USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hillsborough > The history of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1921, Volume 1 > Part 11
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February 22, 1777, Colonel Cilley was promoted to Command of the First New Hampshire, Stark's own regiment, and other Hillsborough men came under him. He was then at Morristown, N. J., with his troops, but he was soon ordered to march with his man to Ticonderoga, as a part of General Poor's brigade. This move was considered necessary as the British forces in Canada were even then advancing from the north by the way of Lake Champlain to Crown Point. This was done to try and head off the aim of the British to capture New England.
Colonel Cilley was stationed with his troops on "the Old French Lines" in May, having tents for their abodes. Here he was joined by Colonels Scammell and Dearborn, with their men, composed largely of volunteers from southern New Hampshire. Here the American troops were allowed to rest and recuperate in this beautiful retreat for a little over a month, when the enemies began to make their appearance. On June 17, 1777, the second anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the First New Hamp- shire regiment, which had played such a conspicuous part in the former fight opened the campaign in that section, but with Colonel Cilley in command in place of their beloved Stark. But their new leader was a good officer of long experience, brave and skillful.
The British were already mustering their forces to invade New England, and the First New Hampshire regiment, along with others, had a checkered fortune that summer, meeting the enemy in several lively skirmishes, now repelling the enemy, anon retreating. A few of the soldiers fell, but none from Hills- borough. A few were taken prisoners, among them Colonel Cilley's son, a boy of fifteen, who was serving as an aide on his father's staff. Another on Colonel Cilley's staff was Adjutant Caleb Stark, a son of the regiment's former commander. Ticon- deroga had to be abandoned, when Cilley's regiment marched to the Hudson River, along the banks of which they saw some hard work, though seeing no real fighting for a few days. On the 12th
I26
HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
of September they marched three miles up the river, and fortified on high ground known as Bemis Heights, the enemy being then at Saratoga. Our regiment on the 19th participated in the first great battle with Burgoyne.
This was one of the most hotly contested battles of the whole war in which Colonels Cilley, Dearborn and Scammell of the New Hampshire regiments, with Colonel Daniel Morgan and his famous regiment of riflemen, performed such valiant parts, a battle that was won by Arnold's valor, but against the orders of his superior officer, General Gates, so the hero got rebuke rather than praise, received the sting of resentment which rankled in his breast until it culminated in his ruin.
Most of the men of Hillsborough in the service at that time were here, and most of Arnold's troops that he led to victory were from New England.
The next move of the brigade under General Sullivan, and to which the First New Hampshire belonged was to Whitemarsh, about 13 miles from Philadelphia, and finally, on December 16, 1777, marched to Valley Forge .*
THE WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE.
Very little fighting was done by the armies during the winter. The American soldiers were poorly prepared ; the British shivered under the bitter exactions of this rigorous climate. With plenty of gold to buy them the comforts of life the latter sought the larger places and passed the long months in riotous luxury. The Americans were only too glad to obtain the doubtful shelter of huts and camps, while on curtailed rations and in ragged attire they eked out a period of suffering and anxious waiting that must have discouraged less brave hearts.
One of the most notable examples of wintry endurances was that experience by the remnant of Washington's army in the dismal camp at Valley Forge 1777-78. Here the soldiers lived in huts thatched with boughs, on a meagre supply of the coarsest
*Valley Forge is six miles from Norristown, Penn., and is a deep, rugged hollow at the mouth of Valley Creek on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, flanked by the mountain that runs along this stream. In earlier times, an ad- venturous smithy had his forge here, hence the name which bears so much his- toric importance. On account of its seclusion, during the winter of 1777-78, the gloomiest period of the Revolution, Washington established his winter headquar- ters here, during which time he was making his futile appeals to Congress for assistance.
127
HARDSHIPS OF VALLEY FORGE.
food. It is said there was not a whole pair of shoes nor a decent suit of clothes among them. "Barefoot they tracked in blood through the snow for firewood and food. All were in rags, and many sat shivering through the whole night by the fires, for they could not lie on the bare ground." Some died of the hardship and privation; a few deserted-not many-and these came back in the spring.
Valley Forge had been chosen as a resort of Washington's army for the winter because it was considered one of the safest places against an attack of the enemy, but it could here afford most easily protection for the Pennsylvania Legislature then sit- ting at York, having been driven out of Philadelphia, which was occupied by the British army.1 And this was the same congress which had turned a deaf ear to the appeals of the commander in chief for relief to his men. Upon receiving a remonstrance from this body for daring to ask such a favor (?), Washington was led to exclaim :
"For want of a two-days' supply of provisions, an oppor- tunity scarcely ever offered of taking an advantage of the enemy, that has not been either totally obstructed or greatly impeded. Men are confined in hospitals or farmers' houses for want of shoes. We have this day (Dec. 23) no less than 2,873 in camp unfit for duty because they are barefooted and otherwise naked. Our whole strength in continental troops amount to no more than 8,200 men in camp fit for duty. Since the 4th instant our num- bers fit for duty, from hardships and exposures, have decreased nearly 2,000 men. Numbers are still obliged to sit all night by campfires to keep from freezing. Gentlemen reprobates going into winter quarters as much as if they thought the soldiers were made of sticks or stones. I can assure these gentlemen that it is a much easier and less distressing thing to draw remonstrances in a comfortable room, by a good fireside, than to occupy a cold, bleak hill, and sleep under frost and snow without clothes or blankets. From my soul I pity the men suffering these miseries which is neither in my power to relieve nor prevent."
1This retreat was reached on the 18th of December, 1777, the trail of the forlorn army marked, say the historians, "by the blood of their feet, as the battle-worn men marched barefooted over the frozen ground." Within a few years, a society has been formed to preserve the grounds as a memorial of that trying winter's experience .- Author.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
128
That is what General Washington said, and thus we have the picture of the scenes and conditions which Colonel Cilley and his soldiers had to endure until the warm weather of spring. On May 6 a great rejoicing prevailed in the camp on account of the news of the Alliance of France. Washington ordered all the prisoners to be released that were then in confinement in the Con- tinental Army. The whole army was drawn up in two lines and fired a volley, from right to left of the front, and then from left to right of the rear lines ; which was repeated three times. It was a day of great rejoicing, especially for Colonel Cilley's regiment whose men had suffered severely from sickness, but had now largely recovered.
"In the battle of Monmouth, which followed on June 28, Colonel Cilley's regiment was closely engaged, and it behaved with such bravery that General Washington bestowed his ap- probation upon General Cilley and his men.
The First New Hampshire regiment saw but little real fight- ing during the rest of the season. In fact, it was too much on the move, as it marched by various routes through New Jersey, New York, to Redding, Conn., where it arrived December 2, built huts and went into camp for the winter. The following April the troops marched to the highlands of the Hudson, from whence in May another move was made to Easton, Penn. General Sullivan now came into command of the western army, and the order came from Washington to rout the Five Nations, the Indian con- federacy in the Genesee valley, where the red men had made great strides in agriculture and established a flourishing settlement.
This was one of the most thrilling campaigns of the entire war, but it is not necessary to follow it day by day. Suffice it to say that Colonel Cilley and his brave New Hampshire men were ever in the front of the expedition. When volunteers were called for to carry an important message through the trackless forest, three men from the First undertook the arduous and perilous work, performing it successfully. When it was thought best to undertake the capture of an Indian town, and all others hesitated, declaring it was too risky as it would have to be undertaken in the night, Colonel Cilley, sitting on his horse and listening im- patiently to the conversation with General Sullivan and his offi-
WEST MAIN STREET.
PLACAS STE
Photograph by MANAHAN.
CENTRAL SQUARE.
129
THE SULLIVAN CAMPAIGN.
cers, straightened himself in his stirrups and exclaimed in his forceful way :
"General Sullivan, give me leave and I will take the town with my regiment alone !"
Looking keenly at the indomitable colonel a moment, the commander gave the order, and Colonel Cilley's bugle call quickly brought his regiment into battle array. It was dusk before the journey was half accomplished and soon it became so dark the soldiers were forced to take hold of each other's hand to keep in line and not get separated. The expedition proved less dangerous than had been expected, for the Indians had learned of the close proximity of the white man and the majority had flown. The remnant of the enemies was routed and their town burned.
Within a few days the capital of the Five Nations, Big Tree, was reached, and the power of this confederacy of Indians, which had greatly aided the British since the beginning of the war, was forever crushed. The town contained one hundred and twenty- two houses and wigwams, while surrounding it were acres of corn ripening in the summer sun and great orchards laden with fruit. The extent of the acreage of corn will be understood when it is told that it took over four thousand soldiers a day and a half to harvest it. The order then to destroy the village so as to make "a desert of the place" was given, and the most of the troops retiring to a hilltop witnessed one of the wildest scenes in all the war. Mr. John Scales, in his life of Colonel Cilley says aptly :
"Soldiers had been stationed at each house with torches. At the firing of a signal gun, every house was set on fire, and all were consumed with the contents, leaving only huge heaps of roasted corn. Colonel Cilley was accustomed to say in after years, that the sight of so many buildings on fire, the massy clouds of black smoke, the curling pillars of flame bursting through them, formed the most awful and sublime spectacle he ever witnessed.
This campaign, one of the most arduous and the most revengeful of the whole war, has been condemned by many writers and it does seem to have been hardly in keeping with civilized warfare; but it must be remembered that the Indians had been ex- ceedingly troublesome and it doubtless required desperate meas-
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
ures to stop them. Be that as it may the onset completely crushed the dusky nation so it never recovered from the blow.
The triumphant avengers returned in anything like the con- dition of conquerors. Allowed to carry no more clothing than they were wearing, which consisted of a short rifle frock, vest, shirt, tow trousers, stockings, shoes and blanket, and marching nearly the whole time in the woods among thick underbrush, their whole suit became fearfully worn. Many of the men returned barefooted, and became very footsore. Thus in rags and tatters they arrived at the fort, having completed one of the most re- markable campaigns of the Revolutionary War.
ABSENTEES FROM THE ARMY.
A Size Roll of the Absentees Belonging to the First New Hampshire Regiment Commanded by Col. Joseph Cilley --
Among many others are the names and particulars of two Hillsborough soldiers who, for some reason unknown, were among the missing at the time of the notice :
John Taylor, Captain Emerson's company, Hillsborough, Aged 25, Stature 5. 10; complexion, dark; color of hair, dark; eyes, black; where left, not joyned.
A Size Roll of the Absentees belonging to the 2nd Battn N. H. Troops Commanded by Colo. Nathan Hale, contains the name of one Hillsborough soldier, viz .:
Thomas Murdough, age 20; statue, 5. 10; complexion, light ; color of eyes, blue; where left, H. Town; cause of absence, missing. Note. Colonel Hale was at this time a prisoner of war in New York.
RETURN OF MUSTER ORDER.
Hillsborough July 14, 1779.
Pursuant to orders Recd from your Hon. I have herewith ordered William Hutcheson to appear at Concord in order for passing muster -Beg the favor he may Return to Hillsb h a few days before he marches for Rhodisland-These from your Humble Ser
Isaac Andrews Capt
To the Honl Thos Stickney Coll. at Concord in New Hampshire
I3I
MEN SERVING FOR OTHER TOWNS.
HILLSBOROUGH BOUNTIES.
Hillsborough August ye 9 1778
We the Subscribers Volunteers of the Town of Hilllsborough for the Expedition to Providence have received of the Selectman Each of us Ten Pounds We say received by us-
John Graham (Grimes) (?)
William Gammell
Alexander McClintock Archibald Taggart
Samuel Preston
William Pope
Solomon Andrews
Daniel Gibson
September 26th 1778 Recd an order on the treasurer for eighty pounds in behalf of the selectmen of Hillsborough
Wm Taggart
As is usually the case, several men from Hillsborough en- listed from other towns, so that we find Henniker credited with soldiers from Hillsborough, viz .:*
George Bemaine, Fry Andrews.
Two soldiers from this town enlisted in Amherst in Colonel Cilley's regiment for a period during the war :
John Taggart, 1777, Silas Cooledge, 1777.
Another soldier to enter the service for another town was John Bixby, who was credited to Deering.
A list of names of soldiers raised by the State of New Hamp- shire to fill recruit the Continental Army in 1779, contains the names of-
Benjamin Dodge, enlisted July 23, 1779, for one year.
Stephen Andrews, enlisted July 23, 1779, for one year.
Among over 20 others who enlisted on July 5, 1779, for six months, was Hugh Graham, Hillsborough.
The following soldiers from Hillsborough belonged to Cap- tain Clay's company, in Colonel Poor's regiment :
Nathan Taylor, Thomas Murdough, William Pope, Ebenezer Sargent, Joseph Taggart.
July 20, 1779, at a special meeting James McCalley, Joseph Symonds and Samuel Bradford, Jr., were chosen to secure two men for the Continental Army. There is no record to show the result of the efforts of this committee.
*Original in Pension Bureau, Washington, D. C.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
September 4, 1780, the town voted to choose a committee to bring the service done in the present war to an average. Then the matter rested until another meeting held September 21, when Capt. Joseph Symonds, Mr. Zebediah Johnson, Lt. John McClary, Lt. Samuel Bradford and Calvin Stevens were chosen to act in regard to the matter as follows:
3d Voted 3d Committee be instructed to make Search for the Val- uation or invoices for five years past and if they cannot be found to take new ones for the sd five years past.
4th Voted 3d Committee be instructed to alow the whole of those men who ware in the eight months service in the year one thou- sand seven hundred and seventy five mens time and all that have been in the service Since to be allowed their whole time.
5th Voted to set the time at Eighty pounds per month.
Upon further consideration the action on the 4th article was an- nulled.
WAR ROLLS.
Among the Records of Town Returns given in the State Papers Vol. XVI, Revolutionary War Rolls Vol. 3, we find the following soldiers credited to Hillsborough :
Stephen Andrews Nathan Taylor, r 1781, April 6
Robt. Finne r. 1781 March 22 Thomas Kimball Negro
Wm. Jones 1782 July 15
In connection with the above the Pay-Roll for recruits in Continental regiments, 1780, contains the names of-
Joel Jones in the service from June 30, 1760, to December 31, 6 months and 14 days, which was allowed in full.
Robert Finney July I to December 4 but amount of wages including expenses not given though companion soldiers are so credited. Recruits mustered by Maj. William Scott.
SCATTERED RECORDS.
The following items are taken from the State Papers, edited by Isaac Hammond, and throw some light on the history of the men from this town serving in the Revolution.
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EXPENSES OF THE WAR.
State of New Hampshire To the Selectmen of Hillsborough Dr.
1779 July 15 Paid Hugh Graham a Soldier inlisted in Colo Mooney's Reg. Raised for the defence of Rhode Island and mustered by Colo Thomas Stickney-by receipt Bounty £30 Travel to Providence £15 Total £45, 0 s. 0 d. Errors excepted in behalf of the Selectmen of Hillsborough P James McCalley
In Committee on Claims, Exeter April 24 1780 The above account is right-
Examd Per Josiah Gilman Jur
Recd an order on the Treasurer for forty five pounds
James McCalley
September 22, 1730, it was voted to assess the inhabitants of the town to purchase beef for the American army, to the amount of nine thousand seven hundred and two pounds.
December 8, 1780,
Voted to hire men to go into the service of the United States and in to the service of this state by a tax on the poles and estates of the inhabitants of this town and the Land of the non-residents ly- ing in town for the future.
State of New Hampshire To the Selectmen of Hillsborough Dr.
1779 July 22 To Cash paid Benjamin Dodge a Soldier inlisted in the Continental Service for one year
State bounty £60, 0 s. 0 d.
28th To Ditto Paid Stephen Andrews do do 60.do
£120.
In Committee of claims, Exeter 14th February-
The above men were mustered by Colo Thomas Stickney and the receipts are lodged in this office-
J. GILMAN
Recd an order on the Treasurer for one hundred and twenty Pounds
James McCalley
Copy N. Parker
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
Hillsborough June 4, 1781.
To the Hon'ble and The Secretary for the State of Newhampshire
a Return of the men in the Continental armey before the year 1781- Stephen Andrews George Bemain Nathan Grimes Listed dur the war-
a Return of the men procured agreeable to an act passed Jany 11th 1781
Nathan Taylor
inlisted for three years
Robert Finne
Isaac Andrews Calvin Stevens
Selectmen
John Dutton
Hillsborough May 10th 1782-Pursuant to the act of the General Assembly of the State of New Hampshire passed the 21st of March 1782-We have now one man in the army who was hired from this Town by the Town of Dering for the term of three years, which Term has expired, one year last April, who by right is now in our servis. His name is Nathaniel Graham-
one lately hired by this Town, now in the army-his Name is Thomas Kimball-one ingaged from this Town into the Bay Servis for Town of Marbelhead his Name is Daniel Richardson-one hired from this Town in the Bay State for the Town of Reding his name is Nathaniel Johnson-also George Bemaine from this Town in the Bay servis is by right ours for two years past
Isaac Andrews John Dutton Arch Taggart 7 To the Honl the Committee of Safety
Selectmen
WAR MEASURES, 1780.
September 22, 1780, it was voted to assess the inhabitants of the town to purchase beef for the American army to the amount of nine thousand, seven hundred and two pounds.
December 8, 1780, at a special meeting it was voted "to hire men to go into the service of the United States and in the ser- vice of this state by a tax on poles and estates of the inhabitants
I35
WAR ROLLS.
of this town and the Land of the non-residents lying in town for the future."
In summing up the part Hillsborough performed in the War for Independence the records show that this town, without a hint of Toryism, was patriotic to a man. From the Concord and Lexington fight, on that memorable April morn, when the shot was fired which was heard around the world, to the closing scene at Yorktown, over ninety men were in the service, and there were not many battles in which one or more did not participate. With but forty-three men under fifty and youths over sixteen able to bear arms at the time of the Battle of Bunker Hill, surely the record could not be better. It is probable that at some period or other during the long and sanguinary struggle every man bore arms who could.
The records of the soldiers of the Revolution are very meagre and unreliable, both as to the names of the persons and the towns that should receive credit for their services. The following list with terms of service has been prepared after diligent search and is believed to be complete and as accurate as can be obtained.
WAR ROLLS.
ANDREWS, AMMI, Lieutenant. Private in Captain Baldwin's com- pany, Colonel John Stark's regiment at Bunker Hill; Lieutenant in Captain Henry Dearborn's company, under Colonel Arnold in expedition to Quebec. He must have seen nearly continuous serv- ice throughout the war.
ANDREWS, AMMI, JR. Enlisted November 21, 1776, for three years ; discharged November 21, 1779. He served in the First New Hamp- shire regiment under Colonel Cilley, and was therefore at Valley Forge, in the Sullivan expedition and other actions in which that regiment did a valiant part. He reinlisted in 1782 for during the war, credited to Deering. Received bounty by the town July 15, 1782.
ANDREWS, ISAAC, JR., Major. Served under Stark, at Bennington. Was in Captain Hale's company, Colonel Gerrish's regiment in the Northern Continental army at Saratoga, 1777. Was in Colonel Thomas Stickney's and Colonel David Gilman's regiments. Dis- charged December 31, 1782.
ANDREWS, SOLOMON. At the age of eighteen he volunteered for three years or during the war in 1777, in Captain Elijah Clay's company, Colonel Nathan Hale's regiment. Previous to this he had served with Stark at Bennington.
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HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
ANDREWS, STEPHEN. Enlisted July 8, 1779, when a youth of barely sixteen for three years or during the war, in Captain William Ellis' company, Colonel Alexander Scammell's regiment, Third Battalion, New Hampshire troops. Transferred December 27, 1779, to Captain Hawkins' company, and later to Captain David McGregor's company. His services were credited to Weare. He re-inlisted for one year in Hillsborough's quota.
ANDREWS, JERRY (?). Under this name he is credited to Hillsbor- ough, but his record is very obscure. His name was probably Jabez, and he was a brother of Stephen, and he came into the serv- ice during the closing years of the war .*
ANDREWS, FRY. Credited to Henniker from Hillsborough in the Rhode Island Ex. in 1778. May have seen further service.
BALDWIN, CAPT. ISAAC. This brave and efficient officer served with unfaltering zeal through the French and Indian wars, participat- ing in over twenty battles under Rogers and Stark, declares Ever- ett in his Life of John Stark. As has been described, immedi- ately upon receiving the news of the fight at Concord and Lexing- ton, he mustered a company of men from Hillsborough and adjoining towns and marched to the front. He gave his life to the cause he had so nobly espoused at Bunker Hill. No doubt had his life been spared he would have been found among the leaders of the Revolution.
BEMAINE, GEORGE. Teaching the first school in Hillsborough at the breaking out of the war, he volunteered at once in the patriot army, though I do not find that he was in the battle of Bunker Hill. Smith and other early writers say he was killed at the bat- tle of White Plains in 1776. This could not have been true, for in 1778 he was in the Continental army serving to the credit of Henniker. While filling this enlistment he was with the soldiers from Henniker and two others from Hillsborought who were in Capt. Daniel Wilkin's Co., that ill-starred expedition sent in the summer of 1776 to the relief of the unfortunate contingent of Americans retreating from that disastrous campaign against Quebec.# The Hillsborough records for 1782 claim George Be-
*In an original muster roll in the Pension Bureau at Washington his name and that of Solomon Andros appear among the men making the company of New Hampshire militia, 1781, commanded by Captain Nathaniel Head, Colonel Raynolds' regiment .- Author.
¡ John McNiel and Silas Cooledge.
¿ This relief corps, after a tedious march into the valley of the St. Lawrence, succeeded in reaching on the 19th of May a fort called the "Cedars," where a portion of Colonel Bedel's regiment stopped for a few days' needed rest. An at- tack being threatened by the Canadians, "Colonel Bedel went to Montreal, forty- five miles distant, for reinforcements, leaving the fort under the command of Major Isaac Butterfield, who, on the 19th day of May, surrendered his force of about 400 men to the British and Indians, about 500 in number, under the com-
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