suffering from their many depredations. The towns constantly sent out troops to re-enforce the American army, which was intrenched among the hills of New Jersey.
Boxford held their annual town-meeting on the 18th of March, but assembled again only three days later, and " voted to allow £20 to every man that shall enlist into the service of the Continent for three years, or during the present war."
The committee appointed to hire soldiers hired the following, viz. : " thirteen Boxford men, - John Stiles, David Emery, Joseph Peabody, James Andrews, Moses Carleton, Enos Kimball, Stephen Merrill, Seth Peabody, David Kim- ball, Jonathan Gilman, Napline (a negro), and Hannaniah Barker, at £30 each, and Jesse Emery at £20; sixteen Boston men, - John Jackson (?), Seth Webber, Moses Por- ter, John McAnally, Charles Rider, Charles Grand, John Targs, Antony Mannuel, John Delley Howard, Moses Grant, William Taylor, Edward Blake, Joseph Derby, John Gills, and Thomas Etheridge, all at £20 each ; two Scar- borough men, - John Croxford and - Derlin, at £20 and £18 respectively ; one Wenham man, - Asa Porter, at £20; and one Bridgton man, - Jeremiah Burnham, at £20. Total amount paid out, £778."
The spring and summer of 1777 passed, and Washing- ton had not stirred. Purposing an attack upon Philadel-
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phia, Sept. 3, the British army rapidly approached the city. Washington, who had kept an eye on their movements, was on the road to meet them. The two armies met at a place called Chad's Ford, on the river Brandywine, about twenty- five miles south-west from Philadelphia; and on the 11th inst. a severe battle took place, which continued nearly all day, and ended in the defeat of the Americans with great loss. They then made the best of their way to Chester, where they arrived that night, and the next day proceeded to Philadelphia.
Washington concluded to quit the city, and repair to a strong position on the Schuylkill, twenty miles northward. After their departure from the city, the British entered and took possession.
The British also gained some other advantages about that time; among which may be mentioned the surprise and defeat of Gen. Wayne.
The battle of Germantown was fought on the morning of the 4th of October; in this the British were repulsed at several points, and about one hundred and twenty taken prisoners. After the battle, Washington resumed his for- mer position, but in a few days removed to White Marsh, eleven miles north-west of Philadelphia. The British, on their part, left Germantown, and retired to the city, where they spent the winter. As winter came on, Washington and his army retired for winter-quarters to Valley Forge, a deep and rugged hollow twenty miles north-west from Philadelphia. On the 18th of December they began to build huts. These were sixteen by fourteen feet, and were made to accommodate twelve men each. They were so numerous, that, when the encampment was completed, it had the appearance of a town, with streets and avenues. Troops from each particular State had their quarters to- gether, in this temporary village of log-huts, and here they suffered together, for it was a winter of the utmost sever-
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ity ; thousands had no blankets, and were obliged to spend the nights in trying to get warm, rather than in sleeping. They also suffered greatly, at times, from want of food.
Leaving them suffering with hunger, cold, and naked- ness, some of our Boxford patriots among them, we will just glance back at the capture of Ticonderoga, by the British, where Capt. Richard Peabody * was stationed with a com- pany of volunteers. Ticonderoga was defended by three thousand men under the command of Gen. St. Clair. Dis- cerning that the British had more than thrice their number of soldiers, besides a large body of artillery, the Americans concluded to leave the fort ; but as they were doing so were forced to fight, and a very disastrous battle ensued.
A story connected with Capt. Peabody in this battle is thus stated : When the long roll of the drum, the call to muster, was sounded, as the British came in sight, the troops were at dinner. All the soldiers immediately left off eating, excepting Capt. Peabody's company, who were inclined to do so, but he advised them to finish their meal. After they had finished, he called his men together, and with the words, "Thank the Lord, now we are ready for them," he marched toward the foe. One of his sons, who was but thirteen years of age, was in the battle with him.
On the 17th of October, Gen. Burgoyne surrendered his entire command, numbering some six thousand men, to Gen. Gates of the American army. At the surrender, Lieut. Ebenezer Peabody was present with Col. Brooks. The prisoners, numbering 5,752 men, were kept at Winter Hill, where they were guarded by troops raised for that purpose. Nov. 10, Stephen Gould, jr., Asa Kimball, Jacob Smith, Nathan Stickney, Enoch Wood, John Herrick, and Jesse Burbank volunteered in the above service, to be under the, direction of Gen. Heath. Seth Burnham, Jon- athan Peabody, Robert Andrews, Eliphalet Wood, Nathan
He also commanded a company at Lake George.
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Stickney, Andrew Peabody, Ezra Gould, and Nathaniel Hale also served during the following winter, in the same service, in the company of Capt. Nathaniel Gage, Col. Gerrish's regiment, in which company John Dorman of Boxford was lieutenant.
The disgust of the Tory sentiment by the inhabitants of Boxford had grown to such an extent that on the 2d of June, 1777, they " voted to choose some suitable person to procure all the evidence that may be had respecting any one that is suspected of being unfriendly to the rights and liberties of . America, agreeable to the direction of the General Court. Voted that Lieut. Benjamin Perley be the person." We have no knowledge of any Tory being brought before a tribunal in town because of his sentiments, although we doubt not that more than one was made to know what the Yankees thought of them.
Sept. 23, 1777, the town hired two more soldiers, - Caleb Goodwin of Penobscot, who enlisted into Capt. David Allen's company, in Col. Crain's regiment ; and Nathaniel Cook of Boston, who enlisted into Capt. Scott's company, in Col. Handly's regiment, - at £67 each. The town paid out to the soldiers in 1777, £324 2s. They also paid Capt. William Perley £2 8s. 6d., Nathaniel Perley £1 9s. 6d., and Lieut. Benjamin Perley £2 4s. 2d., for services as committee-men to hire soldiers for the " Conti- nental service."
Very little was further done by either army until the latter part of June, 1778. On the 18th the British evacu- ated Philadelphia, and began their march toward New York. When they had got as far as Monmouth (sixty-four miles out), they found themselves attacked by the Amer- ican army. On account of the misconduct of Lee, the Americans were thrown into confusion; but order was again somewhat regained by Washington, and the battle vigorously sustained till dark, when it was postponed until
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morning. The troops camped where they were, during the night, but when the sun arose next morning the British were among the missing. In this battle both parties suffered severely ; and many of the soldiers died from the effects of the heat, the day being so excessively hot.
Among the greater events of that year was the battle at Newport, R. I .; but the South witnessed most of the scenes of the conflicting armies during the year.
The northern department of the American army chiefly passed the winter of 1778-79 near the Hudson - some on the New Jersey side, and some on the other. Two brigades were as far up as West Point. Three brigades were also quartered near Danbury, in Connecticut.
Ancill Stickney served in Capt. Dodge's company, - stationed at Winter Hill, from July 2 to Dec. 17, 1778.
Benjamin Foster enlisted as a sergeant July I, and Joshua Rea as a private, July 3, 1778, in Capt. Jonathan Foster's company, in Col. Nathaniel Wade's regiment, - stationed at Middleton, R.I., -for the term of six months.
We now come to the opening of the year 1779, which was less distinguished for splendid or brilliant achievements by either of the two contending armies, than any year since the commencement of the war. Amid the general paucity of events, there were two brilliant and somewhat decisive actions in the vicinity of New York during this year. We refer to the capture of Stony Point and Paulus Hook, two strong military posts guarded by the British.
During the winter of 1779-80, the greater part of the American army camped in Morristown, N. J. There were, however, strong detachments at West Point and other posts along the Hudson, and a body of cavalry in Connecti- cut. The winter proved to be a very severe one, and the suffering of the army was very great.
Ancill Stickney served at Winter Hill, under the com- mand of Capt. Dodge, from July - to Oct. 9, 1779, when
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he was detached as re-enforcement to the Northern army, in Capt. Addison Richardson's company, Col. Jacob Ger- · rish's regiment.
Joseph Sessions and William Robinson died in the army in 1779.
John Dorman was allowed, April 20, 1779, £13 6 s., for services at Winter Hill. Jesse Emery was also in the army this year.
Simeon Cole, a private in the Revolution, was granted a pension of £96 per year, April 3, 1819, in conformity to the Pension Law of March 18, 1818.
The events of the war during 1780 were mostly in the South. The first part of the year was a season of continual defeats to the Americans ; but at the latter end of summer several conflicts resulted greatly in their favor.
In the year 1780, Nathan Andrews let his horse go into the army, for which the town afterwards paid him.
Jedediah Stickney enlisted as second lieutenant, June 27, 1780, in Capt. Jonathan Ayer's company, Col. Nathaniel Wade's regiment, to re-enforce the Continental army, and served till Oct. 10, 1780.
The following "6 month's men" were raised in Boxford, in 1780, viz. :-
Amos Gage entered service July 10, 1780 ; discharged, Jan. 10, 1781.
David Kimball
66
66
Joseph Kimball
66
66
Caleb Foot
James Mosley 66 66 66
Enos Reynolds 66
66
Dec. 7, 1780.
Asa Hardy
66
Jan. 4, 1781.
Amos Hovey
July 27, 1780; 66
Dec. 16, 1780.
Robert Andrews
Eliphalet Wood 66
66 66
.
Oct. 12, 1780, the town voted to raise £16,000 * to buy beef for the soldiers with; shortly afterward £44,625 * * See foot-note, p. 153.
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more. "October the 29: 1784 gaue an order to Ruth Curtice of one pound ten Shillings She being alowed Sd Sum for Seruics don in the town in purcheshing Beef."
In the winter of 1780-81, the American troops quartered at the same places as they did the year before.
. Jan. 4, 1781, the town voted to pay soldiers, who would enlist for the ensuing three years, one hundred and twenty silver dollars per year.
The three following orders were given to Capt. William Perley with which to purchase corn for the soldiers, viz. : Jan. II, 1781, £5,000 *; Jan. 23, 1781, £5,000 * ; and Feb. 21, 1778, £3,000 .*
The Southern part of the army gained a brilliant victory, Jan. 17, 1781, at a place called Cowpens, in South Carolina, over a detachment of British troops under the command of Col. Tarleton. The Americans were immediately pursued by Lord Cornwallis, who was, at the time of the defeat of Tarleton, on the point of invading North Carolina; and on the 15th of March an engagement took place between them, the British coming off at last victorious, though to them it was little less injurious than a defeat. Another battle was fought on the 25th of April, near Camden, in which the Americans were obliged to retreat. These vic- tories of the British were dearly bought, and were fast reducing their strength. Lord Cornwallis had taken most of his troops from South Carolina, and marched to York- town in Virginia. The Northern and Southern sections of the American army now came together, and laid siege to Yorktown on the 6th of October. The siege was carried on with so much vigor, that on the 19th Lord Cornwallis found himself obliged to surrender, with his whole army of more than seven thousand men.
Soon after the surrender of Cornwallis, the Northern division of the American army returned to their old posi- tion on the Hudson.
* See foot-note, p. 153.
.
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After waiting a number of months, in which only a few slight skirmishes occurred, a treaty of peace was signed, Nov. 20, 1782, and America's independence acknowledged by Great Britain in the following year.
Another Revolutionary patriot from Boxford was Henry Perley, father of the late Major Samuel Perley. Being, in the spring of 1775, twenty years of age, he let himself to a farmer in Stoughton, Mass. At the battle of Lexington he was in Capt. William Bent's company; and, after the battle, enlisted as a private in Bent's company, in Col. John Greaton's regiment, where he remained till the end of the year, when his engagement was out. He immedi- ately re-enlisted in the same company, at Fort No. 2, in Cambridge, for one year. About the 18th of March they were ordered to New York, via Connecticut. They took shipping at Norwich, sailed to New London, crossed Long- Island Sound, and marched by land to New York, where they sojourned about three weeks. They were ordered to Canada by the way of Albany, and were under the command of Gen. Thompson, who died at Chambly, of small-pox. The troops were ordered over most of Lower Canada. A great part of the army being sick with the small-pox, they were obliged to retreat before the enemy, leaving their sick and languishing upon the ground. They retreated to the island of Au Noix, and from there marched to Crown Point, and then to Ticonderoga. When the regiment was ordered to Mount Independence, Mr. Perley was taken sick, and was discharged Nov. 1, 1776, by Gen. Gates, commander of the Northern army. Henry's brother Eliphalet was in the army with him in 1776. In 1778, July 31, he was detached from Capt. Jacob Gould's company, to march to Rhode Island. He was placed in Capt. Simeon Brown's company, of Salem, in Col. Wade's regiment, in Gen. Sullivan's expedition to Rhode Island, and belonged to Marquis de Lafayette's division. After
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the retreat they were disbanded. `In 1779 he was a soldier in Capt. Jeremiah Putnam's company (of Danvers), Col. Tyler's regiment, and was stationed at Providence till the enemy left Newport. The regiment was stationed at Newport until their engagements were out, which was Jan. 5, 1780.
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