USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Chesterfield > History of Chesterfield, Cheshire county, N.H., from the incorporation of "township number one," by Massachusetts, in 1736, to the year 1881; together with family Histories and genealogies > Part 10
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this convention were accepted by the town at a meeting held Aug. 27, 1792. At the same meeting six electors of President and Vice- President were voted for, as follows :
John Bellows had 8 votes.
James Freemen
16
John Pickering
II 66
Lemuel Holmes
8
Major Wallis
9
66
James Shieff (Sheaff) . . S
None were recorded for any other persons.
In 1797, Arthur Latham and others petitioned to be disannexed from the town. This was in accordance with a plan to unite por- tions of Chesterfield, Winchester, and Swanzey into a new town- ship. The petition was not granted. Unsuccessful attempts were also made in 1798 and 1807 to get the south-eastern part of the town set off.
War was formally proclaimed by the United States against Great Britain, June 19, 1812. At that time, and, in fact, during the whole war, the two political parties of the State were nearly equal in strength. The Republicans were in favor of prosecuting the war vigorously, and of invading the territory of the enemy ; the Feder- als, on the other hand, wished to stand on the defensive, and doubt- ed the right of the General Government to place the militia of a State under the command of United States officers. New Hamp- shire, nevertheless, was prompt to furnish its quota of men at all times during the war. In anticipation of the struggle that was to come, and in accordance with a requisition made by President Mad- ison, Governor Langdon issued orders, May 29, 1812, for detaching three thousand five hundred men from the militia of the State, to be organized, armed and equipped for actual service. A draft was made and the men thus obtained were organized and put in readiness for active duty. Before the end of the year, a large num- ber of men had also enlisted voluntarily. The Federals having a very large majority in Chesterfield, it was decided, on the part of some of them, to hold a town-meeting for the purpose, as expressed in the warrant, of "taking the sense of the town on the alarming situation of our country, the conduct of our rulers, and the ten- dency of their measures." .The meeting was held on the 4th of
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September, IS12. Levi Jackson, Phineas Handerson and John Kneeland having been chosen a committee to draft "a proposal for the town to act upon," the meeting was adjourned for one hour. On re-assembling. the following resolutions were presented by the committee, and adopted as an expression of the sentiments of a majority of the legal voters of the town :
"Resolved, That it is the duty of every citizen to obey all constitutional laws of the general government, and support the Constitution thereof; that we consider the Union of the States a sound and vital principle in our gov- ernment, [and] all attempts to weaken the bonds of Union ought to be dis- countenanced by every friend of his country.
Resolved, That the Constitution of the United States recognizes commercial and maritime rights, as well as those of agriculture and manufactures, and equally defends all classes of citizens in their lawful employments; conse- quently, all laws which oblige any class of citizens to surrender their rights, or which abridge their privileges, unless the public good evidently requires it, must originate in an assumption of power not authorized by the Constitu- tion. We cannot, therefore, approve that restrictive system or policy, which has for several years past been pursued by our rulers (however pure their mo- tives may have been); which has driven thousands of our hardy citizens from their lawful employments, and deprived them of their customary means of subsistence; has discouraged the honest and industrious part of the commu- nity, and afforded ample means to gratify the cupidity of speculators and villains; and which has broken down that high spirit of enterprise, which was once our distinguishing characteristic and honor, destroyed our financial resources, and reduced us from the full tide of successful experiment to a state of national degradation and bankruptcy.
Resolved, That the territory of the United States is already sufficiently ex- tensive for the operation of a republican form of government: a war of con- quest cannot, therefore, be justified. If successful, it would be an acquisi- tion of territory, [and would] hasten the dissolution of the Union; if unsuc- cessful, it would bring national disgrace and ruin.
Resolved, That the act of Congress of the 18th of June last, declaring war against Great Britain, was premature and impolitic. It was premature, be- cause we are unprepared for such an event; more than fifty millions of the property of our citizens will thereby be exposed to capture and confiscation by the enemy, and thousands of the owners reduced from affluence to pover- ty; and our Government may be deprived of more than ten millions of reve- nue, which they might have received by permitting our citizens to return home with their property. Our western posts are surprised and taken; our little band of patriots destined for their defence, we fear, already made pris- oners of war, and our whole frontier exposed to the ravages of a powerful enemy. It was impolitic, because we may lose thousands of lives and expend
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millions of treasure in attempting to obtain by force rights, which, if attain- able, could better be secured by negotiation than by the sword. But above all, we deprecate the war because we should be more exposed to the intrigues and influence of the great Tyrant of Europe, whose friendship is 'a pestilence that walketh in darkness,' and whose alliance is 'a destruction that wasteth at noon-day .'
Resolved, That the freedom of speech and of the press are rights that can- not be surrendered; that we hold ourselves amenable to the laws, [and] are entitled to the protection of Government, through the medium of courts of law and justice; and all other modes of trying and punishing any supposed violations of duty, are subversive of all law and government, and, in effect, anarchy and rebellion.
Resolved, That the late outrages at Baltimore, and more especially the en- couragement and support [that] the rioters have received from the administra- tion newspapers and men of high standing with those in power, indicate a disposition in the majority to destroy the liberty of the press, coerce public opinion, and put down by force those who dare to speak or publish their opinions of the ruinous tendency of their measures.
Resolved, That while we frown indignantly upon all riotous and seditious assemblages of men, to overawe the laws or prevent their execution, we will use all constitutional means to co-operate with our sister Towns and States, to promote public tranquility and restore the blessing of peace, as soon as may be consistent with the honor and interest of our Nation.
Resolved, That we consider a change of men and measures indispensable to the safety and welfare of the country, and believe it our duty, and the duty of every friend to our rights and liberties, to use all honest, constitutional means to elect men to office, whose principles of government accord with those of Washington,-honest, capable, and friends to the Constitution."
The above resolutions having been adopted, it was voted to send delegates to a county convention, if necessary, and that the pro- ceedings of the meeting should be signed by the moderator and town-clerk, and published in The New Hampshire Sentinel.
At the meeting held Nov. 2, the same year, to vote for electors of President and Vice-President, the Federal candidates received each 207 votes (excepting John Goddard, who had 228), and the Republican candidates, with one exception, S4 votes each.
If any men enlisted from Chesterfield in 1812 and '13, their names are not known. It is probable that very few went into the army during the first two years of the war.
The people of New Hampshire having become thoroughly alarmed on account of the depredations of the British at various points on the Atlantic coast, Gov. Gilman issued an order, under
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date of Sept. 9, 1814, for the whole of the militia "to hold them- selves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, completely armed and equipped according to law, and as well provided as pos- sible with blankets and ammunition." An order had already been issued, two days before, for detachments from twenty-three regi- ments of the militia. These orders were received by the militia with great enthusiasm, and were promptly obeyed. The men de- tached in accordance with the order of Sept. 7, were duly organized into several regiments and battalions, which formed one brigade under the command of Gen. John Montgomery. The first draft was made in Chesterfield, Sept. 13. The names of the men thus obtained were as follows :
Amos Stone, Sergeant.
Eli Darling, Corporal.
PRIVATES.
Joshua Wiggins. Francis Winch.
Stephen Streeter, Jr.
Montgomery Darling. Isaac Wetherby. Ezra Putney. Roswell Metcalf.
These men were to serve three months, unless sooner discharged. They formed part of Capt. Nathan Glidden's company, in the first regiment of detached militia, commanded by Col. Nat. Fisk, of West- moreland. Capt. Glidden was of Unity. Eli Darling was discharged November 3 ; Joshua Wiggins and Isaac Wetherby, November 10. Montgomery Darling was accidentally hit by a bayonet on the gun of a fellow soldier, and lost the sight of one eye from the effects of the wound. He was dischanged Nov. 6.
The next draft was made Sept. 26, and the following men ob- tained :
Samuel L. Draper.
John Bass. Philip Bacon.
Daniel Stearns.
Elijah Lyons.
Lyman Toms [Tombs].
The men obtained by this draft, formed a part of the company commanded by Capt. Reuben Marsh, of this town, in the second regiment of detached militia. Ara Hamilton and Bradley Mead, also both of Chesterfield, were lieutenants in the same company. Capt. Marsh and Lieutenants Hamilton and Mead went to Ports- mouth with the detachment, which was five days in marching to
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that place. Samuel L. Draper went as a substitute, but, on his ar- rival at Portsmouth, Capt. Marsh procured for him the position of fifer for the company. John H. Fuller, then of Chesterfield, after- wards of Keene, was adjutant of the regiment to which Captain Marsh's company belonged. The men were to serve sixty days, but they were discharged a few days before the expiration of their term of service. Elijah Lyons was discharged Nov. 3. The Brit- ish did not attack Portsmouth, as was anticipated, and the greater part of the troops that had assembled there were discharged before their term of service expired.
The war between the United States and Great Britain having end- ed early in the year 1815, there were no more calls for soldiers from Chesterfield, till the breaking out of the Great Rebellion, in 1861.
CHAPTER VI.
From 1815 to 1865.
Prosperity of the Town during the First Half of the Period Embraced in this Chapter-Deerease of Population-Ineendiary Fires: "Committee of Vig- ilanee" Appointed, and Rewards Offered for the Detection of the Ineen- diaries-The War of the Great Rebellion: Votes Passed by the Town relating to the Dependants of Enlisted Men, the Payment of Bounties, ete .- Record of the Citizens of Chesterfield Who Enlisted in the Military Service of the United States during the War.
The history of the town during the period embraced in this chap- ter, contains but little of especial interest, till the breaking out of the War of the Great Rebellion, in 1861. During the first half of this period the town was probably as prosperous as at any time in its history : trade and agriculture flourished, mills were busy, the Academy attracted students from abroad, and even lawyers could earn a livelihood in the town.
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The maximum population of the town during this period was in 1820, when it numbered 2110, or 51 less than in the year :Soo. This number was not long maintained, however ; for, owing to the establishment of manufactories in towns having more water-power, and the opening of new settlements in the great West, many fami- lies removed from the town, to seek their fortunes elsewhere.
From 1820 to '30, the town lost only 64 inhabitants ; 'from '30 to '40, it lost 2SI. The total decrease in population from 1820 to '65, . must have been about 750.
Between 1845 and '51, a series of unpleasant events occurred in the town, for which a few evil-disposed persons alone were wholly responsible. In 1845 or '46, the buildings belonging to Ira Weth- erbee, situated on "Wetherbee Hill," were burned, evidently by an incendiary fire. A lawsuit followed respecting the insurance on the buildings, in which unpleasant relations between Wetherbee and some of the citizens were brought about. Then followed a series of incendiary fires at, or near, the Centre Village, -- two barns and a store belonging to Asa Marsh, a barn belonging to Charles Darling, and the old meeting-house being burned between the time of the burning of Wetherbee's buildings and March, 1851. An unsuccessful attempt was also made to burn a barn belonging to Elias Mead.
The old meeting-house having been burned on the first day of March, 1851, the town voted, at the annual meeting for that year, (held March II,) to instruct the selectmen to offer a reward of $500 for the detection of the incendiaries who burned it, and another of $500 for the detection of those who burned Charles Darling's barn. A "Committee of Vigilance" was also chosen at the same meeting, consisting of twelve persons, to detect and bring to justice, if possi- ble, the supposed incendiaries.
At a special meeting held on the fourth day of June following, it was voted to discharge the "Committee of Vigilance" chosen at the annual meeting from further duty, and to authorize the select- men to appoint a new one consisting of seven persons, whose duty it should be "to ferret out and bring to justice, if possible, the per- son or persons who have, or may hereafter, set fire, or attempt to set fire, to any building in this town."
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In accordance with this vote, the selectmen appointed a commit- tee consisting of the following persons : Jay Jackson, Oscar Cool- idge, J. C. Goodrich, Samuel D. Clark, William Bennett, Mark Cook, R. G. Tyler.
This committee commenced, and prosecuted, a series of investi- gations, which appear to have led them to believe that they had discovered some of the guilty parties, but which never resulted in the conviction of any person.
The chairman of the committee submitted his report to the town at the annual town-meeting for 1852. This report is recorded in full in the records of the town. The occasion which necessitated the formation of such a committee was a very unhappy one, and, as no good can result from a revival of the remembrances of this period in the town's history, it is left to the charity of future gener- ations.
The breaking out of the War of the Great Rebellion may be regarded as a new era in the history of the town, as well as in that of the nation.
The military spirit that had so long lain dormant was again aroused, and men of all political beliefs laid aside their differences for a while, and joined with one another in their efforts to sustain the general government in the attempt to put down the most formid- able rebellion recorded in the annals of the world. Chesterfield furnished during the war upwards of one hundred and ten men for the Union army, of whom seventy-four were residents of the town ; the rest were not citizens of Chesterfield, but were hired by the town to fill its quota, or by individuals as substitutes.
At a special town-meeting held Nov. 19, 1861, it was voted to instruct the selectmen to borrow the sum of $500, to aid the wives, children or parents of any inhabitant of the town who had enlisted, or might afterwards enlist, in the service of the United States, provided such persons were dependent on him for support, at the time of his enlistment, and were in need of aid. Each person so aided was to receive one dollar per week, provided that the sum of the payments to the persons constituting a family did not exceed $12 per month.
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At a special town-meeting held Aug. 26, 1862, the town voted to pay all its citizens who would enlist, or had enlisted, in the service of the United States, for the term of three years, under the call for 300,000 men, a bounty of $200 each; and for the term of nine months, a bounty of $100. These bounties were to be paid, how- ever, only to a sufficient number of volunteers to fill the quota of the town.
At a special town-meeting held Sept. 26, 1863, the town voted to pay the sum of $200 to any person (residing in the town) who had been, or might be within two years, drafted into the service of the United States, within ten days after he, or his substitute, had been mustered into said service.
It was also voted to furnish aid to the dependants of enlisted men, under the existing restrictions.
Nov. 30, the same year, another town-meeting was held, at which it was voted to pay any citizen of the town who would enlist under the recent call for troops by the Governor, a bounty of $300. The selectmen were also instructed to appoint an agent to secure men enough to fill the town's quota (which was fifteen), wherever they could be found, provided the sum paid each man, as a bounty, did not exceed $300. It was also voted that the agent "be authorized, if necessary, to advance the amount of the government and state bounty to each volunteer, and take an assignment of the same in favor of the town."
At a special town-meeting held June 10, 1864, the selectmen were authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding $15,000, for en- couraging volunteer enlistments. They were also instructed to secure not less than fifteen volunteers, to be credited to the town as a part of its quota on any further call. It was also voted "to raise the sum of $425, in addition to the sum already raised, to be paid to each man who has been, or may be, drafted into the military service of the United States, in ten days after he, or his substitute, is mustered into said service."
At another special meeting held the 27th of the same month, it was voted to pay $100 in addition to what was voted in September, '63, to each man who might be drafted within two years from the time said vote was passed, (i. e., Sept. 26, 1863.)
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At a special town-meeting held Aug. 29, the same year (1864), the following vote was passed : "That the selectmen be authorized to pay any citizen of said town, who has resided therein three months, who will enlist into the military, naval or marine service of the United States, for the term of one year, the sum of $500, or for the term of two years, the sum of $700, or for the term of three years, the sum of $900 to the extent of the number required to fill the quota of said town under the present call ; and that the selectmen be instructed to pay the above named bounties immedi- ately upon said volunteers being mustered into said service."
The above vote was repassed at a special meeting held the 24th of the next December, and the selectmen were authorized to borrow $7000, to pay the bounties. It was also voted to pay any enrolled citizen of the town, who would procure an acceptable substitute, and cause him to be mustered into the military service of the United States for the term of three years, the sum of $300, and to advance the state bounty, taking an assignment in favor of the town ; also, to pay all necessary expenses incurred in procuring said substitute.
The votes passed Dec. 24, 1864, relating to the payment of boun- ties, the procuring of substitutes, etc., were rescinded at a special town-meeting held April 12, 1865.
Of the whole number of soldiers furnished by Chesterfield dur- ing the war, about 40 were substitutes and men hired to fill the quota of the town in accordance with the vote passed Nov. 30, 1863. Only one of the substitutes was a resident of Chesterfield ; the rest (together with the men employed in accordance with the vote just mentioned) were mainly " brokers' men," and belonged, in great part, to the class of men so well known during the war as " bounty-jumpers."
With very few exceptions, those persons who were citizens of the town at the time of their enlistment served till they were honorably discharged.
The following record of the soldiers furnished by Chesterfield ยท during the civil war contains only the names of those who were actually residents of the town at the time of their enlistment. It has been carefully compiled from the records of the town, from the reports of the Adjutant General of the State, and from information derived from private sources.
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RECORD OF THE CITIZENS OF CHESTERFIELD WHO ENLISTED IN
THE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DURING
THE WAR OF THE REBELLION (1861-'65).
[NOTE .- In the following record a star (*) is placed after the names of the men who were mustered for the term of one year, or, in some cases, after the word mustered; all the rest were mustered for the term of three years. V stands for Volunteer. Unless otherwise stated, it is to be understood that each volunteer was mustered as a private.]
BANCROFT, CLINTON A. Mustered in Co. F, 14th Reg't N. H. V. Infantry, Sept. 23, 1862. Mustered out July 8, 1865.
BANCROFT, NORRIS E. Mustered in Co. F, Sth Reg't Me. V. Infantry, Ang. 14, 1861. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1866.
[At the time of his enlistment he was less than fourteen years old, and he served 4 years, 5 months and 4 days. Of this term, he served 2 years and 20 days as a re-enlisted veteran. The company to which he belonged was engaged in many of the hardest fought battles of the war, and at one time was continually under fire, and on the march, for 100 successive days.]
BRITTON, BRADFORD. Mustered as Musician in Co. E, 6th Reg't N. H. V. Infantry, Nov. 28, 1861. Discharged for dis- ability, June 16, 1862.
BRITTON, GEORGE B. Mustered in Co. E, 20th Reg't Mass. V. Infantry, Aug. 8, 1861. Was transferred to the 2d Reg't U. S. Cavalry, Dec. 27, 1862. Was taken prisoner at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Va., Oct. 21, 1861, and was confined at Mayo's Tobacco Factory, Richmond, about three weeks; at Belle Island about six weeks ; at Salisbury, N. C., about five months. Was captured again near Winchester, Va., Aug. 16, 1864, and confined a few days at Richmond, and then at Salisbury, N. C., where he remained till Feb. 22, 1865.
BUTLER, ROSWELL. Mustered in Co. E, 6th Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, Nov. 28, 1861. Discharged for disability, June 16, I862.
BUTLER, JOHN H. Mustered in Co. A, 14th Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, Sept. 22, 1862. Mustered out July 8, 1865.
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COBB, RICHARD T. Enlisted in Co. B, 12th Reg't Mass. V. In- fantry, April 23, 1861. Discharged by reason of expiration of term of service, July 8, 1864. Wounded in the chin. . Was taken prisoner at the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, and confined at Belle Island, near Richmond, Va., till March S, 1864, when he was exchanged, having suffered much from sick- ness, and ill treatment by the Rebels.
COLBURN, WARREN. Enlisted in the 11th Reg't Vt. V. Infantry,
October, 1863. Was taken prisoner, and died in the Rebel prison at Andersonville, Ga., Oct. 4, 1864.
CONVERSE, JULIUS C. Mustered in Co. F, 14th Reg't N. H. V. Infantry, Dec. 29, 1863. Mustered out July S, 1865.
CROUCH, NELSON S .* Mustered in Troop F, Ist Reg't N. H. V. Cavalry, Feb. 28, 1865. Mustered out July 15, 1865.
DARLING, CALVIN G. Mustered in Co. F, 14th Reg't N. H. V. Infantry, Sept. 23, 1862. Mustered out July 8, 1865.
DAVIS, MURRAY. Mustered in Co. F, 14th Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, Dec. 29, 1863. Discharged July 18, 1865. At the battle of Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864, he was wounded by a grape-shot in the left leg, about half way between the ankle and knee. For several hours he lay within the enemy's lines, but, the Rebels having been driven back, he was picked up by Union soldiers, in the evening, and passed the night on the bat- tle-field. On the third day after receiving the wound, his leg was amputated by Federal surgeons, at Winchester town.
DAVIS, NOYES J. Enlisted in the 2d Reg't of Berdan's Sharp- shooters, December, 1861. Served three years. Wounded in the right wrist at the battle of Chancellorsville, Va. EDDY, GEORGE P. Mustered in Co. A, 2d Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, May 31, 1861. Discharged for disability, Nov. 9, 1862. Re-enlisted in the 2d Reg't Mass. V. Artillery, Aug. 7, 1863: Discharged Aug. 9, 1865.
FARNUM, JOHN M. Mustered in Co. F, 6th Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, Dec. 29, 1863. Discharged for disability, Jan. 25, 1865. FARR, CHARLES M. Mustered in Co. A, 2d Reg't N. H. V. In- fantry, May 31, 1861. Discharged for disability, Oct. 23, 1862.
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Re-enlisted for the town of Newport, and was mustered in Troop C, Ist Reg't N. H. V. Cavalry, April 11, 1864. Pro- moted to First Sergeant. Promoted to Second Lieutenant, June 10, 1865. Mustered out as First Sergeant, July 15, 1865. FARR, CHARLES R. Mustered in Co. F, Ist Reg't Vt. V. Cav- alry. Nov. 19, 1861. Promoted to Commissary Sergeant of the company, Oct. 29, 1862. Discharged by reason of expi- ration of term of service, Nov. 18, 1864.
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