History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390

USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens > Part 60

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"On June 26, Lieutenant Bartlett was directed to pick out two of the largest, strongest, and best cannon taken from Fort William and Mary and convey them to Exeter to be sent to the army at Medford.

"August 7, 1775, the committee of safety issued an order to Major Cilley as follows :

"'Sir: You are desired as soon as possible to apply to the selectmen of .

the several towns in this colony with whom was lodged the powder taken last winter from Fort William and Mary, take an account of what is now in their custody, and request of them forthwith to convey the whole to Col. Nicholas Gilman at Exeter.'

"It may have found its way into the powder house at Exeter, and we find no further record of this particular powder until the report of the com- mittee, made August 24, that they had on hand only eight or ten barrels.

"The call of General Washington was made upon August 4 for powder, and General reported to General Washington that he had of powder fur- nished by New Hampshire to his troops nineteen barrels of one hundred pounds each. Sixteen barrels of this was doubtless the six sent from King- ston and ten from Exeter.

"Fort William and Mary was not again occupied by any English soldiers. On May 30, 1775, while the English man-of-war Scarborough was seizing vessels loaded with salt and provisions to be sent to General Gage's army, thirty or forty men from the vessel came ashore and tore down the greater part of the breastworks. The day before the Scarborough had seized a vessel loaded with provisions, and refused to deliver it up, and on this refusal between five and six hundred men in arms went down to the battery called Jerry's Point and brought off eight cannon, twenty-two and thirty-two pounders, all there were there, and brought them to Portsmouth.

"The question, 'Was the capture of Fort William and Mary the first overt act of the Revolution?' was fully considered in 'The Capture of Fort William and Mary, Dec. 14 and 15, 1774,' by Professor Charles L. Parsons (reprinted from proceedings New Hampshire Historical Society, 1902), and its con- clusions are as follows :

" 'There is no question that previous to Dec. 14, 1774, bodies of men had destroyed private property owing to their disapproval of British methods, and in a few cases had even assaulted the royal power. But the capture of Fort William and Mary was the first organized fight of the Revolutionary War and on Dec. 14, 1774, the first gun of that war was fired.'

"The opinion of Rev. Alonzo H. Quint, D. D., in regard to the capture of Fort William and Mary is often well quoted in the words: 'The daring character of this assault cannot be over-estimated. It was an organized investment of a royal fortress, where the king's flag was flying, and where the king's garrison met them with muskets and artillery. It was four months before Lexington, and Lexington was resistance to attack, while this was a

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deliberate assault. When the king heard of this capture it so embittered him that all hopes of concessions was at an end. It made war inevitable.'"

C. W. Brewster, in the "Rambles," pictures Pickering as the projector and the leader with Langdon on the attack on the fort. Brewster, who lived during a period that enabled him to obtain his statements from some of the participants, obtained his facts about Pickering from Daniel P. Drowne, a nephew of Pickering.

Prof. Charles L. Parsons in his pamphlet says in reference to the powder at Bunker Hill : "It has always been the tradition in southeastern New Hampshire, founded upon the statements of persons who claimed to have the facts from the actors themselves, that Major John Demerit took a cart load of the powder, captured at Portsmouth, from the magazine at his house, to Cambridge, and reached there just in time for its opportune use at Bunker Hill. No inhabitant of Madbury or Durham doubts the story, but it cannot with our present knowledge be proven. On the other hand there is nothing to render it improbable. The official documents of the time are silent upon the question."

In the autumn of 1775, fearing an attack upon Portsmouth, General Sullivan, at that time a resident of Durham, N. H., was appointed by Gen- eral Washington to take command of the militia of this State and to defend this harbor. Several fortifications had been thrown up, which he strength- ened, and placed in them several companies of militia. In Fort William and Mary a company of artillery were placed, who "were allowed the same pay as soldiers of the Continental army."

In 1808 the fort was again rebuilt under the name of Fort Constitution, and remained until a new structure was commenced in 1863 upon the same spot. The fort and harbor are now protected by heavy disappearing guns and a company of United States artillery are stationed at this fort.

The fort on Jaffrey's Point, at the entrance of Little Harbor, was once thought to be a very important post. It was garrisoned in the war of 1812 by citizens of this and other towns, under command of Capt. William Mar- shall, who remained stationed at that post for several years. Nine guns, six and nine-pounders, were placed in position, and on several occasions full one hundred and twenty men were stationed there.

During the visits of the English ships to this harbor, in 1775-76, a spirit of hatred seemed to prevail against the British seamen, but by the major part of the citizens they were respectfully treated. The sailors would often conduct themselves badly, and if reprimanded would threaten to fire upon the town. Oftentimes the lives of the inhabitants were endangered, and on some occasion a committee of citizens waited upon the commander of the Scarborough, offering an apology for some fancied insult to his men, to pre- vent him from permitting the threats of the'sailors to be carried into execu- tion. Owing to the state of public excitement at that early period of the Revolution, many citizens left the town and many more were prepared to leave at a moment's warning.

In the rear of the Congressional Church is a well, in which some of the citizens once placed their silverware for safe-keeping, and at another place may be noticed a depression of the ground, showing the site of an old Rev- olutionary house, which was then occupied by a Mrs. Trefethren, who was noted for refusing water to the British sailors on account of her hatred to them. It is stated that notwithstanding her positive refusal to permit the

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sailors of the Scarborough to get water there, they once succeeded in filling their casks; and leaving them near the well, visited the central part of the town. No sooner were they out of sight then she emptied the casks. Upon their return they demanded of her why she had turned away their water. She promptly replied that she did not turn away their water; the water was her own. On returning to the ship they rewarded her by firing a ball through the room in which her family were sitting.

MILITARY AND NAVAL RECORD, 1861-5

New Castle was compelled by the blundering of some one in authority to furnish more men for the United States service during the period of 1861- 1865, than her legal quota, consequently she contracted a big war debt, which was so unjust, that Hon. Frank W. Hackett took the matter before the United States Government at Washington, and early in 1911 the United States paid the State of New Hampshire $10,000 for the relief of the town of New Castle, which the state promptly paid the town. Capt. John Murry, Company D, Fifth New Hampshire, enlisted October 12, 1861, killed Decem- ber 13, 1862; Lieut. Chas. H. Curtis, Company C, Thirteenth New Hamp- shire, enlisted September 19, 1862; Ambrose Yeaton, United States Navy, enlisted November 29, 1861, discharged December 31, 1863; Frank W. Neal, Company K, Sixteenth New Hampshire, enlisted October 22, 1862, dis- charged August 20, 1863; C. C. Amazeen, United States Navy, 1861, dis- charge unknown; John S. Hubley, United States Navy, 1861, discharge unknown; Wm. B. Bell, United States Navy, 1862, discharge unknown; John W. Amazeen, Maine regiment, discharge unknown; John B. Holbrook, Maine regiment, discharge unknown; Levi W. Cole, Maine regiment, dis- charge unknown; Frank Gilson, Maine regiment, discharge unknown; John N. Bickford, Maine Thirty-second regiment, discharge unknown; James Smith, Company F, Third United States artillery, enlisted December 15, 1858, discharged September 28, 1863, reason of loss of leg; John W. Bell, Company K, Second regiment, enlisted June 8, 1861 ; discharged May 22, 1862; George W. Wheeler, Company D, Third regiment, enlisted August 23, 1861, discharged August 23, 1864; Thomas Halcrow, Company I, Third regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863; James Meile, Company E, Third regi- ment, enlisted August 10, 1863; Charles Moore, Company F, Third regi- ment, enlisted August 10, 1863; J. P. Bassett, Company H, Third regiment, enlisted December 24, 1863; discharged August 23, 1865; John Eaton, Jr., Company H, Fourth regiment, enlisted December 24, 1863; discharged July 20, 1865; Henry F. Edgerly, Company H, Fourth regiment, enlisted Decem- ber 24, 1863, died, date unknown; William Harrison, Company K, Fourth regiment, enlisted March 1, 1865, discharged August 23, 1865; Peter Brown, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; William Burns, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; James Brean, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; Joseph Jones, Company F, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863, transferred to United States Navy April 26, 1864; Isaac Marcheso, Company F, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863, not officially ac- counted for ; Henry Tracy, Company G, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863, absent, sick, June 3, 1864, no discharge furnished; William Wein- rich, Company G, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863, absent, sick, June 3, 1864, no discharge furnished; Alfred A. Libby, Company D, Fifth

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regiment, enlisted February 19, 1864, discharged June 28, 1865; Thomas Finnigan, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; William Oram, Com- pany G, Fifth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; Albert P. Peakes, Com- pany A, Sixth regiment, enlisted March 28, 1865, discharged July 17, 1865; Dennis Sullivan, Company K, Seventh regiment, enlisted September 21, 1864, drowned March 25, 1865; Michael Welch, Company I, Seventh regi- ment, enlisted September 6, 1864, discharged July 20, 1865; Thomas Antone, Company G, Eighth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863, transferred to United States Navy June 18, 1864; Alonzo Gilson, Company E, Ninth regi- ment, enlisted May 15, 1862, discharged May 14, 1865; David Smith, Com- pany K, Ninth regiment, enlisted December 9, 1863; John Geelan, Company C, Tenth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863, discharged October 28, 1864; Henry Thompson, Company F, Tenth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863; William J. R. Burke, Company G, Tenth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863, absent, sick, no discharge furnished; Lewis Davis, Company G, Tenth regi- ment, enlisted September 4, 1862, discharged January 12, 1863; John H. Sullivan, Company C, Tenth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863, discharged December 19, 1865; William Clark, Eleventh regiment, enlisted December 23, 1863; Charles Davis, Eleventh regiment, enlisted December 22, 1863; Levi W. Curtis, sergeant Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted Septem- ber 19, 1862, promoted to first sergeant, commission in United States C. T. December 5, 1864: John L. Amazun, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, transferred to navy April 29, 1864; Thomas J. Davis, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, killed June 15, 1864; William Hodgdon, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, discharged February 5, 1863 ; Oscar O. Hodg- don, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, pro- moted to corporal March 1, 1865, discharged June 21, 1865; William T. Holbrook, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, discharged January 23, 1863; George W. Libbey, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, discharged June 21, 1865; Andrew J. Stackpole, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862; Patrick Coleman, Company A, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted August 10, 1863; Robert Oliver, Company C, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 19, 1862, transferred to navy April 28, 1864; Charles Carle, Company H, Thirteenth regiment, enlisted September 2, 1863; Judson P. Randall, Com- pany K, enlisted September 20, 1862, discharged May 28, 1865; Daniel Con- nor, Company K, Eighteenth regiment, enlisted March 30, 1865, discharged May 6, 1865; Edward Gerrahty, Company E, First cavalry, enlisted March 29, 1865, discharged July 15, 1865; Charles D. Foster, First cavalry, en- listed March 23, 1865; John Carey, First cavalry, enlisted March 23, 1865; James Miller, First cavalry, enlisted March 23, 1865; John Townsend, Com- pany G, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 13, 1864; Dennis V. Burbank, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 17, 1864, discharged June 15, 1865; John V. Hodgdon, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted Septem- ber 24, 1864; Jas. A. Shaw, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted March 29, 1865 ; Charles Flynn, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted August 31, 1863; John Brennon, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 14, 1863; Donald Monroe, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 26, 1863; James Marlo, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted October 10, 1863; Isaac Pridham, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 23, 1864; Geo.

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D. Lamson, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 23, 1864; Har- rison Sparlin, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted March 29, 1864; Wm. T. Frost, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 2, 1864, discharged August 31, 1865; John S. Frost, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted Sep- tember 2, 1864, discharged August 31, 1865; Wm. T. Holbrook, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 2, 1864, discharged August 31, 1865; Frederick Bell, Company K, Heavy artillery, enlisted September 2, 1864, discharged August 31, 1865.

WALBACH TOWER

The Martello Tower, a little west of the fort, is the most picturesque object in New Castle. It is built on the ridge of a high ledge, anciently called Jourdan's Rocks. Artists have painted it, and poets love to relate its story, relying upon each other for imaginary embellishments. Its date is so recent, and its history so small, that it is almost necessary to invent some facts in order to properly celebrate so rare a ruin. The annals say that the tower was built during the last war with England, and when an immediate attack was expected by an English fleet. Its purpose was to guard more effectually the so-called Town Beach, to the south, from landing parties, and to reinforce the batteries of Fort Constitution. It was planned and con- structed under the care of Colonel Walbach, whose name it has always borne. He was a German count, who had seen service in the Prussian army and had fought against Napoleon in twenty-six battles. He was long in the service of the United States, and in command of Fort Constitution from 1806 to 1821. Colonel Walbach summoned the company of sixty men under Captain Marshall, who garrisoned the earthworks on Jaffrey's Point, at the eastern end of New Castle, to assist his own soldiers in building the tower; and all the citizens of the town also aided. It was rapidly completed, but not in a night as the legends tell us. No enemy appeared, and soon the tower grew a ruin. It is so small as to suggest a fortification in miniature or model, rather than for actual use. It is the size of the round towers of the Middle Ages, and on this account, perhaps, appears of greater antiquity of the age the imagination easily renders it.

Walbach Tower is a brick; the terreplein was of peat, which has become like grassy turf. Within is a rude Pintle-stone, on which to swing a thirty- two-pounder. There are three casemated embrasures for small cannon or muskets, in case of assault, and a Lilliputian magazine.

It is the only Martello Tower on the northern coast. At the south are "the somewhat analogous structures of Tower Depre in Louisiana and Tybee Island in Georgia. The name was added in consequence of the good defense made by a small round tower in the Bay of Martello in Corsica in the year 1794. The legend of the building of the tower has been told by George Houghton in the Atlantic, and by John Albee, the poet and author of New Castle Historic and Picturesque. From the latter the following extract is made :

"There just above the shore, is Walbach Tower, Its crumpling parapet with grass and weeds

O'er grown, and peaceful in its slow decay.

Old people always tell strange tales to us,

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A later race-always old tales are strange. And seems the story of this ancient tower

A marvel, though believing while I hear,

Because who tell it do believe it true. Three English ships lay under Appledore, And men in groups stood on the rocks, intent If they the fort could mean to cannonade,

Or land along the coast and in land march To sack and burn the wealthy Portsmouth town.

The morning dawned and twice again it dawned, And still the hostile ships at anchor swung ; But now a rumor ran they meant to land ; At once brave Walbach was resolved to build A tower which all the beaches should command,

And mount thereon his sole tremendous gun. He summoned all the villagers at dusk Of one September Sunday when the days Are shortening, and the nights are bright and cool.

Men came and boys, and with them women came,

Whose dauntless mothers helped our fathers win,

In that rebellious time again the king, The freedom which, forgetful of its cost,

We toss to any hand raised o'er the crowd,

And pushing hardest, or with loudest voice.

They wrought as never men and women wrought,

And in one night the tower completed rose."

New Castle became quite a summer resort soon after the close of the Rebellion and had the greatest number of summer people about 1890. Since that time the town has been on the decline, the United States officials having begun talking of enlarging the military reservation in this town, and shortly after did take a large amount of valuable property, and again about 1908, after much opposition by the town, secured the Wendell property, which at the time was the most valuable estate, excepting the Hotel Wentworth. At the same time it also acquired the Belknap property. The late Edwin Niles tried hard to prevent the Government from obtaining the Wendell and Bel- knap properties, even sending a delegation at his own expense to Washing- ton to see the President and Secretary of War, but without avail, as it only delayed the matter a little while. Beautifully located on this historic island is The Wentworth, which is acknowledged to be the leading seaside hotel on the New England coast.

The New Castle Library Association was organized October, 19 1900, and the town accepted the library on July 20, 1901, under the title, New Castle Public Library. The books are selected by the Library Aid Association. Miss Ella Becker is librarian.

Societies .- Wentworth Lodge Knights of Pythias, King's . Daughters, Ladies Industrials, Walbach Pythian Sisters.

Town Officers .- Clerk and treasurer, C. C. Tarlton; E. E. Eaton, chair- man of selectmen; postmistress, Mrs. Nellie A. Card.

CHAPTER XL

NEWFIELDS

Name changed from South New Market, February 21, 1895-Settlement- Indian Wars -- Incorporation-Roads and Stages-Shipbuilding and Commerce - Manufacturing - Military History - Churches - Public Library.

Newfields is pleasantly situated on the west bank of the Squamscot River. It is thirty-six miles southeast from Concord, the capital of the state, twelve miles southwest from Portsmouth, its principal seaport and four miles north from Exeter, the half-shire town of Rockingham County. It is bounded north by Newmarket, east by Stratham, south by Exeter, and west by Epping. Area, about 6,000 acres; improved lands, 3,330 acres; population in 1850. 516; in 1860, 786; in 1870, 808; in 1880, 829; in 1910, 503.

South Newmarket constituted a part of Exeter till December 15, 1727, and of Newmarket till June 27, 1849. Newmarket was early called Lamprey River Village. Perhaps there is a question respecting the origin of the name. It was early written "Lamprey Eel." Mr. J. L. Beckett writes it "Lam- prae," from John Lamprae, a Catholic hermit, who built his hut on the banks of the river. South Newmarket was called Newfields, because of the beau- tiful lands which border on the Squamscot River.

Rev. William Hubbard recorded that the settlement of Edward and Wil- liam Hilton was at Dover Point in 1623. Edward Hilton was the first planter of Newfields. The date of its settlement is unknown. There is a tradition that it was prior to the coming of John Wheelwright and his asso- ciates to Exeter, in the spring of 1638. Until the locality of Hilton's grant, March 12, 1630, is more definitely settled, perhaps we may suppose that Hilton himself interpreted the grant as including his settlement of Newfields. In 1633 the authorities at Portsmouth and Dover agreed that the settlement at Squamscot Falls should be called Exeter. As early as "the 4th day in the first week in the roth month," 1639, Hilton had built his house at New- fields. At that time the boundaries of his uplands were fixed and his meadows specified by "certaine Orders made at the Courte holden in Exeter."

The civil and religious character of the community depends largely upon its founders. While the Hilton brothers were enterprising planters, they also were lovers of good men. William Hilton was of Episcopal sentiments. Edward Hilton was a Puritan. The Congregational form of worship and the first meeting house in New Hampshire were set up at his seat at Dover Point in 1633-34. He was the personal friend and confidential correspondent of Gov. John Winthrop in 1633 and 1638. During the early political and religious disorders at Dover he contended efficiently for good government and religious order. His neighbors of Massachusetts Bay thought him the

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man most entitled to confidence in the New Hampshire colony. When New Hampshire, in 1641, entered the New England confederation, he was the first named in the list of magistrates. He was made deputy for Dover in 1644, and assistant for Exeter in 1652.

The Hilton family was helpful in the affairs of the First parish of Exeter. Edward Hilton, in 1645 and 1646, endeavored to purchase Mr. Wheel- wright's house and land as a parsonage for Mr. Nathaniel Norcrosse. Ed- ward Hilton, Jr., in 1652, was one of the overseers to build the second meet- ing house in Exeter. The younger Hilton, however, was so much in sym- pathy with imperialism and prelacy as in 1665, with others, to petition that they might be "governed by the laws of England, and enjoy both of the sacraments of which they have been too long deprived." But the action of the General Court, May 19, 1669, releasing the elder Hilton from the impo- sition of county rates, must be interpreted as bearing witness to its respect for his continued fidelity to Puritan ideas of civil and religious polity.

Edward Hilton, Sr., the Newfields patriarch, died in the beginning of the year 1671. He had lived in the colony nearly half a century.

Indian Wars .- The aborigines were essentially of one nation with one language, though divided into numerous tribes and different dialects. The Newfields planters found only the feeblest remnant of the Squamscot tribe with Wahangnonawit, their chief, in possession of the soil, and they never claimed a foot of land on any other score except that of fair purchase. The Squamscots were subject to Passaconaway, the sagacious and friendly sachem of the Penacooks. They migrated from this vicinity about 1672, and settled on the Hudson near Troy. King Philip's war in 1675 was the first serious trouble New Hampshire had with the Indians. Hostilities began at the east between the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers. The victorious squads ap- proached the Piscataqua, marking their track with conflagration and blood, and filling the community with alarm and distress. In September, 1675, they did some mischief at Lamprey River. On their way to Exeter one person was killed, another made prisoner, and other outrages were com- mitted.

Upon the ascension of William, Prince of Orange, to the British throne, February 16, 1689, war with France ensued. Eight persons were slain, and a lad captured at Lamprey River July 4, 1690. The next day, July 5, 1690, the Indians attacked Hilton's garrison at Newfields. Lieutenant Bancroft endeavoring to relieve the garrison, eight or nine of his men were killed. Simon Stone, one of his men, received nine wounds with shot and two strokes of a hatchet. When his friends came to bury him they perceived that life was not extinct, and upon the application of cordials he revived. In the course of one week not less than forty people were killed between Lamprey River and Amesbury. Two men were killed at Exeter in the summer of 1691. The frontier garrisons were reinforced April 24, 1693, two additional soldiers being stationed at Edward Hilton's, and two at Lubberland. This latter garrison was resolutely and successfully defended in the attack on Oyster River, July 17, 1694. In the month of July, 1695, the Indians killed two men at Exeter. One person was slain at Lubberland August 27, 1696. June 10, 1697, the inhabitants in this vicinity were remarkably preserved. The deep laid plot of the French and Indians involved a general massacre of the town of Exeter. The enemy hid in ambush waiting a favorable time

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History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: Hazlett, Charles A Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold Number of Pages: 1390

Author: Hazlett, Charles A
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Richmond-Arnold
Number of Pages: 1390