USA > Massachusetts > The story of western Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 37
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Washington endorsed the suggestion, and from his camp above Trenton Falls, on December 20, 1776, he wrote to Congress that "the casting of cannon is a matter that ought not to be for one moment delayed and therefore I shall send Colonel Knox to put this in train, as also to have traveling carriages and shot provided,-elaboratories to be established, one in Hartford and another in York. Magazines of provisions should be laid in". The following day, Congress "resolved, that proper magazines of provision for the army be formed in or near Pennsylvania, and that Congress approve of the Generals sending General Armstrong to fix on the most secure and convenient places for such magazines".
Three days later, Congress resolved "that two other magazines of ammunition to that agreed to on the 21st, be formed, one in the eastern states and one in the southern states and that the delegates of the eastern states confer together, and also those of the southern states, and fix upon proper places, and report to Congress on Thurs- day next".
The following week, Congress "resolved, that the committee of Congress at Philadelphia, be desired to contract with proper persons for erecting at Carlisle, in Pennsylvania, a magazine sufficient to con- tain ten thousand stand of arms and two hundred tons of gun powder and also for erecting an elaboratory adjacent to such magazine and that the Council of Massachusetts Bay be desired to contract with proper persons for erecting in the town of Brookfield in that state, a magazine sufficient to contain ten thousand stands of arms and two hundred tons of gunpowder, and also for erecting an elaboratory adjacent to such magazine".
In the language of the day, a magazine was a storehouse, not necessarily for powder alone, but for any class of supplies, provisions,
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forage &c. An "elaboratory" was an establishment for the manu- facture of munitions.
The collected papers of Lt. Col. William Smith, kept while Deputy Quartermaster General, with MeDougall's Division at Valley Forge in 1777-1778, show that the familiar pictures of Revolutionary soldiers equipped with powder horn are not wholly in accordance with the facts. Actually, the troops were supplied with cartridges, some forty
Lt. Harmon House, New Marlborough
rounds to a man, which were small packages of powder, enclosed in paper or cloth. From time to time, these were all returned to head- quarters, examined, and such as, on account of abrasions, were losing their contents, were "repacked". The earliest records of the "elabora- tory" at Springfield are for April, 1778, the product of one week's work being 7,584 cartridges.
These were undoubtedly made in a barn in the rear of the build- ing known as the Hitchcock house, which was on Main Street, where Emery Street now is. The property was purchased in 1774 of Moses Church by Ebenezer Stebbins who rented it to the military author- ities. Colonel William Smith's papers, now in the custody of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, show that in 1780, there was paid for rent to Ebenezer Stebbins, $116: to Thomas Stebbins, $300; Charles Pynchon, $775; James Ball, $133; Josiah Williston, $100; and to Samuel Bliss, $91 for one property, and $225 for another.
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Why the "Eastern Delegates" chose Brookfield it is impossible to determine. It does not appear that any of the delegates had any affiliations with the town. It is possible that it was due to the influence of Ezekiel Cheever, then Commissary of Military Stores, who though a Boston man, had numerous relatives in the town. In fact, Brook- field might well be said to be the home of the Cheevers. And the same can with equal truth be said of Joseph Eayrs, who was later Major in command of the Artillery Artificers Corps at Springfield.
It possibly was due to the suggestion or influence of Jeduthan Baldwin, Colonel of Engineers, whose home was in Brookfield, and whose advice on the question would probably have been sought. Not only was he anxious to return home, as the following excerpts from his journal show, and a command at Brookfield would have been attractive to him, but he was well qualified by ability and experience to carry on the work proposed.
Leaving aside the question of any personal influence, it would appear that Brookfield was selected because it was one of the largest towns of the vicinity,-was on the main road from Boston to Albany and New York, and was sufficiently inland to make it secure from attack from the coast.
Colonel Baldwin's comments are far from flattering to the Con- tinental Army, but they do enlighten the situation.
"April 2 .- Went to Long Island with General Heath and my Lord Sterling and others. Laid out and proposed several works there.
"July 17 .- Ticonderoga. This day I wrote General Sullivan to remind him of the request I had made of a discharge from the army as I am heartily tired of this retreating, ragged, lousey, pokey army in this unhealthy country.
"July 28 .- Ticonderoga. I have entire direction of all the house and ship carpenters, the smiths, armourers, rope makers, wheel and carriage makers, miners, turners, coalyers, sawyers and shingle makers which are all together 286."
From his headquarters at Morristown, Washington wrote to Con- gress on January 17, 1777, that, "by a late resolve of Congress, the towns of Carlisle in Pennsylvania and Brookfield in Massachusetts, are fixed upon for the proper places to erect elaboratories and lay up magazines of military stores. Upon communicating the resolve to General Knox, who will have the principal direction of these matters, he was of the opinion that Hartford in Connecticut would be on many accounts more convenient for that purpose than Brookfield, particu- larly in respect to buildings which are already erected and though not such as are immediately fit for the use they are intended, may be easily converted to them.
"General Knox and others whom I have consulted upon the occa- sion also think that Yorktown will be full as safe and more con- venient than Carlisle. If these two alternations should upon a recon-
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sideration, appear to you in the same light and no steps should have been taken towards carrying matters into execution, I should be glad that you would, by a new resolve, permit me to direct the work to be carried on at the places last mentioned".
In the meantime Knox had inspected the situation at Hartford, going from there to Boston, and passing through Springfield on his journey. While delayed in Springfield he learned of the existing blast furnace and foundry, and realized that it provided the nucleus of an ideal establishment. Proceeding on to Boston, he wrote from there to Washington on February 1, 1777,-"After my letter to General Greene from Springfield of the 26th, I set out for this place in order to provide such materials as were necessary to carry on the various branches connected with the laboratory and ordnance establishment. If Congress should still adhere to Brookfield in preference to Spring- field, it will delay everything for three or four months. I wrote Gen- eral Greene from Springfield that it was the best place in all the four New England states for a laboratory, cannon foundry &c and I hope your excellency will order it there".
On February 11, 1777, Washington replied to Knox,-"Congress had resolve to adhere to Carlisle in Pennsylvania and Brookfield in Massachusetts as the places for erecting laboratories. I do not think the odds between Carlisle and York anywise material and therefore the works will be built at the former place, but upon your repre- sentation of the delay that will be occasioned if Brookfield is preferred to Springfield, I desire you may proceed with the works at the latter place and I will inform Congress of the necessity of this variation from their resolve".
On receipt of the Knox letter on February 14, 1777, Washington advised Congress that "General Knox informs me that on mature inquiry and examination he finds Springfield to be more convenient and much better calculated for an elaboratory and cannon foundry than any other part of the New England states. He adds that a quantity of copper, tin and other useful materials can be had there and that the necessary works and preparations, from these and other advantages, can be accomplished at least three or four months sooner than any where else. In consequence of his opinion, which I esteem of weight, particularly in this instance, and knowing the importance of and how essential these establishments are, I have ventured to order the works to be begun there, without regard to what had been done at Brookfield, which was of but little consequence. The former, besides the many advantages mentioned by General Knox, stands on Connecticut River and has good navigation, yet is entirely secure against any attempt of the enemy, being twenty miles above Hartford where the river is narrow and too shoal to admit vessels that can give the least annoyance. As nothing but the good of the service could have led to this measure, I trust it will be approved".
A week later, the Board of War of Congress "agreed to report to Congress that General Washington's establishment of an elaboratory
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and cannon foundry at Springfield in Massachusetts be approved of by Congress".
Returning to the Morristown headquarters, Knox again conferred with Washington, and from there, on April 6th, he wrote to James Bowdoin, President of the Massachusetts Council, that "when I was at Boston, I found the honorable Council had an order from the Continental Congress to erect certain works for a laboratory, maga- zine &c. at Brookfield in Massachusetts Bay. The same resolve was transmitted to General Washington by the Congress, then at Balti- more. The General was apprehensive that Brookfield was upon many accounts, not a proper place and therefore proposed Hartford and I was sent there by him, in order to establish the works. Upon examin- ing the conveniences at Hartford I found them deficient and that Springfield was preferable to any place mentioned before. I there- fore set the artificers at work at Springfield, in buildings that with little alteration might answer the purpose for the present and repre- sented to Congress the reasons for my conduct which they have pleased to approve and order them to be fixed there. I do myself the honor to send you the reasons which I have transmitted to Congress. They have sent the resolve for this alteration to your honorable body. No time is to lose in preparing the materials for the buildings for the magazines, cutting timber, &c. Although the buildings will not be expensive yet they may be placed in such order as to be compact, convenient and agreeable to the eye. Colonel Dawes has given a very good plan for the whole and he would be an excellent hand to superintend the buildings".
With the foregoing letter, Knox submitted a copy of his "reasons for Springfield being preferable to Brookfield as a proper place to have magazines, laboratories &c."
"Springfield is a place more proper than Brookfield with respect to its being situated on Connecticut River, the great saving of trans- portation by water to and from any part of the continent by shifting into different bottoms. Springfield is preferable to Brookfield in point of geography with respect to Hudson River and the Northern Department. Springfield has the advantage of Brookfield in the number of streams which empty themselves in Connecticut River, on which are a number of saw mills, timber is much more readily gotten at Springfield than Brookfield by the facility with which it is transported by means of the river and much charge saved thereby. Shops, houses and stores though not very convenient, are already gotten and workmen at work in the various branches which could not be provided at Brookfield without building them which would inevi- tably have retarded the preparation of stores, wagons, carriages &c. for some months. Provisions and subsistence is much more cheaply provided at Springfield than Brookfield as the countey is more plentiful. And when the buildings, magazines &c. shall be erected in a complete manner, the plain just above Springfield is perhaps one of the most proper spots in America on every account".
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Thus it would appear that operations at the Continental Armory in Springfield date from the spring of 1777. That the handling of powder was one of the early undertakings is shown in a letter of April 9th of that year, to Washington from Maj. Gen. William Heath at Boston. He said: I would also earnestly solicit that a quantity of that powder may be deposited in this state as there can be no dependence on that made here and all belonging to the Continent at
Armory Grounds From State Street, Springfield, 1830
this place having been sent on to Springfield, by order of General Knox in order to its being fixed in the laboratory. I shall obey your Excellency's orders with respect to paying the artificers at Spring- field and the 10,000 dollars to Mr. Jarvis. But the chest will want a supply".
At last, on April 14, 1777, two years after the Battle of Lexing- ton, Congress unwound the red tape necessary to provide for the establishment, when it was ordered "that a resolution passed the 27th of December last for erecting a magazine and laboratory in the town of Brookfield in the state of Massachusetts, be repealed and that instead thereof, a magazine sufficient to contain 10,000 stands of arms and two hundred tons of gunpowder and a laboratory adjacent thereto, be erected in Springfield in said state".
In the Journal of Jeduthan Baldwin, Colonel of Engineers is the following entry under date of August 7, 1777, at Stillwater: "Sent
W. Mass .- I-24
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off eighty barrels of powder, that is ten tons, to Albany". Two hun- dred tons would therefore have been equivalent to sixteen hundred barrels.
From Boston, April 26, 1777, General Heath wrote to John Han- cock, one of the Massachusetts delegates to the Continental Congress saying: "I most heartily congratulate you, Sir, on the ample and seasonal arrival of military stores. I think those lately arrived at Portsmouth should be immediately removed much farther inland, and I was taking steps to forward them towards Springfield to the Grand Laboratory, but upon sending down, the Honorable Mr. Langdon, who appeared well disposed to do everything in his power, informed me by letter that he was directed to deliver the stores to the order of the Board of War and Ordnance, and that he must therefore wait their orders".
On that same day, General Heath advised Washington that he had "ordered the twenty-five cases of arms lately arrived here, be sent on to Springfield, as the Honorable Mr. Langdon thought himself not at liberty to deliver those at Portsmouth, but to the order of the Board of War. It is highly necessary that not only part of the can- non, but the muskets, flints, powder, tents and lead ball, the latter of which are of the proper size for the new arms should be immediately forwarded to Springfield, in order to their being conveyed to the army. A number of artificers skilled in making and repairing gun carriages &c. are come over with the cannon and would be very serviceable in the laboratory at Springfield".
The need for storehouses was becoming imperative for quantities of muskets, cannon and clothing were arriving. On May 2d Wash- ington advised General Heath as to disposition of the material:
"I was this morning favored with yours containing the pleasing accounts of the late arrivals at Portsmouth and Boston. That of the French ship of war, with artillery and other military stores is a most valuable one. It was my intent to have all the arms that were not immediately wanted by the Eastern States, removed to Spring- field, as a much safer place than Portsmouth, and from whence it would be more convenient to draw them for the supply of such troops of the Middle States as might want them. I calculated that there would be about 3000 to spare and therefore ordered that quantity. I wrote to Mr. Langdon to send the remainder yet to Springfield, except he has positive orders to the contrary from Congress or the Board of War. And I would advise you immediately to remove all supernumerary stores from the neighborhood of Boston to Spring- field, for we find, from two recent instances, that the enemy is deter- minded to destroy our magazines wherever they are accessible, and that it is impossible for us to prevent them effectually, except apprized of their designs, if our magazines lay near the coast, or even within one day's march of it. I shall also write to Congress and press the immediate removal of the artillery and other military stores from
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Portsmouth. I would also have you forward the twenty-five chests of arms lately arrived from Martinico to Springfield".
From Morristown, Knox wrote to John Adams on May 3, 1777, that "arsenals, magazines, foundaries and laboratories have been ordered by Congress to be erected at Springfield and Carlisle; those at the former were left to the superintendence of the Council of Massa- chusetts Bay. A previous resolution of Congress had determined the works should be at Brookfield, but Springfield being for many reasons greatly preferable, I took the liberty of giving my opinion to His Excellency, General Washington and the Congress who have deter- mined upon Springfield. Whether the Council of Massachusetts have received this last resolution of Congress I cannot say but am inclined to believe they have not. I wish, sir, you would be pleased to inquire into the matter and favor me with a line on the subject.
"The season is advancing fast,-the foundry for cannon ought to have been finished ere this, but for the reasons mentioned before, is not begun. I have collected at Springfield, eight or ten tons of copper, which is the principal ingredient in casting cannon and a pro- portionable quantity of block tin. Considerable quantities of powder and other stores are collected there, all of which is deposited in places not very proper. It is true the workmen are at work in the different branches of the ordnance department, but I submit it to you whether the buildings ought not to be immediately erected as first ordered by Congress.
"I wish to be informed what steps have been taken to get sup- plied with iron cannon and whether any can be had at Philadelphia for the Northern Department. Some time ago, General Schuyler applied to me for forty pieces of cannon, but have been able to secure at Boston six only of the smallest size which are now on the way to Ticonderoga".
On May 10, Washington again wrote to Heath: "The Board of War has sent orders to the Continental agents at Boston, Portsmouth and Providence to remove all military stores, arms &c to Springfield, where they are to be subject to my directions. Upon inquiring of General Knox what quantity of the artillery lately arrived will be wanted in this quarter, he desires that the thirty-one light pieces of Swedish construction and two pieces of the heavy may be sent for- ward as far as Litchfield in Connecticut, where the officer who con- ducts them will meet his further orders. The remainder of the can- non are to be lodged at Springfield for the present. The French artificers who came over with the cannon are to go to Springfield, where they will be taken into employment. I cannot see the neces- sity of taking twenty men into pay, purposely to guard the maga- zines at Springfield. There will ever be a number of the Continental troops, under the denomination of invalids or convalescents, and some of them may be drawn together for that purpose".
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In connection with the foregoing, Washington wrote to Congress that "General Heath mentions that the military chest at the eastward is exhausted and that a supply will be wanted to defray the expenses which will arise on the removal of the military and ordnance stores to Springfield".
Knox was still unable to get the go-ahead signal, and on May 10th he wrote to Jeremiah Powell, President of the Massachusetts. Council: "respecting the failure of the Honorable Board to receive the Resolution of Congress preferring Springfield to Brookfield for the erecting of certain buildings. I now do myself the honor to enclose an authenticated copy of said resolve, from the original trans- mitted to his Excellency, General Washington. The piece of high ground east of Springfield and in the plain, appeared to me to be an exceeding proper spot for erecting the buildings in a complete elegant manner. Colonel Dawes of Boston presented a plan to the council, which with some little alterations, would perhaps be very proper for the purposes intended. You will please to observe that Congress has determined upon a magazine to hold 4000 barrels of powder. This, in my opinion, is too much to be risked in any one building; it would be much better to have two, or even four, to hold 1000 each".
In an effort to reconcile conflicting opinions, General Heath, on May 11th wrote direct to the Board of War, repeating that "appre- hending that the cannon and military stores which lately arrived at Portsmouth were in a rather hazardous situation there, and anxious to secure them, recommended to the Honorable Mr. Langdon the delivery of them to the Commissary of Artillery Stores, or that he would send them back and deposit them himself in some safe place. He acceded to the former. Inclosed is a return of what has been sent on in the course of the last week to Cambridge as the first stage. Fresh teams are engaging this day to move them on towards Spring- field. I would solicit that four or six pieces of the cannon may remain in this vicinity. I hope the steps which I have taken for securing these stores will be approved by Congress. Springfield is centerical, but I do not conceive the ground to be the most defensible; would it not be well to have another magazine at Worcester or Brookfield, rather than to trust too much at one place?"
On May 13th Heath wrote Governor Trumbull of Connecticut that "General Washington having directed me to remove all super- numary stores to Springfield, I am pushing them on with all possible dispatch to that place. I have advised that the teams sent by your order should load with ordnance stores, musket ball, flints, small arms &c. and the horses move on with six pieces, the whole to Springfield. The cannon have all their apparatus complete, but there is no ammuni- tion for them here except round shot. The fixed ammunition, tubes, port fires &c. being all at Springfield in the laboratory".
At the same time, Heath advised Washington that:
"I wrote to Governor Trumbull that I am sending the stores on to Springfield, but as General Knox wrote me that the 3000 arms
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already delivered to Connecticut was their full proportion of those arrived, no more were to be delivered to that state. I therefore wrote to Colonel Cheever (Commissary of Military Stores at Spring- field) not to deliver to that state, any more arms except by order of Congress, your Excellence or General Knox, and I think that to put them into the hands of the militia before the Continental army is supplied would be ill policy. I am pushing the supernumery stores to Springfield, and the necessary ammunition for the field pieces is there fixing".
On May 27th Heath again asked Washington's advice, saying that "as vast quantities of stores and provisions are moving back, the commissaries apply for large store houses. Shall I order such to be built as are necessary, as they inform me none can be hired? Major General Gates wrote to the Council of this State that tents and camp kettles are much wanted by the army in that department and observed that, finding a number of tents and a quantity of tin had arrived at Portsmouth from France, entreats that they would order two thousand tents and as much tin as can be spared, be sent without delay to Albany. The number of tents mentioned is double the number that arrived. I am, agreeable to your Excellency's orders, sending them on to Springfield, which is on the route to Albany, if your Excellency should think proper to order them on to that place".
In the meantime, an efficient company of mechanics had been brought together at Springfield. Knox had secured for his old friend and former associate in the erstwhile Paddock Artillery Company, the post of general manager with the title of Lieutenant Colonel and Director of the Board of Works. Colonel Mason assembled a force of competent mechanics who were enlisted into the army, men quali- fied to be superintendents being commissioned as captains. There were no strikes, no double pay. The men were a part of the army and obeyed military orders as completely as though they were fight- ing in the field. The payroll for May, 1777, includes 139 persons, as follows :
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