USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 25
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But it was of no avail, the Weare committee were not able to fill the quota. It was the same in all the other towns. The State Committee of Safety were aware of the situation, and Hon. Josiah Bartlett, May 1st, sent a lettert to the towns, in which he said it was necessary, at this critical season, that the men to fill up the battalions march at once, and that, at present, they might send men enlisted for eight months, if they would provide others to take their places at the end of that time; but no State or Continental bounties could be given them.
This order was sent to Captain Philbrick by Col. Daniel Moore. The colonel was excited. He wrote to our captain that "The Ene- mie's Army are moving in all Quarters; for Heaven's Sake; for
* " TO CAPT SAMUEL PHILBRICK -
" I am called upon by the Supreme Authority of this State to forward Our Quota of men to Ticonderoga without Loss of time By Express from Gen' Schyler to the Committee of Safety for this State -Therefore as you love your Country as you are a Friend to the Great the Glorious Cause the Cause of Liberty in which we are all Em- barked I trust you will lose no time in keeping and forwarding the Men Proportioned to you to Raise-Therefore I desire you to make me a Return of the Mens Names, and what Capt they have inlisted with Immediately in order that I can make a Return to the Committee of Safty which I am called on for-Given under my hand at Bedford this 22. Day of April 1777 " DANIEL MOOR Coll
" N. B fail not in So Doing "
t " STATE OF To Committee of Safety May 1st 1777. Whereas it has been Rep- NEW HAMPSHIRE { resented that many Towns in this State notwithstanding their unwearied Endeavours & Offers of large Bounties have not yet been able to procure their full Quotas of Men for the Continental Service. - Therefore at this critical Sea- son to the End that the Men to compleat the Batallions may immediately march -, The Committee are of Opinion that such Delinquent Towns may fill up their number at Present with men Enlisted for Eight Months or a year as they see fit.
" Provided they will be carful to Provide others to take their Places When the time of those are out they now send No Continental or State Bountys can be advanced to any but such as Enlist for the war or three years as the Votes of Congress and the General Court of the State forbid it, The Travel money to be paid when they pass muster -
" This Resolve was passed at the Desire of several Towns
" A True Coppy of my orders from the Committe of this State
" JOSIAH BARTLETT "
214
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1777.
your Country's Sake and for your own Sake Exert yourself in Getting your Men and Sending them forward without a Moments Loss of Time."* What was it that so stirred up the colonel ?
The committee of Weare soon enlisted six more men, for eight months, and paid them a bounty of £12 each .; They probably went back to their old place in the first regiment, under Colonel Poor.
All the winter preparations were made for the advance of the British army from Canada to Lake Champlain and New York. The first of May it moved, and New England was roused. Meshech Weare, chairman of the Committee of Safety, wrote, May 8th, that the enemy was coming to our state, and he ordered that all the militia, both the alarm list and the training bands,# be equipped ready to march at a minute's warning, and that all capable of bear- ing arms, constantly to carry their guns, ammunition and accoutre- ments for war to the place of public worship and to all other places, as we know not the day or the hour when an attack may be made. "It is of the Greatest Importance," he said, "to meet our Enemies before they have time to Get much footing and to Stop Those Infernal Traitors Among ourselves who may be Disposed to help Them."§ Meshech Weare was also slightly excited.
Col. Daniel Moore sent Mr. Weare's letter to Captain Philbrick, |
* " P. S Capt Philbriek The Enemies Army are moving on all Quarters for Heaven's Sake! for your Country's Sake and for your own Sake Exert yourself in Getting your Men and Sending them forward without a Moments Loss of Time
" fail not in so doing " DANIEL MOOR Coll
" Bedford May ye 5th 1777. - "
t "year 1777 bounty paid by the town
"Jotham Tuttle Joseph flood Bracket Leavit Sam' page Daniel flood John Caldwell
# All the younger and abler men in town formed a " training band," while all others in any town, under seventy years of age, formed the " alarm list," ealled out for drill twiee a year. See aet of the legislature Mareh 18, 1780.
§ " STATE OF ¿ To Committee of Safety May 8th 1777-
NEW HAMPSHIRE \ To Majr General Folsom - By Several Intelligenees and Cireum- stanees lately Received There is the Greatest Reason to Believe that the Enemies forees Will be Employed this Summer Against the New England States and there is the Greatest Probability that Some of them will shortly be landed in this State - Therefore we are Directed Immediately to Send Orders to the Several Colonels in this State to Give Orders onee more and Take The Strietest Care to see them fulfilled that all the Men in their Several Regiments be properly Equipt Ready To Marehi at a Minutes Warning both Alarm List and training Bands and further Recommended to all Persons Capable of Bearing Arms Constantly to convey their fire Arms Ammu- nition and Aeeoutrements for War to the Place of Publie Worship and all other places Where Their Business Leads them as much as they Can with any Degree of Convenience as we know not the Day or Hour when an attack may be made in our own borders and as it is of the Greatest Importance to meet our Enemies before they have time to Get much footing and to Stop Those Infernal Traitors Among ourselves who may be Disposed to help Them - M WEARE Chairman"
|| " BEDFORD May th 15 Day 1777-
" The Above is a Copy of Orders this Day Reecived -Therefore I desire you forth- with to see that your Company is Kept in Readiness at one minutes' Warning and that your men Equipt with Arms and amunition according to this - fail not in So Doing. DANIEL MOOR Coll
" To Capt Samuel Philbriek."
215
GENERAL BURGOYNE.
1777.]
May 15th, and said: " I desire you forthwith to see that your com- pany is Kept in Readiness at one minutes' warning and that your men be Equipt with Arms and amunition."
This thoroughly aroused the town. Maj. Samuel Page and Itha- mar Eaton, who lived on Sugar hill, at once went to Newburyport and bought a hundred weight of gun-powder and one hundred and sixty pounds of bar lead. The powder cost £30, and the lead £16; and Page and Eaton were paid six shillings for purchasing and transporting the town's stock of ammunition, and hiring the money to procure the same. Major Page and his son, Samuel Page, Jr., melted the lead into musket-balls for the town's use, and they were paid eighteen shillings and six shillings, respectively, for their labor .*
Burgoyne moved slowly. It was late in June when he began the siege of Ticonderoga. An express reached Colonel Hale in Rindge, Sunday, the 29th, stating that communication was cut off by eleven hundred inen this side of the lake. The enemy seemed to be on the road to New Hampshire.
This newst was sent east post haste. Colonel Moore, by Moses Kelley of Goffstown, June 30th, notified Captain Philbrick to raise one-quarter of the militia under his command, without loss of time. That very day all the men of the train band and alarm list in South Weare assembled at an early hour at Lieutenant Worthly's, and Captain Philbrick sent a lettert at once to Maj. Samuel Page, on
* " Newbury Port May 28th 1777 Messrs Samuel Page and Ithamar Eaton bought of william Cooms one hundred pounds of gun Powder at 6s. per pound £30 0s. 0d. WILLIAM COOMBS"
" Received ye abve in full
" Newbury Port May 28th 1777 Mr Sam" Page Bought of Benja Harrod 160 1b pound of bar Lead at 2s. pr pound £16 0s. 0d.
" Received the above
BENJAMIN HARROD."
t " RINGE Sunday June ye 29. 1777.
" I this moment Received an Express from Capt Bowker of Otter Creek by way of Coll Hammond informing that Ticonderoga is beseiged and a communication is cut off by Eleven hundred men this side the lake, you are therefore required if possible to raise one quarter part of your Militia and send forward without loss of time other- wise that Important Place will be lost " ENOCH HALE Coll
" To Capt Gershom Drury
" A copy of the above I received this moment from Coll Moor to acquaint you, Expecting you will raise one quarter of the Militia under your Command without loss of time -
" Goffstown June ye 30: 1777
" MOSES KELLEY
" To Captain Samuel Philbrick of Weare "
+ " To Majr Sam' Page Sir in consequence of the within orders, we are now assem- bled at Lieut Wortlys to forward our proportion of the men on this Side of the town and pray that you together with Serjant Hoit would do your utmost to raise the proportion of the men called for in his district and forward them to Number four to- morrow 1 SAMUEL PHILBRICK
" June ye 30th 1777 Dated at Weare "
1 Captain Philbrick's sword, which he wore on this occasion, and which he used when commanding his company, is now in the possession of Hon. Josiah G. Dear- born. It is a straight sword, handle with a lattice-work guard, leather scabbard, and will weigh about two pounds. It has remained most of the time at the old Phil- brick homestead, north-east of Mount Odiorne.
216
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1777.
Page hill, for him with Sergeant Hoyt to raise the proportion called for in their district, to march to Number Four to-mor- row.
The result of this action was that eight men set out at once, June 30th, towards Number Four, Lieut. Ebenezer Bailey at their head. For some reason, not now known, they only went twenty miles to the west, then turned back, and at the end of two days were at home again. The next year, 1778, they presented a bill to the state for services amounting to £5 13s. 9d .*
Captain Philbrick waited a few days, then July 7th, with twenty men and five horses to carry the baggage and provision, marched to Number Four. He had plenty of company on the road. Hun- dreds of men from all the neighboring towns were moving in that direction. There the news met them that Ticonderoga had been evacuated and that now they could give no assistance. So they marched home and were discharged July 11th. They were paid for five days' service, sixty miles' travel out and back, and for two baggage horses.t
The British advance was marching down through western Ver- mont while Captain Philbrick was on his way to Number Four and back. The Vermont Committee of Safety were alarmed. They sent an express to our state, saying, "New Hampshire will be the frontier state if we are driven out."
Our State Committee of Safety acted promptly ; the legislature was called ; it met July 17th. It knew the militia would turn out;
. *" Pay Roll of Lieut Ebenezer Baley's Compy which Compy march'd from Weare on the Alarm June 30th 1777, and were Two days in the Service.
Names
Rank
Amount wages for two days
Travel 20 miles out
Rations at 8 d
Amount
1 Ebenezer Baley.
Lieut
0.10. 9
0.2. 8
0.13 . 5
2
Caleb Whittaker.
Private
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0 .14 . 4
3 Thomas Worthley
do
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0.14 . 4
4 Jona Worthley.
do
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0 .14 . 4
5 John Page.
do
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0.14 . 4
6 Ezra Pillsbury.
do
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
1 . 14 . 4
7
Timothy Brown.
do
0. 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0.14. 4
8 Venus Emery.
do
0 . 6.0
8 .4
0.2.8
0.14 . 4
£ 5.13. 9
" This is a true Roll Attest
SAMEL PHILBRICK Cpt.
" In Committee on Claims } This Roll amounts to Five Pounds thirteen shillings Exeter Jany 28 1778 and nine pence - JOSIAH GILMAN JUNR."
t "Pay Roll of Captain Samuel Filbricks Company raised out of Colo Moores
217
BATTLE OF BENNINGTON
1777.]
but the State was poor, and how should they be paid ? who should command them ? John Langdon, the speaker of the house, did not hesitate ; he took the floor and said he would give all his silver plate, to be melted, all his Tobago rum, three hundred hogsheads, to be sold, and all his ready cash towards paying the troops. This patriotic offer roused the Assembly; they voted the money, made John Stark brigadier-general, and called out the militia.
Stark at once repaired to Charlestown, Number Four, and as fast as the soldiers arrived hurried them forward to Manchester, west of the Green mountains. Here they were organized into compa- nies and regiments. Stark sent forward the supplies, provisions, rum, ammunition, and got nervous over the lack of bullet moulds ; he had only one mould, but this was kept going night and day, making balls for the army. By Aug. 13th he had more than a
Regiment of Militia which Company march'd from Weare to Charlestown No 4 on the Alarm July 1777. Engaged July 7th 1777.
Names
Rank
Time of Time of dis- charge service Days
Rate per month
Amount of Wages
Travel out & home at 2% d Per mile
Rations. At 8 8
Amount
Samuel Philbrick
Capt
July 11
5
£12
£2
60
1.5.0
No.15 10s
2.10
Jesse Clements
Sergt
do
5
4.18s
16s 4
60
1.5
2. 1.4
John Webster
Corp1
do
5
4.14
15.8
60
1.5
2. 0.8
Joseph Quinby
private
do
5
4.10
15
60
1.5
2
Jonathan Martin
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Jonathan Page
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
2
Philip Hoit
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
2
John Mudget
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Samuel Cilley
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Moses Eastman
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Charles George
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Moses Emerson
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Ezekiel Cram
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Elijah Gove
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Joseph Colby
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Elijah Green
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
John Page
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Benjamin Hoit
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Timothy Brown
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
Thomas Worthly
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
2 Baggage Horses 60 Miles Out at 6d Per Mile is 30s Each
2 Days attending the Committee to get this Roll settled
16
£46.8.0
" This is a true Roll Attest SAMUEL PHILBRICK Capt.
"IN COMMITTEE ON CLAIMS } This Roll is right Cast & Amounts to Forty Six pounds Exeter, Janr 28th 1778 eight Shillings. JOSIAH GILMAN JUNR.
" Jan 28th 1778 Captain Sam1 Philbrick made Oath to the truth of this Roll Before M. WEARE J Peace
" Janr 28th 1778 Recd an Order On the Treasurer for forty Six pounds Eight Shil- lings the amount of this Roll SAML PHILBRICK Capt
" Copy Exd Per JOSIAH GILMAN Junr" - State Papers, vol. xv, p. 113.
17.2
25.10
42.12
Ebenezer Sargent
do
do
5
do
15
60
1.5
3
218
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1777.
thousand soldiers ; every town forwarding its quota. Weare sent fifteen men* to serve under Stark.
Burgoyne wanted provisions and horses for his army, and he sent Colonel Baum, Aug. 12th, with a thousand men, Hessians, tories and Indians, to procure them. The little army was to cross Vermont to Number Four, go down the Connecticut river, and returning through Massachusetts to join him at Albany.
Express came to Stark, Aug. 13th, that two hundred Indians, with others, had captured, at Cambridge fourteen miles from Ben- nington, fifteen Vermont men who were taking cattle, horses and carts to General Gates, and sent them to Burgoyne. Stark did not know of the advance of Baum, and he sent Lieutenant-Colonel Gregg with two hundred men to check the foragers. Soon after he followed with the rest of his men and met Gregg in full retreat before a force of Germans. These halted when they saw Stark and his men.
Baum intrenched his camp on a hill, sent for help to Burgoyne, who forwarded five hundred of his best troops and two pieces of cannon under Colonel Bryman.
The rain poured in torrents, Aug. 15th, and no move could be made. But the sun rose clear and bright Aug. 16th, a glorious day, and the troops being eager for action Stark determined to fight the enemy. He was very active, looking after all the details. He roused his men by the remark that "there's the red-coats, boys, they'll be ours before night or Molly Stark is a widow."
The British were within their intrenchments on both banks of the Hoosac river ; the tory breastworks being at the extreme right. Colonel Herrick, with three hundred men, marched in a circuit to attack from the west; Colonel Nichols went with a like force to fall on the right from the north; Stickney and Hobart advanced on the tories from the south, and Stark himself from the east.
Herrick's force fired the first gun, and then the fight became general. , The hardest contest was with the tories. They were in homespun suits, like the militia, and Stark ordered each of his men to put a corn-husk in his hat-band, that they might know friends from foes. The tories were behind breastworks and had the ad-
* " year 1777. two months to benington.
" Lieut. Samuel Brocklebank Daniel Emerson
Joseph Hadlock Ezra Pillsbury Isaac Sargent
Lieut William Dustin
Daniel Goold
Abner Hoit
John Ordway
Daniel Hadly Ephraim Jones
Reuben Trussell "
Paul Dustin
Jonathan Hadlock Ebenezer Mudgett
219
STARK'S TRIUMPH.
1777.]
vantage, as they exposed only their heads when they fired, but when the battle was over, it was found that every man in their pile of dead was shot in the forehead or betwixt the eyes. Stickney's and Hobart's men leaped over the breastworks and drove the traitor tories from their shelter. Herrick and Nichols and Stark rushed on, unmindful of the roar of Baum's cannon; they charged up the hill, no bayonets to their guns, leaped over the breastworks, had a hand-to-hand fight with the veteran troops of England and Germany, captured the cannon, killed Colonel Baum and took nearly all the survivors of his little army prisoners. The tories were the last to yield. Stark, in his report to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, said "our people behaved with the greatest spirit & bravery imaginable : Had they been Alexanders or Charleses of Sweden, they could not have behaved better."
The militia were exultant over their victory ; they partook of the abundant food, filled their canteens with rum that Stark had ordered up and dispersed to collect the plunder. This course almost proved their ruin. Bryman with his five hundred fresh troops and two cannon suddenly fell upon them. Not a regiment was in order, all were tired with hard fighting, and many had been sent away with prisoners. But Stark rallied them quickly, they did not stop to find their companies, but fell into line as they were, and the battle raged fiercer than ever. The Americans wavered at first, for Bryman trained his cannon upon them. But they soon regained their lost ground, and Colonel Warner coming up with a battalion of fresh troops, and Stark in person at the head of his men making a fierce onslaught, the British in turn wavered, then broke and fled in confusion, leaving behind cannon, baggage, wounded and everything that would impede their flight. Darkness only put a stop to the pursuit.
The British loss was two hundred and seven killed upon the field of battle, seven hundred and fifty prisoners, seven hundred stands of arms, eight brass drums, four brass cannon and a great amount of plunder.
Stark's loss was thirty killed and forty wounded. The Hessians were kindly treated, but the tories did not fare so well. They were tied in pairs and all to a leading rope, and this was hitched to a horse, which, with a soldier for a rider, dragged them, a hundred pairs, along the road, where they heard the curses and jeers of the people.
220
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1777.
This battle was the turning point of the American Revolution. It dispelled the gloom that was hanging like a cloud over the cause, filled the hearts of the patriots with joy, diffused confidence, sealed the fate of Burgoyne, brought about the alliance with France and resulted in the independence of the States.
Weare's fifteen men, on New Hampshire's historic field, aided in securing all this.
Some of our soldiers soon came home, but ten men* certain, with nearly two thousand other soldiers, marched under General Stark to New York, hung upon General Burgoyne's rear, cut off his re- treat and thus aided in his capture. They were gone two and one- half months.
Henry Archelaus, one of the Hessian prisoners taken at Benning- ton, came to Weare to live. He used to tell how on the morning of the battle he was sent out as a spy and came back and told the Hessians they had better put on their best clothes, for they would all be either killed or captured before night.
General Gates, the commander of the army opposing Burgoyne, was continually calling for men. Our Committee of Safety re- sponded promptly and ordered a draft in those towns where the quota was not forthcoming. Weare sent six of her most prominent citizenst to Fort Edward; they were gone but a short time, and when they came back ten more ment enlisted in the Continental army for six months, and one for a year.
They were in the three New Hampshire regiments, the best fight- ing men in the army, under Colonels Poor,§ Scammel and Dearborn ;
*" a List of those men that went under Colo Stark 2 months & 12 July 1777.
"paul Duston Daniel Emerson
Daniel Gold Isaae Sargent Daniel Hadley Lieut william Duston Lieut Samuel Broeklebank John Ordaway Jonathan Hadloek." Ezra Pillsbury
t " A List of those men that went to fort Edward 13 weeks year 1777
"Lieut Ithamar Eaton Samuel Worthen George Hadley
Lieut Caleb Atwood Obadiah Eaton Marden Emerson "
{ " those men that hired six munthis for the Continantel army year 1777 " Joseph Quimbe moses Quimbe asa whiteker william whiteker " Dr. Hoit Timothy Clougli
" Those men that hired six munths pr peaee for the Continantal army year 1777 " Sam' Bayley Caleb atwood william Quimbe Capt Jona Atwood " " Jacob Tuxbury hired twelve munths for the Continantal army year 1777"
§ Col. Enoeli Poor was of Exeter. He was made a eolonel of one of the three New Hampshire regiments in 1775; served with it eontinuously till Sept. 9, 1780, when he died. Washington thus announeed his death to eongress: "It is with extreme re- gret that I announce the death of Brigadier-General Poor on the 9thi instant, an offieer of distinguished merit, who, as a eitizen and a soldier, had every claim to the esteem of his country." A sketehi of his military eareer was recently published by Col. B. P. Cilley and was kindly furnished by S. C. Gould, one of the committee to publish this history.
221
THE PRISONERS TAKEN BY STARK.
1777.]
took part in the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga, and saw the surrender of Burgoyne. Ebenezer Sinkler was killed at Saratoga, and the town made provision for his widow and children .*
The prisoners taken by Stark and many of Burgoyne's army were sent to Cambridge. Soldiers were needed to guard them, and Weare sent eight ment to aid, perhaps, in this service. They were gone two months.
Jacob Carr was one of these soldiers. He often told how he was out for a walk one day and going by a large, brick house saw a small man back a large man against the side of it and cram horse manure into his mouth and down his throat. Carr asked the big man what he let the little chap do that for. The little fellow looked round and told Carr if he did not mind he would serve him the same way. Carr, who was a stout, double-fisted fellow, said he was not afraid. Quick as a flash the small man came at Carr on the run and when within a few feet jumped right over Carr's head, bring- ing his feet together as he flew through the air, against Carr's skull and knocked him down. Carr thought at first he was dead, but he got up, and the little fellow tried it again. This time Carr caught him by the legs, held him fast with his stiff hand, jammed him against the wall, made him beg and promise to be good. Of course the little fellow was real good after that.
And when all these services had been rendered and the town's quota filled, at a special town-meeting, held Dec. 1st, “ it was put to vote whether the town will Except of the allowances the Commit- tee have made to those persons that have served in this present War pursuant to a vote Past Last april ye 7th 1777. and It was voted to the Negative." The town righted this wrong the next year.
* " TO THE GENERAL COURT: Humbly sheweth, Mary Sinclear of halestown in the County of hillsborough in the State of Newhampshire widow -that her Late hus- band Ebenezer Sinclear was a soldier in General Poors Brigade, in Coll Silleys Regt & Capt Morrells Company, & was killed att Saratoga att the taking of Gen" Burgoin, & that your Petitioner is Left a widow with three small Children the Oldest of which is under the Age of fourteen, and is So much Disabled By a wound in His hand & other weakness of Body, which prevents your Petitioner from Getting a place for him to Learn him a trade - that She has, (By Selling her house hold Furniture & a Sett of Joiners tools which Belonged to her Late husband) provided places in the Country for her Children for the present, that her Late husband Died Intestate, Leaving one hundred & fifty Acres of wild Land in the town of wentworth it Being all the Estate he possessd, & that your Petitioner is now out to Servis her- selfe & finds it Verry Difficult to maintain herselfe, the Collector of taxes for the town of wentworth has Calld on her for taxes, Some part of which She has payd But is unable to pay the Remainder, She therefore prays your honors that She may Be Exempt from paying any more taxes for the Above Land untill her Children are of age & what Ever Else your honours, In your wisdom Shall please to Do in favour of your Petitioner & the Orphan Children, as in Duty Bound shall Ever pray " [Not granted.]
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