USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 46
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The daring of the act, as well as its results, produced its ef- fect upon the loyalists, and as if maddened out of his propriety, Governor Wentworth visited his official wrath upon Drs. Bart- lett and Thompson, depriving them of their commissions as Jus- tices of the Peace ; and also upon Major Sullivan and Captain Langdon, depriving them of their commissions in the military establishment of the Province !
The Governor, by advice of Council, also issued the follow- ing Proclamation ;
"Province of
New Hampshire. S A proclamation by the Governor.
Whereas, several bodies of men did, in the day time of the
14th, and in the night of the 15th of this instant Decem- ber, in the most daring and rebellious maner invest, attack, and forcibly enter into his Majesty's castle William and Ma- ry in this province, and overpowering and confining the Cap- tain and garrison, did, besides committing many trouble- some insults and outrages, break open the magazine of said castle, and plunder it of above one hundred barrels of gun- powder, with upwards of sixty stand of small arms, and did also force from the ramparts of said castle and carry off six- teen pieces of cannon, and other military stores, in open hos- tility and in direct oppugnation of his majesty's government, and in the most atrocious centempt of his crown and digni- ty :
I do, by advice and consent of his majestie's council, issue this proclamation, ordering and requiring, in his majestye's name, all magistrates and other officers, whether civil, or mili- tary, as they regard their duty to the king and the tenor of the oaths they have solemnly taken and subscribed, to exert themselves in detecting and securing in some of his majestye's jails in this province, the said offenders, in order to their being brought to condign punishment ; And trom motives of duty to the king and regard to the welfare of the good people of this province ; I do in the most earnest and solemn manner, exhort and injoin you, his majesty's liege subjects of this govern-
410
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
ment, to beware of suffering yourselves to be seduced by the false arts or menaces of abandoned men, to abet, protect, or screen from justice any of the said high handed offenders, or to withhold or secrete his majesty's munitions forcibly taken from his castle ; but that each and every one of you will use your utmost endeavors to detect and discover the perpetrators of these crimes to the civil magistrates, and assist in securing and bringing them to justice, and in recovering the king's munitions. This injunction it is my bounden duty to lay strict- ly upon you, and to reqnire your obedience thereto, as you val- ue individually your faith and allegiance to his majesty, as you wish to preserve that reputation to the province in general ; as you would avert the dreadful but most certain consequences of a contrary conduct to yourselves and posterity.
Given at the council-chamber in Portsmouth, the 26th day of December, in the 15th year of the reign of our sover- eign lord George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, &c:, and in the year of our Lord Christ, 1774.
J. WENTWORTH. By his excellency's command, with advice of council, THEODORE ATKINSON, Sec'y. God save the King."
However, the proclamation of the Governor, had no other ef- fect than to produce derision. The affair was mostly done in the day time, the leaders were well known citizens of Portsmouth and the neighhoring towns, of the first standing in the communi- ty, and had the Governor dared to have made the arrests threat- ened in his proclamation, he could have found many of the "high handed offenders," at his own door. The truth was, the royal authority had become powerless, and he did not dare attempt an arrest. Proclamations, however, were had for the writing, and answered the Governor's purpose in the "home" market .*
The people of Derryfield were fully awake to the oppression of the British government and equally determined in their oppo- sition, with the rest of the people of the Province.
*The powder taken from the Fort was taken up tha river to Durham andExe- ter, and -ecreted by the patriots. A portion of it was placed with a Mr. Demer- it of Durham, familiarly known as "Deacon Demerit." He took down the wall on one side of his cellar, made an excavation of sufficient capacity, put in the barrels of powder, and then replaced the wall in its proper position. Prior to the battle of Bunker Hill, Dea. Demerit, hauled a portion of this powder to
411
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONGRESS.
A special meeting was called of the inhabitants on the 16th day of January, 1775, by warrant bearing date the 2d of the same month, the main article of which was as follows:
"2ly To see if the town will chose a man or men as Deputies to go to Exeter the 25th Day of January Instant, in Behalf of said town in order to meet with the Deputies from the Neighboring Towns in said Province."
At the meeting on the 16th of Jan., it was,
"Voted on the second article, not to send a man to Exeter, but that the Selectmen send a Letter to said Exeter, and insert in said Letter, that the said town will bear their Equal proportion of money that shall hereafter arise towards paying the cost of the General Congress, as any other town in the Province.
This vote was dictated in part by a desire doubtless, to save the expense of a delegate, but mainly we imagine, by the fact that the people of this County had held, or were about to hold a County Congress, for the organization of some plan of govern- ment among themselves. The people of this County were more intimately connected in all their business relations with those of Massachusetts, than with their brethren in the south-east section of New Hampshire. In addition to this, they had distrust of the people in that section, fearing that they would succumb to the influence of the royal governor. This distrust was undoubt- edly fostered by Massachusetts. On this account, the people of this County early followed the example set in Massachusetts, called a County Congress, and took measures for their own safety and protection. We know not the time of meeting of this Con- gress, but it was probably held in January, 1775, as in the war- rant for the annual meeting in Derryfield, bearing date Feb., 20 1775, the article reads thus,
"To see what the town will vote Capt. John Stark, for his re- presenting the town at the County Congress."
Andat the meeting on the 6th day of March following, it was,
"Voted on the Elliventh Artical, to pay Capt. John Stark two
Cambridge for the use of our army. When the fact is considered, that our de- feat in that batt e amounted alinost to a victory ; and that that defeat was main- ly in consequence of a lack of ammunition, how important was the attack up- on Fort Willi m and Mary, which furnished our scanty supply of powder at Bunker Hill. Deacon Demerit, for a long time kept a sample of this powder, and a gentleman is now living, in Portsmouth, to whom he gave some of it for squirrel shooting after relating the taking of the Fort, remarking as he gave it to him, "Here, try this powder, this is the kind we killed the red coats with at Bunker Hill."
412
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Pounds, eight shillings Lawfull money, for his Attendances, at the Countey Congress."
From this vote it would seem that that there had been more than one meeting of the Congress ; probably by adjournment. It does not appear from the records that Capt. Stark had been chosen by the people to represent them, and it is probable that he held his appointment from the Selectmen, or was elected at an informal public meeting.
However, the town prepared for contingencies, and in the war- rant before refered to, of date February 20th, 1775, an article was inserted as follows ;
"9ly, To see it the town will Vote to Chues a man to Repre- sent us In Countey Congress."
And at the meeting on the 6th of March following, it was "Vo- ted Capt. John Stark to Represent the town at Countey Con- gress."
From these extracts it is apparent, that Capt. Stark was to rep- resent the town in some future Congress, to be held by adjonrn- ment, or called if occasion demanded.
Of the proceedings of the Congress that had been held, we are entirely in the daek, but judging from the effect, there can be but little doubt, that it was in contemplation, had the eastern section of the State proved recreant to the patriot cause, that the County of Hillsborough should have joined with Massachusetts, in opposing the oppressions of the British govern- ment.
Meantime on the 25th of January, 1775, the Convention met at Exeter. One hundred and forty-four delegates were present, making the largest Convention ever before held in this Province. This Convention chose Major J. Sullivan and Capt. J. Langdon delegates to the Congress to meet at Philadelphia in May ; raised a Committee "to call a Provincial Convention of delegates when they shall judge the exigences of public affairs require it ;" and voted a spirited address to the people of the Province, wherein the greivances of the people were set forth, and such measures were proposed as were in the opinion of the Convention best cal- culated to subserve the interests of the people.
The Convention adjourned, and its spirit became widely diffus- ed over the Province. Out of the immediate vicinity of Ports- mouth. and a few towns, where resided the friends of Governor Wentworth, and the officers of the Crown, the opposition to the measures of the British government was rife, embracing a large
413
GOV. WENTWORTH IN DIFFICULTY.
this, he strangely adopted the very course, best calculated to thwart his own designs, and render himself unpopular, so much of truth is there in the saying,
"Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad."
The members of the Assembly were chosen in the several towns by virtue of writs directed through the Sheriff of the County to the towns in his precinct. These writs were issued by the Governor, and were called the "King's writs." To "make assurance doubly sure," Governor Wentworth determined to issue the King's writs to several new towns, which had never been represented, and where he knew none other than his per- sonal friends would be elected ; and to neglect to issue writs to certain old towns, where his opponents would be sure to be re- turned to the Assembly, as a majority of the people in them, were known to be staunch opposers to the oppressions of the British government. Writs ordering an election of members of the Assembly, which was to meet on the 4th day of May, were accordingly issued ; but in this issue of writs, the old and well populated towns of Allenstown, Bow, Canterbury, Chichester, Concord, Epsom, Haverhill, Hanover, Lebanon, and Pembroke were neglected ; while the new and sparsely populated towns of Lime, Orford, and Plymouth, were ordered to elect mem- bers to the coming Assembly. The members returned from the new towns were Jacob Green, Esq., from Lyme, Israel Morey, Esq., Orford, and Col. John Fenton, Plymouth.
Col. Fenton was a particular friend of the Governor, had his residence in Portsmouth, and was Clerk of the Court of Com- mon Pleas, and Judge of Probate for Grafton County. The election of such a man under favorable circumstances would have been injudicious ; but now when the colony was in a complete ferment, that the Governor should issue a writ to a new- ly incorporated town, of only a few inhabitants, and that an ultra tory, an inhabitant of Portsmouth, and a well known friend of the Governor and of his measures, should be returned as the re- presentative from that town, the whole Province was in a tur- moil.
The Assembly was ordered by proclamation to convene on the 4th day of May, 1775.
The Patriots were not idle. The Committee for calling a Convention, "should the exigencies of the public affairs require it," called a Convention of delegates, to meet at Exeter, on the 17th of May.
31.
414
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
CHAPTER XIX.
Battle of Lexington .- News arrives at Amoskeag .- Volunteers from Derryfield and Bedford .- Capt. John Moor and his men .- Stark le ves for Lexing- ton .- Convention at Exeter .- Send a Committee to Cambridge .- Raise sup- plies .- Legislature meets .- Adjourns .- Reason of adjournment. - Difficulty with Scarborough's Boats .- Convention called for May 17th .- Meeting in . Derryfield -Refuse to send a Delegate .- Congress at Amherst .- Send a Delegate to the Congress .- Business of the Congress .- Take measures to co- operate with Massachusetts. - Convention meets at Exeter .- Raise and organ- ize troops .- Appoint Folsom to command .- Poor and Reid made Colonels .- Approve of the attack on the Fort .- Recommend the expulsion of the new members from the House .- Legislature meets .- Fxpel the new members .- Col. Fenton carried to Exeter Jail,-G. v. Wentworth adjourns the Legisla- ture .- Retires to the Fort. - Again adjourns Legislature .- Leaves for Eng- land -Appointed Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia .- Created a Baronet. - His death .- Stark, Reid and Sargent commissioned as Colonels by Masachu- Betts .- Stark's regiment .- He refuses to report to Gen. Folsom .- Consid- ers himself superseded .- Repairs to Exeter .- Put in command of the First Regiment .- Battle of Bunker Hill .- Sta k details 300 of his men .- Follows with the remainder .- Throw up a stone wall .- Capt. Moor and he Derry- field men posted at the wall .- Great - laughter in front of the wall .- Stark reg- lects to report to Gen. Folsom .- Reports to Committee of Safety .- Diffi- culty with Hobart .- Court Martial .- Blodget is Suttler .- Return from Derry- field .- Rev. Mr. Houston .- Col. Wm. Sta k .- Test Act .- Signers in Derry- field .- Col. Stark goes into Canada .- Ordered to join Washington in Penn- sylvania .- Battle of Trenton .- Fought by the N. E. Brigade .- Stark leads the van .- Feats of Sergeant Stevens of Derryfield .- Battle of Princeton .- This gained by N. E. Brigade .- Stark thinks himself superseded and re- eigns. - Resignation .- An advantage to him and the country.
.
At length an untoward event brought matters to a crisis. This was the Battle of Lexington, which took place on the 19th of April, 1775.
The British General in Boston, detailed a force of Grena- diers and Infantry, to seize the stores deposited by the patriots at Concord. This force under the command of Lt. Colonel Smith, and Maj. Pitcairn, crossed the Charles River in the evening of the 18th of April, and early on the morning of the 19th, was on its march for Concord, 18 miles distant. Though the march and destination of the troops had been kept with the utmost secrecy, yet the country was alarmed, and the "minute men" were rushing to their appointed posts. When the British force arrived at Lexington, a town some few miles below Concord, they found a company of some 70 minute men drawn up on the common near the meeting house. Major Pit- cairn who led the British vanguard, immediately rode forward in
RESIDENCE OF F. SMYTH, ESQ.
415
BATTLE OF LEXINGTON.
hot haste, and cried out to the Provincials, "Disperse you rebels, d-n you throw down your arms, and disperse." Upon this, pistols were discharged upon the Provincials, from one or two of the officers, which example was followed by two or three of the soldiers, and then the discharge became general, with fatal effect. The Provincials immediately dispersed, some fir- ing upon the enemy as they retired. In the encounter eight of the Americans were killed, and ten wounded. The British im- mediately marched for Concord, where they succeeded in part, in accomplishing the object of the expedition. They stove in the heads of some sixty barrels of flour, knocked off the trun- nions of three twenty-four pound cannon, burnt sixteen car- riage wheels, a lot of camp plates and spoons, and set fire to the Court House, which was happily extinguished. Meantime the Provincials had not been dilatory. Some three or four companies already on the ground, prudently retired at the ap- proach of the British force, and took up a position across the North Bridge. By the time the British troops had completed their partial work of destruction, the Provincial force number- ed 450 men and was continualy increasing. Seeing the opera- tions of the enemy, and fires arising in various parts of the vil- lage Major Butrick, with some 300 minute men advanced upon the North Bridge, to dislodge the guard of about 100 men, who had it in command. Upon their approach, the British fired upon them, ki ling and wounding several. Their fire was returned by the Provincials and several of the enemy fell. 'The British then retreated in much confusion, and the Provin- cials crossed the bridge, but did not follow upthe attack. About 12 o'clock M. the British troops commenced their march from Concord to Boston. By this time the minute men were col- lecting from all quarters, and a continuous and galling fire was poured in upon the retreating enemy from every hillock, wall, bush or rock. upon the wayside. Soon the retreat became an utter rout, and when the British troops arrived at Lexington, and met a reinforcement under Lord Percy, what with the harrassing pursuit and the heat of the day, the exhausted sol- diers threw themselves upon the ground, their parched tongues · extending from their mouths like so many breves ! Stopping some two hours to refresh the exhausted troops, Percy com- menced his line of march for Boston. But although at the head of a force of 1800 men with two pieces of artillery. Lord Percy thought of nothing but retreat from an increasing and harrassing toe. As on the retreat from Concord to Lexington, so now, every hillock, wall, bush and rock, was a covert for a
416
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
sharp-shooter. And this galling fire was not confined to one place, it was kept up and with increasing effect along the whole line of march, till at length, at the foot of Prospect Hill, and just before sun set, such was the galling effect of the Provin- cial fire, the gallant Percy's troops rushed towards Charlestown neck to get under the guns of the Somerset, with a haste amounting almost to a rout ! In the eagerness of pursuit, the Provincials followed the retreating enemy till they reached Charlestown Common, when they reluctantly gave over the pursuit. Revenge gave edge to their courage, for the British troops committed the most atrocious acts whenever opportuni- ty offered on the retreat. Houses were pillaged and burned, and not content with shooting down the unarmed, aged and infirm, they disregarded the cries of the wounded, killing them without mercy, and mangling their bodies in the most shocking manner." ! An invalid, and non-combatant, was butchered at his own hearth-stone ! Another driven from her home to the rocks, was shot as she was nursing her child !
The news of this attack spread through the country like wild-fire. The people of New Hampshire were in the great- est excitement, as reports were rife in every direction, that the British troops were marching into the country. The news of the battle arrived at Amoskeag, the same night. Judge Patten on the occasion made the following entry in his Diary ;
"April 20th, I received the melancholy news in the morning that General Gage's troops had fired upon our countrymen at Concord yesterday, and had killed a large number of them. Our town, (Bedford) was notified last night. We generally met at the meeting house, about 9 o'clock and the number of twenty or more went Directly off from the meeting house to assist them."
Upon the first alarm, near two thousand troops rushed to Lexington and Cambridge from New Hampshire.
The Committee for calling a Congress, immediately sent run- ners to most of the towns in the Province, to send delegates to a Convention to be holden at Exeter, on the 21st instant, to consult for the general safety. Most of the towns sent dele- gates, but Derryfield did not, and for good and sufficient reasons. Circulars were sent in due form ; but in Bedford, the Select- men were gone to Lexington, and there was no one to call a town meeting! As appears from Judge Patten's Diary, in which is entered under date of April,
"22d, I was awakened in the morning, by Mrs. Chandlers
417
CONVENTION CALLED.
coming with a letter from the Committee of the Provincial Congress, for calling another Congress for the Province imme- diately, and I went with it as fast as I could to John Bell's, but he was gone to our army, and both the others (Selectmen) also." The letter was as follows ;
"April 20, 1775.
TO THE SELECTMEN OF BEDFORD.
Gentlemen,-This moment, the melancholy inteligence has been received of hostilities being commenced between the troops, under Gen. Gage, and our brethren of Massachusetts Bay. The importance of exerting ourselves at this critical moment has caused the Provincial Committee to meet at Exe- ter, and you are requested, instantly, to choose and hasten for- ward, there, a Delegate or Delegates, to join in the Committee and aid them in consulting measures for our safety'
In great haste, and by order of the Committee,
Your Humble Servant,
J. WENTWORTH."
However, the people had an informal meeting at the meet- ing house, on the 25th inst. and chose James Martain Delegate to the Congress. They also authorized Judge Patten to see that no tories crossed the Merrimack at the ferries. This duty was attended to, and Col. Goffe, Mr. Merrill and Mr. McGregor, at the several ferries were instructed, "to take special care of strangers and persons suspected of being Torys crossing the river, and to examine and search (them) if they thought need- ful." Goffstown sent Mr. Moses Kelley as their Delegate, but he was chosen in a manner so informal that his election was not entered upon the town record.
In Derryfield however, had they desired to send a delegate, it was hardly in their power so to do, as not only the Select- men, but thirty-four out of thirty-six men capable of bearing arms "had gone to our army," ! Leaving but two able bod- ied men at home, with the old and infirm, to have organized a meeting. The names of the men of Derryfield who thus so gallantly volunteered to oppose the oppressor, have not all transpired, but the fact comes to us by tradition, and in a more tangible form as Judge Patten remarks in his Diary, under date of April,
"21st, Our John, and John Dobbin, and my brother Samuel's two oldest sons, set off and joined Derryfield men, and about six from Goffestown, and two or three more from this town, (Bedford) under command of Capt. John Moor, of Derryfield.
418
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
They amounted in number to 45 in all." This gives 33 men from Derryfield besides Capt. John Stark, who left immediate- ly for Lexington, upon hearing the news of the battle. As before sug ested, the names of these men have not been pre- served, but we subjoin the Tax list of Derryfield, for 1775. from which it will be seen, that a large majority of the tax payers were of the volunteers.
£
S
d
q
Conl.
John Goffe,
0
19
4
0
John Rand, Esqr.
0
13
8
0
Maj. John Moors,
3
13
5
2
Ensin. Samuel Moors,
0
OT
11
2
James mc Night,
0
9
Capt.
Nathaniel Merton,
0
3
6
William Nutt,
.0
9
9
2
timothy Mertion,
0
3
John Griffen,
0
10
5
9
John Griffen, Junr.
0
3
0
Benjemin Baker,
0
8
0
2
Benjemin Baker, Junr.
0
3
0
0
Johanathan Merrell,
0-
5
0
2
Jesse Baker,
0
3
0
0
Joseph Gorge,
0
10
2
0
Abrham Merrell,
0
16
9
2
Atrham Merrell, Junr.
0
6
0
2
David Merrell,
0
3
9
0
'Joseph Griffen,
0
8
0
0
Ezekiel Stavens,
0
11
8
2
Joseph farmer,
0
3
0
0
Isaac farmer,
0
3
0
0.
Widow.
Sarah Russ,
0
4
11
0
Robert Clark,
0
6
2
0
John Reay,
0
4
0
0
Conl
John Stark,
0
15
0
0
David farmor,
0
3
0
0
Levt.
James mc Calley,
0
7
6
0
Esin.
Samuel Stark,
0
6
10
2
Robert mc Night,
0
3
0
0
David mc Night,
0
3
6
0
Dainel Blodget, Litchfield,
0
1
0
0
Joshua Blodget, Litchfield,
()
4
4
2
Capt.
William Parham,
0
10
9
0
John Parham,
0
10
3
0
Ebenezer Coster,
0
5
6
0
419
TAX LIST OF 1775.
Charls Eamerson,
0
10
5
0
Charls Eamerson, Junr.
0
3
6
0
Gorge Eamerson,
0
4
6
0
John Harvey,
0
19
2
2
William Parham, Junr.
0
10
3
0
Micheal mc Clintock,
0
4
4
2
James Pairces,
0
8
11
0
Capt.
Alexander mc Murphey,
0
12
4
0
Benjmen Crombie,
0
7
5
0
Moses Crombie,
0
3
6
0
Esin.
Samuel Boyd,
0
8 3
2
Esin.
Natheniel Boyd,
0
6
3
0
Widow.
Margret Boyd,
0
5
1
2
John Dickey,
0
8
0
2
William Gemble, '
0
11
2
2
Robert Cuningham,
0
4
2
0
David Starret,
0
11
4
0
Johu Hall,
0
7 8
0
2
Ebnezer Stivns,
0
9
7
2
Hugh thompson,
0
3
10
0
Benjmen Pilsbury,
0
3
6
0
thomas Numan,
0
3
10
0
Josep Masten, Bakerstown,
0
0
8
0
James Lagon, Londonderry,
0
0
8
0
Robrt mc Clouer, Londonderry,
0
0
4
0
Alexander Irwing,
0
3
6
0
Ceaser Griffen,
0
4
0
0
Joseph George,
3
Select
Samuel Stark,
Men.
Recorded this 24th day of December, 1775. JOHN HALL. Town Clark.
This list also shows one or two interesting facts ; either that the tax-payers of 1775 were men of small means, or that their tax- es were very small, the highest tax in town being nineteen shillings. The whole tax list amounted to but £22-7s- Od-2qr, while eighty years after, in 1855, the tax list of Man- chester amounted to $76000.
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