USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 14
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In the town meeting records there is but one more notice of any action of the town in raising men for military service in the Revolutionary war. This was April 3, 1782, when it was "Voted to raise one man as the cotoo (quota) for the town." They chose a committee to make a report in what manner to raise said man, and next voted to give John Wilcox when enlisted 15 (torn off) of good dry sugar to be delivered at Lieut. Lyon's house as a bounty. Every one that was delinquent in paying his sugar by the third Tuesday of the next April was to pay "dubel" his proportion of tax.
Regarding the character of Vermont soldiers, among them Royalton men, it is sufficient to quote from a letter which Gen. Burgoyne sent to England: "The New Hampshire Grants in particular, a country unpeopled and almost unknown in the last war, now abounds in the most active and rebellious race on the continent, and hangs like a gathering storm on my left."
We shall never know who of those living in town at the time they served their country in the Revolution, lie sleeping in our cemeteries. Many early graves are unmarked. Of this number it is very probable that some were soldiers. In the list of Revo- lutionary soldiers which follows, the final resting place of those who are buried in town is noted, so far as known.
Some of these patriots died before any pension law was enacted that would benefit them. The first pension law was passed as a resolution by the Continental Congress at Philadel- phia, Aug. 26, 1776. It provided for partial and total disability. If partial, the disabled ones were to be formed into an invalid corps. It took effect from its passage, but in 1778 it was made retroactive, so as to include all so disabled on and after April 19, 1775. They were to receive half pay during continuance of disa- bility.
On May 15, 1778, upon recommendation of Gen. Washing- ton, the Congress passed a law providing for pensioning all mili- tary officers commissioned by Congress, who should serve during
109
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
the war, and not hold any office of profit or trust in any of the states. They were to receive half pay for seven years, if they lived so long. Officers alone were benefited by this enactment. The first provision for widows and orphans was made Aug. 24, 1780. This benefited only the families of officers. They were to have the benefit of the law of May 15, 1778, in case of the death of the officer before the expiration of seven years. The widows and orphans of soldiers other than officers were pensioned by act of Aug. 11, 1790. A five-years' half-pay law was passed July 4, 1836, which by repeated extensions, became the basis of the present law relating to widows and orphans.
The first dependent pension law was passed March 18, 1818. This provided for those in need of assistance, who had served in the Revolution nine or more months. The pay was $20 a month for officers, and $8 for others. May 15, 1828, full pay was allowed for life to the survivors of the Revolution who en- listed for and during the war, and continued in its service until its termination. This act was extended June 7, 1832, to those who could not draw pensions under the act of 1828, provided they had served in the Continental Line, or state troops, volun- teers or militia, at one or more terms, a period of two years. They were to receive full pay according to rank, but not exceed- ing the pay of a captain. Those who had served less than two years, but not less than six months, drew a sum proportionate to their term of service as compared with two years.
Several laws were enacted for the benefit of those engaged in Indian wars, the first being April 30, 1790, and also for those in the Regular Army. Laws were passed in 1836 and 1846 pro- viding invalid pensions for those engaged in the Mexican War. Pension laws have been too numerous to mention them all. The drift has been more and more toward a generous policy in re- warding the services of those who endangered their lives that their country might live. Some of the soldiers of the Revolution surrendered their rights under one enactment, to avail themselves of a more liberal provision under a later one. This will explain how it chanced that some were pensioned more than once.
Those soldiers connected with Royalton that are known to have received pensions, have the fact recorded in the list at the end of this chapter. It cannot be hoped that this list is complete. Some omissions may, perhaps, be found in the genealogies of families, and others can be remedied only by those who know that such exist. It could be wished that not one of those who bravely fought in our struggle for independence, and who ever called Royalton their home, should fail of recognition in our town History, but the lapse of time and imperfect records must
110
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
be the excuse, if such is the case. A list of present pensioners will be found in the chapter devoted to the Civil War.
The Pay Roll of Capt. Joseph Parkhurst's Company of Militia for the service in the alarms on Aug. 9, Royalton, 1780, is given in the Vermont Revolutionary Rolls, pages 191-92. The men all enlisted Aug. 9th, and aside from the officers received one shilling, four pence per day. The Roll included Capt. Jo- seph Parkhurst, serving 3 days, Lieut. Calvin Parkhurst, 6 days, Lieut. Elias Stevens, 6 days, Sergt. Walbridge, 3 days, Sergt. Foster, 3 days, Sergt. Wheeler, 6 days, Sergt. Haven (Havens ?), 6 days, Sergt. Billings, 3 days, Corpl. How, 3 days, Corpl. Mosher, 3 days, John Crary, 3 days, John Hoboot (Hibbard), 3 days, Aaron Mosher, 3 days, Robert Handy, 6 days, Daniel Love- joy, 6 days, Daniel Havens, 6 days, Joseph Fish, 3 days, Medad Burton (Benton), 3 days, Jeremiah Presot (Trescott), 6 days, Nathan (Nathaniel) Morse, 6 days, Reuben Parkhurst, 6 days, Luther Ede, 3 days, Adam Durkee, 6 days, Elisha Kent, 6 days, Matthew Harrington, 3 days, Abel Fairbanks, 3 days, Zacheus Downer, 3 days, Lackin (Larkin) Hunter, 3 days, Nehemiah Lovejoy, 3 days, Jason Downer, 3 days, Asa Stevens, 3 days, Benj. Parkhurst, 3 days, Benj. Day, 3 days, Standish Day, 3 days, Phineas Parkhurst, 3 days, Penl Parkhurst, 3 days, and a name erased. The Pay Roll ends with the following :
"Pay Table Office. The within pay roll examined and approved and the Treasurer is directed to pay the same to Capt. Joseph Park- hurst or bearer, being the sum of seventeen pounds eleven shillings and three pence, with the addition of rations, lawful money. Thos. Chittenden,
Arlington, 12 Jan. 1781. John Fasset, Committee Vermont, Windsor County, ss. May 23, 1781. Sworn before Joel Marsh, Justice of Peace.
Recd. of the Treasurer, in behalf of Capt. Joseph Parkhurst, the contents of the within roll. 12th June 1781.
Amos Robinson"
The roll of his company serving three days in the Royalton alarm was smaller and quite different. It included Lieut. Elias Stevens; Sergts. Jos. Edson, John Billings, and Isaac Pinney ; Corps. Heman Durkee and Phineas Parkhurst; Joseph Green, Oliver Pinney, Timothy Hibbard, Ralph Day, Robert Handy, Elisha Hart, Daniel Havens, John Evans, Medad Benton, Joseph Wallow (Waller), Rufus Rude (he was not living at this time), Nathl. Moss (Morse), Nathan Morgan, Stephen Burrus (Bor- roughs), Zebulon Burrus, Samuel Joslin, Jeremiah Triscut, and Comfort Sever, privates.
Capt. Daniel Gilbert's Company pursued the enemy, trav- elled 30 miles and served four days at the time of the Indian raid. The Captain drew twenty shillings a day, the Lieutenant fifteen,
111
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
the Sergeants six, the Clerk six, the Corporal five and six pence, and the privates five shillings. The Pay Roll shows the follow- ing membership: Daniel Gilbert, Capt., Abel Fairbanks, Lieut., John Walbridge, Sergt., Jacob Foster, Sergt., Zacheus Downer, Clerk, Simeon How, Corp., Jonathan How, Samuel Ladd, Larkin Hunter, Jason Downer, Wright Spalding, John Crery, Stephen March (Marsh ?), Elisha Kent, Daniel Lovejoy, Ashbel Ladd, Pierce Parkhurst, Azel Spalding, Joel Marsh, privates. His Pay Roll ends as follows :
"The within pay roll is for service done in Royalton Alarm the 16th Oct. 1780. Daniel Gilbert, Capt.
Pay Table Office, Oct. 24, 1781. The within Pay Roll examined and approved and the Treasurer is hereby directed to pay to Daniel Gilbert or order the within sum, being sixteen pounds two shillings and ten pence, lawful money
Timo Brownson, Thos Chandler,
Comee.
John Strong,
j
Date above rec'd of the Treasurer the contents of the above order in behalf of Danl Gilbert. Joel Marsh."
ROYALTON'S REVOLUTIONARY ROLL.
Name
Col. or Regt.
Capt. or Co.
State
Year
Ames, David
R. Dow
N. H.
1775
Lilley
J. House
N. H. Cont.
1776
Buried in Havens Cem.
Atherton, Matthew
Pensioned under Act of 1832. Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Back, Lyman
Conn. Militia
Backus, Stephen 8th 2nd Conn. Cont. 1775
Pensioned Sep. 25, 1833. Buried in N. Royalton Cem. Fifer.
Bacon, Jareb D. Brewster
J. Packard
Mass.
1775
Corp. Re-enlisted in 1777.
Banister, Jason B. Wait
J. Benjamin
Vt. Militia
1781
Pensioned under Act of 1832. Drummer.
Elias Wild
Vt. Militia
1780
Banister, Timothy B. Wait
J. Benjamin
Vt. Militia 1781
Drummer in 1780, Fifer in 1781.
Benton, Jonathan
J. Safford
Vt. Rangers
Peter Olcott
Tim. Bush
Vt. Militia
1781
Benton, Medad
Strong
N. Y.
1776
Abel Marsh S
Vt. Militia
1777
Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Lieutenant.
Conn. Cont. 1775 Billings, John
Pen. Nov. 3, 1819 and June 7, 1832. Buried N. Royalton Cem.
Bingham, Thomas Wales Conn. Line 1775
Served also in 1777-78. Received $240 yearly pension 1819; dropped in 1820. Buried in Havens Cem.
Bosworth, Benj.
Mass.
Served in 1775 in Lexington Alarm; en. in Capt. Nath. Carpen- ter's Co., Col. Tim. Walker; July 1, 1776, en. with Capt. Isaac Hodges, Col. Eben. Francis; Jan., 1777, with Capt. Stephen Bul-
Mass. Cont.
Pensioned June 21, 1833. Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
112
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
Name Col. or Regt. Capt. or Co. State
Year
lock, Col. Thos. Carpenter; fall of 1777 as Corp with Capt. Nath. Carpenter, Col. Whitney; late fall, 1777, in Peleg Peck's Regt .; May 1, 1778, Orderly Serg. with Capt. Jacob Fuller, Col. John Jacob; winter, 1780-81, Lieut. with Col. Hathaway; July 1, 1781, Lieut. with Capt. Elisha Gifford, Col. William Turner; went with Generals Spencer and Sullivan in the Expedition to R. I. Pen- sioned in 1832. Buried in the Lindley Cem.
Brewster, David P. Olcott J. Hazen Vt. Militia 1777
Cheedle, Timothy
B. Durkee Vt. Militia 1781
Buried in Royalton Broad Brook Cem. Clapp, Samuel, Jr.
Mass. Cont.
Pensioned July 14, 1819; suspended under Act of 1820. Buried in N. Royalton Cem. Sergeant.
Clark, Paul
Silas Wild 2 Mass. Cont. 1775
Eliph. Sawen Mass. Cont. 1777
Served until 1780. Pensioned under Act, 1818. Buried in Wil- liston.
Cleveland, Squire
Branch Conn. Mil. 1
Conn. Cont. § 1778
Pensioned Mar. 5, 1819, and again June 7, 1832. Buried in East Bethel.
Cleveland, Sam'l Pensioned Aug. 31, 1833.
Conn.
Cole, Benjamin
Ledyard
A. Waterman
Conn. Militia 1777
Served 1778 and 1779 with Captains Tyler and Josh. Bottom; Corp. with Capt. Bottom, Col. Wells, in 1780; Corp. with Capt. Robbens, Col. Mcclellan, 1781; last service as substitute for his father; pensioned as Sergt. under Act of 1832. Buried in Dewey Cem.
Crandall, Gideon Averill Conn. Militia 1782
Served also in R. I. Militia. Pensioned Sep. 30, 1833. Buried in
Branchview Cem.
Curtis, Samuel Hoisington Hatch N. Y. Militia 1776
Served with Capt. William Heaton in Vt. Militia, 1777; with Capt. Sol. Cushman, Vt. Volunteers, 1778, with Captains E. Burton and Tim. Bush, Col. Olcott, 1780.
Davis, Nathan Pensioned under Act of 1818.
N. H. Cont.
Day, Benjamin Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
J. Parkhurst Vt. Militia 1780
Day, Standish
J. Parkhurst
Vt. Militia
1780
Day, Ralph
J. Parkhurst Vt. Militia 1780
Conn. Cont.
Dewey, Ebenezer Ashley Buried in Dewey Cem.
J. Safford Vt. Rangers 1780
Durkee, Heman Maj. E. Allen Corp. Also in J. Parkhurst's Co. Buried in N. Royalton. Cem. J. Safford Vt. Rangers 1780
Durkee, Timothy Also in J. Parkhurst's Co. Evans, Cotton
Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Lieut. Morris 2 Conn. Militia 1776
Spalding Conn. Militia 1778
J. Parkhurst
Vt. Militia 1780 Mass. Cont.
Evans, John Fairbanks, Calvin
Pensioned Oct. 4, 1833.
Buried in S. Royalton Cem. E. Mack N. H. Militia 1777
Dewey, Darius, Corp. Pensioned April 4, 1834.
113
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
Name Col. or Regt. Capt. or Co.
State
Year
Fish, Joseph
Fowler, Elisha A.
J. Parkhurst Vt. Militia Branch Conn. Cont. 1778
1780
Pensioned Dec. 2, 1819, and under Act of 1832.
Gains, James
Mass. Cont.
Pension secured by town under Act of 1818. Died Jan. 11, 1825; probably buried in town.
Gilbert, Daniel 8th 3d Conn. 1775
Corp. with Capt. William Heaton, Vt. Militia, Col. Peter Olcott, 1777; Lieut. with Capt. E. Parkhurst, Vt. Militia, 1781. Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Green, Irijah
Mass. Cont.
Pensioned July 7, 1819.
Handy, Robert Peter Olcott
W. Heaton Vt. Militia 1777
J. Parkhurst 5 Vt. Militia 1780
Havens, Daniel
J. Parkhurst
Vt. Militia 1780
Havens, Joseph 8th
7th
Conn. 1775
Strong N. Y. Militia 1776
Peter Olcott
W. Heaton J
Vt. Militia 1777
Havens, James Vose
D. Sears
Mass. Cont. 1775
Served till spring of 1783; pension secured by town under Act of 1818; died in 1825; probably buried in town.
Hibbard, John, Jr.
J. Parkhurst Vt. Militia 1780
Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Hide, Jedediah Branch
Conn. Militia 1778 Conn. Militia
Pensioned Aug. 28, 1833. Buried in Branchview Cem.
Howe, Samuel
N. H. Cont.
Pensioned May 14, 1833. Buried in Havens Cem.
Howe, Squire
Pensioned Oct. 4, 1833; probably buried in Barnston, Que.
Hutchinson, John Hoisington
J. Hatch N. Y. 1776
Peter Olcott
W. Heaton § Vt. 1777
Pensioned April 30, 1833; buried in N. Royalton Cem. Served in Conn. Militia.
Huntington, Jas. J. Huntington 8th
Conn. Cont.
At Lexington and Bunker Hill. Buried in Howard Cem. Sergt. Branch Conn. Militia 1778
Jones, William
J. Safford Vt.
1780
Lee
O. Train
Vt. Militia 1781
Corporal.
Kent, Elisha
Strong
N. Y. 1776
Tim. Bush
Vt.
1777
J. Parkhurst J
Vt. Militia
1780
Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Kent, John T. Beedle
E. Allen
J. Safford
Vt. Militia
1780
Taken prisoner Oct. 16, 1780.
T. Bush
Vt. 1777
Tim. Beedle S. Cushman
N. H. 1778
With the Rangers under Lieut. Beriah Green in 1781; enlisted five times, and served 20 months; pensioned under Act of 1832; buried in Sharon Broad Brook Cem.
Lovejoy, William James Fry
B. Ames
Mass. 1775
At Lexington; buried in Sharon Broad Brook Cem.
8
S. Cushman N. H. 1778
Lovejoy, Daniel J. Marsh
Jo. Marsh
Joiner, William E. Allen
Conn. Militia
Howard, William
Conn. 1777
114
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
Name Col. or Regt.
Capt. or Co. State
Year
Lyman, Ezekiel J. Huntington B. Throop
Conn. Line 1777 Served three years. Is thought to have been a soldier in the French and Indian War in Capt. John Terry's Co., 1st Regt., in campaign of 1755, under Major Phineas Lyman, and to have been pensioned under Act of 1818. Supposed to have been buried on the Lewis Skinner farm.
Lyon, Zebulon, Lieut.
B. Wait N. Y.
1776
E. Allen J. Safford Vt. Militia 1780
With Capt. Abel Marsh, N. H. troops, 1777; buried in N. Royal- ton Cem.
Metcalf, Sam'l, Jr.
Pensioned Aug. 31, 1833; buried in Metcalf Cem.
J. Benjamin Vt. Militia 1781
Miles, Ephraim B. Wait In battle of Saratoga. Buried in Potsdam, N. Y.
C. Cilley N. H. 1775
See cut of commission. Buried in Royalton Broad Brook Cem.
Morgan, Nathan Peter Olcott
W. Heaton Vt. 1777
J. Parkhurst
Vt. Militia 1780
Corporal.
Morgan, Roswell A. Marsh N. H. 1777
T. Bush
Vt. Militia 1780
Recruited for Seelye in 1778, served under him as Lieut. in 1782. Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Morse, Nathaniel
Probably in the Lexington Alarm, from Preston, Conn. Buried
in Havens Cem.
Noble, Nehemiah
Calkins Conn. Militia 1777
Buried in Bethel.
Packard, Benj.
Sergeant. Pensioned Oct. 12, 1818. Buried in Royalton Broad Brook Cem.
Parkhurst, Benj. J. Marsh
T. Bush
2
Vt.
1777
J. Parkhurst S
Vt. Militia 1780
Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Parkhurst, Calvin Peter Olcott
W. Heaton
Vt. 1777
Sergeant. Buried in Rutland probably.
Parkhurst, Jabez E. Allen
J. Safford
Vt.
1780
Parkhurst, Joseph
Vt. Militia 1780
Captain. Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Parkhurst, Phin. Hoisington
Peter Olcott
W. Heaton
T. Beedle
S. Cushman
Fifer. Buried in Lebanon, N. H.
Paul, Kiles Branch
Pensioned Mar. 8, 1833. Probably buried in Howe Cem.
Perrin, Asa
Williams
Paine
Conn. Cont. 1777
Buried in Perrin Lot, No. 1.
Pinney, Isaac
Branch
Conn. Militia 1778
Sergeant. Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Richardson, G. J. Reed P. Thomas
Wait
Pensioned Oct. 11, 1833; buried in E. Bethel. Root, John
Pensioned June 21, 1833. Buried in Havens
Rude, Rufus 8th 10th
Buried in S. Royalton Cem. Died in 1779.
[N. Y.
1776
Vt. Militia 1777
N. H.
1778
Conn. Militia 1778
N. H. Cont.
1775
Vt. 1780
Conn. Militia
Cem.
Conn. Cont. 1775
Mass. Cont.
Morgan, Benj.
Conn. Militia
115
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
Name Col. or Regt. Capt. or Co.
State
Year
Russ, Jeremiah
J. Safford
Vt.
1778
E. Weld
Vt. 1780
Corp. in Capt. J. Benjamin's Co., Col. Benj. Wait 1781. Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Sever, Comfort Wheelock S. Payne N. Y. 1777
Lieut in Capt. Payne's Co .; Capt. of a Company of Vt. Militia in 1781.
Skinner, Isaac Conn.
Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Skinner, Luther
Conn. Militia
Pensioned Sept. 25, 1833. Died in Royalton, probably buried here.
Salisbury Vt. Cont. 1777
Stevens, Abel
As Capt. he had a Co. in Col. Nichols' N. H. Regt. in 1780.
Hoisington
J. Hatch
N. Y.
1776
Stevens, Elias
Beedle
S. Cushman
N. H.
1778
Sergt. in 1776, Lieut. in 1778. Pensioned Sep. 25, 1833, on his service in the Conn. Militia as Sergt. and Lieut. Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Stevens, Elkanah Conn. Militia
Pensioned Aug. 24, 1833.
Storrs, Huckens B. Wait E. Gates Vt. 1781
Buried in S. Royalton Cem.
Taggart, Joseph
Corporal. Pensioned July 7, 1819, under Act of 1832.
Trescott, Experience D. Woodward N. H. 1776
J. Chase
1779
E. Allen J. Safford Vt. 1780
With Lieut. Beriah Green, Vt. Militia, 1782.
Buried in Royal-
ton Broad Brook Cem.
Trescott, Jeremiah
D. Woodward N. H. 1776
S. Payne
N. Y. 1777
Buried in Havens Cem.
Walbridge, Isaac J. Chase
N. H. 1777
Sergeant. Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Waldo, Zacharia J. Durkee
Conn.
1781
Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Waller, Joseph
B. Green
Vt. Militia
1782
Waller, Israel Buried in Howe Cem.
J. Parkhurst
Vt. Militia
1780
Waterman, Abra., Jr.
Conn. Cont.
Pensioned Sep. 25, 1833. Buried in Branchview Cem.
Waterman, Wm. Putnam 4th Conn. Cont. 1775 Sergeant; wounded at White Plains; pensioned Mar. 4, 1795; pen- sion increased twice; buried in Havens Cem.
E. Parkhurst Vt. Militia 1781
Wheeler, Josiah Sergeant. Buried in Barnston, Que.
N. H. 1777
Pensioned Sep. 26, 1833, on service in Conn. Cont.
Wilcox, John E. Allen J. Safford Vt. 1780
Wait B. Green Vt. 1781
Woodworth, Tim. J. Huntington Ely Conn. Cont. 1777
Served till 1780. Pensioned under Act of 1818.
Woodward, E. Sr. A. Ward B. Cutler Conn. 1776
Pensioned in 1818. Buried in N. Royalton Cem.
Wooley, Jona. A. Scammel W. Ellis N. H. 1777
Wills, Sylvanus J. Chase
N. H. Cont.
CHAPTER XI.
(A REPRINT OF THE NARRATIVE of ZADOCK STEELE.)
THE INDIAN CAPTIVE OR A
NARRATIVE
OF THE
Captihity and Sufferinga OF
ZADOCK STEELE.
RELATED BY HIMSELF.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN ACCOUNT
OF THE
BURNING OF ROYALTON.
Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
JOEL.
MONTPELIER, VT. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. E. P. WALTON, PRINTER. 1818.
ZADOCK STEELE.
C
117
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
District of Vermont, To wit :
( L. S. ) Be it remembered, that on the twenty-fifth day of January, in the forty-second year of the Independence of the United States of America, Horace Steele, of the said District, hath deposited in this office, the title of a Book, the right whereof, he claims as Proprietor, in the words following, to wit:
"The Indian Captive; or a narrative of the captivity and sufferings of Zadock Steele. Related by himself. To which is prefixed, an account of the burning of Royalton. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers ? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children, another generation .- Joel."
In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and pro- prietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned."
Jesse Gove Clerk of the District of Vermont.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Author of this work neither seeks, nor expects praise. To preserve in memory the sufferings of our fathers, is the prin- cipal object of its publication. As no particular account of the burning of Royalton, had ever before been published, it was thought advisable that it should be prefixed to the "Narrative," which was about to be printed.
The great confusion which prevailed on that dreadful day ; the long lapse of time since the event; the disadvantages result- ing from the frailty of human recollection, and the writer's inex- perience, is the only apology he offers for the imperfections of the work.
For the information respecting this tragical scene, he is in- debted to the goodness of General Stevens, Colonel Edson, and others, who were eye-witnesses.
118
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
BURNING OF ROYALTON.
As an union of interest always strengthens the bonds of affec- tion; so a participation in extreme suffering will never fail to produce a mutual sensibility. Prompted by a generous glow of filial love and affection, we generally take delight in surveying whatever gave our forefathers joy ; and are ready to drop a sym- pathetic tear, when we review the sufferings which they have undergone. But, contrary to the laws of sympathy, and justice, the attention of the public is often engrossed with accounts of the more dreadful conflagrations of populous cities in foreign countries, or the defeat of armies in the field of carnage; while the destruction of small frontier settlements, by the Indian tribes, in our own country, is, at the same time, little known, if not entirely forgotten. Thus, the miseries of our neighbors and friends around us, whose bitter cries have been heard in our streets, are too often suffered to pass unnoticed down the current of time into the tomb of oblivion.
The burning of Royalton was an event most inauspicious and distressing to the first settlers of that town. Nor is it a little strange, that, among the numerous authors, who have recorded the events of the American revolution, some of them have not given place in their works to a more full detail of that afflictive scene.
Laboring under all the difficulties and hardships to which our infant settlements were generally subject; and striving by persevering industry to soar above every obstacle, which might present itself to obstruct their progress; they had filled their barns with the fruits of the land ; their store-houses were crowded with the comforts of life, and all nature seemed to wear a propi- tious smile. All around them promised prosperity. They were far removed from the noise of war, and, though conscious of their danger, fondly hoped they should escape the ravages of a savage foe.
Royalton was chartered in the year 1779. A considerable settlement, however, had taken place previous to that time; and the town was in a thriving condition. Large stocks of cattle, which would confer honor upon the enterprise of farmers in old countries, were here seen grazing in their fields.
United by common interest; living on terms of friendship, and manifesting that each one in a good degree "loved his neigh- bor as himself," harmony prevailed in their borders; social hap- piness was spread around their firesides; and plenty crowned their labors. But, alas! the dreadful reverse remains to be told ! While joys possessed, were turned to sorrows, their hopes for joys to come, were blasted. And as the former strongly marked the
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
grievous contrast between a state of prosperity and affliction ; the latter only showed the fallacy of promising ourselves the future.
On the morning of the 16th of October, A. D. 1780-before the dawn of day, the inhabitants of this town were surprised by the approach of about three hundred Indians, of various tribes. They were led by the Caghnewaga tribe, and had left Canada, intending to destroy Newbury, a town in the eastern part of Ver- mont, on Connecticut River. A British Lieutenant by the name of Horton, was their chief commander, and one LeMott, a French- man, was his second. Their pilot or leader, was a despicable villain, by the name of Hamilton, who had been made prisoner, by the Americans at the taking of Burgoyn, in 1777. He had been at Newbury and Royalton the preceding summer, on parole of honor, left the latter place with several others under pretence of going to survey lands in the northern part of this State, and went directly to the enemy. He was doubtless the first instigator of those awful depredations which were the bitter fruits of this expedition, and ought to stamp his name with infamy and dis- grace.
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