USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Walks & talks about historic Boston > Part 21
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There was another donation in the Will of Franklin, of about one hundred pounds, to the town of Boston, to be expended in the purchase of Silver Medals for the most meritorious pupils in the Public Schools. This has been fruitful of good. These Franklin Medals are greatly cher- ished by Bostonians, who, in the years gone by, have been the recipients of them.
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The cornerstone was laid with an appropriate address and becoming ceremonies, on the fifteenth of June, in the presence of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the
FRANKLIN
Monument in Granary Burying Ground to Franklui's Father and Mother
Commonwealth, and the officers and members of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, by Hon. Charles Wells. The monument is in the form of an obe- lisk, and is constructed of five massive ashlers of Quincy granite taken from the Bunker Hill Monument Quarry. Its height is twenty-one feet, standing on a rectangular base. measuring two feet in height, and seven feet on each of the four sides.
Josiah Franklin and Abiah his wife Lie Here interred They lived lovingly together in wedlock Fifty-Five Years ; Their youngest son, In filial regard to their memory Places this Stone. J. F., Born 1655-Died 1744-AE. 89. A. F., Born 1667-Died 1752-AE. 85.
Statue of Benjamin Franklin in front of City Hall, Boston
John Adams
By Rev. Frank B. Cressey of Cambridge, Mass.
Eight miles south of Boston and a part of Greater Bos- ton is the city of Quincy. Within five hundred feet of the railroad station and in plain view of all passengers, stands the Unitarian Church house, a stone structure with mas- sive pillars in front. Beneath the porch thus formed in stone sarcophagi, lie the bodies of John Adams, Second President of the United States, and his son, John Quincy Adams, Sixth President. The room of their entombment is easily visited.
John Adams was born at Quincy, Oct. 30, 1735, and al- ways made it his home, save as public duties called him away temporarily-the house, with its furniture of nearly two hundred years ago, is still standing, and is open to the public, about a mile from the church of his entomb- ment. Mr. Adams was a direct descendant of Henry Adams, an English Puritan, one of the earliest settlers of Massachusetts. John Adams was graduated from Harvard in 1755, studied law, and was admitted to the bar three years later. In 1764 he married Abigail Smith, daughter of the Pastor of the Congregational Church at Weymouth, a half a dozen miles away, the site of the parsonage a long stone's throw from the North Weymouth Railroad Sta- tion. A part of this old parsonage still stands in North Weymouth Village. Parson Smith had told his three daughters that when they married he would preach for each a sermon from a text chosen by themselves. The hus- band's choice of Mary ("Polly") pleased him ; therefore he was glad to use the text, "Mary hath chosen that good part." But Abigail's consent to marry John Adams was by no means pleasing to her parson father-too much "social step down" for family pride. Therefore, the Parson's stren- uous objection to her chosen wedding text, "John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he hath a devil." However, Abigail stuck to her text, her father preached from it, and neighborhood gossips had something to talk about.
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That John Adams chose wisely and that Abigail Smith consented wisely as to her husband is a matter of history. Also, it may be well emphasized, that of all Revolutionary patriot wives, none proved herself of nobler mold than Abigail Smith Adams. In all her husband's public life, she was his wisdom and inspiration; their hearts beat sym- pathetically along patriotic lines. At the time of John Adams' marriage, he, and thousands of other American col- onists, were thinking deeply and not a little vigorously, as to their relations to the English Government. One politi- cal annoyance after another led to the issuance of the Stamp Act, which commanded the use of Government Stamps on various documents in order to their legality. Immediately a fierce opposition arose, led in no small part by John Adams, who took the bold stand that the act was "null and void," because Parliament had no right to tax the Colonists and that such statutes could have no pos- sible force over persons who had not consented to their enactment. In other words, "Taxation without Represen- tation" is a violation of man's natural born political rights. it is to be resisted to the end, however bitter. All business speedily came to a standstill: some of the British officers. whose duty it was to handle the stamps, necessarily de- clined such handling: while others felt the personal indi- vidual force of the opposition and the Stamp Act was re- pealed. The "Sons of Liberty" thus speedily showed their power. British stamps were no more necessary to Ameri- can colonists than British Tea, and they would not be used.
That John Adams was a man to be reckoned with, by the English government, is singularly evidenced by that offer to him of the office of Advocate General under the Crown. Adams was poor, and in a large sense needed the money, which acceptance of the offer would bring him. But to accept the office would close his mouth against all so-called outrages on American rights, would force his de- nial of what he had said as to the injustice of taxation without representation. Therefore his immediate and em- phatic refusal of the offer. No similar attempt at violation of patriotic principle was afterwards made. And yet, strangely enough to thousands of his compatriots, even to some American readers of American history, in this our day. Mr. Adams, as a lawyer defended the British soldiers, whose firing resulted in the so-called Boston Massacre,
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March 5, 1770. For this action many assailed him in trait- orous terms ; none the less, he did his defence work suc- cessfully, also he speedily regained the respect of his as- sailants, and as before was recognized as the leading law- yer on the patriot side.
In June, 1774, John Adams was chosen one of five dele- gates to the Continental Congress which was to meet in Philadelphia the following September. One of the dele- gates did not go, the remaining four rode in a coach, "four poor pilgrims," as they were called.
Adams continued a member of Congress for three years, or till November, 1777. During these years he tried to in- duce Congess to adopt the Massachusetts Army, gathered after the Battle of Lexington, and to make the fight Na- tional, with George Washington at its head; he tried to persuade the Colonies to become States, to declare inde- pendence, to unite the States into one Confederation, to make alliances with foreign nations and to establish a Navy,-thus proving himself a patriot among patriots, a leader among leaders. In these three years of service, he was Chairman of twenty-five Committees, and a member of sixty-five more-ninety in all.
In February, 1778, Mr. Adams, as one of the three Com- missioners to France, left home, arriving in Paris, in April. Thus began his diplomatic sevice, representing the young and in fact the not yet fully born American nation, and this at the risk of personal consequences by no means at- tractive. His mission speedily accomplished, he was in Cambridge in September, 1779, as a delegate to the Conven- tion, to form the Constitution of Massachusetts, the writ- ing of which finally devolved almost entirely upon him. Two months later he again sailed for Europe ; this time as one of the Commissioners to treat with Great Britain for treaties of peace and commerce; this, three years before the close of the war. But he could not enter England then on account of the strong anti-American sentiment. He, therefore, went to Holland in July, 1780, to borrow money for the United States, and secured a loan of two million dollars, money most sorely needed by the American sol- diers. On April 19, 1782, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, Holland recognized him as Minister Plenipo- tentiary from the United States of America, the first Gov- ernment to take any such step. June 21, 1783, a treaty was
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signed in Paris by Adams, Franklin and Jay representing the United States and by the authorities of France and England, and thus the War of the Revolution was officially ended, and to America came the long struggle for blessings of peace. February 25, 1785, Mr. Adams was appointed Envoy to Great Britain. The king treated him courte- ously, but the people as a whole, had no welcome for him. Three years later he was glad to resign his office and come home. The time of Mr. Adams' return (1788) was one in
Classof '79 Gateway, Harvard University. Cambridge, Mass)
Gates to Harvard College.
which fear of a foreign foe had given place to serious do- mestic troubles. The new Federal Government was not vet established. But in less than a year after Mr. Adams' return, the Constitution was adopted and a new Government organized. Washington was unanimously elected Presi- dent, and Adams elected as Vice-President, although he had nine competitors. Eight years later, Adams became President, but political enemies prevented him from a sec- ond term. The strife of parties was now fully on. Adams, the Federalist, gave way to Jefferson, the Democrat. This is said to have been the great grief of his life. He took what vengeance he could on Jefferson, once his inti- mate friend. He filled many new judicial offices. He even left Washington city before sunrise on March 4, and would not attend Jefferson's inaguration. His official life was
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closed. His heart was crushed. He retired to the privacy of his Quincy home and there lived until July 4, 1826, on which day both he and Jefferson died, the fiftieth anniver- sary of the Declaration of Independence.
General John Glober a Revolutionary Vero
One of the finest statues in Boston is that of General John Glover, which stands in a prominent position on Commonwealth Avenue and commemorates the services of one of the purest patriots and bravest officers of the Con- tinental Army. Whatever he was given to do, he did thoroughly and well, and without ostentation.
History has been very meagre in its record of his gallant and valuable services and of the noble character of the man. but it should be known that this country is deeply indebted to this sturdy little hero, this "plain man of the people." But for him and his brave Marbleheaders, Washington might never have won his brilliant success at Trenton, which so revived the drooping spirits of the patriots. The story of Glover's life reads like a romance and shows his energy and innate ability. Beginning as a humble shoe- maker, in his native town of Marblehead, he soon became master of a sailing vessel, then owner of a fleet of fishing vessels. When hostilities broke out between the mother country and the colonies, Glover was doing a large and prosperous business. The famous Boston Tea Party was succeeded by that odious retaliatory measure, the Boston Port Bill, the intention being to cripple Boston, commer- cially even if it brought ruin to the town. The men of Marblehead sympathized with their brethren in Boston, and as a practical evidence of that sympathy sent them large quantities of provisions and several cartloads of fish and oil, and Glover was foremost in all this good work. The larger proportion of the men of that time were keen seafaring men and they realized by the close of 1774, that war with Great Britain was inevitable, and they set to work to organize the militia of the town. The officers, up to that time had been appointed by the Royal Governors of the Province. Public opinion now forced the officers to resign, and then the men of each company elected their own officers, who were given their commissions by the
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town authorities. Recognizing the ability, bravery and patriotism of their fellow townsman, Captain John Glover, they elected him Colonel of the Regiment. He was not, in his makeup, the beau ideal of a military hero, for he
General John Glover
was short in stature and stout, but he was of fighting stuff, of sturdy manhood, a born leader of men, and a patriot to the core. Before the close of the Revolutionary War, in which he bore a most conspicuous part, he proved that he had military genius of no mean order, and he possessed . the love and confidence of Washington to the very end.
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He proved that he was an unselfish patriot, for when war had really begun he gave up his extensive and profitable business, and devoted the proceeds to the enlistment of men and the purchase of supplies. His fishing vessels were con- verted into smart sailing privateers, and were manned by as brave and skillful seamen as ever sailed the ocean. In his work of organizing the militia he was greatly aided by the town authorities. He gave his men constant and care- ful training, and he soon had a thoroughly disciplined body of men.
The Battle of Lexington soon followed the excursion of Colonel Leslie, and then came the mustering of the Conti- nentals. The Marblehead Militia became the 21st Provin- cial Regiment. The town records of those days speak of the fishermen in the Continental Army. One day a rumor ran through the town that soldiers from the British man- of war in Marblehead harbor were landing at the ferry and the regiment turned out, Colonel Glover, at its head. The next day one of Glover's vessels arrived from the West Indies. In spite of the orders of the commander of the British sloop-of-war Merlin. Glover brought the vessel to Gerry's Wharf right from under the guns of the enemy. On June 10, Glover received order to "continue the regi- ment under his command until further orders, and to hold them in readiness to march at a moment's notice to any post where he may be directed." Six days later he was officially commissioned as Colonel by the Provincial Com- mittee of Public Safety, and on the 21st, four days after the battle of Bunker Hill orders came to march. His regiment reached Cambridge the next day and were quartered in what is now known as the "Longfellow House."
Of its ten companies, every officer, soldier and musician -save eight, was a citizen of Marblehead, the only regi- ment in the war to be thus raised from a single town. The uniform of the men was a blue round jacket and trousers, trimmed with leather buttons. Colonel Glover, himself. was said to have been the most finely dressed officer in the Continental Army. The first order issued by Washington after taking command, was on the 3d of July, 1775, and was to Colonel Glover's regiment. The regiment remained in camp all summer, with the exception of one company, which was detached in August to Marblehead for priva- teering. Two months later Washington made Glover, vir-
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tually, Secretary of the Navy, "for he was appointed to superintend the equipment and manning of arined vessels which made the first naval expedition, and captured the first prize. In the latter part of November he sent to Cam- bridge a long lumbering team of wagons laden with ord- nance and military stores, taken by Captain Manly from a British supply ship. Of this event, Washington said : "Surely nothing ever came more apropos." History has handed down to us a little incident which occurred while the regiment was at Cambridge which shows the independ- ent spirit and ready manners of the Continental Army. I
The Fight Between the Virginians and the Marbleheaders
give it in the words of another: "A number of Rifle Com- panies had recently arrived at camp from Virginia and be- tween them and the Marbleheaders much rivalry sprung up. The Virginians were stout, hardy men in white frocks, or rifle shirts and round hats, crack shots to a man, and as such, of great use to Washington's army. They walked with a swaggering stride, spoke with a Southern drawl, and talked much of their warlike prowess and deeds. The men of Glover's Marine Regiment, who had already earned for themselves the appelations of "amphibious," and "web-
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footed," were sailors and fishermen and dressed as such. They rolled in their gait and their voices had the true nasal of the Yankee. They looked upon the half Indian equip- ment, the fringed and frayed garb of their Southern neigh- bors, and their manners and pretensions with unrestrained merriment, while the men of Virginia found the Marblehead- ers no less amusing. On one occasion bantering gave way to a snow ball battle, and this, in turn, to a general fight, in which a full thousand men were engaged. and a tumult raised in the camp, in the words of an eye witness, "worthy of the days of Homer." Happily at this point Washington himself appeared. Leaping from his horse he rushed into the thickest of the melee and seized by the throat two brawny riflemen, keeping them at arm's length, shaking and beating them.
By his prompt and energetic act, the disturbance was ended and a permanent peace was made between the men of the North and the men of the South. On January 1, 1776, when their term of service expired hardly a man left camp and the entire regiment re-enlisted for the war and was there- after known as the Fourteenth Continental. In March, 1776, Washington compelled the British to evacuate Boston and shortly afterwards made his headquarters in New York. In July Colonel Glover marched with his regiment to New York where he arrived August 9, 1776, and here his regiment per- formed one of the greatest exploits of the war, the saving of the American army, and of Washington himself, in the re- treat from Long Island, August 29th, 1776. The American army was spread out in a olng semi-circle stretching from Paulus Hook (Jersey City) on the west and Brooklyn Heights on the east. It was a long thin line and very vul- nerable. General Howe had a large and well trained army of British and Hessians on Staten Island and had the support of British war vessels, commanded by his brother, Admiral Howe, when he should be ready to move against the Ameri- cans. Washington did not know where to move his troops to meet the attack. The objective point of the British was Brooklyn. August 14th, Lord Howe crossed with his forces to Gravesend Bay and two days later was ready to at- tack the Americans at Brooklyn. General Greene was absent on account of illness and the American forces were in com- mand of the aged Putnam, and of Sullivan, comparatively in- experienced and ignorant of the ground. Moreover the
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Americans did not number one-third as many as the British and were composed mostly of untrained militia. The advan- tages were all with Lord Howe, who resolved on a flanking movement. While feigning an attack in front, he took his best regiments under cover of the night, by a long detour around the American's left flank to their rear. The action commenced August 27th and the Americans were caught be- tween two fires, and cut off from their defences. It was a long and desperate fight, and the Americans lost heavily, a large number being captured, including two generals. It was a very severe blow to the patriot cause. Some of the regi- ments regained their defences. These Washington reinforced by new regiments, but with the British in so strong a position the defences were no longer tenable, and only a retreat could save the American army from entire destruction. For twenty- four hours all the energies of the Commander-in-Chief were devoted in making the retreat successful. The army must be ferried across the East river to New York.
The morning of August 29th opened with the rain falling in torrents. Washington ordered every fiat bottomed boat and other craft fit for transporting men, down to New York and at the same time sent an order in another direction to impress every kind of water craft from Hell Gate to Spuytten Duyvil creek, that could be kept afloat, and that had sails, or oars, and have all on the East harbor of the city by dark. Towards evening the Long Island troops were to make a feint as if about to attack. Thus the whole force was ready and under arms to march off at a moment's notice. Washington put the whole movement in charge of Colonel Glover, who had been on that side since the day of the battle. The boats had ar- rived and were of every variety, row boats, flat boats, whale- boats, perringers, sloops and open sail boats, everything that would carry a man, or a gun. Colonel Glover and his web- footed Marbleheaders at once commenced operations. At seven o'clock in the evening, the troops commenced to em- bark. The militia and least dependable troops were first to be loaded. Starting from the Brooklyn Ferry, they were car- ried quickly and noiselessly over to New York. The work transporting the militia was not completed until after IO o'clock. Meantime the ebb tide and strong north wind which rose and the pouring rain rendered the sloops and sailboats useless, even when manned by the "web-feet," who boasted that they could handle every kind of craft in the worst
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weather. Fortunately a thick fog settled over Long Island while New York remained still clear. Every precaution was taken to guard against discovery and the retreat was con- ducted so noiselessly, that the last to leave could hear the blows of pick and axe of the enemy, who were constructing besieging lines outside of the American defences. "For thir- teen long hours, these hardy seamen of Marblehead plied their muffled oars, with steady strokes, their boats loaded to the "gunnalls" on a sea as smooth as glass, until the last of the entire army were safe across the mile of water to New York.
When the fog scattered and the sun shone out the British looked out on deserted forts, not an American remained. The only capture the British made was a little boat of three stragglers. "The brilliancy of the retreat atoned for the dis- aster of the battle, and all credit for its success was due to the 'Webfeet,' the Marine Regiment and their brave and skilful commander, Colonel John Glover, without whom it could not have been accomplished." In recognition of his services Washington appointed Colonel Glover to the com- mand of the brigade of Colonel Clinton who was taken pris- . oner in the battle. Glover's own regiment formed part of the brigade. In that position he had opportunity to show to friend and foe alike, the mettle of the men of Marblehead. During the remaining months of the year 1776, the fortunes of the American army were at the very lowest. The men were dispirited and deserted in large numbers, one retreat followed close upon the other. The Americans had not been long in New York before Washington saw that it was unten- able and must be given up, and he decided to cross over to New Jersey. Again Colonel Glover, who was still in com- mand of Clinton's brigade, and his "webfeet" manned their boats and carried 500 men in safety across the North river. The sick were transported to New Jersey Hospitals and the next day the heavy baggage, arms, and ammunition were re- moved. After 6 hours of hard, continuous labor, the evacua- tion was nearly completed, when this little Iron Brigade re- ceived orders to march to King's Bridge, fifteen miles distant. They had hardly unstrapped their knapsacks and had had no refreshment, when wor came to them that General Howe had at last marched up the East River and was landing at Kip's Bay, and Glover and his men were recalled to Harlem seven miles south. "It was a sorry sight that met his eyes when he
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reached his destination. The regiments sent to resist the landing of the British had been driven from the shore by the cannonading of the war ships in the river and were panic stricken and retreating. This had in turn communicated it- self to the troops sent to their relief, for they were, for the most part, raw militia, and the whole detachment were in a wild flight toward King's Bridge with the British at their heels. "In their mad rush they met Glover and his men, tired from their hard service, but marching with the firm and assured tread of veterans. They halted, formed again, took courage and were ready to go back and meet the enemy. But Washington did not dare trust them to go again into bat- tle. General Glover's brigade, alone, could not save the day, and reluctantly, he marched his men back to the north of the island, but he had borne himself like a hero, and had won the lasting friendship and regard of Washington. A little later, in an exploit at Poll's Point he was again to show those qual- ities which made him so reliable at all times. The Com- mander-in-Chief could always depend on his courage, com- mon sense and good judgment. With his brigade of less than a thousand men he had been attached to General Lee's division and was stationed on the East Chester road near Pel- ham, to watch the enemy. "Lord Howe was planning to take his troops across to King's Bridge and get in the rear of the American position. "On the morning of October 18th, the British commander landed several corps at Pell's Point at the mouth of Hutchinson River and immediately marched towards New Rochelle. These movements had been noted by Colonel Glover who, after sending off a message to General Lee, marched down with 350 men and three field pieces to oppose their landing. It was the first fight in which Colonel Glover had held the chief command and conscious of his lack of scientific military training, he was not a little nervous at the responsibility. "Surprised to find the British advance guard nearer than he had supposed, he, none the less, ar- ranged to the best advantage his little force, all men from Massachusetts including his own Marbleheaders. Reed's regiment he stationed on the left of the road, near the great boulder stone, since known as Glover's Rock, and Shepperd's and Baldwin's to the right and rear of it, behind a stone wall. Part of his own regiment he posted with the three guns on a hill in the rear and with 40 men he moved forward to meet the British. After a brisk skirmish with the advance guard
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