USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hollis > History of the town of Hollis, New Hampshire, from its first settlement to the year 1879 > Part 14
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Reuben Dow, Capt.,
Richard Bailey, Private.
Ebenezer Gilson. Private
John Goss, ist Lieut.,
Daniel Blood, 16
Manuel Grace. ..
John Cumings, 2d. Lieut ..
Francis Flood.
Aaron Hardy.
Nathan Blood, Sorgt.
Jonas Blood, 66 Samuel Hill.
Joshua Boynton,
Benj'n Boynton, .. Samuel Hosley. ..
. William Nevins, " Minot Farmer,
Abel Brown,
Ebenezer Jaquith.
Samson Powers, Corp'i.
John Campbell, James Colburn,
Edward Johnson. ..
James McConnor, .. Nathan Colburn, Thomas Colburn,
Sam'l Johnson, Thomas Kemp. ..
Ephraim Blood, ..
David Farnsworth, drummer,
Abaer Keyes, ..
Noah Worcester, Jr., Fifer, Benjamin Abbot, Private,' David Ames, ..
. Jacob Danforth, ..
James Dickey, ..
Randall MeDaniels, ". Joseph Minet.
John Atwell,
Ebenezer Ball. ..
Amos Eastman, Jonathan Eastman, .. Benj'a Farley, Ebenezer Farley,
Benjamin Nevins. Joseph Nevins. ...
Nathaniel Dall, ..
Thomas Patch. ..
Job Bailey, ..
Josiah Fish., ..
John Philbrick, ...
Joseph Bailey. ..
William French, ..
Ephraim Pierce.
Samuel Jewett, ..
James Mcintosh, "
Elias Boynton, ..
Ephraim flow. ..
Samuel Conroy, Benj'n Cumings
Israel Kinney, Samuel .Leeman, ..
Jonathan Ames. ..
Janes Fisk. .. Nathan Phelps, .. Joe! Bailey. ..
,
148
MINUTE MEN TO CAMBRIDGE.
[1775.
Nahum Powers, Private.
Amos Taylor, Private
Bray Wilkins, Private.
Thomas Pratt, .. Daniel Taylor, .4
Israel Wilkins,
Ezekiel Proctor,
William Tenney. .. William Wood. ..
Jacob Reed, David Wallingford, "
Benjamin Wright,
Jonathan Russ, .. Nathaniel Wheat,
Benj. Wright, Jun., "
Benjamin Sanders, .
Thomas Wheat, ..
Uriah Wright, ..
Robert Scaver.
Ebenezer Wheeler, "
Jesse Wyman, ..
Jacob Spalding, .. Thaddeus Wheeler. "
Ebenezer Youngman, private.
Isaac Stearns, Lebbeus Wheeler, ..
Thirty-nine of the privates of the company, after an absence of from five to twelve days, returned to Holiis. The remaining fifty- three, with but few if any exceptions, stayed at Cambridge and volunteered in other companies to serve for cight months. Much the largest part of those who remained at Cambridge re-enlisted for eight months in a new company under Capt. Dow, of which John Goss was also Ist Lieutenant, and John Cumings, 2d Lieuten- ant. This company was afterwards mustered into the Massachu- setts regiment commanded by Col. William Prescott. the hero of Bunker Hill, who at the time lived near the north line of the ad- joining town of Pepperell, a large part of his farm being in Hollis. Thomas Colburn and Ebenezer Youngman, two of these minute men, enlisted in the company of Capt. Moor, of Groton, Mass., in the same regiment, and were both killed in the fight at Bunker Hill. Job Bailey. Ephraim Row, and Samuel Leeman, three others of them. joined the company of Capt. Levi Spalding of Nottingham West. (now Hudson) in the New Hampshire regiment, that fought at Bunker Hill under Col. Reed, and were all present in the battle. Six others of them. viz., Joel Bailey, Richard Bailey, Nathan Col- burn. Abner Keves. David Wallingford, and Bray Wilkins, volun- teered in the company of Capt. Archelaus Town, of Amherst. New Hampshire, afterwards mustered into the 27th Massachusetts regiment. commanded by Col. Hutchinson. Of this company. Wallingford was 2d Lieutenant. and Wilkins, one of the Sergeants.
It is shown by the original company roll of the Hollis minute men, that the wages paid to the private soldiers of the company were one shilling and five pence per day, equal to about 24 cents in federal money. They were also paid one penny a mile each way for travel, making in all Sid. or 7s., the distance from Hollis to Cambridge being 42 miles. The wages of the Captain were 45. 6d., or about 75 cents per day; those of the ist Lieutenant, 28. rod. : of the ad Lieutenant, 28. 6d. ; of the Sergeants. Is. S 3-4. or some less than 30 cents per day. The full amount paid by the own for the services of this company. as shown by this same roll. was £65. 12s. 7d.
≤
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149
HOLLIS MEN AT BUNKER HILL ..
1775.]
CHAPTER XIII.
1775 CONTINUED. - HOLLIS COMPANY AT BUNKER HILL .- ROLL. AND DESCRIPTIVE LIST .- CAPT. DOW'S COMMISSION. - BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL .- HOLLIS MEN KILLED AND WOUNDED .- LOSS OF EQUIPMENTS. - THE NEW HAMPSHIRE REINFORCEMENTS .--- CAPT. WORCESTER'S COMPANY .-- NUMBER OF HOLLIS SOLDIERS IN 1775 AND THEIR WAGES. - MILITARY COATS. - STORY OF A PATRIOTIC HOLLIS WOMAN.
The new company of Capt. Dow, enlisted at Cambridge, for eight months, including its officers, consisted of fifty-nine men, that number making a full company under the law of Massachusetts for organizing the troops of that province. It is shown by an origi- nal return roll of this company, dated October 6, 1775, presenting the names of the dead and wounded as well as of those then living. now in the office of the Secretary of State. at Boston, that all the men were from Hollis. This roll is preserved with the other com- pany rolls of the regiment of Col. Prescott, and it may be seen on inspection of them that Capt. Dow's was the only company of the regiment, in which all the officers and privates were from one and the same town.'
. The names of the officers and privates of the company, as first organized, are here presented, copied from an original roll pre- served in the family of Capt. Dow. Captain. Reuben Dow: ist Lieutenant. John Goss; 2d Licalenant, John Cumings. Ser- geants, ist, Nathan Blood: 2d, Joshua Boynton; 3d, William Nevins ; 4th. Minot Farmer. Corporals, Ist. Samson Powers: d. James McIntosh ; 3d, James MeConnor; 4th. Ephraim Pierce. Drummer. David Farnsworth. Fifer. Noah Worcester. Jun.
PRIVATES.
William Adans,
David Aines, Ebenezer Ba !! , Francis Blond, Elias Boynton.
Jacob Boynton. Abel Brown, John Campbell, Wilder Chamberlain.
Abel Conant.
Benjamin Cumings. Philip Cunings.
Peter Cumings,
Evan Don.
Caleb Eastinga.
--
150
HOLLIS MEN AT BUNKER HILL. [1775.
Nehemiah Pierre,
Jacob Spalding,
james Fisk.
John Platts,
Isaac Stearns,
Josiah Fisk.
Peter Poor,
Amos Taylor,
Samuel Hill.
Nabuum Powers.
Daniel Taylor,
Isaac lubart,
Francis Powers,
Moses Thurston,
Samuel Hosley,
Jonathan Powers;
Ebenezer Townsend
Samuel Jewett.
Thomas Pratt, Thomas Wheat,
Thomas Kemp.
Ezekit! Proctor.
Lebbeus Wheeler,
Isra l Kinney,
. Jacob Read,
William Wood.
Phineas Nevins,
Jeremiah Shattuck.
Uriah Wright.
Nathaniel Patten,
Five members of the company, viz., the zd. Lieut., John Cumings ; Ebenezer Ball, Ephraim Blood, Jonathan Powers and Isaac Stearns, were soldiers in the last French and Indian war, begun in the year 1754, and which resulted in the final conquest of Canada.
An original descriptive roll of fifty of the non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of the company still exists, showing their height, age and complexion. From this roll it appears that Jonathan Powers, who was of the age of sixty years, was the oldest, and that Peter Cumings, a son of the 2d Lieutenant, and but thir- teen. was the youngest. The next youngest, was Noah Worcester, Jun., the fifer, who was sixteen the November previous. The four tallest of the men were each sis feet in height-the shortest was the hoy, Peter Cumings, who was but five feet. Fourteen of the men "Were of "' dark " complexion, the remaining thirty-six, " light."
COPY OF THE DESCRIPTIVE ROLL.
Age.
Complexion.
Height.
Age.
Complexion.
Height.
William Adams
2)
5 ft. 5 in. IJames McConner
31
Light,
Ebenezer Ball
45
Light, Dark, Light.
5 ft. 6 in. |James McIntosh
Nathan Blood
Phineas Nevias
Francis Blood
27
..
6 ît.
Nathaniel Pation
20
LISA,
fc.
Jacob Boynton
19
Dark,
5 ft. 9 in. I Tobn Platts
37
..
5 ft. 5
Joshua Boynton
30
Light,
5 ft. 6 in.
Nahum Powers
35
Dark,
5
ft.
in
John Campbell
20
5 ft. o in. : Francis Powers
33
Light,
5 fr.
6
Abel Conant
10
5 ft. 6 in. : Jonathan Powers
00
5
Philip Cumings
27
5 ft. 6 in. Samson Powers
25
..
ft.
ft.
f. 10
in
Caleb Eastman
32
Dark,
st. Sin. Jeremiah Shattuck
20
..
5 ft. to in
William Elliot
20
Light,
5 tt. y in. Jacob Spalding
30
Light,
5 ft.
4
in
David Farnsworth
21
James l'isk
37
Dark, Light,
ft.
5 in.
| Ebenezer Townsend
3 2
. €
5 ft. 10 in.
Samuel Hill
Thomas Wheat
24
Dark, Light, ..
5 ft.
6 in.
Samuel Hosley
7 in.
William Word
6
Samuel Jewett
10
Dark.
ft.
o in. Noah Worcester, Jr.
5 ft. 10 in
Thomas Kemp
27
S ft. 7 in.
Uriah Wright
Daik,
5 R.
in.
44
5 ft. 6
Josiah Fisk
20
21
Isaac Hobart
19
46
5 ft.
6 in.
I Lobbeus Wheeler
23
Dark,
13
5 ft.
Ezekiel Proctor
10
Evan Dow
31
..
5 ft. 6 in. . Jacob Read
49
Minot Farmer
25
5 ft.
S in.
Isaac Stearns
is
5
ft.
! Amos Taylor
27
5 0.
ft.
9 in.
: Moses Thurston
35
Peter Cumings
37
..
5 ft. 11 in.
Elias Boynton
20
5 ft. to in. : Peter Poor
21
..
Dark,
6
Ephraim Blood
Neherijah Pierce
..
it.
Benjamin Cummings
5 ft. ti in. ; Thomas Pratt
..
ft.
5 ft. S
-
..
č ft.
151
HOLLIS MEN AT BUNKER HILL.
$775.]
Besides the fifty-nine eight months' men in the company of Capt. Dow, Thomas Colburn, Samuel Conroy. Samuel Wright, and Ebenezer Youngman, enlisted in the company of Capt. Moor, of Groton, in the same regiment, and eight other Hollis soldiers, viz., Andrew Bailey, Job Bailey. Phineas Hardy, Thomas Hardy, Ephraim How, Samuel Leeman.Jun., Ephraim Rolfe, and Ephraim Smith, enlisted in the company of Capt. Spalding, in the New Hampshire regiment under Col. Reed, and all of them were present at the battle of Bunker Hill. Joel Bailey, Richard Bailey, Josiah Bruce, Nathan Colburn, Joseph French, Nehemiah French, Abner Keyes, David Wallingford and Bray Wilkins, nine other Hollis men. enlisted for the litte time in the company of Capt Towne of Amherst, which, as appears from the company roll, still preserved, afterwards joined the 27th Massachusetts regiment, which served at the siege of Boston under Col. Hutchinson. These several num- bers, added to the fifty-nine names in the company roll of Capt. Dow, make in all, eighty eight months' soldiers who went from Hollis in the spring or early in the summer of 1775.
The original commission of Capt. Dow, dated May 19, 1775, with the autograph signature of Gen. Joseph Warren, president pro tem. of the Massachusetts Congress. who was killed at Bunker Hill about four weeks after, is now among the Hollis documents. A copy of this commission is here presented.
.. THE CONGRESS OF THE COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
.. To REUBEN Dow. gentleman. ". Greeting :
.. We reposing especial trust and confidence in your courage and good conduct. do by these presents constitute and appoint you, the said Reuben Dow. to be Captain in the -company in the Regi- ment of foot commanded by William Prescott. Esq. Colonel, vaised by the Congress aforesaid for the defence of said colony.
.. You are. therefore. carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a Captain in leading, ordering and exercising the said com pany in arms, both inferior officers and soldiers, and to keep them in good order and discipline : and they are hereby commanded to obey you as their Captain ; and you are, yourself, to observe and follow such orders and instructions as you shall from time to time receive from the General and commander in chief of the forces
--
152
HOLLIS MEN AT BUNKER HILL.
[1775-
raised in the colony aforesaid, for the defence of the same, or any other your superior officers according to military rules and disci- pline in war, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you.
" By order of the Congress, "Jos. WARREN. President P. T.
" Watertown, the 19th of May, A. D., 1775. "Sam1. Freeman. Secretary P. T."
The regiment of Col. Prescott, with other Massachusetts regi- ments, was stationed at Cambridge till the battle of. Bunker Hill. About nine o'clock on the night of the 16th of June the companies of Captains Dow and Moor, with the regiment of Col. Prescott. and detachments from two or three other regiments. by orders of the Massachusetts Committee of Safety, with their arins. spade. and other intrenching tools, marched from Cambridge common to Charlestown, and took possession of the heights upon which, the next day, was fought the battle of Bunker Hill. Col. Prescott was at the head of the detachment, in a simple appropriate uniform. with a blue coat and three cornered hat. Two Sergeants carrying dark lanterns were in front of him, and the intrenching tools in carts in the rear. The men had been ordered to take with them in their knapsacks, one day's rations, but many of them neglected to obey this order. After one or more halts. for consultation of the officers, the detachment reached the hill to be fortified about midnight. Working with their spades and pickaxes the whole of the rest of the night and the next forenoon in the intense heat of a June sun. without sleep and many of them suffering for the want of food and drink. they threw up the redoubt, which their heroism soon made forever memorable. To inspire his men with courage and confidence while busy with their intrenching tools. the gallant Prescott, on the forenoon of the 17th, mounted the parapet of the redoubt, and continued to walk leisurely around on the top of it in full view of the British ships and troops, inspecting the works. giving directions to his officers and men, encouraging them by his example and approval, or amusing them by his humor. Gen. Gage, seeing through his spy glass, the tall, commanding form of Prescott, asked of Willard, one of the Council. " who he was?" Willard replied. " He is my brother-in-law." " Will he fight?" again asked Gage. "Yes, Sir:" said Willard. "he is an old soldier, and will fight to the last drop of blood in him."
F
1775.]
HOLLIS MEN AT BUNKER HILL. 153
The men, hungry and weary. having worked through the night ano till noon of the next day, without sleep, and many of them with- out food or drink, some of their officers, in view of the impending conflict, urged Col. Prescott to send a request to Gen. Ward, com- manding at Cambridge, that the men who had built the fort might be relieved and fresh troops might be sent over for its defence. Col. Prescott fully understood the spirit and temper of his men-many of them were his neighbors. and he promptly said to the officers making that request, that he would not consent to their relief. " The men," said he, "who have raised these works will best defend them ; they have had the merit of the labor and should have the honor of victory, if attacked."
Very many histories of the battle of Bunker Hill have already been written. It is not my purpose to add another, but simply to tell, in few words. the share the town of Hollis and Hollis soldiers had in it.
HOLLIS, AND OTHER NEW HAMPSHIRE SOLDIERS IN COL. PRESCOTT'S REGIMENT.
Besides the company of Capt. Dow, and the four Hollis soldiers in the company of Capt. Moor, it is shown by the original return rolls of Col. Prescott's regiment, now at Boston, that there were fifty or more other New Hampshire soldiers in the same regiment. mostly from towns in the vicinity of Hollis. Of these, eleven were from Merrimack. eleven from Londonderry, seven from Raby (now Brookline), others from Amherst, Mason, New Ipswich; and other towns, making in all between one hundred and ten and one hundred and twenty New Hampshire men in that regiment. Yet, so far as I am aware, no New Hampshire history of the battle of Bunker Hill makes any reference to the New Hampshire soldiers in the regiment of Col. Prescott. It is said in " Frothingham's Siege of Boston." page 401, that not more than three hundred of Col. Prescott's regiment marched with him to Charlestown on the night of the 16th of June. If such was the fact, it is not improbable that one-fourth of the three hundred were New Hampshire soldiers, and at least one-sixth of them from Hollis.
CASUALTIES.
James Fisk and Jeremiah Shattuck, two of Capt. Dow's company . died of sickness, at Cambridge, on the 29th of May. Caleb . Eastman was killed at Cambridge, two days after the battle, by the
154
CASUALTIES IN THE BATTLE. [1775
accidental bursting of his gun. Nathan Blood, the ist Sergeant, Jacob Boynton, Isaac Hobart, Phineas Nevins, Peter Poor and Thomas Wheat, of Capt. Dow's company, and also Thomas Colburn and Ebenezer Youngman, two of the Hollis soldiers in Capt. Moor's company, were killed in the battle, making eight in all lost on the field, and a total loss of eleven. There were also six of the Hollis company wounded in the battle, viz., Reuben Dow. the Captain. Ephraim Blood, Francis Blood, Francis Powers, Thomas Pratt and William Wood; Dow and Wood, so severely that they were afterwards pensioners for life. The number of killed in Col. Prescott's regiment, (according to Prothingham, page 193.) was forty-two; wounded, twenty-eight. Of the killed in that regi- ment, the loss of Hollis was nearly one-fifth; and more than that proportion of the wounded.
From a letter written by Col. Stark, to Matthew Thornton, two days after the battle, it appears that the loss of his own regiment in killed and missing was fifteen, that of the regiment of Col. Reed, but four, making nineteen in all .* From the above statements, it appears that the loss of Hollis, in killed, was fully equal to two- fifths of the killed and missing in the two New Hampshire regi- ments, and greater, as is believed, than that of any other town in New Hampshire or Massachusetts. It is shown by the return rolls at Boston, that the town of Pepperell lost six in killed, which is believed to be the next largest loss of a single town. Of the Hollis men, above named, who had died of disease or been killed, Fisk, Shattuck, Blood and Wheat were married and heads of families. Boynton, Eastman, Hobart, Youngman, Nevins and Poor, were young, unmarried men, the oldest supposed to be 22. and the youngest but 17.
LOSS OF EQUIPMENTS, ETC., IN THE BATTLE.
It is shown by the rolls of Capt. Dow's company, that his men furnished all their own equipments, and also their clothes, as did the soldiers generally, the first year of the war. The following statement, to which are appended the names of twenty-eight mem- bers of the company, present at the battle. not including the commissioned officers, or the killed, exhibits the articles lost by each of them, with their estimated value.
*New Hampshire Hist. Coll., Vol. 2, p. 145.
.
.
:775.]
LOSS OF EQUIPMENTS. 155
".CAMBRIDGE, Dec. 22, 1775."
"This may certify that we the subscribers in Capt. Reuben Dow's company, in Col. William Prescott's regiment, in the Conti- nental army, that we lost the following articles, in the late engage- ment on Bunker Hill on the 17th of June last."
William Adams i knapzack, Is., value Lo is- d.
David Ames, I knapsack is. 4d. i tumpline Is. ed ..
Ephraim Blood, I Knapsack is. Sd. i tumpline is. 4d. i gun £2, 14s ..
2
17
Francis Blood, I knapsack is. ad. I tumpline is. 2d.,
2 Elias Boynton, I gun $3, 25.,
Abel Brown, I tumpline is. 3., I gun iSs., i cartridge box is .. 2
Wilder Chamberlain, i knapsack Is ad.,
Abel Conant, i knapsack is. &d., i tumpline is. 4d.,
Benjamin Cummings, i knapsack is. 8d., i tampline is. 4d., 3
Minut Farmer, a knapsack is. 4d., I tumpline is 4d., I sword mos., ..
12
S
David Farnsworth, i knapsack is. Sd., i tumpline is. ed.,
Josiah Fisk, i knapsack Is. Sd., I tumpline is. 2d., i cartridge box 4s. d. 1-
3 Sainnel Ilill, i knapsack is. 4d., i tumpline is. Sd.,
Samuel Jewett, i knapsack is. Sd., i tumphne is. 2 d .. .. 2 10
Israel Kinney, i knapsack is. 4d., i tumspline is. ed., ..
James McConnor, I knapsack, is. 4d., I tumpline, is. 2d. 1 gun $2, 2%. 1 hat 125 " 3 16
James McIntosh, i knapsack i s. Sd., i tumpline is. 4d., i jacket Ss, 13
William Nevins, i knapsack is. SJ., i tumpline is. ; d., i jacket £1, 45.,
I
Nathaniel Patten, I knapsack is 4d., I tampline is ad., i jacket tos., 15 6
Nehemiah Pierce, i knapsack is. Sd., i tumpline is. 4d., i hat iss .. 1
1 Francis Powers, i gun $2, 14s., I bayonet 6s., 3
Nahuni Powers, I knaps'k is. 4d., I tump'e is, ed., hat 3e., jacket Ss., bayonet ós " 19
Thomas Pratt, I knapsack is. 4d., i tompline is. 20., I gun £1. 15s., I
Isaac Stearns, i knapsack is. 4d., i gun £3, 145., 2
Lebbeus Wheeler. i knapsack is. Sd., i tumpline is. 2d., i hat 6s., S
10
Noah Worcester, Jan., i knapsack is. Sd., i tumpline is. 2d., 2
William Wood, i knapsack is. Sd., i tumpline is. 2d., I gun £z, Ss., 1 IO IO
Uriah Wright, i knapsack is. Sd., I tumpline is. 3d., 4. II
It appears from the above certificate, that twenty-five of these men lost their knapsacks, twenty-three their tumplines, * eight their guns, three their cartridge boxes, two their bayonets, and one his sword; five of them their short coats or "Jackets." and three their hats.
How many of Capt. Dow's company, besides the killed and com- missioned officers, were present in the battle and lost no part of their equipments, cannot now be known-doubtless some, and it may be most of them.
The following copy of an original certificate in the hand writing of Capt. Dow, and preserved by him, with other papers relating to his company, shows the loss of equipments of the six men belonging to it, killed in the battle.
*A Tump-line was a strap to be placed across the forehead, to assist a man in carrying a pack on his back .- WORCESTER'S QUARTO DICTIONARY.
2
6
2
3
1
3
10
S
2
6
$
6
156
LOSS OF EQUIPMENTS.
CAMBRIDGE, Dec. 22, 1775."
" Nathan Blood, Isaac Hobart,
Thomas Wheat,
Peter Poor,
Jacob Boynton, Phineas Nevins."
" The men whose names are above written belonged to Cap :. Dow's company, and Col. William Prescott's regiment and were all killed in the battle of Bunker Hill, on the 17th of June last. am! were furnished each of them with a good gun, judged to be worth Eight Dollars apiece-also were furnished with other materials, viz. Cartridge Boxes, Knapsacks and Tump-lines -- and were welt clothed for soldiers-Also had each of them a good blanket. Nathan Blood had a good Hanger."
It appears that the eight Hollis men in Capt. Spalding's company . in the New Hampshire regiment of Col. Reed, were all present in the battle, and that each of them lost portions of his clothing or equipments, as is shown from the returns of losses made after the battle, now to be found in the "New Hampshire Provincial Pa- pers," Volume 6, page 592." These losses with their appraised value were as follows :
Andrew Bailey, I coat, I shirt, trousers, stockings, Job Bailey, i cartridge box, knapsack, and shist,
value, £2, 6s. Sd.
15 Phineas Hardy, i blanket, cont. shirt, breeches,
1 12 Thomas Hardy, i blanket, coat, jacket, stockings, Ephraim How, i gun, breeches and shirt, . .
1
5
1
Samuel Leeman, 2 coats and i blanket,
..
2
Ephraim Rolfe, I gun, blanket, shirt, stockings, ..
3 9
Ephraim Smith, I knapsack, shirt, stockings,
..
0
At this late day it is difficult to ascertain all the reasons that may have induced the company of Capt. Dow to join the Massachusetts regiment of Col. Prescott. But the following well established facts undoubtedly had much influence. Col. Prescott at the time lived upon his farm on the north side of Pepperell, adjoining Hollis. (still the country seat of his descendants) a large part of the famn. then being in Hollis. Capt. Dow and Lieut. Goss lived in the south part of Hollis, and were the neighbors and friends of Col. Prescott. A very large part of the early settlers of Hollis were from Billerica, Chelmsford, Groton and Pepperell and other towns in Middlesex county in which most of the companies in Col. Prescott's regiment were enlisted. It may be added to these reasons. that Col. John Hale, one of the leading friends of the Revolution. in Hollis, was a brother-in-law of Col. Prescott. he having married Abigail Hale, a sister of Col. Hale.
:775.]
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE REINFORCEVENTS. 157
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE REINFORCEMENTS IN DECEMBER. 1775.
The time of service of the men enlisted for eight months expired in December. On the goth of November an express was sent by Gen. Sullivan, then in command of the Continental troops at Win- ter Hill, near Boston, to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, informing them that the Connecticut regiment,, had refused to. remain longer in the service, and urging for reinforcements from New Hampshire to supply their places.
----
LETTER OF GEN. SULLIVAN TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE
OF SAFETY. " WINTER HILL, NOV. 30. 1775.
" Sirs : Gen. Washington has sent to New Hampshire for thirty- one companies to take possession of and defend our lines in room of the Connecticut forces who most scandalously refuse to tarry till the ist of January. I must therefore intreat your utinost exertions to forward the raising those companies, lest the enemy should take advantage of their absence and force our lines. As the Connecticut forces will at all events leave us at or before the roth of next month, pray call upon every true friend of his country to assist with heart and hand in sending forward these companies as soon as possible. Sirs, I am in extreme haste your Obt. Sers'i,
"JOHN SULLIVAN." "' To the Committee of Safety at Exeter.">
In answer to this call, New Hampshire, with patriotic and char- acteristic promptness, sent to Cambridge 31 companies of 63 each. of the New Hampshire "" Minute Men," numbering in all 2000, or more. These troops continued in the service. till the middle of March, 1776. when the British army evacuated Boston.
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