USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 2 > Part 20
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1775. of the expelled members, having fpoken his mind freely without doors, was affaulted by the populace, and took fhelter in the Gover- nor's houfe. The people demanded him, and brought a gun, mounted on a carriage, to the door ; upon which the offender was delivered up, and conveyed to Exeter. The Governor, conceiving himfelf infulted, retired to the fort ; and his houfe became a fcene of pillage.
July II.
Aug. 24.
When the Affembly met again, he fent a meffage from the fort, and adjourned them to the twenty-eighth of September ; but they never met any more. He continued under the protection of the Scarborough, and an- other fhip of war, till all the remaining can- non of the fort were taken on board, and then failed for Bofton. In September he came to the Ifles of Shoals, and there iffued a proclamation, adjourning the Affembly to the next April. This was the laft act of his adminiftration, and the laft time that he fet his foot in the Province. Thus an end was put to the British Government in New- Hampfhire, when it had fubfifted ninety-five years.
From this view of the adminiftration of Gov- ernor Wentworth, it is eafy to conclude, that his intentions were pacific; and whilft the temper of the times allowed him to act agree- ably to his own principles, his government was acceptable and beneficial ; but when mat- ters had come to the worft, his faults were as few, and his conduct as temperate, as could be.expected from a fervant of the Crown. If a comparifon be drawn, between him and moft of the other Governors on this conti- nent, at the beginning of the revolution, he
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muft appear to advantage. Inftead of widen- 1775. ing the breach, he endeavored to clofe it; and when his efforts failed, he retired from a fituation, where he could no longer exercife the office of a Governor ; leaving his eftate and many of his friends ; and preferving only his commiffion, as furveyor of the King's woods ; the limits of which were much con- tracted by the fucceeding revolution.
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HISTORY OF
CHAP. XXV.
War with Britain. Change of Government. Temporary Con .. ftitution. INDEPENDENCE. Military exertions. Stark's ex-
pedition. Employment of troops during the war.
1775.
WHEN the controverfy with Bri- tain fhewed fymptoms of hoftility, and the defign of the Miniftry and Parliament to pro- voke us to arms became apparent ; the peo- ple of New-Hampfhire began ferioufly to meditate the defence of their country. It was uncertain in what manner the fcene would open ; for this and other reafons no regular plan of operations could be formed. By the old militia law, every male inhabitant, from fixteen years old to fixty, was obliged to be provided with a mufket and bayonet, knapfack, cartridge-box, one pound of pow- der, twenty bullets and twelve flints. Every town was obliged to keep in readinefs one barrel of powder, two hundred pounds of lead and three hundred flints, for every fixty men ; befide a quantity of arms and ammu- nition for the fupply of fuch as were not able to provide themfelves with the neceffary articles. Even thofe perfons who were ex- empted from appearing at the common mili- tary trainings, were obliged to keep the fame arms and ammunition. In a time of peace, thefe requifitions were neglected, and the peo- ple in general were not completely furnished, nor the towns fupplied according to law. The care which the Governor had taken to appoint officers of militia and review the re- giments, for fome years before, had awaken-
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ed their attention to the duties of the parade; which were performed with renewed ardor, after the provincial convention had recom- mended the learning of military exercifes and manœuvres. Voluntary affociations were formed for this purpofe, and the moft expe- rienced perfons were chofen to command on thefe occafions. To prevent falfe rumors and confufion, the committees of infpection in each town were alfo committees of corref- pondence, by whom all intelligence concern- ing the motions of the British, were to be communicated ; and proper perfons were re- tained to carry expreffes when there fhould be occafion.
In this ftate of anxiety and expectation ;. when an early fpring had invited the huf- bandman to the labor of the field ; General April 19. Gage thought it proper to open the dra- « ma of war. The alarm was immediately communicated from town to town through the whole country, and volunteers flocked from all parts ; till a body of ten thoufand men affembled in the neighborhood of Bof- ton, completely invefted it on the land fide, and cut off all communication with the country.
On the firft alarm, about twelve hundred men marched from the neareft parts of New- Hampfhire, to join their brethren, who had affembled in arms about Bofton. Of thefe, fome returned ; others formed themfelves into two regiments, under the authority of the Maffachufetts Convention. As foon as May 17. . the Provincial Congrefs of New-Hampfhire met, they voted to raife two thoufand men, to be formed into three regiments ; thofe
1775.
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HISTORY OF
June 17.
1775. which were already there to be accounted as two, and another to be inlifted immediately. Thefe men engaged to ferve till the laft day of December, unlefs fooner difcharged. The command of thefe regiments was given to the Colonels John Stark, James Reed and Enoch Poor. The two former were prefent in the memorable battle on the heights of Charleftown, being pofted on the left wing, behind a fence ; from which they forely gall- ed the Britifh as they advanced to the attack, and cut them down by whole ranks at once. In their retreat they loft feveral men, and among others, the brave Major Andrew McClary, who was killed by a cannon fhot after he had paffed the ifthmus of Charlef- town. On the alarm occafioned by this bat- tle, the third regiment colle ted and marched .. to the camp ; and with the other New-Hamp- fhire troops was pofted on the left wing of the army at Winter-Hill, under the imme- diate command of Brigadier-General Sulli- van, who with the other general officers, re- ceived his appointment from Congrefs.
June 20.
It had been a common fentiment among the British troops, that the Americans would not dare to fight with them. This battle ef- fectually convinced them of their miftake. They found that fighting with us was a feri- ous thing ; and the lofs which they fuftained in this battle, evidently had an influence on their fubfequent operations.
Whilft the Scarborough frigate remained in the harbour of Pafcataqua, frequent bick- erings happened between her crew and the inhabitants. Captain Berkeley feized all in- ward bound veffels, and fent them to Bofton.
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He alfo prevented the boats belonging to the 1775. river from going out to catch fifh. This con- duct was conformable to the orders which he had received to execute the reftraining act. In return, his boats were not permitted to fetch provifions from the town ; and one of them was fired upon in the night, by fome of the guards ftationed on the thore. A com- promife, at length, was made between him and the committee of the town ; open boats were permitted to pafs, to catch fith for the inhabitants ; and his boats were allowed to take freth provifions for the ufe of the fhip. This agreement fubfifted but a short time, and finally all intercourfe was cut off.
After the departure of the fhip, the peo- ple went in volunteer parties, under the di_ Auguft 24. rection of Major Ezekiel Worthen, whom the convention appointed Engineer, and built forts on the points of two iflands, which form a narrow channel, about a mile below the town of Portfmouth. One of thefe was called Fort Wafhington, and the other Fort Sullivan. The cannon which had been faved from the old fort and battery were mounted here, and the town was thought to be fecure from being furprifed by fhips of war.
The tenth of September was the laft day sept. re of exportation fixed by the general Congrefs. Moft of the veffels which failed out of the harbor were feized by the British cruifers and carried into Bofton. One was retaken by a privateer of Beverly and carried into Capc- Anne.
In the following month, feveral British armed veffels were fent to burn the town of Falmouth ; which was in part effected, by
Odober st.
ine
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HISTORY OF
1775. throwing carcafes and fending a party on fhore, under cover of their guns, It was fuf- pected that they had the fame defign againft Portfmouth. General Wafhington difpatch- ed Brigadier General Sullivan from the camp at Cambridge, with orders to take the com- mand of the militia and defend the harbour of Pafcataqua. On this occafion, the works erected on the iflands were ftrengthened ; a boom, conftructed with mafts and chains, was thrown acrofs the Narrows, which was feveral times broken by the rapidity of the current, until it was found impoffible to fe- cure the paffage by fuch means ; an old fhip was fcuttled and funk in the northern chan- nel of the river ; a company of riffe-men, from the camp, was pofted on Great-Ifland ; and fire-rafts were conftructed to burn the enemy's fhipping. Thefe preparations ferved to keep up the fpirits of the people ; but many families, not thinking themfelves fafe in Portfmouth, removed into the country, and there remained till the next fpring.
A fpirit of violent refentment was excited againft all who were fufpected of a difpofi- tion inimical to the American caufe. Some perfons were taken up on fufpicion and im- prifoned ; fome fled to Nova-Scotia, or to England, or joined the British army in Bof- ton. Others were reftricted to certain lim- its and their motions continually watched. The paffions of jealoufy, hatred and revenge were freely indulged, and the tongue of flan- der was under no reftraint. Wife and good men fecretly lamented thefe exceffes ; but no effectual remedy could be adminiftered. All commiffions under the former authority be- ·
patel
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ing annulled, the courts of juftice were fhut, and the fword of magiftracy was fheathed. The Provincial Convention directed the gene- ral affairs of the war ; and town committees had a difcretionary, but undefined power to preferve domeftic peace. Habits of decency, family government, and the good examples of influential perfons, contributed more to maintain order than any other authority. The value of thefe fecret bonds of fociety was now more than ever confpicuous.
In the convention which met at Exeter, in May, and continued fitting with but little in- MS Rec- terruption till November, one hundred and vention, two towns were reprefented, by one hundred and thirty-three members. Their firft care was to eftablifh poft offices; to appoint a com- mittee of fupplies for the army, and a com- mittee of fafety. To this laft committee, the general inftruction was fimilar to that, given by the Romans, to their Dictators, 'to take ' under confideration, all matters in which ' the welfare of the Province, in the fecurity ' of their rights, is concerned ; and to take ' the utmoft care, that the public fuftain no ' damage.'* Particular inftructions were giv- en to them, from time to time, as occafion required. They were confidered as the fu- preme executive ; and during the recefs of the convention, their orders and recommend- ations had the fame effect as the acts and re- folves of that whole body.
By an order of the convention, the former Secretary, Theodore Atkinfon, Efq. delivered up the province records, to a committee which was fent to receive them, and Ebenezer
· 'Ne quid detrimenti refpublica capiat.'
1775.
ords of con-
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الفافى TO
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refrad
304
HISTORY OF
1775. Thompfon, Efq. was appointed in his place. The records of deeds, and of the probate of- fice, for the county of Rockingham, were alfo removed to Exeter, as a place of greater fafe- ty than Portfinouth. The former Treafurer, George Jaffrey, Efq. was applied to for the public money in his hands, which, to the amount of one thoufand five hundred and fix- teen pounds four fhillings and eight pence, he delivered ; and Nicholas Gilman, Efq. was ap- pointed Treafurer in his room.
During this year, three emiffions of paper bills were made. The firft, of ten thoufand and fifty pounds ; the fecond, of ten thoufand pounds ; and the third, of twenty thoufand pounds. For the amount of thofe fums, the Treafurer gave his obligation in fmall notes, which paffed for a time, as current money, equal in value to filver and gold. But as emiffions were multiplied, as the redemption of the bills was put off to diftant periods, and the bills themfelves were counterfeited, it was impoflible for them long to hold their value.
Befide the three regiments which made part of the American army at Cambridge, a company of artillery was raifed to do duty at the forts. A company of rangers was poft- ed on Connecticut river ; and two companies more were appointed, to be ready to march wherever the committee of fafety fhould di- rect. The whole militia was divided into twelve regiments ; the field officers were ap- pointed by the convention, and the inferior officers were chofen by the companies. Out of the militia were inlifted four regiments of minute-men, fo called, becaufe they were to be ready at a minute's warning. They were
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conftantly trained to military duty, and when 1775. called to fervice were allowed the fame pay as the regiments in the continental army. In the fucceeding winter, when the Connecticut forces had withdrawn from the camp, be- caufe their time of fervice was expired, fix- teen companies of the New-Hampfhire mili- tia, of fixty-one men each, fupplied their place, till the Britifh troops evacuated Bofton. The convention having been appointed for fix months only ; before the expiration of that time, applied to the general Congrefs for their advice, refpecting fome mode of govern- ment for the future. In anfwer to which, the Congrefs recommended to them, 'to call Nov. 3, ' a full and free reprefentation of the people; ' that thefe Reprefentatives, if they fhould ' think it neceffary, might eftablith fuch a ' form of government, as, in their judgment, ' would beft conduce to the happiness of the ' people, and moft effectually tend to fecure ' peace and good order in the Province, du- ' ring the continuance of the difpute between ' Great-Britain and the Colonies.' On re- ceiving this advice, the convention took into their confideration the mode in which a full Nov, 14. and free reprefentation fhould be called ; and finally agreed, that each elector fhould pof- fefs a real eftate of twenty pounds value, and every candidate for election, one of three hundred pounds ; that every town, confift- ing of one hundred families, fhould fend one Reprefentative, and one more for every hun- dred families ; and that thofe towns which contained a lefs number than one hundred fhould be claffed. They had before ordered a furvey to be made of the number of peo-
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306
HISTORY OF
1775. ple in the feveral counties ; and having ob- tained it, they determined, that the number of Reprefentatives to the next convention, fhould bear the following proportion to the number of people, viz.
Rockingham, 37850 people 38 Reprefenta- Strafford, 12713 13 tives.
Hillfborough, 16447 17
Chefhire, 11089 15
Grafton, 4101 6
In all - - 82200 89
Thefe Reprefentatives were to be empower- ed, by their conftituents, to affume govern- ment as recommended by the general Con- grefs, and to continue for one whole year from the time of fuch affumption. The wa- ges of the members were to be paid by the feveral towns, and their travelling expenfes out of the public treafury. Having formed this plan, and fent copies of it to the feveral towns, the convention diffolved.
Nov. 16. 3
Dec. 21.
1776.
Jan. 5.
This convention was compofed chiefly of men who knew nothing of the theory of gov- ernment, and had never before been concern- ed in public bufinefs. In the fhort term of fix months, they acquired fo much knowledge by experience, as to be convinced, that it was improper for a legiflative Affembly to con- fift of one Houfe only. As foon as the new convention came together, they drew up a temporary form of government ; and, agree- ably to the truft repofed in them by their conftituents, having affumed the name and authority of a Houfe of Reprefentatives, they proceeded to choofe twelve perfons, to be a diftinct branch of the legiflature, by the name
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of a Council. Of thefe, five were chofen 1776. from the county of Rockingham, two from Strafford, two from Hillfborough, two from Chefhire and one from Grafton. Thefe were empowered to elect their own Prefident, and any feven of them were to be a quorum. It was ordained, that no act or refolve fhould be valid, unlefs paffed by both branches of the legiflature ; that all money bills fhould originate in the Houfe of Reprefentatives ; that neither Houfe fhould adjourn for more than two days, without the confent of the other ; that a Secretary, and all other public officers of the Colony, and of each County, for the current year, all general and field of- ficers of militia, and all officers of the march- ing regiments, fhould be appointed by the two Houfes ; all fubordinate militia officers by their refpective companies ; that the pre- fent Affembly thould fubfift one year, and if the difpute with Britain fhould continue longer, and the general Congrefs fhould give no directions to the contrary, that precepts fhould be iffued annually to the feveral towns on or before the firft day of November for the choice of Counfellors and Reprefentatives, to be returned by the third Wednefday in December.
In this hafty production, there were fome material defects. One was the want of an executive branch of government. To reme- dy this, the two Houfes, during their feffion, performed executive as well as legiflative du- ty. ; and at every adjournment appointed a committee of fafety, to fit in the recefs, with the fame powers, as had been given in the preceding year, by the convention. The
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1776. number of this committee varied from fix to fixteen. The Prefident of the Council was alfo Prefident of this executive Committee. The perfon chofen to fill this chair was an old, tried, faithful fervant of the public, the honorable MESHECH WEARE, Efq. who was alfo appointed Chief Juftice of the Superior Court. So great was the confidence of the people in this gentleman, that they fcrupled not to inveft him, at the fame time, with the higheft offices, legiflative, executive, and ju- dicial ; in which he was continued by an- nual elections during the whole war.
This conftitution was prefaced with fever- al reafons for adopting government, viz. That the Britifh Parliament had, by many griev- ous and oppreflive acts, deprived us of our native rights ; to enforce obedience to which acts, the miniftry of that kingdom had fent a powerful fleet and army into this country, and had wantonly and cruelly abufed their power, in deftroying our lives and property ; that the fudden and abrupt departure of our late Governor, had left us deftitute of legif- lation ; that no judicial Courts were open to punifh offenders ; and that the continental Congrefs had recommended the adoption of a form of government. Upon thefe grounds the convention made a declaration in thefe words, ' We conceive ourfelves reduced to the ' necefity of eftablifhing a form of govern- ' ment, to continue during the prefent un- ' happy and unnatural conteft with Great- ' Britain ; protefting and declaring, that we ' never fought to throw off our dependence 'on Great-Britain ; but felt ourfelves happy ' under her protection, whilft we could enjoy
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'our conftitutional rights and privileges ; 1776. ' and that we fhall rejoice, if fuch a reconcili- ' ation between us and our parent State can ' be effected, as fhall be approved by the con- ' tinental Congrefs, in whofe prudence and ' wifdom we confide.'
Such was the language, and fuch were the fentiments of the people at that time ; and had the British government, on the removal of their troops from Bofton, treated with us, in anfwer to our laft petition, upon the prin- ciple of reconciliation ; and reftored us to the flate in which we were before the ftamp- act was made, they might even then, have preferved their connexion with us. But in the courfe of a few months, we not only found our petitions difregarded, and our pro- feffions of attachment to the parent ftate treated as hypocritical ; but their hoftile in- tentions became fo apparent, and our fitua- tion was fo fingular, that there could be no hope of fafety for us, without diffolving our connexion with them, and affuming that equal rank among the powers of the earth for which nature had deftined us, and to which the voice of reafon and Providence loudly called us. Britain had engaged for- eign mercenaries to affift in fubjugating us ; juftice required that we fhould in our turn court foreign aid ; but this could not be had, whilft we acknowledged ourfelves fubjects of that Crown againft whofe power we were ftruggling. The exertions which we had made, and the blood which we had fhed, were deemed too great a price for reconcilia- tion to a power which ftill claimed the right ' to bind us in all cafes whatfoever,' and
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1776. which held out to us unconditional fubmif- fion, as the only terms on which we were to expect even a pardon. Subjection to a Prince who had thrown us out of his protection ; who had ruined our commerce, deftroyed our cities and fpilled our blood ; and who would not govern us at all, without the interpofi- tion of a legiflative body, in whofe election we had no voice, was an idea too abfurd to be any longer entertained. Thefe fentiments, being fet in their juft light by various publi- cations and addreffes, had fuch force as to produce a total change of the public opinion. Independence became the general voice of the fame people, who but a few months before had petitioned for reconciliation. When this could not be had, but on terms difgraceful to the caufe which we had undertaken to fup- port, we were driven to that as our only ref- uge. The minds of the people at large in moft of the Colonies being thus influenced, they called upon their delegates in Congrefs to execute the act which fhould fever us from foreign dominion, and put us into a fituation to govern ourfelves .*
July 4.
It ought ever to be remembered, that the declaration of our independence was made, at a point of time, when no royal Governor had even the fhadow of authority in any of the Colonies ; and when no Britifh troops had any footing on this Continent. The coun- try was then abfolutely our own. A formi- dable force was indeed collected on our coafts, ready to invade us ; and in the face of that
* On the 11th of June 1776, a committee was chofen by the Affem- bly of New - Hampshire ' to make a draught of a declaration of the Gen- ' eral Affimbly for the INDEPENDENCE of the united Colonies on Great. ' Britain, to be tranfmitted to our delegates in Congrefs.'
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armament this decifive ftep was taken. The 1776. declaration was received with joy by the Amer- ican army then affembled at New-York. Within fourteen days it was publifhed by beat July 18. of drum in all the fhire towns of New-Hamp- fhire. It relieved us from a ftate of embar- raffment. We then knew the ground on which we ftood, and from that time every thing affumed a new appearance. The jar- gon of diftinctions between the limits of au- thority on the one fide, and of liberty on the other, was done away. The fingle queftion was, whether we fhould be conquered Prov- Obferva- inces, or free and independent States. On tions on the this queftion, every perfon was able to form Revolution American his own judgment ; and it was of fuch mag_ P. 57, 53. nitude that no man could be at a lofs to ftake his life on its decifion.
It is amufing to recollect, at this diftance of time, that one effect of independence was an averfion to every thing which bore the name and marks of royalty. Sign boards on which were painted the King's arms, or the crown and fceptre, or the portraits of any branches of the royal family, were pulled down or defaced. Pictures and efcutcheons of the fame kind in private houfes were in- verted or concealed. The names of ftreets, which had been called after a King or Queen were altered ; and the half-pence, which bore the name of George III, were either refufed in payment, or degraded to farthings. Thefe laft have not yet recovered their value.
The new Affembly began their adminif- tration by eftablifhing Judicial Courts, on the fame fyftem as before, excepting that the Court of Appeals, which had long been ef-
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HISTORY OF
1776. teemed a grievance, was abolifhed, and all appeals to Great-Britain were prohibited. Appeals from the Probate Courts, which for- merly came before the Governor and Coun- cil, were transferred to the Superior Court, whofe judgment was now made final. En- couragement was given to fit out armed vef- fels, and a maritime Court was eftablifhed for the trial of captures by fea. A law was made to punith the counterfeiting of the pa- per bills of this and of the United States ; and to make them 'a tender for any money due ' by deed or fimple contract.' After the de- claration of independence the ftyle of Colony was changed for that of the STATE of New- Hampfhire. A new law was enacted to reg- ulate the militia. More paper bills were if- fued to pay the expenfes of the war; and provifion was made for drawing in fome of the bills by taxes. Doubts had arifen, whether the former laws were in force ; a fpecial act was therefore paffed, reviving and re-enact- ing all the laws which were in force, at the time when government was affumed ; as far as they were not repugnant to the new form, or to the independence of the Colonies, or not actually repealed.
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