USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 33
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Josiah Clark served at Fort Washington and Kittery Point from November, 1775, to February, 1776, in Captain Salter's company. He was at Ticonderoga, Bennington, Stillwater and Saratoga. William Longfellow, said Abram L. Williams, was a minuteman in 1775 at Bunker Hill, served under Moses Little, was a sergeant on his second enlistment; was in New York and New Jersey in 1776, Trenton in 1777; the same year went pri-
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vateering with Paul Jones and was captured in August and confined in England; was exchanged from Mill Prison. An- other account told by one who heard him tell it, is, that he was captured and imprisoned. A plan of escape was made to dig underground. The dirt was to be carried out in the seats of their pants and the man who could carry most was to get out first. Longfellow was a very large man and weighed about three hun- dred pounds. There was only one other man larger than he. He was a very harsh and rough man and at the time of his death, when sitting in a chair gasping for breath, with his wife at his side feeding him medicine with a spoon, he said, "Faster, faster, you old devil." He died half an hour afterwards. He had an old straight sword four feet long which was sold after his death.
Richard Clark was at Saratoga in Colonel Chase's regiment in September, 1777. Daniel Colby served at Great Island in Captain Downe's company in 1775.
Nathan Follensbee enlisted from Plaistow when seventeen years old in 1779, and under Major Scott in 1781, was in Cap- tain Webster's company.
Mathew Greeley enlisted from Salisbury in 1777 for three years in Captain Morrill's Company, Colonel Scammell's regi- ment. He served up to November, 1781. He fought with Wash- ington, Gates and Greene; was one of those who conveyed Major Andre to Tappan and was at Stony Point under Clinton, when they passed up the Hudson and marched weary and foot-sore over the narrow defiles and ragged rocks under the guidance of the negro Pompey. He would tell of the boy and his curious antics.
Joshua Harris was at Ticonderoga in June, 1777.
Jedidiah Hibbard was at Ticonderoga and at Saratoga; was a sergeant-major.
James Jones enlisted from Lebanon; was at Bunker Hill and Ticonderoga twice.
Samuel Jones was at Fort Washington in November, 1775; joined the Northern Continental Army in 1776 and was an ap- plicant for prize money at Portsmouth of the ship Prince George. He signed a petition for more pay in 1777, on the ground that "forty shillings was better when war began than
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six pounds now." He was a second lieutenant at Ticonderoga in October, 1776, and in July, 1780, was enlisted in the first New Hampshire Regiment, and is described as being forty-eight years old, five feet four inches tall and of dark complexion.
Daniel Kimball was a sergeant at Ticonderoga in 1776; was at West Point in July, 1780, an ensign in Capt. Abel Stev- ens' Company and adjutant and ensign on Colonel Nichol's staff.
Robert Martin from June 26, 1777, to January 7, 1778, was a drummer with the troops at Rhode Island. He was at Mount Independence at the surrender of Burgoyne, and for a time was at Newcastle in Captain Calfe's Company in 1776, and from 1785 to January 14, 1787.
Jeremiah Meacham joined the Northern Continental Army in Captain Hayward's Company in 1776; was at Ticonderoga from October 28 to November 18, 1776, and in June, 1777.
Richard Otis was a corporal in Captain Canfield's Company at Ticonderoga in June, 1777, and in July.
Eliphalet Richardson was at Saratoga in September, 1777, and served also in the Rhode Island campaign in 1778.
Joshua Richardson served in the Rhode Island campaign.
Gideon Rudd was engaged in the New York service in 1779.
Moses Sawyer was at West Point in 1780 in Captain Butler's Company with John Hoyt. The latter was a sergeant at Ben- nington and Stillwater and was at Saratoga.
John Scofield, Jr., was in Colonel Chase's Regiment at Ticon- deroga in June, 1777, with Daniel Hovey, Ezekiel Gardner, Jacob Clifford, Nathan Durkee and Samuel Lathrop. They were also at Saratoga the September following.
Henry Springer was enlisted in Captain Stone's Company from Haverhill, Mass., for three years in 1777, and in 1780 he enlisted to 1781, in Captain Dennett's Company.
Benoni Tucker enlisted for the campaign in Canada in July, 1776.
Joseph Wheat was on the pay roll of Captain Everett's Com- pany in 1776; he marched to reinforce the army in New York in December and in April, 1777, was in Captain Walker's Com- pany. At the alarm in June, 1777, from Ticonderoga, he was in Captain Emmerson's Company. He was also in the same com-
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pany in Rhode Island in August, 1778. In June, 1779, he en- listed for one year in Captain Hawkins' Company, which was the Ninth Company of the Third New Hampshire Regiment. He was corporal in Captain McGreggor's Company in April, 1780.
Asa Williams was at Ticonderoga in Colonel Chase's Regi- ment in 1776 and again in June, 1777. He took up his resi- dence in Enfield in 1779.
Warren Wilson was in Captain Sinclair's company at West Point in 1780.
John Worth served in the Rhode Island campaign.
Joshua Wells was in Captain Dearborn's company August 1, 1775, and as captain with ten other Canaan men. Jedidiah Hibbard, Thomas Miner, John Scofield, Jacob Clifford, Josiah Clark, Richard Clark, Nathan Durkee, Samuel Lathrop, Ezekiel Gardner and William Richardson marched to Saratoga in Sep- tember, 1777, and joined General Gates. His brother, Ezekiel, was at Ticonderoga in May, 1777, and a sergeant in Captain Hendee's company at Stillwater and in Captain Lovejoy's com- pany in September, 1779. Richard Whittier was at Saratoga in 1777 as corporal, and was a sergeant in Captain Robinson's com- pany in the army in New York.
Robert Barber and Sergt. John Hoyt were in Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company. Robert Barber was appointed. an ensign in the fourth company of the fourth regiment by Gov. John Wentworth in 1770. On September 6, 1777, the following let- ter was addressed to Capt. Robert Barber :
Sir, Agreeable to a request of Congress, and pursuant to order of the Committee of Safety of this state. You are hereby required forthwith to Draught or otherwise engage the one sixth part of your companies, not already in the war, including the Alarm list that are fit to bear arms, and able to march and perform their duty; to march from their homes at the farthest by the 15th. of this month, September, and proceed to Bennington and put themselves under the command of General Stark or the commanding officer there, or thereabouts, to serve until the last day of November next unless sooner Discharged. They are to be under the officers of this Regiment. The officers to have the same wages as the Continental Army and the soldiers $15.00 per month, and 3d per mile for travel to Bennington one months pay to be advanced, every man to equip himself with a good Firearm and also a Bayonet and Cartridge box if possible. Given under my hand at Newmarket the day and year above written.
JAMES HILLS Leut. Col.
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The United States Pension Bureau has published a roll of the Revolutionary War pensioners for 1834 and for 1840 :
LIST OF THE PENSIONERS ON THE RECORDS IN 1834.
Daniel Lary, private, Massachusetts Continental line, died May 13, 1827, aged sixty-eight years.
William Longfellow, private, Massachusetts Continental line, died in 1834; was eighty-three years old.
Richard Otis, private, Connecticut Continental line, died in 1834; was eighty-nine years old; transferred from Windham Co., Vt.
Eliphalet Richardson, private, Massachusetts Continental line, died October 3, 1831, aged eighty years.
Enock Richardson, private, New Hampshire Continental line, sus- pended act 1820, aged sixty-six; died, 1820.
Joseph Wheat, private, New Hampshire Continental line, suspended act 1820, aged sixty.
James Woodbury, private, Massachusetts Continental line, suspended, seventy-eight years old.
LIST OF REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS AND WITH WHOM THEY RESIDED JUNE 1, 1840.
Bridget Wheat, age eighty-three; resided with Joseph Wheat.
Warren Wilson, age seventy-seven; resided with Joseph Wheat.
Elizabeth Currier, age seventy-four; resided with Theophilus Currier. Josiah Clark, age eighty-two.
Nathaniel Bartlett, age eighty-three; resided with John Pressey.
Daniel Parker, age eighty-three.
Joshua Richardson, age eighty-two; resided with Joshua W. Rich- ardson.
Daniel Colby, age eighty-seven; resided with Andrew Elliott.
Sarah Poland, age seventy-nine; resided with Elijah Gove.
Sarah Longfellow, age eighty-eight; resided with Stephen Williams. Lydia Whitney, age eighty-eight; resided with Isaac Whitney.
Daniel Kimball, age seventy-seven; resided with David Townsend.
Nathan Follensbee, seventy-eight, and Mathew Greeley, aged eighty, are put down from Enfield.
Jonathan Locke was a recruit, as the following order shows :
CANAAN Mar 13. 1790
To William Gardner Esq Treas, Pleas pay to Jehu Jones or bearer the sum of twenty pounds with the interest due thereon being a Town bounty paid by the Town of Canaan to one Jona Lock a Recruit in 1782.
SAMUEL JONES WM RICHARDSON Selectmen To be allowed on Mr Jones tax for 1784.
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THE MILITIA AFTER THE REVOLUTION.
The militia law passed in 1792 divided the militia of the state into brigades, regiments and divisions. Each regiment was divided into two battalions. The towns of Lebanon, Enfield, Canaan and Grafton formed the first battalion of the Twenty- Third Regiment; and the towns of Hanover, Lyme, Dorchester and Orange the second battalion. In 1796 the office of major of the first battalion is shown to be vacant by the adjutant-gen- eral's report. In 1808 it is the same. There is no evidence that any militia assembled for training in Canaan before 1808, but it is probable they did, as a petition was presented to the president and council in January, 1786, requesting the appointment of Capt. Robert Barber for field officer, and intimating that Sam- uel Jones, who wished for the position, was not desirable. Be- fore 1792 this town was included in the Twenty-Fourth Regi- ment. John Currier was commissioned lieutenant in the fourth company of the Twenty-Fourth Regiment on September 20, 1794. He was appointed captain in the same company, from which he resigned in 1800.
In 1784 Samuel Jones was second major.
In the latter part of the year 1808 the Legislature passed a new law, which led to a new arrangement of the militia of the. state. Free, able-bodied, male citizens, from sixteen to forty years of age, were to be enrolled without exceptions; there should be at least a company of light infantry or grenadiers to each battalion; one cannon, with carriage, harness and ap- paratus, should be furnished each company of artillery, also music, money and a color. There should be no more than one company of cavalry to each regiment; that these companies should be furnished music, money and colors; that each company should turn out for inspection of arms and military exercise on the last Wednesday of June, annually ; also annually in August or September, and as often as the commanding officer should think proper, not exceeding four times a year. Each regiment should be called out annually during the months of September or October; that suitable meats and drinks, or thirty-four cents in lieu thereof, should be furnished each non-commissioned of- ficer and private within the several towns and places on regi- mental or battalion musters; that the captain-general appoint
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as many aids as he thought proper, with the rank of lieutenant- colonel; that gun houses should be provided for the cannon at the expense of the state; that each town should be kept provided with certain amounts of powder, balls, flints and camp-kettles.
The Adjutant-General's report for 1808 mentions the existence of thirty-six regiments, and it would seem that there were no companies training in Canaan recognized by the state. That there were muster days is evident by the vote of the town in August, 1808, which is the first vote on the records to refer to the militia. The warrant contained an article, "to see if the town will find non-commissioned officers refreshments on Mus- ter Day." The article was dismissed. It was customary on muster days to drink as much rum as possible, and booths were set up along Broad Street where the thirsty might obtain strong drink. The selectmen issued licenses to persons desiring to sell, and the first one mentioned was to Daniel Blaisdell, Jr., in 1809 at the training on the 28th of September. William Parkhurst also received a license. Licenses were issued to these two men again in 1810.
Between 1808 and 1812 one new regiment was formed, the thirty-seventh, composed of men from Canaan, Dame's Gore, Orange, Enfield and Grafton. The officers at that time were: Caleb Seabury, lieutenant-colonel commandant; Levi George, major, first battalion; and Benjamin Choate of Enfield, major, second battalion. At the annual meeting in March, 1812, the town voted, "That each company have their choice whether they have 34c, or suitable meats and drinks on Muster Day, and each captain take the minds of his company at June training." This refers specifically to the law of 1808, which the town has first taken notice of.
The Thirty-Seventh Regiment held its musters in Canaan, and Canaan men were its officers. It was probably organized and recognized by the state in 1809. The adjutant-general's report for 1868 says, that in 1810 there were thirty-seven regiments of militia in the state. John H. Harris was appointed captain of the First Company of Infantry of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment on October 1, 1810, and resigned in 1812. In 1820 the officers were Otis Barney of Grafton, colonel; Daniel Pattee of Canaan, lieutenant-coloned; and William Livingston, major. Joseph
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Dustin resigned as a lieutenant in the Sixth Brigade Second Division of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment in 1824. Under the law of 1830, Joshua Blaisdell was division inspector of the Sec- ond Division, Second and Sixth Brigades. Josiah P. Barber was colonel of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment, Elijah Blaisdell lieutenant-colonel, both of Canaan, and Fauntleroy Caswell, major. Under the revised statutes of 1840, the officers for 1843 were Eliphalet C. Gilman, colonel; O. A. J. Vaughan, adjutant, and Horace S. Currier, quartermaster, all of Canaan. Vaughan had been appointed adjutant in 1841, and in 1844 was appointed lieutenant-colonel. He read law in the office of Jonathan Kit- tredge, and in 1857 moved to Laconia.
On August 29, 1838, John M. Barber was appointed ensign of the Fourth Company of the Thirty-Seventh Regiment. He was appointed captain of the First Company, April 5, 1841, and re- signed March 29, 1842. There were forty-three men in this com- pany. He was appointed fourth sergeant in the Granite Pha- lanx, of which J. Everett Sargent was captain, June 26, 1843. John B. Dustin was sergeant, and in the absence of his captain twice delivered an address to his company. It serves to explain the object which was sought to be accomplished by the militia, and is as follows :
Gentlemen, Officers and fellow soldiers. You are called together on this occasion by the laws of the State and country, for the performance of a duty, and the accomplishment of an object of no small moment to the interests of our common country and to the peace and safety of us all. I presume none of us are prepared to question the propriety and utility of the law which requires us thus to meet once in each year to revive, quicken and renew our martial spirit and to acquire that knowledge of military discipline which shall the better prepare us to defend our rights as men and as freemen and the better to secure to us those blood-bought privileges which our fathers bequeathed to us as the richest blessings of our inheritance.
If the law then requiring us thus to meet is right and proper surely this duty on our part should be esteemed a privilege and an honor, rather than as an irksome and laborious task. And thus it is con- sidered by all those who truly know and feel the real spirit and value of martial exercise. To be sure the manner in which our military performances are sometimes and I may say frequently passed over, or absolutely shunned by many of our fellow citizens, both of those in military rank and honors and those of less distinction down to the com-
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mon soldiers, is not at all creditable to our military system. But you know there are those always and in all professions who are far more ready to receive the honors of office than they are to perform the duties which their offices demand at their hands.
But this is no objection to the real merits of our militia system. By training the great body of our citizens to act the part of soldiers we at once avoid the dangers arising to free institutions from a stand- ing army, and render ourselves invincible by any foreign force that may arise against us. For tyranny would stand but a poor chance to success in conducting her battles with soldiers who fight for hire, and care not whether the victory or defeat attends them provided the pay be good - against citizen soldiers who know the value of their country and their homes, and know also and feel that death is much better to them than defeat. We would hope, gentlemen, that you feel in some good degree the importance of the true martial spirit. And from your appearance this day we are led to feel a strong confidence that there will be a still greater increase of this spirit in your future perform- ances. When a company or regiment are both ready and willing to learn their duty and then do it, when they go through their military performances with spirit and pride and just ambition, there is a maj- esty in it, which enkindles a flame of patriotism in the heart of every true lover of his country. Gentlemen, the inspecting officer informs me that there are but few and very slight deficiencies in your arms or equipments today. The general appearance of the regiment will cer- tainly suffer nothing by a comparison with its appearance on former occasions, or in comparison with those of other neighboring regiments. We hope to see still greater improvement in your appearance hereafter. Let more of your companies be uniformed, more of them drilled in a truly soldier-like manner, and let us see every man in the old Thirty- Seventh proud to show himself a soldier. My present limits will not permit of going into any topics in any degree foreign from my subject. I will merely remark that though we may and should as citizens take an interest in all the great questions which agitate our country and though we may have our individual preferences as to the candidates for governor or president, who may from time to time be held up as the candidates for those offices, yet as soldiers we are to love our country, and whether Polk or Clay or Captain Tyler, or the Mormon prophet, is president, we are to love our country with a soldier's love and defend her with a soldier's devotion. Gentlemen, in conclusion, may you have a safe return after this day's exercises are closed to your homes and families, and may you feel more than ever resolved to maintain and preserve our free institutions which render those homes so happy and those friends so prosperous.
Gentlemen, had I a general's commission to found a speech upon I could, of course, give you a much longer, if not a better address, but as I have not I will no further weary your patience, except by wishing you and yours a happy life in a happy home and in a free country.
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An artillery company was organized in 1820. The militia sys- tem of New Hampshire was then doing its level best to make citizen soldiers of every man. It was complete in all arms but one. They lacked a six-pounder gun - brass one. They wanted it badly. At the date above named a meeting was called of all interested, to assemble in the hall of Capt. Joshua Harris' Tav- ern on the Street, to organize an artillery company and to appoint a commission to ask the state to loan them a gun. John Jones of East Enfield was elected the first captain, Nathaniel Currier of Canaan, lieutenant; and John Barney of Grafton, second lieutenant. After the election of officers they all drank freely of Captain Harris' rum, at the expense of Capt. John Jones and went home.
The application to Governor Bell was successful. Orders were sent to purchase land and build a house upon it, in which to store the gun. Captain Harris gave the deed of the land, and the house was built upon contract by Shubel Greeley of Goose Pond. Thus those citizens obtained their gun and were proud of it. They used upon occasion to exhibit their delighted patriotism by dragging it up and down the Street, and make a thundering noise firing off blank cartridges wadded with green grass. They kept this up for eighteen years, and about the last use they made of it was in the grievous days when liberty of speech was be- lieved to be a crime, and that the ladies ought not to be allowed to meet together even in secret, to pray against slavery and op- pression.
They would harness themselves to it and drag it through the Street, and fire if off at the closed doors of the offending aboli- tionists, yelling like wild Indians as the glass rattled from the sash, and that was about the last triumph under the old militia system. Soon afterwards the artillery company was disbanded, and the state conveyed its title to the town. Capt. Robert B. Clark was commander of the cavalry, or "troop," they called it. The troop was organized some years previous to 1820, and practiced horsemanship about twice a year. They were placed upon the retired list about the time the artillery fired its last wad.
In 1851 the Legislature passed a law, that the militia of the state should not be subject to active duty, except in case of war,
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invasion, riot, or inability of the civil officers to execute the laws. This led to the militia becoming mere names on paper, and it soon ceased to have much vitality. At this date Caleb A. Sleeper was colonel; Daniel Follensbee, lieutenant-colonel; A. A. Currier, major, and William B. Follensbee, quartermaster. In 1857 the system of 1851 was abolished, and a new one instituted by the Legislature. This seems to be the end of the Thirty- Seventh Regiment, it did not reorganize under the new law. In 1859 an independent company was formed called the "Canaan Grenadiers," and was accepted by the town, Jacob Peters was captain, Gilman W. Clark, lieutenant, and Augustus F. Blake, ensign. It numbered thirty-seven men. This company existed until the outbreak of the Rebellion.
WAR OF 1812.
In the war of 1812 fears were entertained of an attack upon Portsmouth by the British fleet. In April, 1812, the President of the United States, ordered the Secretary of War to request Gov. William Plumer to order into the service of the United States such part of the quota of the militia as he should deem necessary for the defence of the sea coast of the state. Volun- teers for the defence of that port did not offer with sufficient alacrity, and a draft was ordered. The quota for Canaan was fifteen men, for two months' service. Five men at once volun- teered, namely; James Dustin, born in 1791, son of David and Rebecca (Cross) Dustin, leaving the trade of a tanner with Jacob Dow. After his discharge, he in company with Abner H., Joseph, Aaron C., Reuben and Daniel Colby, sons of Daniel, emigrated to Ohio, which was then the West. Jehiel Clark, born December 3, 1790, son of Richard, 2d., cousin of Colonel Josiah, enlisted as fifth sergeant. He married and lived on the farm afterwards owned by Col. Isaac Towle. Never was a prosper- ous man. Washington Wilson, son of John and Sary, born October 11, 1792. Joseph Dustin, brother of James, our "Brother Joe," born October 25, 1795. Frederic Noyes, son of Dudley, who in 1795 lived on the Howard Farm, and at this time on the Farrington Currier farm.
Nine men were drafted, of these only the following names have been preserved. Elijah Flanders, eldest son of Joshua, usually
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called "Corker," born in 1794 on the farm next north of Joseph Bartlett's, brother of Sylvester. He procured a substitute a day or two after reaching Portsmouth and came home. James Blaisdell, son of Daniel and Sally, born January 17, 1784, who went as a substitute for Nathaniel Derby. Nat. Barber, known as "Devil Nat," for his wild tricks, brother of Zebulon of Dor- chester. He had been a soldier before, and went as a substitute for Timothy Sanborn. Amos Richardson, son of William. Jo- seph Blake, who was appointed an ensign, David Lary and Rufus Wilson, son of Warren. These men all enlisted in Colonel Sias' regiment, and Capt. John D. Harty's company, some on the 27th and 28th, and others on the 29th of September, 1814, for sixty days. They were stationed at what is known as "Ports- mouth Plains, " about a mile southeast of the court house. Four others are reported to have enlisted but their names are not on the rolls. Samuel Williams, a brother of Robert, who married Pernal B. Worth. Samuel Sawyer, and a man named Gile. Paul Cook, who was afterwards a partner with his brother-in- law, Abraham Pushee, harness maker at the "Corner." Cook af- terwards died in Lyme. These men marched to Concord where they were mustered into service. David Dustin went along to carry their baggage. They were marched to Portsmouth and in two or three days were discharged and ordered home, the threatened attack having been a false alarm. Nathaniel Currier, many years a trader on the Street, was on duty as a soldier near Oswego, N. Y., one season during the war. Dan Welch, brother of Simeon, son of "Bomination" Welch, born on the Rufus Rich- ardson farm, was in this war. He married Huldah Gould and died in Lowell, Mass., a poor man, without a pension. She ap- plied for a pension, but died waiting for it. The Old Ladies' Home in Lowell pursued that pension, caught and captured it. Joseph Dustin and Dan Welch, both gifted men, left Portsmouth destitute of money. They proposed to each other that they become traveling evangelists, and in that way work their passage home. They began praying and exhorting, by the wayside or in houses, whenever they could find two or three gathered together. They were successful and returned home, neither tired nor hungry. Josiah Clark wanted to enlist and go to Portsmouth but had a lame foot and could not march.
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