USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume I > Part 51
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ABEL ALLEN, Mass. ELIJAH CARTER, Mass. OLIVER CARTER, Mass.
JONATHAN BAKER, Mass. ; V. I.
NATHAN BOLSTER, Mass .; IV. 3. ABRAHAM CLARKE, Mass. DAVID EMERY BOYNTON, Mass .; JOSIAH COMSTOCK, N. H. XII. 7. SAMUEL COREY, Mass.
EPHRAIM BOYNTON, Mass .; XII.7. 1PETER COVEL, N. H.
JOSEPH CUMMINGS, N. H. JAMES DAVIS, Mass.
ELEAZAR BROWN, N. H. ; IV. 2. *SILAS BROWN, Mass. EBENEZER BURDITT, Mass. TIMOTHY DEWEY, N. H. JONATHAN BURNHAM, N. H. TIMOTHY DIMICK, N. H. WILLIAM BURNHAM, N. H. #BENJAMIN DODGE, JR., N. H.
* Silas Brown, who was credited to Ashby, Mass., was, beyond any reasonable doubt, the Sullivan Silas.
+ Peter Covel was in a New Hampshire regiment, although he called his residence Brattleborough. He onee owned the Chapman farm (175 on map).
# Benjamin Dodge went from New Boston to the war. There were two Benjamins, father and son. The "Jr." is not added to his name on the rolls; but it was most probably the younger Benjamin who enlisted. It was he who lived a time at 236 (see map), the Amos Wardwell place.
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MILITARY HISTORY.
BENJAMIN ELLIS, N. H. JOSEPH ELLIS, N. H .; VI. 4.
SIMEON ELLIS, IV. 5. *JOHN FARRAR,
+JOSEPH FELT, Mass. ISAAC GRISWOLD, N. H.
STEPHEN GRISWOLD, N. H.
BENJAMIN HASTINGS, Jr., Mass .; XIV. 4.
#JOHN HAVEN, Mass.
JONATHAN HEATON, N. H .; XI. 2. ELIJAH RUGG, Mass. ROSWELL HUBBARD, Mass .; IX. 3. JAMES SAWYER, N. H .; V. 3.
GRINDALL KEITH, Mass.
JOSIAH SEWARD, Mass. ; XI. 4.
ICHABOD KEITHI, Mass .; XI. I.
SAMUEL SEWARD, Mass .; IX. 2.
§BENJAMIN KEMP, N. H .; XVI. 2. b. JONAS STEVENS, Mass. HIJONATHAN KENDALL, Sr., Mass .; ANANIAS TUBBS, N. H.
XII. 4.
SOLOMON WHITE, Mass.
CALVIN LOCKE, Mass .; XIII. 5. JAMES LOCKE, Mass. ; XIII. 5. JAMES LOCKE, Jr., Mass. JOHN LOCKE, Mass. JOHN LOCKE, N. H .; XIII. 6.
THOMAS MORSE, N. H.
c. POMPEY WOODWARD, XVI. I.
d. SAMUEL WYMAN, Mass.
* John Farrar was captured by Indians during the war, scalped by them, and left for dead on the field.
+ Joseph Felt died in Sullivan, at the house of his son, Dea. Joseph Felt.
¿ John Haven was a common name in Massachusetts. There were several in the war. We cannot positively identify our John with either, but he was most likely one of them.
¿ Benjamin Kemp, who enlisted from Pelham, is believed to be the Sullivan Benjamin, whose descendants say that he was in the war.
¡ Jonathan Kendall, Sr., who served in Massachusetts, is understood to have been the father of Ebenezer and Jonathan, Jr., who lived in town. He died at the house of Jonathan, Jr., and is said to have been buried in the old cemetery, in the lot of the son at whose house he died.
[ Joshua Osgood is known from Keene records to have been in this war, although his name is accidentally omnitted from the indexes of the " New Hampshire Rolls." See Griffin's History of Keene, page 284.
a. Philip Proctor was said to be in the war, but it is difficult to identify him with other Philips. Descriptions are often so indefinite that identification is difficult.
b. Jonas Stevens was most likely in the war, but a confusion of names makes the exact record difficult to determine.
c. Pompey Wood ward was a colored man, who served as the waiter for an officer. We do not discover what state he represented, but probably Massachusetts. David Seward succeeded in securing a pension for the old man, while Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr., was governor of the state. His widow also had a pension after his death. As she could only make a mark for her signature, her relatives in Massachusetts, where she died, fraudulently forged her mark to application blanks and receipts for some years after her death.
d. Samuel Wyman, who came from Pepperell and bought the place, No. 124 (see map), south of the Bolster Pond, is understood to be the man of that name who enlisted in Massa- chusetts.
ELIAKIM NIMS, N. H .; VIII. 4.
ZADOK NIMS, XIII. 3.
BENJAMIN OLCOTT,
TJOSHUA OSGOOD, IV. 6. OLIVER OSGOOD,
a. PHILIP PROCTOR, Mass .; IX. I. CHARLES RICE, N. H.
THOMAS RIDER, Mass. HINDS REED, N. H. JOHN ROWE, Jr., N. H .; VIII. 5.
ABIJAH WETHERBEE, Mass .; XVI. 5. JESSE WHEELER, N. H. LOCKHART WILLARD, N. H.
DANIEL WILSON, N. H .; X. I.
JAMES NASH, Mass. ASAHEL NIMS, N. H.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
II. WAR OF 1812.
Aside from Indian conflicts and the Barbary war, not to speak of the little episode with " citizen Genet," with all of which affairs Sullivan had nothing to do, the United States had an era of peace until the second war with Great Britain, known as the " War of 1812." In this war Sullivan had an honorable part. The best record of the part taken by individual men from New Hampshire, and the only complete record of the services of the New Hampshire soldiers in that war, is to be found in " The Military History of New Hampshire, from its Settlement in 1623, to the Year 1861," contained in the N. H. Adjutant General's Report for 1866 (Vol. II.), continued in the Adjutant General's Report for 1868. This history was prepared by Gen. Natt Head, and was a work of great labor and research, which can only be appreciated by men who have been engaged in laborious historical investigations. Unfortunately, the work is not indexed. Hence the writer of this book was put to great trouble in making his examination, to ascertain the Sullivan men in that war. The record of the " War of 1812" is in the volume for 1868. After a painstaking search, we think we have found the names of all the Sullivan men who were engaged in that struggle. In the following list, the figures following the names refer to the page of the Adjutant General's Report for 1868, on which that soldier's service is mentioned. Here are their names :
I. ELIJAH DAVIS, 156.
7. FREDERICK NIMS.
2. ASA ELLIS, 156. 8. MICHAEL SANDERS, 149.
3. IRA ELLIS, 156. 9. SAMUEL SEWARD, JR., 149.
*4. DANIEL GOODNOW, 156. IO. JOHN STEVENS, 156.
5. ELLSWORTH HUBBARD, 155. II.
6. WALTER LELAND, 156.
JAMES WILSON.
Davis, the two Ellises, Goodnow, Hubbard, Leland, and Stevens were all in the 2d Regiment of detached militia, commanded by Lieut-Col. John Steele of Peterborough. They were all in the company of Capt. James M. Warner of Acworth, except Mr. Goodnow, who was in the company of Capt. Silas Call. They all enlisted, Sept. 25, 1814, for sixty days, except Goodnow, whose service was from Oct. 2 until Nov. 11, in 1814. This regiment appears to have been stationed, with others, for the defence of Portsmouth. Walter Leland died there, Nov. 9, 1814, of the small-pox, and was buried there. A family record has his death, Nov. 10, 1814. It is probable that the military record is the correct date. Hubbard is called a musician. Ira Ellis was credited to Gilsum, but he was simply working there. He was a Sullivan boy and lived in Sullivan until several years after his marriage.
Sanders and Seward were in the company of Capt. Oliver Warren, in the regiment of Lieut .- Col. Nathaniel Fiske of Westmoreland. It was the Ist Reg- iment of detached militia, and appears, also, to have been on duty at Portsmouth. They enlisted Sept. 20, 1814, for three months. In the same company, were Amos Wood, who lived just south of the Sullivan line, in Keene, and who married Fanny Seward; Daniel LeGros, who, as Yankees would express it, had " hung
* Daniel Goodnow enlisted from Roxbury, but, afterwards, moved to this town, where he died.
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MILITARY HISTORY.
around " Sullivan considerably, and married Phebe Wright in 1821 ; Nathan D. Barker, who married the widow of Thomas Hastings of Sullivan, and lived many years in Marlborough ; and Justus Chapin, who had been in Sullivan considerable lengths of time, and married Annis Willis.
Frederick Nims was a son of Zadok, and an uncle of Frederick B. He was in an organization in another state. He left his home at an early age and never returned and nothing was ever again heard of him.
James Wilson was a son of Daniel Wilson, a brother of the grandmother of the author of this book. He built the house at No. 70, (see map), which was known later as the Winch house. He was in a New York organization and was killed at the battle of Plattsburg, Sept. 11, 1814. He was a captain, or at least in command of a company, and always called Capt. Wilson. He had moved from Sullivan before the war.
Only three of the soldiers of the " War of 1812 " lived in Sullivan when they died. These were Ellsworth Hubbard, Asa Ellis, and Daniel Goodnow. The body of Mr. Hubbard was buried in the Four Corners Cemetery, IX. 4; that of Mr. Ellis in the Meetinghouse Cemetery, II. 3 (according to plan on page 329) ; and that of Mr. Goodnow in the East Sullivan Cemetery, V. 26 (see page 342).
We shall not, in this work, give the general history of any war as such. It is entirely unnecessary and would only cumber the pages of a book already too large. The histories of all wars in which our country has ever been engaged are very ably presented in many published works found in all good libraries. It is enough here to give the personal record of men actually from Sullivan who engaged in them.
III. MEXICAN WAR.
The war with Mexico was very unpopular throughout the North. It was well known to have been artfully inaugurated through the intrigues of certain politicians, not excepting President Polk, to add to our public domain the great regions of New Mexico and California, as well as Texas, which had been "annexed by resolution," unconstitutionally as many sound jurists believed, that these ex- tensive areas of land might be used for the extension of slavery. Northern people had little sympathy with the war or its main objects. After war had been actually launched, of course a spirit of patriotism demanded a support of the government in the struggle, but it was half-hearted. The great generals, Taylor and Scott, were not to be blamed, and the remarkable and splendid victories which they won gave imperishable honor to their names. Nor were other officers or private soldiers in the least to be blamed. The real blame for the war rests with prominent politicians of the South, who were planning to enlarge the area of slavery. Army officers and soldiers must obey the commands of their superiors.
New Hampshire did not put a single volunteer organization into the field and only a few went from New England. The Ninth Infantry of the U. S. army was partly recruited in New Hampshire, under Col. Franklin Pierce, who was made Brigadier-General by President Polk, March 3, 1847. He took the com- mand of a force of about 2,500 men which were sent to reinforce Gen. Scott in Mexico. An excellent account of the experiences of this brigade, which con-
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
tained two companies recruited in New Hampshire, may be seen in Gen. Natt Head's Adjutant General's Report for 1868, pages 332-356. This account does justice to Gen. (afterwards President) Pierce. In the heat of the presidential campaign which ended in his election, he was often caricatured and ridiculed by the Whigs, who spoke of him as having been awfully scared in action at Churu- busco, and having fainted. The truth is that he had been previously thrown from his horse and severely injured. He did indeed faint, not from fright but sheer exhaustion. American histories call the place inaccurately Cherubusco.
Only two Sullivan men, so far as we know, were connected with this war. One was Samuel S. White, an uncle of the man of the same name still living upon the White farm. Mr. White was an exceptionally intelligent and brilliant young man. He had been for some time a clerk in the famous St. Charles Hotel, at New Orleans. He had just enlisted, or was about to enlist, for the Mexican war. While at Mobile, Ala., in the company of his friend, a son of Gen. (afterwards President) Zachary Taylor, he was thrown from his horse, a splendid animal which he had purchased for use in the service, and killed. His body was taken to New Orleans for burial, and over his grave was placed a monument erected by a friend, who is understood to have been Taylor. See page 308. The other was Cephas Brown, Jr., (a native, but not a resident of Sullivan), who was a soldier in " Major Ringold's Battery " during the whole of the " Mexican War." He was in Taylor's " Army of Occupation," from Palo Alto to Buena Vista.
IV. THE OLD MILITIA COMPANY.
An interesting feature in the history of any town was its military company or companies. When Sullivan was settled there was but one regiment of militia in all that part of New Hampshire which was called later Cheshire County. The men in this settlement who were liable to perform military service were attached to companies belonging to the towns to which the various corners of the settle- ment respectively belonged. They continued to be joined to those companies for a time after the incorporation.
In the old colonial days and until the Declaration of Independence, the militia consisted practically of all effective men. During the Revolution, and for some time after, the militia was divided into two classes, the training band and the alarm list. The training band was composed of all able-bodied men from 16 to 50, excepting state and county officials, officers of the general govern- ment, post-masters, ferry-men on post routes, clergymen, Quakers, Shakers, " regular-bred " physicians or surgeons, Negroes, Indians, and Mulattoes. The alarm list consisted of all male persons from 16 to 65, not included in the training band, and not exempted as before stated. They were to serve in a separate corps, subject to be called out of their towns by no officer under the rank of a colonel, but once in six months they were to be called out by the captains of the com- panies belonging to the training bands within their limits, for the inspection of their arms and accoutrements.
Each officer and private soldier was "to equip himself and be constantly provided with a good fire-arm, good ramrod, a worm, priming-wire and brush, and a bayonet fitted to his gun, a scabbard and belt therefor, and a cutting sword or a tomahawk or hatchet, a pouch containing a cartridge-box that will hold
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MILITARY HISTORY.
fifteen rounds of cartridges, at least a hundred buck-shot, a jack-knife and tow for wadding, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden balls fitted to his gun, a knapsack and blanket, a canteen or wooden bottle sufficient to hold one quart." They were to muster eight times a year, and each town was to keep on hand a supply of spades, shovels, axes, and picks, and to provide arms and equipments for those not able to provide for themselves. The implements were to be kept in a safe and convenient place. This regulation had been changed before Sullivan was incorporated and the town never, to our knowledge, procured picks, spades, etc., but they procured a certain amount of lead to be used for bullets in an emergency, which was kept under the pulpit in the old meetinghouse behind our present Town Hall. The space under the pulpit was reached by a little door in the pew of John Wilson (No. 20).
Just think of the equipment of a soldier of that day ! Tomahawks, hatchets, buck-shot, jack-knives, tow wadding, and flints ! The boys of today would hardly know how to use such implements of war, certainly not without much practice.
By a law of Dec. 22, 1808, essential changes were made in the military arrangements. The exempted class included officers and students in colleges, preceptors of academies, and physicians or surgeons who had received medical degrees, or were recognized by the New Hampshire Medical Society, in addition to those already enumerated in a former paragraph. By this law, every soldier must provide himself with " a good firelock, with a steel or iron ramrod, priming- wire and brush, bayonet, scabbard, belt, a cartridge-box that will contain 16 cart- ridges, two good flints, a knapsack, and canteen." A commissioned officer must be equipped " with a sword or hanger, and an *espontoon," a mounted officer, " with a sword and pair of pistols."
By the law of Jan. 3, 1829, the cartridge box was to contain 24 cartridges, and the espontoon (or spontoon) is omitted from the equipment of the officers. As time went on, muskets were often exchanged for rifles, and rifle companies were authorized. As respects the equipment of soldiers and officers, the old phrases remained upon the statutes even after more modern implements had superseded the old ones. There were independent companies, whose uniforms, as regards color and fashion, were to be determined by the regimental field officers, The uniform of the infantry was prescribed by the commander-in-chief, who was the governor of the state. The uniforms of the independent companies were often quite brilliant. White trousers, red coats, bear-skin caps, cockades, and fine boots characterized some companies. The trousers and coats and caps were of no uniform pattern throughout the state. Some companies arranged them in one way and others in another. Sometimes the trousers had gaudily colored stripes extending from top to bottom upon the sides of the legs. There was an immense variety and the effect at an " independent muster " was very pleasing.
In each town, the companies were called out for inspection twice each year. Originally, the first inspection was on the last Wednesday in June; finally, after several changes of date, this first inspection was on the third Tuesday of May, and was always known as the "May training." The second inspection
* An espontoon (more properly spontoon, from the French esponton) was a short imple- ment resembling a halberd.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
was at some time in August or September. This was known as the "fall training " and fell much into disuse in later years.
The " training days " were occasions of much merriment for the boys. In early times, it was the custom for the subordinate officers of the company to rally the men at some convenient point, at a very early hour of the morning, and march to the captain's house and fire a salute to wake him, which was re- garded in reality as a complimentary salute. Sometimes the fun was carried too far. When Josiah G. White was the captain, not contented with firing the salute in his yard, some of the "boys " entered the house (for houses in those days were never, or rarely, fastened) and discharged their fire-arms up the chimney, in the old-fashioned open fireplace. Mis. White had her " baking " lying upon the hearth, and the soot which was dislodged utterly ruined all her pies, bread, beans, etc.
The regimental muster occurred in September or October of each year, and was the great holiday of the season. Venders of fruit, candy, and gingerbread, and hawkers and peddlers of all descriptions frequented the field. Men, women, and children came from all the towns whose militia was represented. It was more exciting than the modern circus. Cider and strong drinks were freely sold and used. The canteens of the soldiers, which held a quart, were usually well filled in the morning and, it is fair to presume, were empty before night, in some cases at least. The general of the brigade was ordinarily present to review the troops. It was expected that he would address the regiment. If he were not accustomed to do such a thing, some member of his staff usually performed that service in his behalf. Rations were furnished each soldier for the muster, at the expense of the town to which he belonged, or, in lieu thereof, 34 cents, later 3I cents. Many preferred the money to the food, for obvious reasons.
A brigade muster was an unusual event. There were several thousand men in line and thousands of people came to witness the spectacle. One notable occasion of that character was the great brigade muster in Swanzey in 1810, when Philemon Whitcomb of that town was the major general of the 3d Division. Swanzey was Whitcomb's home and he took the greatest pride in making this one of the most remarkable events of his life. There were as many as 4,000 soldiers in line and twice as many spectators were present. There were then four old-fashioned hotels on Swanzey plains and it is safe to presume that they did a thriving business on that day, in furnishing both food and drink. Such brigade musters were held several times in Keene. The last such muster, and the last muster of the old-time militia, in this vicinity, was at Keene, Oct. 2, 1850. Probably many who read this book will recall that event. The independ- ent companies had fine and brilliant uniforms, but the rain poured down in torrents during a large part of the time. The inspection and review took place, but the ceremonies were much curtailed and the heavy rain spoiled the appear- ance of everything. Major Gen. Erastus Dickinson of Winchester and Brig. Gen. Daniel W. Bill of Gilsum were the reviewing officers.
The regimental standards were provided at the expense of the state, although fine flags and banners were often presented to the companies and regiments by their lady friends or fellow citizens. The state also provided for musical instru- ments and gun houses. The muskets used by the companies were, in later times,
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MILITARY HISTORY.
loaned by the state. After the decline in interest in militia affairs, we find on our Sullivan records such votes as the following, on Mar. 13, 1849 : " Voted, that the select-men give bonds to the Adjutant General for the safe keeping of the muskets received from the Portsmouth arsenal," also " Voted, if the Adjutant General refuse to receive the bonds, the town be at the expense of returning the muskets," showing that they had been loaned. On July 1, 1852, it was voted " that the select-men be instructed to put the guns belonging to the state in good order." This vote was later reconsidered and it was voted "that C. F. Wilson see that the guns are put in order."
The men in the training band received a dollar each a year for their militia service. If they failed to meet all requirements upon them in the way of equip- ment or service, they were fined. The town records show that the law was enforced in that respect and that men were occasionally fined. It would seem improper and unnecessary, here, to mention names.
For a long time each soldier furnished his own equipment, unless he was too poor to buy it, in which case, the town was required to purchase it. The old tomahawks, hatchets, jack-knives, and espontoons, although they would be an odd-looking equipment at the present day, had a certain use then. The militia meant something in those days. Before our country became a strong world power, such as it is today, no one could foresee how long it might be before there would be a war. The militia must always be in readiness to be called out in an emergency. The spears, pikes, hatchets, etc., were of use in moving fences, clearing brush, and making ready for the movement of a body of soldiers through a field or country ; and the spades, picks, etc., which were kept on hand, were to be used in throwing up earthworks and preparing encampments.
At first, each soldier took care of his own equipment, in his own home, and the officers took care of the property which belonged to the town. When, how- ever, the time came that the so-called " regulation U. S. guns " were used, they were loaned by the state from the public arsenals, and bonds were given, as we have seen, for their safe keeping. Then it became necessary for an armory in which to keep the guns and other implements used by the company. The first schoolhouses in the place were built by the town. One was built by the town in District No. 2 ; but that was soon disused. The second, a very good building of its kind, stood at No. 88 (see map), immediately south-west of the parsonage. When the district built a new schoolhouse in 1838, at 90 (see map), the town took possession of the one at 88, and used it for an armory.
Many of us who are still living can well remember that old armory. It was painted a dull red, with wooden shutters at the windows, of the same color. The ends of the building were towards the north and south. The door was at the south end. After the building was used for an armory, a different and much larger door was used than when the building was used for a schoolhouse. Its last use was during the Civil War, when patriotic meetings were held at the Town Hall to develop patriotic feeling, and to raise money, and to prepare deli- cacies for our soldier boys in the army, on which occasions the older men and boys repaired to the armory, shouldered the guns, and paraded and marched under the command of D. W. Nims, a former captain of the old militia company. Finally, on March 14, 1865, the town authorized the select-men to sell the armory, and the guns were returned to the state.
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HISTORY OF SULLIVAN.
During the old provincial days, the New Hampshire militia consisted of a certain number of regiments regulated and ordered by the commander-in-chief, who was the governor for the time being. About 1773, Hon. John Wentworth, the last royal governor of New Hampshire, appointed the Hon. Theodore Atkin- son (the son of a distinguished man of the same name) to be a Major General of all the militia. He was advanced in years and unfit for active duty. He held the office during the remainder of the royal rule and was superseded, Aug. 24, 1775, by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Folsom of Exeter, as the " General Officer of the Militia." Gen. Folsom was very distinguished in the Revolution. After that war, he was succeeded, Dec. 25, 1784, by Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, for whom our town was named, and who, also, was a distinguished general of the Revolution. The latter was succeeded, June 22, 1786, by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Bellows of Walpole, who commanded the first of the two divisions into which the militia were at that date divided. The latter remained in office until after the new state constitution went into effect, in 1793. On the 27th of March in that year, new appointments were made and the militia was divided into three divisions and five brigades. The militia of this part of the state were in the " 3d Division " and " 5th Brigade." From this time, the Major Generals of the old " 3d Division " were the following, with the dates of their commissions : Amos Shephard of Alstead, Mar. 27, 1793 ; Amasa Allen of Walpole, June 12, 1806 ; Philemon Whitcomb of Swanzey, June 9, 1808 ; Oliver Hastings of Charlestown, Dec. 9, 1816; Eliphalet Gay of Wil- mot, June 20, 1820; John Steele of Peterborough, June 16, 1823 ; Samuel Griffin of Nelson, June 18, 1825; William Carey of Lempster, June 30, 1826; Justus Perry of Keene, July 1, 1829; Solomon McNeil of Hillsborough, a man " six feet and three in his stockings," June 24, 1831 ; William P. Riddle of Bedford, June 25, 1833; Nathan Emery of Croydon, June 27, 1835; Anthony Colby of New London, July 3, 1837 ; James Wilson, Jr., of Keene, June 29, 1838 ; Charles L. Newton of Grantham, June 19, 1840; Israel Hunt, Jr., of Nashua, July 2, 1841 ; John McNeil of Hillsborough, July 1, 1843; Samuel Andrews of Hills- borough, June 30, 1845; Ezekiel Porter Pierce, Jr., of Chesterfield, June 24, 1848; John Barker of Henniker, June 30, 1849; Erastus Dickinson of Winches- ter, July 12, 1850. Maj. Gen. Dickinson was the last officer of that rank, while the old-fashioned militia was in existence.
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