USA > New Hampshire > The Connecticut River Valley in southern Vermont and New Hampshire; historical sketches > Part 6
USA > Vermont > The Connecticut River Valley in southern Vermont and New Hampshire; historical sketches > Part 6
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MILITARY MATTERS OF BELLOWS FALLS AND ROCKINGHAM-A COMPANY IN 1770
Bellows Falls and the Town of Rockingham have usually had a leading part in military matters since the township was first organized.
As early as 1770 there was a military company in Rockingham whose officers were Captain Stephen Sar- geant, Lieutenant Philip Safford, and Surgeon Dr. Reuben Jones, the town physician. Lt. Safford in later years made a creditable record as a leader at the West- minster Massacre, and Dr. Jones was one of the six lead- ing men during all the complications leading to the organizing of the State of Vermont.
The Rockingham Company, which marched across the state to Ticonderoga and took part in the Battle of Hubbardton in July, 1777, was officered as follows : Captain Joseph Woods, Lieut. Charles Richards, Lieut. Colburn Preston and Ensign Ebenezer Fuller. The Company, comprising thirty-four men, probably took part in the Battle of Bennington a month later under the same officers.
In October, 1777, a detachment from Rockingham under Lieut. Charles Richards is supposed to have taken part in the Saratoga campaign and to have been present at Burgoyne's surrender. The New York records of 1778 show that during the time when Vermont was tem- porarily under the government of New York, the Rock- ingham Company was officered by Moses Wright, Cap- tain; Isaac Reed, First Lieutenant; and Ashur Evans, Ensign. In October, 1780, the roster of the Rockingham militia showed the names of twenty-nine men with Cap-
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tain Jonathan Houghton as Captain. In October of 1782, the Rockingham Company of twenty-three men was under command of Captain William Simonds and took part in quelling the insurrection in Guilford, Vt. In January, 1784, the Rockingham militia, to the num- ber of twenty-two men, commanded by Captain John Fuller, marched across the mountains in a blinding snow storm to Guilford and shared honors with the little army of Ethan Allen in his victory over the Tories of that town.
In 1822 there was a Company of "Light Infantry" in the village of Saxtons River, and the commission of the Governor to Warren Lovell as Lieutenant was dated June 10, 1822. Lieut. Lovell was but twenty years old at the time and the next year he was appointed post- master of Saxtons River. In 1813 the Vermont Legis- lature by a special act constituted a Company of Ar- tillery from this town, probably located in Rockingham village. It was annexed to the 1st Regiment, 2nd Bri- gade and chief Division of the militia of the state. The persons constituting the Company were required to "furnish themselves with, at their own expense, a good field piece, suitable aparatus, and otherwise equip them- selves as a Company of Artillery," a somewhat different requirement regarding equipment from what later years have seen. In September, 1822, there was a Company of Light Infantry and one of Artillery composed of Bellows Falls citizens, and two Infantry Companies in Grafton.
September 29, 1826, the First Regiment, under com- mand of Col. White, was mustered in Bellows Falls and the Rockingham Company was commanded by Captain
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Seaver. There were also cavalry and artillery attached to the regiment. The Light Infantry Company from Putney under Captain Knights arrived here during the evening with baggage wagons, camp equipage, etc., and encamped upon the hill near Immanuel church. They had nine tents, and about midnight some practical jokers passed a large rope around all the tents and down the hill toward Rockingham Street, for the purpose of drag- ging them down the declivity. The rope was, however, discovered by a guard just as a pair of horses, as a pro- pelling power, was being attached to the Rockingham Street end, and the object of the perpetrators was frus- trated. Friday, the usual drill, review and inspection of the regiment took place and a sham fight furnished entertainment and instruction for the afternoon. Sep- tember 14 and 15, 1835, the officers of the 20th Regi- ment under the command of Col. Clay "trained" in Bellows Falls, and Col. Ryland Fletcher of Cavendish, later Governor of Vermont, made a ringing speech to the organizations. In September, 1841, the Light Infantry Companies of Keene and Westmoreland visited Bellows Falls and paraded our streets. They were handsomely entertained by the local military men.
Early in the '50s, Bellows Falls had a crack Com- pany composed of prominent citizens known as the "Green Mountain Guards." They were organized under the laws of the State and were among the first troops to have uniforms and equipments. The militia of the State previous to this system had been known as the "Flood Wood Militia" because each member of the various com- panies was compelled to furnish his own clothing, arms, and equipment. Many of the members of the com-
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panies, being poor in this world's goods, could not afford a uniform and often could not procure a gun of any kind. The arms-bearing citizens of the state, however, had been required to turn out for military duty at least one day in the year, and the great variety of dress worn, as well as the imitations of guns used, made them a some- what motley and non-military appearing body of soldiers. Often there were men in the ranks who trained with only sticks, pitch-forks, hoes or any other handy im- plement in the place of guns, and from this originated the title "Flood Wood." With the advent of a new law, under which the state bore a portion of the expense of equipment, the "Green Mountain Guards" were organ- ized, and became a popular local institution. In their name many social functions were observed, the memory of which yet remains with some of the older citizens.
In 1858, the officers of this organization were W. W. Cochran, captain; E. P. Cook, 1st lieutenant; Solon Perry, 2d lieutenant. The uniform was of dark blue with scarlet facings, and is said to have been very at- tractive in appearance.
At the first general muster of what was then known as the "Uniformed Militia of Vermont," held at Bran- don, Wednesday and Thursday, November 1st and 2d, 1858, the Green Mountain Guards mustered "40 mus- kets," the largest number of any of the nine companies present. They were accompanied by the Bellows Falls band of seventeen pieces, in showy uniforms of light blue, with high bear-skin caps.
The Rockingham Company took part in the muster of the 2d Regiment in 1859, mustering "70 guns," a much larger number than any other Company present.
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December 31, 1864, Company E, of the 12th Regi- ment, 3rd Brigade of Vermont Militia, was organized in the law office of J. D. Bridgman and for two years, during the Civil War, was an acting organization here. Its last appearance was on the occasion of its annual parade and drill, Tuesday, June 9, 1866, and for forty years thereafter Bellows Falls had no well organized militia company.
In January, 1906, the young men of Bellows Falls became interested in military matters and there being a vacancy in the one regiment of state militia, application was made for establishment of a Company here, which was granted. Its designation was "Company E of the 1st Regiment Infantry, Vermont National Guard." The first officers were Captain George H. Thompson, First Lieutenant Dallas F. Pollard, Second Lieutenant John P. Lawrence, First Sergeant John C. Dennison. From that time until the present, Bellows Falls has had a Company, always known as "Company E." The state erected here a well equipped armory in 1914, and this Company has since been an active factor in the military and social activities of the town.
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Southern Vermont and New Hampshire
INTERESTING MILITIA RECORDS OF CHESTERFIELD, N. H.
A most interesting record book came to light a short time ago in the Connecticut river valley town of Chester- field, N. H., a few miles south of here, throwing light upon the practices and make-up of the military arm of that state nearly a century ago. It was the "Orderly Book of the 5th Company of the 6th Regiment, New Hampshire Militia," the title page indicating that it was the "Property of the State," although it had never been placed among the archives, as probably should have been done. It was found in the attic of the Stone House Tavern in that town, of which the proprietor, Paschal Converse, was the company clerk during a large part of the years covered by the records, viz., 1841 to 1849. The book is well preserved and contains among the officers and men the names of a large part of the citizen- ship of those days in that town. The building in which it was found is one of the oldest in the town, now used as a summer hotel, and the owner in the '40s was the clerk who kept the records of the company a part of the time, Paschal Converse. The company was in the 5th Brigade and 3rd Division of the New Hampshire militia.
The first entry in the book is "This Certifies that I Paschal Converse was appointed clerk of said company on Friday the 17th day of September, 1841, and took the oath of allegiance and of office Sept. 17th, 1841.
Paschal Converse, Clerk.
A True copy, Attest."
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"State of New Hampshire,-To Capt. Willard C. Black,-Sir-your here by notified and warned to appear with your subalterns at the inn of Celatin Farr in Ches- terfield on thursday the 16 day of September next at 9 Oclock A. M. in uniform and with Musket Bayonet Sword and Belt as the law requires for to Drill and there wait further orders. Your are also here by notified and warned to appear with your company on the Com- mon near the Baptis Meetinghouse in Swansey on Wednesday the 29th day of September next at 6 O'clock A. M. completely armed and Equiped as the law requires for military inspection and Review and there wait further orders.
Dated at Chesterfield aug the 30th 1841-
By order of Col. E. P. Pierce, Jr., of the 6 Reg. M. H. Day adgeotent of the 6 Reg
Attest Paschal Converse Clerk."
"New Hampshire Militia
"To Burnam Royce Private in the 5th Co. 6th Reg. you are hereby ordered and directed to notify and warn as the law requires all non commissioned officers and privates whose names are here to annexed in the com- pany under my command to appear on parade near P Convers inn in Chesterfield on Tuesday the 24th day of September at one O'clock in the P. M. noon allso at the Baptis Meetinghouse in Swansey the 29th day of September at six O'clock A. M. noon with armes and equipments required by law for military duty Thereof fail not and make due return of your doings herein on or before the day of appearance,-Dated at Chesterfield this 17th day of September Anno Domini 1841-
"W. C. Black, Captain or Commanding officer of said Company. Paschal Converse-Russel Farr Jr .- Celatin Farr-Preston Sterns-George L. Fullam- Squire Smith-John B. Fisk-Norman Smith-George
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Southern Vermont and New Hampshire
Darling-Thomas Dunham-Elijah Hubbard-Charles Davis-Isiah Higgins-Bradley Prentiss-Newell Col- burn-Daniel Presho-Mark Cook-Alanson Chamber- lin-Chandler A. Cressey-George Chamberlin-George Wheeler-Samuel Chamberlin Jr .- Seth Willington- John L. Pierce-Broughton Davis-Wm. Smith-Asa Smith-Horace Harvey-Warren Hildreth-Croyden Sargent-Arad H. Fletcher-Ephriam Amadon-John Davis-Lyman Royce-George Norcross-Gilman Darl- ing-Samuel Norcross-Holsey Fletcher."
The above probably includes a large proportion of the able-bodied men of the town at that time, and the names are familiar ones of present-day families there.
The inspection return of this "training" shows they had present "1 Captain-1 Lieutenant-1 Ensign-1 Segants-2 Musicians-56 Privates-Present 24-Absent 32-Total including Officers 62-Muskets 23-Bayonets 23-Iron ramrods 24-Scabbards & Belts 24 Cartridge Boxes 24-Priming Wires & Brushes 24-Spare Flints 72-Knapsacks 24-Canteens 24-Drums 1-Fifes 1."
The surgeon of the company was C. C. Wheaton, and his certificates of the causes for exemption from military duty, of which there are many, are somewhat amusing, as shown by the following examples :
"New Hampshire Militia
"This may certify that George Fletcher complains of weakness across his kidneys of some three years stand- ing if so he should be exempt from performing military duty for one year.
C. C. Wheaton, Surg
Recorded March 21st, 1842."
"This certifies to all whom it may concern that James F. Robertson is incapable of performing military
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duty from an affection of the heart and liver as well as other troubles about the system which will probably be of long continuance. Therefore I consider him legally excused from the further performance of said duty for one year from date.
John O. French M. D. Moses Dudley Selectmen of Arad Fletcher Chesterfield
April 16th, 1849."
The orders issued for training, warning of members, amount of the equipment inventory, exemptions from duty, of which the above are samples, are all carefully recorded in detail as shown above and grew to be a siz- able book of over 150 pages during the nine years they cover.
(
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Southern Vermont and New Hampshire
ROCKINGHAM COMPANIES WHICH TOOK PART IN BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTION
The records of the towns of Rockingham, Vermont, and Charlestown and Walpole, in New Hampshire, fur- nish some interesting accounts of the part which the inhabitants of this section of the Connecticut river val- ley took in the events which preceded the Battle of Bennington on August 16th, 1777.
The main army of Burgoyne in January of that year had reached the upper Hudson, driving all before it. The alarm of the threatened invasion reached Rock- ingham by horseback riders the middle of June and hurried meetings were held. Arrangements were made for raising a company here to assist in defending the New England Colonies. The company of men was quickly raised, and under command of Captain Joseph Wood started out upon their long and tedious march across the mountains. The exact date of their departure cannot be ascertained but it must have been after June 23rd, as a portion of the men whose names are recorded as having "marched" are included in the list of those who took the oath of fidelity to the United States on that day, before William Simonds, the Town Clerk. It is probable they left within the next few days, and possibly all took the advice of Colonel Warner and left "a few hills of corn unhoed," as it was the time of year when hoeing corn was the duty of the farmers.
The records are silent as to whether this company reached Ticonderoga previous to its evacuation, July 5th, and whether they took part in the battle of Hub- bardton, July 7th, with the regular United States army,
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or not. It is, however, safe to assume that they were at both places and later took part in the Battle of Ben- nington.
The records show the complete list of this company as those who "marched to Ticonderoga" and the amount of powder and lead furnished to each. It aggregated 21 pounds of powder and 30 pounds of lead. A list of the company that "marched to Manchester" with powder and lead is also given.
Following the events in the progress of the cam- paign, the evacuation of Ticonderoga and the battle of Hubbardton, in which another company of Rockingham men were shown to have taken part, the Vermont Council of Safety, July 7, 1777, issued a call to all officers of militia to send on all men to Manchester that they could possibly raise. They were there to meet the gath- ering remnants of Col. Warner's forces that had been ordered to "take to the woods and meet him at Man- chester."
This call for assistance, as well as the terrifying reports from Ticonderoga and Hubbardton, brought by those returning from there, greatly excited the settlers of all towns on both sides of the Connecticut river. The British general had made public his purpose to cross the mountains by the old military road to Charlestown, and to continue as far south as Brattleboro, in order to separate the Colonies and cut off their communications with one another.
Excitement ran high in Rockingham and Walpole, and particularly in Charlestown, where the military headquarters of this vicinity was, at the fort known as "No. Four." Colonel Benjamin Bellows of Walpole, who
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had been with the expedition to Ticonderoga, but had re- turned to Walpole on account of the illness of his father, Col. Bellows, Sr., wrote as follows to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, under date of July 13th, 1777 :
"Gentlemen :-
"You no doubt heard of the disaster we have met with at the westward; so shall not undertake to give you the Particulars, but to sum it up in short; we have lost all our Stores and Baggage, with some of our men, the number I am unable to ascertain. I shall represent to you something of the distressing situation of our Fron- tiers, especielly of persons who are easily intimidated as well as women and children, and it is my humble opinion if some resolutions are not adopted and speedily put into Execution the People's hearts will fail and conclude it is a gone case; and this part of the country will be de- serted, I fear, and left without anybody to receive Hay or Grain &c. I submit to Superior Wisdom, as to the best manner to prevent these evils we dread, and hope that the most strenuous efforts will be made by the Government at this most critical time; and as the In- habitants on the other side of the River in New York State (now the State of Vermont) would try to keep their ground, if they could in some measure be supported, if we could lend them any assistance, it would answer as good a purpose as tho' done to ourselves, as there must be a Frontier; the people on Otter Creek have many of them moved off already.
"Should think it best to keep out the frontier in New York State (Vermont) if possible. By the best information I can get there is not short of six or seven hundred men above this place on York side of the River that are destitute of fire arms; if there could be found out any way to supply them it would answer a good pur- pose. I must further inform you that when we retreated from Ticonderoga, that many of the Continental Troops,
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instead of following the army, steered for their homes. "I am, Gentlemen, your very humb'l Serv't
To the Hon'ble Com'tee of
Safety.
Benjamin Bellows."
Ira Allen also wrote to the New Hampshire Com- mittee of Safety for assistance in making a stand against the enemy in Vermont, and the President of the State Council replied that New Hampshire had already de- termined to send for assistance one-fourth of her militia, under Brig. Gen. John Stark. Accordingly, on the 19th, Gen. Stark received orders to repair to No. 4, Charles- town, N. H., to take command.
Without doubt the Rockingham company, whose record is so tersely given upon our records, went to Charlestown and there joined the forces of the general and with him "Marcht" across the mountains of Ver- mont, and with him shared the glories of that ever memorable battle at Bennington on the 16th of August, 1777.
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LOCAL MATTERS CONNECTED WITH CELE- BRATING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON-PRESIDENT HAYES IN BELLOWS FALLS
The observance of the sesqui-centennial at Benning- ton reminded a number of the older residents of Bellows Falls and vicinity of the happenings here locally, and the preparations for the celebration which took place fifty years ago in the observance of the centennial of the battle. Col. George W. Hooker of Brattleboro was the marshal commanding the second division in the parade at Bennington and had as his aides from here George H. Babbitt, assistant quartermaster; Dr. Frank Whitman, surgeon; B. T. Phelps, assistant provost mar- shal; and as additional aides Barney Cannon, Jr., Wyman Flint, A. H. Fisher, E. E. Dewey and George K. Russell.
Brigadier General F. G. Butterfield, who was then a merchant in Saxtons River, had the handling of the local Civil War veterans who took so important a part in that celebration. He had over 30 from his section of the town, and with the immediately surrounding towns made an important part of the parade. They marched across the mountain from Brattleboro with the county delegation, and the Boston Journal of the next day gave this account of the trip and their appearance :-
"The Windham county Old Soldiers battalion, uni- formed in blue blouses and commanded by Col. George W. Hooker, who had a mounted staff of about fifty men, left Brattleboro at half past eight Monday morning. The command reached Marlboro at noon and took dinner
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there, then marched on to Wilmington, where they spent the night, and gave a serenade by the Brattleboro Cornet Band; left Wilmington at five o'clock Tuesday morning, and reached the Crawford House, Woodford, in time for dinner, after which the march was resumed toward Bennington, where the veterans arrived at half past four Tuesday afternoon.
"As the column, headed by the various brass bands, marched along, the sidewalks were thronged with spec- tators, whose huzzas rent the air, while their hearts were stirred at the sight of the empty sleeves of battle-scarred soldiers whose brave deeds are recorded in the history of the Vermont volunteers. At the Putnam House where the columns passed under the triumphal arch, cheer upon cheer greeted the Green Mountain Boys in Blue, which Col. Hooker acknowledged. The ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and amid such greetings the veterans with steady step moved on, proud of the part they were to take in the festivities of the approaching celebration. All along the route, even to the camp ground, a hearty welcome was extended, and the march of the Veterans from Brattleboro to Bennington will pass into history as one of the principal events of the centennial celebration."
Another event readily recalled by several local resi- dents was the call here on Saturday of that week of President Hayes, who had been at Bennington and spent Friday at Brattleboro and Fayetteville. He was on his way to Windsor where he was to be the guest of the Hon. Wm. M. Evarts. Here at Bellows Falls it was known that the special train was scheduled to go through about ten in the forenoon and a great crowd had assembled some hours earlier. When the train arrived a committee of local citizens waited upon him and asked that he speak to the crowd, which he did briefly, closing by quoting from Lincoln when urgently called to speak during that
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historic ride to Washington in 1861: "I suppose you are here to see me and I am here to see you, and I have to inform you that I think I have the best of the bar- gain." With the President and Mrs. Hayes were Bir- chard and Webb Hayes and several state officials.
During the entire week of that centennial there were run three special trains daily between Bellows Falls and Bennington. Such important changes have come in methods of transportation in the 50 years that, while the crowds there were probably larger, and also a greater number from Bellows Falls, no increased railroad facili- ties were required this week. It is pretty certain that fewer people "marched" across the mountain, however.
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VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE NEAR TO CIVIL WAR
The cordial and neighborly relations now existing between the Twin States of Vermont and New Hamp- shire were once strained to the limit, and both states ordered out their militia, fully armed and equipped, ready to enforce what each contended were its rights. Just now the only serious contention between them, and one that has been before the courts several years with small prospect of settlement, is whether the dividing line between them, "The West Bank of the Connecticut River," is at high or low water, as mills erected on each side are claimed for taxation in each state, because of a difference of judgment between them as to where "the west bank" is.
In 1781, just before Vermont was admitted as the 14th state of the Union, two men prominent in the Con- necticut valley were prominent actors in a controversy which for some months threatened to plunge the states of Vermont and New Hampshire into civil war, and, in fact, each state actually ordered out its military forces fully equipped and ready to march against the other at a moment's notice. Only for calm, conservative con- sideration of the other's side of disputed questions, and a strong reluctance to cause bloodshed upon the part of both states, the collision would have occurred and the subsequent history of peaceful and mutually happy relations would have been reversed.
Vermont was then an independent commonwealth, not a member of the United States and without ties to other states or nations. New Hampshire was one of the
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