USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Cornish > History of the town of Cornish, New Hampshire, with genealogical record, 1763-1910, Vol. I > Part 7
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ants. Only 773 persons in the state refused to sign. In most cases these were the wealthy and influential men.
The application of the foregoing test revealed the true attitude of the American people, and furnished assurance of success in the bold venture of July 4th when their independence was declared. The new nation now felt her increased responsibility and she re- solved to bend her every energy that the venture should prove a triumphant success. The Declaration of Independence was published by beat of drums in all the shire towns of New Hamp- shire. (Belknap's "History of New Hampshire," Vol. 2, p. 405.) "It was received by the army, the legislatures and the people with great rejoicing. That declaration brought great encouragement to the patriots, gave them a more definite object for carrying on the war, and united them in a common cause. That object had now come to be the establishment of a nation of their own under democratic rule; the dreaded alternative was the fate of conquered rebels. There could be no more powerful incentive to fight; no sharper spur to endure hardship and privation."
Because of the continued threatening attitude of the enemy and the exposed condition of Ticonderoga, the assembly this year voted that 2,000 additional men be raised to recruit the forces already in service. At this time there were seventeen territorial regiments in the state. Col. Jonathan Chase's regiment was the seventeenth in number. The quota of men to be raised from his
regiment was sixty-one. The full enrollment of his regiment was 492 men, from which to enlist the quota. These enlisted Sep- tember 24, 1776, and were mustered in October 14, following. Colonel Chase marched with two companies, and Colonels Ashley, Bellows and Hale with several companies each, all for Ticonde- roga and vicinity. The record of their movements has not been found, but they received hearty commendation for prompt service, etc., from General Gates and were dismissed by him with honor November 9, 1776.
Enrolled among the two companies under command of Colonel Chase were the following Cornish men: Capt. Josiah Russell's Company-Lieut. Daniel Chase, Ensign Josiah Stone, William Paine, Benj. Comings, Zebadiah Fitch, James Cate, Samuel Fitch, David Huggins, Thomas Hall, Jr., John Chase, Abijah Hall, Robert Dunlap, James Hall, Joseph Vinsen, Elias Gates, Stephen Cady, John Weld, James Wellman, Jr., beside several others
Gen. Jonathan Chase house as it appeared in 1870
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who may have been of Cornish but whose identification is uncertain. In Capt. John House's Company, Colonel Baldwin's Regiment, in September, 1776, were enrolled the names of Briant Brown, Curtis Cady and Ebenezer Brewer, all Cornish inen. (Rev. Rolls, pp. 422-23, Vol. 1.)
On December 12, 1776, Capt. Joshua Haywood's Company was paid off by Col. Jonathan Chase. John Weld, Eleazer Jackson and possibly other Cornish men were of the com- pany. (Rev. Rolls, pp. 444-45, Vol. 1.)
As the year 1776 was drawing near its close the outlook of public affairs was so gloomy that Congress recommended all the states to appoint "a Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation."
The New Hampshire Legislature adopted the recommendation, and, on the 13th of December it dissolved with the invocation: "God save the United States of America."
The three New Hampshire regiments, Stark's, Poor's and Scammell's, had left the Northern army on the 16th of November and had marched down the Hudson River and joined General Washington on the 20th of December in time to take a leading part in the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Though worn by fatigue, and almost destitute of clothing at that inclement season, these New Hampshire regiments were counted by General Wash- ington among the best troops of his army, and their arrival gave him great satisfaction. At Trenton, the main column of attack was led by Colonel Stark with his New Hampshire men, and the battle was saved; the same troops, with Gilman's added, saved the day at Princeton. The battle of Trenton was fought December 26, 1776, and that of Princeton on the 3d of January following.
These victories gave the colonists fresh courage, yet the winter of 1776-77 was, to the inhabitants of New England, a season of gloom and fearful apprehension, the regiments of New Hamp- shire troops having been withdrawn. This left their frontier exposed to the mercy of the British army, and the incursions of Indians. But a kind Providence seemed to intervene and the rest of the winter of 1776-77 passed without serious events happening to them.
The following Cornish incident found among the "Chase Papers" illustrates the spirit that animated our fathers during those days: "The house of Col. Jonathan Chase was for a time
6
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used as a station for collecting supplies for the government, and there was a guard left or stationed there in charge-a sergeant and a few men, as sentinels. These were detailed from a company of minute men that were enrolled in the town. On one occasion the guard was on duty when he saw something passing along near the river, which he hailed, but not being answered, he fired his gun at the objeet. This brought out the sergeant and guard. They decided to give the signal to call the minute men together; this signal was the firing of three minute guns. Before morning, without any other notice, fifty men rallied to headquarters, armed and equipped for service."
Early in the spring of 1777, the colonists felt the necessity of vigorous action. Pressing appeals from Generals Schuyler and Wayne came to the Committee of Safety of New Hampshire. On the 3d of May the state committee sent orders to the three colonels of militia in Cheshire County, "entreating you by all that is saered, to raise as many of your Militia as possible and march them to Ticonderoga." In response to this call, Colonel Ashley raised, and marched from Keene with 109 men, Colonel Bellows from Walpole with 112 men, and Colonel Chase of Cor- nish with 159 men. These men were all enlisted in four days. This ready response revealed the active and determined spirit of the times. In Revolutionary Rolls, volume 2, pages 14-19 is the full list of Colonel Chase's men. Nearly thirty of these men were soldiers of Cornish. The other men from outside, came to town and together they marched on May 7, 1777, for Ticonderoga, ninety miles distant. On reaching their destination they found the alarm had subsided, and the men were discharged on June 18, after serving one month and twelve days. It is not clear why the alarm should subside so easily, while General Burgoyne with his forces were still hovering so dangerously near; yet such is the record.
The three New Hampshire regiments, Colonels (now Brigadier- Generals) Stark, Poor and Scammell who had rendered such val- uable service at Trenton and Princeton were called north, and joined the Northern army in early summer.
General Burgoyne now commanded the British army of the North, 10,000 strong. Seven thousand of these were choice troops sent from England, with the finest train of brass artillery (forty-two pieces) that had ever been seen in America; besides
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thousands of Indians employed as allies "to use as instrument of terror" (Bancroft's History, Vol. 5, pp. 579, 587). Exaggerated reports of the strength of his army and the rapidity of his advance reached the states again causing great alarm throughout New Eng- land. Again the militia was ordered to the front, and turned out in greater numbers than before, Colonel Ashley having about 400 men and Colonel Chase 186. These latter left Cornish June, 27, 1777. Revolutionary Rolls, volume 2, pages 38-45, contains the full list of Colonel Chase's men. Thirty-three of these are recognized as Cornish men. While on their march they met troops returning home who informed them that Ticonderoga had capitulated with 3,000 men, on July 1st, to General Burgoyne.
The men with their officers returned home disheartened and were soon discharged, after having rendered a brief service of from four to fifteen days. Hardly had these men returned, when another alarm rang through the state. The evacuation of Ticon- deroga and advance of General Burgoyne were threatening the subjugation of New England.
This was perhaps the darkest hour in the history of the war for the New England States. The situation was so alarming that the Committee of Safety of New Hampshire issued a call July 14, 1777, 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 obtaining any. Here- tofore there had been such a draught on the state for men and money, that it seemed nothing more could be done. And yet Burgoyne must be stopped, or his army would overrun their territory, and their homes and property be sacrificed. When the gloom of the situation had been portrayed, Col. John Langdon, speaker of the House, arose and made one of the most telling speeches of the Revolution, 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 firesides 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 Bur- goyne."
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The effect of such patriotism and eloquence was magical. The offer was accepted with enthusiasm. The next day the Legisla- ture promptly voted ways and means for the immediate inerease of the army. The patriotism of Colonel Langdon was contagious. No draft was necessary. Swift couriers carried the news to the remotest towns in the state and 1,500 men sprung to arms.
The troops rendezvoused at Charlestown and General Stark took command.
About the first of August General Burgoyne detached Colonel Baum with about 700 men, veteran soldiers, two pieces of artillery and 150 Indians for a raid through the New Hampshire Grants. He was also joined by several hundred tories. He had received orders to collect cattle and horses, and to destroy all such stores as they were obliged to leave behind. Information was received by General Stark that the enemy designed to capture the stores at Bennington, Vt. Pressing forward with his troops he arrived at Bennington on the 9th of August. Baum's advance reached . Cambridge, twelve miles northwest of Bennington on the 13th. On the 14th the two armies came in sight of each other, and General Stark invited attack, but Baum was cautious and en- trenched. It being near night, Stark drew baek about a mile, where his men lay on their arms that night. On the 15th it rained hard all day, and both parties remained in position. Gen- eral Stark now had about 1,600 men.
On the morning of the 16th of August, General Stark, having decided to attack the enemy, sent Colonel Nichols with 300 men to his left, and Colonel Hendricks with 300 men to the right. Taking command of the main body in front of the enemy's breast- works, when all was ready, he, pointing to the enemy, made the short but immortal speech: "There are the Redcoats, they are ours, or Mollie Stark sleeps a widow tonight." Prompted by the same determined spirit his men entered the action, and the result was a complete defeat of Colonel Baum, who was mortally wounded, and a decisive victory on the part of General Stark. The result of this victory was far-reaching. It wonderfully cheered the spirits of the colonists, and was largely instrumental in the sur- render of General Burgoyne at Saratoga two months later.
On the 23d of September, having received another requisition from General Gates, Colonel Chase again mustered the men of his regiment, then numbering 142 men, and marched from Cornish
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to Saratoga, September 26, 1777, a distance of 110 miles, to reinforce the army of General Gates, which was purposing to check the movements of General Burgoyne, and, if possible, to effect his overthrow. Two or three additional companies of men were subsequently placed under the command of Colonel Chase, so that when ready for action, his regiment numbered 235 men. After he had left Cornish, Colonel Morey with a company of thirty men marched to Cornish, reaching it October 1. He intended to turn over his men to Colonel Chase but, finding him gone, he sent the men forward under Captain Chandler, with orders to place them- selves under Colonel Chase, and then he returned to enlist more men.
The first battle of Saratoga had been fought September 19. It being a drawn battle, the forces lay confronting each other for eighteen days following. Meanwhile Colonel Chase, with his men had joined the army of General Gates. On the 7th of October an- other battle was fought and a decisive victory over Burgoyne was the result. The regiment of Colonel Chase was engaged in this battle, though not seriously, and ten days later they witnessed the surrender of Burgoyne. After the battle of October 7 the situation of General Burgoyne become desperate. He was almost surrounded by the American troops; his supply of pro- visions were becoming exhausted; his men deserting; reinforce- ments for the patriots were constantly arriving. Burgoyne called a council of war, and it was unanimously agreed "to enter into a Convention with General Gates."
On the forenoon of October 17, 1777, General Burgoyne surren- dered his entire army to General Gates. Nearly 6,000 officers and men thus became prisoners of war, among whom were six members of the British Parliament. The trophies consisted of a splendid train of brass artillery consisting of forty-two pieces, 5,000 stand of arms and an enormous quantity of ammu- nition and stores. The terms of capitulation were very favorable for the British: The troops to be conducted to Boston, and from thenee returned to England; and the officers to retain all their horses, carriages and equipments.
The surrender of General Burgoyne was the most complete triumph thus far gained by the patriots in their struggle for inde- pendence. The joy it brought to all their homes was unbounded. It inspired the army with confidence, so that it became invin-
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cible and final victory was assured. The cause of the tantalizing alarm that had so long harrassed the patriots of New England was now removed, and the seat of war was transferred further south. Many of the troops who had been called into service for this special emergency were discharged. The men who formed the regiment of Colonel Chase in this campaign were chiefly farmers, who had hurriedly left their farms, leaving their crops unharvested. These were now anxious to return home and secure their crops, and make preparation for the coming winter.
On the day following the surrender, the following certificate of service and order was issued:
"H. Q. SARATOGA. October. 18, 1777.
These may certify that Colo Chase with a regiment of vol- unteers have faithfully served until this date in the Northern Army and are now Discharged with Honor.
"By order of General Gates. "JACOB BAGLEY, Brig" Gen1"
On pages 373-376, volume 2, Revolutionary Rolls, is a list of 140 men of Colonel Chase's regiment who were discharged by the above order. The following named Cornish men were discharged the date named:
Lieut. Abel Spaulding
Caleb Plaistridge
Sergt. Samuel Chase James Cate
Joseph Spaulding John Chase
Corp. Stephen Child
Solmn Chase
Jos. Vinsen
John Morse
Jabez Spicer
Simeon Chase
Solmn Wellman
Dyer Spaulding
Jonthr Huggins Ebr Brewer
James Wellman
Daniel Waldron
and possibly others who cannot be identified.
In the campaign to repel the invasion of Burgoyne, the little State of New Hampshire, then almost a wilderness, furnished more than 6,000 men, and contributed very largely to the grand results attained. (Keene History, p. 230.)
It has never been the purpose of the writer to attempt to pre- pare a history of the Revolutionary War only so far as to record
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some of the principal events in which the soldiery of Cornish played an important part.
As long as the principal theater of the war was in, and on the borders of New England, the New Hampshire troops were always available and cheerfully responded to every urgent call. While the greater number of these, since the surrender of Burgoyne, had returned to their homes, it is pleasant to record that there were quite a number of Cornish men left remaining in the service in other New Hampshire regiments which had now gone further south. Some of these men followed the fortunes of war to its close in 1783. During the terrible winter of 1777-78, at Valley Forge; at the battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778; at the unfor- tunate battle of Camden, S. C., August 16, 1780; and in several other memorable engagements of the war, including the surrender of Cornwallis, October 17, 1786, the New Hampshire regiments were in active service.
In several companies of each of these regiments are found the names of Cornish men. It would indeed be very gratifying to know the exact number and names of men that Cornish furnished to aid in establishing our national independence; but from lack of certainty of identification, it is impossible to determine accu- rately in every case, as their names appear on the rolls.
The names of soldiers on these whose identity is comparatively certain are given below. Some of their names appear twice, or more, but occurring at different dates; presumably, having served out their former term of enlistment, they enlisted again, sometimes in the same regiment and sometimes in another.
In Capt. Wm. Scott's company, Col. John Stark's regiment, are the names of Jonathan Currier, William Richardson, Moses Chase, Loring Thompson, John Bartlett, Peter Spicer, Moses Brown and Nathaniel Bartlett. (Rev. Rolls, p. 614, Vol. 1, May 6, 1777.)
In Captain Wait's company, Col. John Stark's regiment, is the name of Nathaniel Curtis. (Rev. Rolls, p. 596, Vol. 1, May, 1778.)
On the muster roll of Capt. John House's company, Col. Bald- win's regiment, is the name of Daniel Putnam, aged thirty-seven. (No date.) (Rev. Rolls, p. 608, Vol. 1.)
In Capt. Joshua Hendee's company, Col. David Hobart's regiment, is the name of Lieut. Daniel Chase of Cornish. (No date.) (Rev. Rolls, p. 157, Vol. 2.)
Daniel Putnam's name is also found in Capt. Moody Dustin's
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company, 1st regiment, February 13, 1781. (Rev. Rolls, p. 223, Vol. 3.)
In the "Record of Town Returns" are the names of David Haskell, Joseph Spaulding and Daniel Putnam, soldiers, under date of May 10, 1782. (Rev. Rolls, p. 502, Vol. 3.)
A pay-roll of men of Colonel Chase's regiment, raised October 28, 1776, and discharged November 18, 1776, contains the fol- lowing names: Col. J. Chase, Solomon Chase, Reuben Jirould, Samuel Chase, Nathaniel Goodspeed, Elias Cady, William Richardson, Isaac Wellman, Simeon Chase and Moses Hall. (Rev. Rolls, pp. 108-9, Vol. 4.)
In Capt. Davenport Phelps' company, Colonel Bedell's regi- ment, whose services ended March 31, 1778, were the following names: Luther Hilliard, Briant Brown and Judah Benjamin, all credited to Cornish. (Rev. Rolls, p. 120, Vol. 4.)
"We the Subscribers Being a Draft from the Militia of the Regt. of Col. Jono. Chase, Do Acnolege we have Rec'd of him, four pounds & ten shillings each, as one months Advanced pay agreeable to a Vote of the Council & Assembly of the State of New Hampshire :- Willm. Ripley, Samuel Hilliard, Samuel Fitch, Lieut. Daniel Chase, Nicholas Cady, Ebenezer Brewer, Benj". Comings, John Whitten." (Rev. Rolls, p. 143, Vol. 4.)
In Col. Joseph Cilley's regiment at Valley Forge, January 10, 1778, continued the names of Peter Spicer, Daniel Putnam, Curtis Cady. (Rev. Rolls, p. 434, Vol. 2.)
Revolutionary Rolls, pages 602-4, volume 2, contains a list of men raised in Colonel Chase's regiment February 17, 1779, all from Cornish: Curtis Cady, Nathaniel Curtis, Daniel Putnam, Moses Brown, Peter Spicer, Nathaniel Bartlett, John Bartlett, Moses Chase, Jr., Jonathan Currier, Loring Thompson, William Richardson, David Currier, Gale Cole.
Kidder's history of the first New Hampshire regiment also makes mention of the continued service of several Cornish men as follows:
Curtis Cady entered Feb. 1777, disch. Apr. 4, 1778.
Daniel Putnam entered Feb. 12, 1777, disch. Dee .- 1781.
Peter Spicer entered May 1, 1777, disch. Mar. 20, 1778. Loring Thompson entered May 1, 1777, disch. May 1, 1780. David Haskell entered Jan. 1, 1782, disch. Dec. 31, 1783. Daniel Putnam entered Jan. 1, 1782, disch. 1783.
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The following list of Cornish men marched May 7, 1777, from Cornish in Col. Jonathan Chase's Regiment for Ticonderoga. Time of service, one month, twelve days:
Jonathan Chase, Col.
Solomon Chase, Capt.
Dyer Spaulding, Q. M.
Nathaniel Hall, Sergt. Stephen Child, Corp. Benj. Cummins, Corp. Gideon Smith, Corp.
Stephen Cady, Sergt.
Samuel Chase, 3ยช Sergt. Benj. Chapman, Drum.
William Payn, Private John Whitten, Private
Briant Brown, Private
Joseph Vinsen, Private
Solomon Chase, Private
James Wellman, Private
William Richardson, Private
Moses Hall, Private
. Moses Currier, Private Andrew Spaulding, Private
Isaac Wellman, Private
John Chase, Private
Eben'r Brewer, Private John Weld, Private
The following is the list of Cornish men who marched June 27, 1777, in Colonel Chase's Regiment for Ticonderoga. Time of service, from four to fifteen days:
Jonathan Chase, Col. Moses Chase, Capt. William Ripley, Adj. Moses Chase, Jr., Private Abel Stevens, Private
William Ripley, Private Elijah Cady, Private Eliphalet Kimball, Private Gideon Smith, Private Jabez Spicer, Private Josiah Stone, Private Jedediah Hibbard, Private Joseph Vincent, Private Moses Currier, Private Thomas Hall, Jr., Private Zebadiah Fitch, Private William Richardson, Private Nathan'l Dustin, Private Abel Spaulding, Jr., Private
Abel Spaulding, Lieut. Reuben Jerald, Lieut. Elias Cady, Lieut.
Nicholas Cady, Private
Simeon Chase, Private Isaac Wellman, Private Moody Hall, Private Samuel Fitch, Private Ebenezer Brewer, Private Salmon Chase, Private David Huggins, Private James Cate, Private Samuel Chase, Jr., Private Dudley Chase, Private Caleb Plastridge, Private Hezekiah French, Private Benj. Swinnerton, Private James Wellman, Private
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HISTORY OF CORNISH.
The following is the list of Cornish men, not included in the foregoing organizations, who served more or less during the war. Great efforts have been made to make this list as complete and accurate as possible.
Lieut. Eleazer Jackson
Thomas Chamberlain
Samuel Comings
David Davis
Ebenezer Dresser
Timothy Spaulding
Frank Cobb
Moses Vinson
James Ripley
Francis Dana
Samuel Paine
Hezekiah Fitch
Joshua Page
James Wellman, Jr.
Ezra Spaulding
Andrew Spaulding, Jr.
Peter Chase
Joseph Bartlett
Nahum Chase
Richard Hawley
Caleb Chase
Elijah Carpenter
William Chase
William Darling
Thomas Chase
Peter Labere, Jr.
Nath'l Huggins
Joel Rice, Jr.
Robert Wilson
Nathaniel Holden
Amos Chase
Deliverance Woodward
Daniel Roberts
On June 24, 1779, the state voted that General Folsom shall forthwith issue orders to the several Colonels of regiments of this state for raising men to fill up the Continental Battalion belonging to the state and the regiment for Rhode Island, according to the order of the General Court recently passed, and the proportion of officers and privates to be raised in each regiment. The number of men thus called for was 280. Colonel Chase's regiment was to receive eight. (Rev. Rolls, p. 655, Vol. 2.)
Dr. Solomon Chase of Cornish was a very efficient and useful man in the entire Revolutionary service. At one time he com- manded a company in Colonel Chase's Regiment; but chiefly his duties were confined to the hospital as a physician and surgeon. The following order is on record (Rev. Rolls, p. 144, Vol. 4) :
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Gen. Stark to Doctor Chase.
H Quar' C: Town, Aug. 3, 1777.
Doc' Solomon Chase-Sir-You are ordered and Required to take under your Care all the sick that is, or may be sent here- after from my Brigade of Militia to this place-And you are to Receive medicines out of the State Chest for the purpose afore- said. What medicines you use of your own private property, you'r to keep an exact account of-You'r also from time to time desired to send me an account of the State & Condition of the Sick under your Care, & this shall be your sufficient order-
JOHN STARK, B. D. G.
To Dr. Solomon Chase-Chirurgeon to Colo. Hobarts Regiment.
On the 16th of June, 1780, the Legislature passed an act ordering 600 men to be raised to recruit the three regiments in the Continental army in the state. The Committee of Safety gave orders to the regimental commanders to raise their several quotas, and 23 men was the quota of Colonel Chase. The men were to furnish their own Clothing, Knapsack & Blankets and serve till the last day of December next, or be liable to a fine of 500 dollars. "They were to be paid forty shillings per month in Money, equal to Indian Corn at Four Shillings a Bushel, Grass- fed Beef at Three Pence per Pound, or Sole-Leather at Eighteen Pence a Pound." They were also to have five pounds each for clothing money, two dollars in paper currency per mile for travel and money for rations till they could draw Continental rations. (Rev. Rolls, p. 58, Vol. 3.) N. H. troops did service this year (1780) at West Point and in New Jersey.
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