USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 20
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These men were paid one month's advance pay -three pounds; and two pounds, fifteen shillings, for three hundred and thirty miles' travel. They were enlisted to serve till March I, unless sooner discharged. It seems almost past belief that men should have been enlisted for so short a time for such an impor- tant service, requiring so many miles of travel; but such was probably the exigency of the times that nothing better could be done.
At a meeting held Mar. 26, 1777, Lieut. Robert Forsaith, John Mitchell, Jeremiah Quimby, Peter Sleeper, and Reuben Wells were elected a Committee of Safety.
There were seventeen organized regiments of militia in the state in 1776. New Chester was in the Twelfth Regiment, commanded by Col. David Hobart of Plymouth. This regiment, in March, 1777, contained an enrolment of three hundred and seventy-eight men, distributed among the towns composing the regiment as follows: Plymouth, ninety-one; Rumney, fifty- two; Holderness, thirty-six; Campton, forty-five; Thornton, fifty-four ; Cockermouth, twenty-eight; New Chester, thirty- eight; Alexandria, thirty-four. The enrolment age was from sixteen to fifty years.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR
In the spring of 1777, nine men enlisted from New Chester for three years or the war. They were Joshua Wilson' in Capt. Blodgett's company, Benjamin McCalister in Capt. Amos Mor- rill's company, Robert Crawford in Capt. Amos Morrill's com- pany, Corp. Peter Wells in Capt. Amos Morrill's company, Moses Worthen in Capt. Benj. Stone's company, John Craige, all for New Chester ; John Crawford and James Craige, for Concord; Sterling Heath, in Capt. Stone's company. These facts are given in a return made by Col. David Hobart, of Ply- mouth, Mar. 6, 1779, of the number of men enlisted from his regiment of militia in answer to a call for forty-seven men made just previous to their enlistment ; but it will be observed that he made the return two years after the date of their enlistment and probably from memory, for he adds that this return is "as right as can be come at." He does not inform us what disposition was made of John Craige, James Craige, and John Crawford ; but, from a return made by Capt. Livermore of Col. Scammel's regiment, it appears that they served in his company, that the exact date when all enlisted was Apr. 19, 1777, and that John Crawford died of wounds Oct. 12, 1777.
Col. Hobart also stated that all these men enlisted from New Chester, and that six at least enlisted for New Chester and two for Concord ; but he does not place the name of Sterling Heath 2 on the quota of any town.
Col. Hobart furnished but thirty-nine men in answer to the call for forty-seven, and he names two towns deficient in their quota, Alexandria, five, and Holderness, three. It is worthy of note that New Chester had made up its quota in full and furnished two or three men for other towns.
I Joshua Wilson first enlisted in October, 1776, as will appear from the following receipt :
Mount Independence October ye 29th 1776
I, Joshua Wilson of Newboston have Inlisted in the Continental Ser- vis in the Room of David Emerson of New Chester During this war and have Received Six pounds Lawful Money pr me Joshua Wilson
The Deposition of Nason Cass.
I Nason Cass of New Chester in the County of Grafton and State of Newhampshire yeoman Testifyeth and saith that in the year 1776 in the last of the month of october or the first day of the month of november I was with David Emerson Esqr of New Chester and Joshua Wilson at Mount Independence and the sd Willson agreed with the sd Emerson for to Inlist for the sd Emerson during the war in Continental Servis for a sum of Money but have forgot how much -and further saith not.
New Chester October 17th 1781
Nason Cass
Sworn to before Carr Huse on above date.
2 In 1784, New Chester voted not to pay Sterling Heath any thing for his services in the Continental army; but, in 1786, it voted to pay Samuel Emerson $20 to reimburse him for money he had paid Sterling Heath, and then voted Sterling Heath the same amount.
172
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
The summer of 1777 was especially dark and gloomy for the colonies. It was perhaps the darkest hour in the history of the war for the eastern states. In June came the news of the threatened disaster in New York state, and New Hampshire was aroused to activity. June 5, a company marched from Plymouth under the command of Lt. Col. David Webster to reenforce the garrison at Ticonderoga. They proceeded as far as Cavendish, Vt., when they met a portion of the troops from that fort on the retreat, and therefore returned. They were in service from July 6 to 16. Those from New Chester were
Lieut. Cutting Favor
John Bussell
Gideon Sleeper John Kidder
Jonathan Ingalls
Nason Cass
Hardly had the above party returned when another alarm rang through the state. The evacuation of Ticonderoga and advance of Gen. Burgoyne were threatening the subjugation of New England. The situation was so alarming that the Com- mittee of Safety of New Hampshire issued a call, July 14, for the legislature to convene on the 17th. A most depressing state of affairs existed. The treasury was empty ; the state had no money and no means of raising any. Such had been the draught on the state for men and money that it seemed nothing more could be done. It was at this critical time that John Langdon made his memorable speech, when he said: "I have one thousand dollars in hard money. I will pledge my plate for three thousand more. I have seventy hogsheads of Tobago rum which I will sell for the most it will bring. They are at the service of the state. If we succeed in defending our fire- sides and our homes I may be remunerated; if we do not then the property will be of no value to me. Our friend Stark, who so nobly defended the honor of our state at Bunker Hill, may safely be entrusted with the honor of the enterprise, and we will check the advance of Burgoyne."
Such patriotism and eloquence could have but one effect. The legislature promptly voted on the 18th that one-fourth of the militia composing Gen. Stark's brigade, one-fourth of Col. Thornton's, Badger's, and Webster's regiments of Gen. Whip- ple's brigade be drafted and placed under the command of Gen. Stark ; but such was the patriotism of the men of the state that a draft was unnecessary. Swift couriers carried the news to the remotest hamlet in the state and fifteen hundred men sprung to arms. Two days after the action of the legislature in Exeter, Capt. Edward Elliott, of Thornton, marched from Plymouth with forty-five men from this section who composed one com- pany of the regiment commanded at the battle of Bennington by Col. David Hobart of Plymouth. Henry Hall, of Rumney, was first lieutenant of this company ; Daniel McMurphy, of Alexan-
173
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
dria, was second lieutenant; Benjamin Emmons, of New Chester, was ensign, and Thomas Crawford, of New Chester, was ser- geant major. The privates from New Chester were Jonathan Ingalls, John Fellows, John Kidder, John Bussell, John Clark, Jonathan Clifford, Jonathan Crawford, and Zebediah Richardson.
The troops rendezvoused at Charlestown. Gen. Stark took command, and, as soon as five hundred had arrived, pressed on to Manchester, Vt., where he arrived Aug. 7. Receiving information that the enemy designed to capture the stores at Ben- nington, he pressed forward and arrived there on the ninth. The battle occurred on the 16th. Gen. Stark had under his com- mand about two thousand men. Of these, one-half were from New Hampshire, and the rest from Vermont and Massachusetts. Col. Baum, with eighteen hundred or more disciplined troops, advanced with confidence to the battle, but was badly defeated ; and Col. Breyman, who came up late in the day with reenforce- ments, shared the same fate. Col. Baum was mortally wounded, dying the next day; and the total loss to the enemy was two hundred killed, six hundred prisoners, and one thousand stand of arms. Gen. Stark lost fourteen killed and forty-two wounded. Among the latter was Lieut. McMurphy.I
The result of this most decisive victory was far-reach- ing. It wonderfully cheered the spirits of the colonists, and was largely instrumental in the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga in October, following. It was in many respects one of the most brilliant victories of the war, and had a lasting influ- ence in sustaining the colonies in the long and bitter struggle for independence.
The men from New Chester were in the service two months and seven days, having enlisted July 21, and serving till Sept. 27. Benjamin Emmons, as ensign, was entitled to six pounds per month ; Thomas Crawford, as sergeant, to four pounds, eighteen shillings ; John Bussell, as corporal, to four pounds, fourteen shillings ; privates, to four pounds, ten shillings. They were allowed for seventy-six miles of travel to Charlestown; and from Charlestown to Bennington, and from there, home, for one hundred and seventy-six miles of travel at three pence per mile. At discharge they were each paid four pounds, ten shillings on account, leaving the balance due.
In September, 1777, a company of volunteers, under Capt. John Willoughby, marched from Plymouth and the adjacent towns to the assistance of the Northern army under the com- mand of Maj. Gen. Gates. This company became a part of Col. Chase's regiment, under the command of Brig. Gen. Whip-
I Lieut. McMurphy was shot through the body, but lived till Oct. 10, 1788, when he died in the twenty-ninth year of his age. His remains rest in the Burns burying-ground, just over the line in Alexandria.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
ple. Those from New Chester in this company were as follows :
Cutting Favor, 2nd lieut. Robert Forsaith, ensign
Carr Huse, sergeant Nason Cass, corporal
Samuel Worthen, corporal Joshua Fletcher
Josiah Fellows
These men were at Saratoga Oct. 10, 1777. They were allowed pay for one hundred and sixty miles of travel to Manchester, Vt., via Otter Creek, and one hundred and forty miles returning, at three pence per mile. They enlisted Sept. 25, and were dis- charged Oct. 28, having served one month and four days. Cut- ting Favor was allowed, as second lieutenant, eight pounds, two shillings ; the rest the same as in the Bennington campaign.
In 1777, the following return was made by the selectmen of New Chester of the amount of provisions on hand in the town :
Flower Pork Butter
Sugar Chese
Capt. Cutting Favor,
Io 1bs.
5 1bs.
O
2 lbs.
4 1bs.
Lieut. Robert Forsaith,
IO
5
I I-2
4
Sergt. Carr Huse,
IO
4
2
3
Corp. Nason Cass,
I2
6
2
6
Corp. Samuel Worthen,
IO
4
O
5
Josiah Fellows,,
IO
4
O
5
The above named were the most prosperous and well-to-do settlers in New Chester, and when it is considered that only six families had sufficient provisions to report at all, and that none of them had even a pound of butter, and that the largest stock of flour reported was only twelve pounds, the extreme straight- ened circumstances of all these early settlers may be seen.
On the 17th of July, of this year, the legal voters of New Chester again assembled in town meeting "To Chuse a Com- mittee For to Set the Prices upon Such goods and articles as the Law Directs in obedience to the Late Act passed Apr. ye Ioth 1777 to affix and Settle in these Several Towns and par- rishes what Such Goods and Articles Shall Be Sold For." At this meeting Carr Huse, Nason Cass, and Abner Fellows were chosen "a Committee For to Prise such articles as are to Be Bought and Sold in the Town of New Chester."
In the early months of 1778, a regiment was raised in New Hampshire by order of Congress for an expedition against Canada. Col. Bedel commanded the regiment, and Capt. Wil- liam Tarlton, one company. In this company were the follow- ing New Chester men, each of whom enlisted Feb. 15, to serve till Mar. 31 :
John Kidder
Chase Fuller
Josiah Fellows Jonathan Crawford John Clark (Sn)
Ebenezer Ingalls
In the summer of 1779, a regiment was raised in this state for service in Rhode Island, under the command of Col. Her-
175
.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
cules Mooney. David Hobart was called upon to furnish six men, and he sent five. One was called for from New Chester, and a meeting was called for May 3, at the house of Abner Fel- lows. One article in the warrant was "To See what Method the Town will Take to Raise one Man for the Continental army and to See if the Town will Join with Alexandria for to Raise one Man More which is our proportion By order of Col. Hobart." Another article was "To see if the Town will Vote to Give any More Bounty than the Continental and State has voted to Give to those that Shall Inlist which is for to fill up the New Hamp- shire Regiment during the War." At this meeting, Capt. Cut- ting Favor and Abner Fellows were elected a "Committee to Pro- cure one Man for the Continental Servis During the War and to Join with Alexandria in Procuring one Man More for the Continental Servis to Fill up the New Hampshire Regiment." It was "Voted that the Town would not give no More than the Continental & State Bounty as a Bounty By the Town to those that Shall Inlist in the Continental Servis."
John Kidder volunteered to fill this call, enlisting July 15, for six months in Maj. Daniel Reynold's company. He served till Dec. 26, following, when he was discharged. His compen- sation was twelve pounds per month. He was entitled to a bounty of $100 ; to two shillings per mile for travel out, and three shillings per mile for travel home, and his subsistance amounted to twelve pounds, eighteen shillings; total amount due, one hundred and forty-two pounds, fourteen shillings. Of this the state paid forty-four pounds at discharge, and the selectmen of New Chester paid him forty-eight pounds, eight shillings. The large amount paid is accounted for by the heavy depreciation of the currency.
Aug. 16, 1779, a meeting was held at the house of Abner Fellows to act upon the proposed plan of government. The record of this meeting is brief, as follows :
Firstly Abner Fellows was Chosen Moderator For Sd Meeting.
Secondly Voted For Receiveing the Plan of Government Excepting three articles Firstly Article the Third in the Declaration of Rights and also the twenty Second & twenty Fourth articles in the plan of Govern- ment Eight Voters for it and not one against it this meeting is Dissolved
As the war progressed, the currency continued to depreciate and the price of the necessaries of life continued to advance. Further legislation was sought to check the evil, and another convention was called to meet at Concord. On the sixth day of September, 1779, another meeting was held at the house of Abner Fellows, "To see if the People will chuse one Man or More to Join with the Convention that is to Be held at Concord on the twenty Second day of this Instant September in order to Regulate the prices of Such articles as Sd Convention Shall See Fit in order
176
HISTORY OF BRISTOL
to Give Stability to our Sinking Currency." It was voted to send a man to this convention, and Carr Huse was selected. The convention met and considered the condition of the cur- rency and made certain recommendations which were hoped would be of some avail in checking the downward value of the currency, but to no avail.
On the 27th day of October, a meeting was held in New Chester to "See if the Inhabitants will Chuse a Committee to State the Price of Labor and all the articles that Shall Be thought proper. To State the prices to Be Taken for In- holders and for other articles that shall Be Thought Proper agreeable to a recommendation of the convention held at Con- cord in this State on September the twenty Second, 1779." This meeting was held; but the voters of the town evidently thought the subject too difficult for them to adjust, and so, after voting Carr Huse twelve pounds for his services in attending the convention, the meeting adjourned.
June 16, 1780, New Hampshire voted to raise six hundred recruits from the several militia regiments to serve six months, or until Dec. 31. The men needed were apportioned to the sev- eral regiments and the captains were directed to draft the num- ber called for, each man refusing to go, to pay a fine of $500. The following were drafted from New Chester : "John Kidder, drafted July 5, served till Dec. 6; Daniel Heath, drafted July 5, served till Dec. 6, age 16."
The great depreciation of money in those days may be seen again by the fact that these recruits were paid seven hundred and thirty-seven pounds for five and one-half months' service ; three hundred and thirty-five pounds as an allowance for "blank- ets, &c." ; seventy-four pounds, eight shillings, for one hundred and twenty-eight miles of travel at twelve shillings per mile, a total of one thousand one hundred and forty-six pounds, eight shillings. The town voted that year to pay laborers on the highway $15 per day; while three years later, with a more stable currency, it paid but fifty cents.
A meeting was held Mar. 2, 1780, to see what the town would do to raise its "coto" of Continental men. It was evi- dently supposed at that time that New Chester had already raised its full proportion of men for the service, and instead of taking steps to raise more, it was "voted that those inen that have Listed & Gone out of the town that Have Inlisted During the War Should be Returned to the Committee of Safety or to the Court."
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 1780, a meeting was held at the house of Col. Peter Sleeper for the express purpose of seeing what the town would do to provide its proportion of beef for the Conti- nental army, and Capt. Cutting Favor was elected a committee to act with the selectmen.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR
May 28, 1881, a meeting was held at the house of Col. Sleeper "to see if the Town will Chuse a Man to Send to the Convention that is to Set at Concord on the First Tuesday of June next for the purpose of Laying a Permanent Plan or Sys- tem of Government For the Future Happiness and well Being of the Good People of this State." It was voted not to send any.
At a meeting held at Abner Fellows's Aug. 13, 1781, one article in the warrant was "to See what Method the Town will take to Collect their Quoto of Beef for the Army this Present year, and 3dly to see what the Town will do Concerning the Depreciation of the Money for the Beef last year." It does not appear that anything was done at this meeting concerning the depreciation of money for beef the year before ; but the recur- rence of a like difficulty was avoided by raising the tax this year in hard money. The amount of beef required was 3, 165 pounds, and its cost was four pence per pound.
On the twenty-second day of September, the collector of beef gave the selectmen of New Chester the following receipt :
Received of the selectmen of New Chester five Beef Cattle for the use of the Continental army weight By Estimation 2,310 pounds in part of the Proportion of Said Town for the present year, agreeable to an act of the General Court of the State of New Hampshire on the 27th of January last.
F. Blood, Collector of Beef Western District.
Another meeting was held at Abner Fellows's, Sept. 18, 1781, "To see what Method the Town will take to Provide their Proportion of Rum to Supply the Army." At this meeting it was "Voted that Peter Sleeper should provide the Rum for the Town of New Chester which was 22 Gallons and an half of West India Rum, which was our Proportion."' This rum cost six shillings per gallon. Among the items paid by the town for that year were the following :
Allowed Lieut. Peter Sleeper three silver dollars & Eighteen New Emission Dollars which was for his time & Expenses to Portsmouth & haverhill to procure the Continental Rum which was the Towns Cotoa for 1781.
6 Paid John Clark, bounty for his son Paid Carr Huse for beef 12 19 8 Paid Thomas Crawford for beef 3 15 s. Pence Paid Gideon Sleeper for beef 15
I For some reason the town furnished more than twenty-two gallons of rum, as appears from the following receipt :
"Rec'd of Selectmen of New Chester thirty three & 3-4 Gallons New England Rum Being a tax on the town of New Chester agreeably to an act of S'd State pased the 3Ist of August last past Havll 5 Nov. 1781.
"Jos'h Wentworth."
I2
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
S. Pence
Paid Widow Craig for beef
£ 6
7 II
Paid Abner Fellows for beef 4 II 2
Paid Benjamin Emmons for one day after beef
3
Paid Nason Cass for his horse to Exeter on town business 3
Paid Daniel Heath in part for his sons service to Cohos as a soldier 4
Paid for rum 7 13 5
5
At the last named meeting, the subject of the town's quota again came up, and on this subject the following votes were passed :
Voted David Emerson, Esq., to Go to Exeter to Lay the Claim for the Town of New Chester for the Continental Soldiers to the Committee of Safety.
Voted David Emerson should have two Silver Dollars for his Servis for going to Exeter which the Sd Emerson accepted for his Servis.
The next day David Emerson gave the following receipt for his two dollars :
New Chester, Sept. 19th, 1781.
Then received of Carr Huse twelve LM silver which was in full for my service for going to Exeter for carrying the Receipts & Laying in the Claims for the Continental Soldiers for the town of New Chester I Say Receiv'd in full pr Me. David Emerson.
On the 17th of October he gave the following receipt for his traveling expenses :
New Chester, Oct. 17, 1781.
Then Received of Carr Huse, Esq., one pound four Shillings LM in Silver and two pounds Eight Shillings in the new Emission money which was for to Bear my Expenses to Exeter to Support our Claims for our Continental Soldiers pr me. David Emerson.
David Emerson went to Exeter and there convinced the Com- mittee of Safety that New Chester had furnished her full quota of men for the army, and brought home the following receipt :
State of New Hampshire. In Committee of Safety. Exeter, Oct. 18, 1781.
These certify that New Chester has made to appear to Said Com- mittee that they have their Number of men in the Service of the United States which was proportioned to them by an act of this State. Attest : Joseph Pearson, Secty.
At a meeting held at Abner Fellows's Monday, Mar. 18, 1782, the question of the depreciation of the money for the beef purchased in 1780 again came up, and a committee was elected
179
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
to act with the selectmen on this and other matters in connection with the depreciation of the currency that year. On the 25th of the same month, this committee and the selectmen met the parties interested and settled with all except Joshua Tolford, whose demands were reported as unreasonable. At that meet- ing, David Emerson was voted an extra sum of one pound, three shillings, and nine pence for his services in going to Exeter.
During the progress of the war, disputes arose, as was natural, between New Chester and other towns as to which was entitled to the credit for the enlistment of certain men. Sterling Heath was claimed by Atkinson, John Clark by Hampstead, Joshua Wilson by Goffstown, and Peter Wells by Chester and Sandown ; while it was claimed by New Chester that all these men had become actual settlers of New Chester before enlist- ment, and, therefore, belonged to the quota of this town. The Committee of Safety at Exeter gave a hearing on these claims and many others in the state, and made a report July 4, 1781. The decision in the case of Sterling Heath, John Clark, and Joshua Wilson was in favor of New Chester ; and at a rehearing, July 12, the decision in the case of Joshua Wilson was reaffirmed. Peter Wells was credited to Chester. In October, 1781, the fol- lowing affidavits were given in this case, which clearly show that Peter Wells belonged to New Chester :
The Deposition of Reuben Wells
I Reuben Wells of New Chester in the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire yeoman Testifyeth and saith that I was appointed By my Honoured father Thomas Wells deceasd to take care of my Brother Peter Wells by his last Will and Testament & he the sd Peter lived with me from the death of my father which was in the month of March 1769 untill some time in the spring of the year 1774 and then he Being a mind to go to New Chester for to see his Brothers and went there to live by my order where he tarried a Considerable Part of the Summer with his Brothers & then Returned to me again where he staid principally with me untill towards the middle of the month of november next following & then I moved up to New Chester & left Peter with my Brother Saml Wells untill some time in the winter 1775 and then he came up to New Chester where he lived untill the Last of the Month of october Except- ing once he went down to Sandown to see his Brother where he Tarried but a Fiew days and then Returned to me again at New Chester and in the last of october next following he went down to Sandown and tarried their but a short time and then went down to Winter hill and Inlisted him self into the servis and was in the Servis untill orders came out for men to Inlist for three years or during the war and then he Inlisted him- self into the Continental Servis for three years or during the war for the Town of New Chester and was mustered for New Chester as he told me when he came home to New Chester and he would do a Turn for me and for Carr Huse he said and he agreed with us for to Serve for us and gave us a Receipt which Receipt was given the 20th of March 1777 and Saml Wells was a witness to the Receipt-and further saith not
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