USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 10
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With commendable fortitude the rest of the force pushed on with Colonel Arnold, following an old Indian trail through almost impenetrable swamps, and wading streams of ice-cold water, for winter had set in early in the season. Their provisions were exhausted long before they reached the Canadian settlements, while their clothes became so dilapidated as to be little protection from the rigor of a northern winter, it being evident now that they had started too late in the season. Many of the soldiers were barefooted for days before they came in sight of Quebec on the 8th of November. The sufferings of this band of heroes cannot be adequately expressed, and could not have been endured only
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
by a class of men inured to exposure and hardship and fired with a patriotism which prompts its possessor to win the victory or perish in the attempt.
Colonel Arnold, with his band of tattered soldiery, was to meet General Montgomery, at the head of a larger body of men, who had hastened from Montreal to join in an undertaking that he knew was extremely hazardous but which met his hearty approval. But if it had been expected of the Canadians to rally to the assistance of the American troops, the results proved any- thing else. Nothing discouraged by this disappointment the American leaders besieged the citadel upon the rock.
Then a respite followed, while Montgomery planned to sur- prise the British by night. Having a personal knowledge of the situation of the enemy, this maneuver was engineered largely by Arnold, but the intentions of the Americans were betrayed by a traitor, so Carleton, the British commander, was prepared to meet the desperate assault flung against him early on the morning of December 31, 1775. A blinding snowstorm was raging with Canadian fury, a fitting night for such a wild venture. Arnold led his column along the St. Charles River through the suburb of St. Roch. During the bitter fight that ensued he was wounded, and the enemy getting in the rear of his troops about four hundred were captured, and the rest driven back.
General Montgomery was even less fortunate than Arnold. He sought to gain the city by a narrow defile known as Pres-de- villa, near what is now Champlain Street. Here, with a precipice running down to the river upon one hand, and on the other the scarped rock rising above him, he was confronted by a battery of three pounders manned by a squad of Canadians and British militiamen. Still believing he was going to effect a surprise, the American commander urged his men forward in face of the pelting storm, and the yet more deadly hail of grape that instantly swept the narrow pass. Montgomery fell, with two officers and ten of his brave men, while the others beat a precipitous retreat. Over the body of General Montgomery, worthy of a nobler end, the falling snow quickly threw a white shroud as if in compassion for his untimely fate.
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A HERO OF HILLSBOROUGH.
The command now devolved upon Arnold, who maintained a siege until spring, when as the St. Lawrence broke up a British warship was seen coming up the river, the Americans abandoned all hope of capturing the city. In the retreat that succeeded they were attacked by the Indians and about four hundred of the American troops were captured. The retreat was now turned into a rout. May 6, 1776, repulsed in an attack on Three Rivers after a bitter battle, Arnold withdrew to Lake Champlain with the remnant of his little army, where he guarded the inland gate- way between the Hudson and the St. Lawrence until the following autumn. Thus ended in disaster the most memorable military expedition in American history through no fault of its leader or its men. Had no untoward circumstance turned the tide of fortune against him, it would have secured the fame of General Arnold for all time.
In Arnold's detachment there were at least 88 men from New Hampshire, as shown by the war rolls, all but eight serving under Capt. Henry Dearborn. Of these soldiers three postively and probably four were from the little town of Hillsborough. The names of this quartette were Lieut. Nathaniel Hutchin(son), Ensign Ammi Andrews, Jr., Serg. James Taggart and private William Taylor. One member of these four whose place of na- tivity is in doubt is Lieutenant Hutchins, who is credited to Hop- kinton in some of the rolls. Regarding the other three there is no doubt.
Lieut. Ammi Andrews, the most active of this trio, was born in Ipswich, Mass., but came to Hillsborough when a young man and settled at the Upper Village. In fact, at one time he owned the whole site of the village and much adjacent land. He was active in local affairs, and when the Revolution broke out he was among the first to join Captain Baldwin's company. After partici- pating in the battle of Bunker Hill, with James Taggart and William Taylor, he was enrolled in Arnold's troop and endured the fatigue and hardships of that memorable march over the wintry trail in the vain endeavor to conquer Canada.
Upon this hazardous expedition, as well as at all times, he acquitted himself with great personal valor, and many incidents of his bravery are told. Among these is the following deed,
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
vouched for by authentic records. While encamped within three miles of Quebec, and anxious to ascertain the strength and situa- tion of the garrison, Colonel Arnold intimated to a squad of his soldiers his desire to effect the capture of a British sentinel. Lieutenant Andrews was present, and immediately volunteered his services, declaring that he believed it could be accomplished. His comrades shook their heads, while Colonel Arnold admonished him to be certain of his firearms. "Do you want your man living or dead?" demanded the young officer. "Why, living of course," replied Arnold. "Then I do not wish to be encumbered with a gun. Have no concern for me. I will be back before morning with my man."
The brave lieutenant immediately prepared to carry out his hazardous venture, stealing out of camp under cover of the dark- ness and veiled by the same friendly mantle he slowly and cautiously scaled the rocky breastwork nature had thrown around the stronghold of the enemy. Eventually he came within sound of the steady tread of a sentinel pacing back and forth on his lonely beat, armed with a musket and alert for the least suspicious sound. Creeping upon the sentry, foot by foot, Lieutenant An- drews finally reached a point where he had seen the man come a short time before. Never dreaming of the close proximity of an enemy, the British soldier walked slowly and unconcernedly back to his starting point, only to find himself suddenly seized in a vise-like grip. "A word and you are a dead man!" whispered the captor, as he placed his hand over the sentinel's mouth. A moment later the American was hastening towards the brink of the pre- cipice with his captive marching before him, slowly but without a mishap descending the declivity until the foot was reached. Then a three-mile tramp through the snow was made to Arnold's camp, where Lieutenant Andrews turned over his prisoner in triumph. The exploit was the talk of the camp, while the highly elated commander got just the information he wanted.
Lieutenant Andrews served throughout the war, seeing much service and never flinching in doing his duty. When the war was over he retired to his spacious home to enjoy the fruits of the well-earned peace, living to the extreme old age of ninety-seven years, dying March 30, 1833, an honored and useful citizen.
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DARK DAYS OF THE REVOLUTION.
HILLSBOROUGH MEN AT BENNINGTON.
We now come to the discouraging period of the war, the summer of 1777, or two years after the battle of Bunker Hill. There had been considerable fighting, north and south, and while the British had won no signal victory, everywhere it was evident they were slowly wearing out the colonists, who had been ill- prepared for the conflict. The available funds of the patriots had apparently been exhausted, and efforts to furnish further troops well-nigh ended. The reason for this forlorn situation can be summed up in a few words. March 17, 1776, the enemy evacu- ated Boston, and soon after Washington transferred his army to New York. July 4, the Declaration of American Independence, which first designated the scattered colonies as "The United States of America," was signed and the colonists were finally united in a common cause.
The war may be said to have been opened in earnest now, and on August 27, the American forces met their first real defeat at the battle of Long Island, sustaining a heavy loss in comparison to the numbers engaged. Forced to abandon this position the surrender of the city of New York to the enemy was inevitable, and the British placed in command of their troops stationed there Col. William Stark, a brother of John Stark, who had espoused the English cause on account of misuse on the part of the New Hampshire courts. October 28th the Americans were unsuccess- ful at the battle of White Plains. Early in December Washington was obliged to retreat beyond the Delaware, his army now dwindled to 3,000 men. About this time the British captured Rhode Island. On the night of December 25th Washington crossed the Delaware River with two thousand men in open boats, and falling upon the British at Trenton captured a thousand Hessians, thanks largely to New Hampshire troops under Stark.
January 3, 1777, Washington was again successful, throwing a glimmer of light into the hearts of the patriots by the battle of Princeton. But his situation was precarious, and the British threatening Philadelphia he was compelled to move south, so New England was virtually unprotected. To make the prospect yet more gloomy, the continental congress had behaved badly, and John Stark, than whom no one could have been lost with more
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
seriousness to the Americans, returned to his home in the valley of the Merrimack and declared he had forsaken the cause until justice had been done him.
Meanwhile a British army of 7,500 strong, commanded by General Burgoyne, advanced from Canada by Lake Champlain, wresting almost without an effort from the Americans Ticon- deroga, Fort Independence and Whitehall. The triumphant enemy, confident of an easy conquest, then turned to invade New England.
At this critical moment the patriotic leaders of New England rose equal to the task before them, though they may not have realized the importance of the movement. First, led by Ira Allen and others poetically styled the "Green Mountain Boys," them- selves closely confronted by this daring menace, resolved to make an appeal to their brothers in arms in New Hampshire, many of whom they knew personally. In a ringing letter Ira Allen addressed the General Court of New Hampshire then in session, and which was laid before that body on the 18th of July, only twelve days after the surrender of Ticonderoga, in which the writer said, "the defenceless inhabitants on the frontier of Ver- mont are heartily disposed to defend their liberties-and make a frontier for your state with their own. . . You will naturally understand that when we cease to be a frontier your state must take it."
The appeal was not in vain. That sterling patriot, Speaker John Langdon, immediately put at "the service of the state" his worldly goods which guaranteed the payment of such expenses as an undertaking of that kind was certain to incur, closing his stirring speech with the prophecy :
"We can raise a brigade, and our friend Stark, who so nobly sustained the honor of our arms at Bunker Hill, may be safely entrusted with the command, and we will check Burgoyne."
With this pledge and prophecy New Hampshire began her share in the campaign which placed Bennington among the deci- sive battles of the world.
Not in the history of our country is there another such a daring declaration as that voted by this legislative body. By its prompt and decisive action an independent body of troops, un-
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STARK'S INDEPENDENT COMMAND.
sanctioned by the higher court of the country, was created, and John Stark, self-exiled from active duty, made its commander. Surely a most fitting leader to such an independent command. There was no mustering of the men at home, but word was sent out for volunteers to meet at Old Number Four, now Charlestown to unite under Stark. There may have been magic in his name; there was certainly magnetism in the call, for every man under- stood what it meant. The time was short and the means and ways of travel meagre, but hither volunteers, singly or in detach- ments, hastened with alacrity, until five hundred had reached the rendezvous. With these troops Stark went ahead to Manchester, Vermont, leaving orders for others to follow. That town was reached August 7th, where the New Hampshire volunteers were joined by a body of "Green Mountain Boys" under Seth Warner. Word was here received that Burgoyne was about to start for Bennington. Hence Stark moved with his characteristic prompt- ness so that Bennington was reached on the 9th. It is not sur- prising that the swiftness and energy of this rally infused new life and hope into the hearts of the volunteers who fairly rushed, some of them from long distances, to the support of their old leader. Burgoyne's advance was correspondingly slow. On the 16th, before he had reached his destination, he was surprised by the little army of Americans at Walloomsac, where the prophecy of Langdon was fulfilled by the important victory known in history as the "Battle of Bennington," though it was really fought some five miles from that town.
Says Professor Foster, in his admirable account of "Stark's Independent Command," "The Bennington campaign brings out sharply the strength and weakness of the Revolutionary era, when the newly born American nation was passionately devoted to the idea of Liberty, but had not yet learned to understand and love the idea of union. It was in the next generation that a son of one of Stark's captains* knit the two ideas together and kindled man's imagination with the conception of liberty and union."
In that heroic battle for the first time the untried and un- trained settlers, fighting for home and liberty, won a decisive victory over the veteran soldiery of Europe. Burgoyne gave as
*Daniel Webster.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
the strength of his force engaged here as one thousand and fifty, and as the Americans killed or captured over nine hundred, seized several hundred muskets and all the British cannon, "the over- whelming character of the victory is apparent." Its effect upon the morale of the American troops was greater, however, than its immediate physical results. It not only "checked Burgoyne" and saved Northern New England, but everywhere the colonists re- covered somewhat their lost spirits, and renewed their efforts with a confidence unknown before. Not the least among the ad- vantages coming from this victory was the national agreement of France to join in an alliance with the struggling American colonies, which to this date it had not done. Lafayette, on his own responsibility, had given his sword to the cause, but France had not the confidence in the forlorn conflict to come to the rescue until the Battle of Bennington convinced them of the inevitable result.
While Hillsborough had twenty-odd men in the patriot army when the call for volunteers to join Stark was sent out, the town furnished nine men whose names are so recorded, and it is quite likely there were others. The list contains the following names :
Solomon Andrews, William Booth, Asa Dresser, James Gib- son, John Gibson, John McNiel, William Pope, Samuel Preston, William Symonds.
Following the victory at Bennington the spirits of the people buoyed up with new-found hope, a call for volunteers was made to reinforce that branch of the American army in New York and around Albany, N. Y., which was distinguished as the "Northern Continental Army." Though this vicinity was already well rep- resented, when we take into consideration those soldiers with Stark, at least fifteen joined the new troop from Hillsborough and adjoining districts.
HILLSBOROUGH SOLDIERS IN THE RHODE ISLAND EXPEDITION.
In the summer of 1778 it was planned to reinforce the Continental army in Rhode Island, it being expected that a power- ful French fleet commanded by Admiral Count D'Estaing would lend cooperation so as to make a successful attack upon the British then in control of the situation. Hence the summons for
I2I
HILLSBOROUGH MEN IN R. I. EXPEDITION.
troops to engage in this campaign was sent through New England, and Hillsborough's part in the undertaking is partially shown by the following report of the Selectmen at that time :
Hillsborough Agust 8, 1778
By orders Esued from the Commitey of Safety of this State This May Sartify that we the Select men of Hillsborough have Dron out of Archrbal Taggart hand Constable for the year 1777 Eightty Pounds Lawfull money which we have Paid to the Volinteers which Torned out of this Town for the Experdishon to Proverdance or Rodisland
Ten Pounds to John Graham 10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Archibel Tagart 10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Willm Pope 10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to William Gammell 10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Alexander McClintock
10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Daniel Gibson 10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Samuel Preston
10,0,0,
Ten Pounds to Solomon Andrews Atest
10,0,0,
Samuel Bradford
Ti mº Bradford
Select men
Unfortunately the French encountered a furious storm in mid-ocean which rendered such havoc that it failed to participate in the conflict here, and thus the campaign resulted in a complete failure so far as the plans had been laid. But the successes of the American troops elsewhere, noticeably that of Monmouth a little over a month before, served to keep up the spirits of the Americans.
Additional light is shed upon the part Hillsborough played in the sanguinary Rhode Island expedition by the following scraps of records :
Pay Roll of Captain Jonas Bowman's Company in Colonel Moses Kelly's Regiment of Volunteers which Regiment marched from the State of New Hampshire and joined the Continental Army Aug 1778 On Rhode Island
William Pope, Ensign
Daniel Gibson, Private,
Samuel Preston, Sergeant,
William Gammell, do
Archibald Taggart, Private,
Alexander McClintock, do
Tillie How, Corporal,
Solomon Andrews, do
Robert Campbell, Private
Joseph Spaulding, do
I22
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Colonel Kelley was from that section of Manchester which then belonged within the territory of Goffstown. Lieutenant Bowman was. from Henniker.
HILLSBOROUGH BOUNTIES .*
Hillsborough August ye 8 1778
We the Subscribers Volunteers of the Town of Hillsborough for the Expedition to Providence have received of the Selectmen Each of us Ten Pound We say received by us-
John Graham (?) Solomon Andrews William Pope
William Gammell Alexander McClintock Daniel Gibson
Samuel Preston Archibald Taggart
September 26th 1778 Recd an order on the treasurer for eighty pounds in behalf of the selectmen of Hillsborough
Wm Taggart
CAMPAIGNS OF THE FIRST NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT.
As more Hillsborough men figured in the checkered fortunes of the First New Hampshire Regiment than in any other, it seems fitting that we describe somewhat briefly its part in the war. The original of this body of troops was formed at Cambridge by the Massachusetts Committee of Safety and John Stark, with the commission of Colonel, was placed in command. Eight hundred men were enlisted "from the tap of the drum." Captain James. Reed of Keene and Captain Paul Dudley Sargent of Amherst, were also given commissions. Colonel Stark's high reputation as an officer in the French and Indian War, and having a wide acquaintance, he soon raised fourteen companies, while Reed and Sargent each raised four companies. A spirit of rivalry im- mediately entered into affairs, and when the New Hampshire assembly came to act, Stark was made commander of what was to be known as the First New Hampshire Regiment.
Probably all of the Hillsborough soldiers fought under him at Bunker Hill, and several were with him during the summer and autumn of 1775 when stationed at Winter Hill. After the evacua- tion of Boston by the British in March, 1776, Colonel Stark was
*Original in Pension Bureau, Washington, D. C.
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STARK AT TRENTON.
ordered with his regiment to New York, and during that summer participated in an expedition to Canada to the relief of Arnold. On the return of this army they marched to Philadelphia and formed a part of General Sullivan's brigade under Washington.
This was one of the critical periods of the American army, which had been discouraged by ill success before the more power- ful forces of Howe and Cornwallis and compelled to retreat across New Jersey leaving that province in the hands of the enemy. But a greater reason for this discouragement was the poor pay, scanty rations and equipments. To add to the hazards of the trying situation the time of the enlistment of the New England troops, on whom Washington relied largely, had expired. It was natural these ill-clad, poorly fed, and unpaid soldiers should hesitate about remaining in an army with such an outlook. In this emergency Stark proved himself as efficient as in battle. A man of few words he graphically told them of the disastrous result should they leave then, and gave his pledge that every man should be paid. Upon being assured of this, they promised to stay three months longer.
Encouraged by this action Washington resolved to cross the Delaware and attack the British, who believing by the current reports that the American army was too weak to resume the war- fare, were resting in fancied security. The patriot army was divided into three divisions, one of which, made up mostly of New England troops, he was to command. The plan was to cross the river nine miles above Trenton on Christmas Eve, 1776, when it was believed the enemy would be occupied with their festivities. Of the three Washington's was the only division that succeeded in crossing the swollen stream in the teeth of the bitter December night. Neither rain, nor snow, nor ice could stop the men from New England, any more than the surprised enemies could stop them at Trenton where the lion's part of the battle was fought by Colonel Stark and his men. Washington was able to recross the Delaware after having won a victory that aroused the drooping spirits of the Americans. The victory at Trenton was followed by the battle of Princeton a few days later, in which New Hampshire men figured a leading part, and among these were the volunteers from Hillsborough. Sullivan, in his reports, declared
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
that six hundred Yankees had won the battle, and that nothing could stop them.
Immediately after the battle of Princeton Colonel Stark came home to recruit another regiment, a task that probably no other man could have accomplished. As usual he succeeded, but his men had hardly enlisted when Congress in appointing a Brigadier from New Hampshire, as it was in duty bound to do, selected- not Stark, whom many believed was entitled to the promotion- but Enoch Poor. Stark was offended by this action, and resigned his commission. Joseph Cilley of Nottingham was his successor in the command of the First regiment, and from this time on the men from Hillsborough served under this brave and efficient officer, who had served under Stark as Lieutenant Colonel.
Prior to this Colonel Cilley, then Major and anon Lieutenant Colonel, had seen some arduous duty in an expedition to Canada, sent to rescue the fleeing army under General Thomas, which comprised the remnant of Montgomery's forces that went to assist Arnold in the unfortunate attack on Quebec. The Amer- ican troops sent to the assistance of the army in Canada under General Sullivan left New York on April 22, 1776, going up the Hudson River and crossing overland to Ticonderoga, thence down Lake Champlain to the River Sorel, and down that stream to the St. Lawrence until meeting General Thomas' army, the leader having died a few days before Sullivan's timely appearance. Then began one of the most memorable retreats in the history of the war. In addition to being harassed by the foe disease broke out among the troops-many dying of small pox-and the bravery and suffering of the men was equaled only by the skillful manner in which General Sullivan and his officers conducted the retreat to Ticonderoga. When the sorely-tried troops went into camp at Crown Point, Colonel Trumbutt, who took a look at them, said: "I did not look into a tent or hut in which I did not find either a death or a dying man."
At least four men from Hillsborough participated in this arduous campaign, namely : John Glover, who died in the service ; Lt. Barzilla Howe, Tinnie (Timothy) Howe, and Archibald Taggart.
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WITH CILLEY IN CANADA.
Sickness generally prevailed in the American armies. Wash- ington's army of about 20,000 was reduced by fully one-fifth from sickness. This prevalence of disease was probably due in a large measure to the poor food and scanty raiment of the troops.
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