USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 48
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In the Vermont Journal of April 10, 1788, Col. Paul Brig- ham announced the appointment of Zabad Curtis as quarter- master for the second brigade. On November 2, 1791, Elias Stevens was elected brigadier general in place of Gen. Brigham, who had been promoted. Gen. Stevens had probably risen to this position by successive promotions, as was customary. The next year he inserted a notice in the Vermont Journal announc- ing the appointment of Zabad Curtis as brigade major for the third brigade. In 1793 he, still as brigadier general of the third brigade, under date of March 9th, notified all staff and commis- sioned officers to meet at the dwelling house of Timothy Shepard in Sharon, ("where Capt. Daniel Gilbert formerly lived,") on June 20, at 2 o'clock, "all completely in uniform in order for exercise." This notice appeared also in the Vermont Journal.
There was only one higher position of active service that Gen. Stevens could gain in the militia. The date of his promo- tion has not been ascertained, but on Oct. 29, 1799, Major Gen- eral Zebina Curtis was elected for the fourth division to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Major General Elias Ste- vens. Gen. Stevens had recently passed his forty-fifth birthday,
430
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
and might justly have looked back with a pardonable degree of pride and satisfaction on his military record. Probably no other resident of Royalton ever before reached so high a position in the militia forces of Vermont.
By the treaty of peace in 1783 the British were to hold mili- tary posts in the states. Two of these posts were near Alburgh, Vermont, which then was not an organized town. Later it per- fected an organization and sent a representative to the Assem- bly. Friction was unavoidable, with a recent foe so near exer- cising jurisdiction independent of Vermont, and loud complaints were made about British interference. Both sides were prob- ably to blame, and the United States government began to be alarmed, lest Vermont should drag the nation into another war. The trouble was investigated and affidavits made on both sides. In 1794 Samuel D. Searle furnished one of these, which follows: "Samuel D. Searle of Lawfull Age testifys & says that on or about the 12th Inst He saw a Batteau coming from Windmill point, towards Mr. Corbin's in the Bay-when the sd Boat had come from ye point a certain distance, he heard firing of Cannon from the Ship, (the Maria,) & fort at point au fer, and soon saw a Ship's Boat, mann'd out, and mak- ing to Corbins-But before ye Ship's Boat came on shore-the Batteau had first arrived-With Two persons on Board-with near forty Bushels of Salt & a Puncheon of Rum, with some small matters besides-for the use of the hands-In a few minutes after the Arrival of this Boat, came the Ship's Boat, with an Armed force & demanded of Mr. Corbin to go on Boat & take it to the ship-This he positively refused & in the presence of this dept. & of a Number of other witnesses, peremptor- ily forbid them to meddle with the Boat-& that neither they nor their Master had business to take away the Boat from the Shore-which if they did do, they did it (at) their peril-They asserted it was their orders-& took the Boat & Cargo & towed it away from the shore towards the Ship.
Alburgh August 18th 1794.
Attest Samuel D. Searle"
Roswell Mills gave a similar affidavit to substantiate the complaint of Royal Corbin, who was in the mercantile line, and was overhauled by the British armed vessel because they claimed that his boat was within their line. With this trouble brewing, there was new activity in the militia forces. In October, 1794, Congress passed an act requiring a detachment of Vermont militia to be in readiness as minute men. A company of cavalry was raised that year. In June Gov. Chittenden ordered a de- tachment of three regiments, consisting of 2,129 men to be held in readiness at a minute's notice. No doubt some of the Revolu- tionary heroes scented a conflict with their old foe with a sense of exultation, but their martial spirit had to die of inanition. The President sent John Jay as envoy to England, by whose good services the trouble was settled, and Secretary Knox in- formed Gov. Chittenden that "the statu quo as it existed immedi- ately after the peace of 1783 is to be inviolably observed. All
431
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
encroachments since that period are to be abandoned." Through Mr. Jay's influence the British posts were evacuated "on or be- fore the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six."
The young nation had not proved fully its ability to keep on the wing and steer a safe course, when misunderstandings arose between it and the country to which it owed such a debt of gratitude for timely aid during the Revolutionary period. In 1797 Congress provided for a force of detached militia in view of a probable war with France or other foreign nation, but again the militia was not called upon to prove its mettle.
There were many exempts, and it was natural that those who did not take kindly to compulsory military service should be somewhat envious of these "exempts." In November, 1798, the legislature passed an act authorizing the formation of volun- teer companies from these exempts, and the incorporating of them with the regular militia. This led to numerous companies of such volunteers. In 1801 the legislature received a petition asking it to lessen "the numerous train of exempts," so that they should not be excused from military duty.
Up to this time the men had been required to arm and equip themselves. At the October session of 1801 the Governor ad- vised that the state furnish arms to the militia, and field artil- lery for the use of the several brigades. It was proposed to raise a company of artillery at St. Albans. Gen. Ira Allen wrote to the Assembly that he had purchased arms in France for the citizens of Vermont, according to suggestions of Gov. Chittenden, and asked the privilege of furnishing such arms. The matter does not seem to have been settled, and came up again the next year. In 1808 the militia was made up of infantry, light in- fantry, artillery, and cavalry. The Assembly informed the Gov- ernor and Council that the companies of artillery were almost destitute of ordnance and apparatus. They added that the United States had in their arsenals large supplies of artillery which were idle, and would be loaned to the states on applica- tion of the proper authority, by giving security for safe keeping and return, and requested the Governor to ask for twenty pieces of artillery and suitable apparatus to accompany them. This request was the result of a Congressional act of that year, and the loaning of arms was a practice followed by the national gov- ernment in its efforts to strengthen the available military force of the country.
The active service of the militia was required a few years after this in the war of 1812. The record of the militia in this war is given by itself. There is no evidence in our town records that any company of militia was ever formed in Royalton, ex-
1
432
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
cept an incidental reference to Capt. Bingham's company during the war just mentioned. An examination of the militia officers belonging at one time or another to Royalton will lead one to believe that a town so prominent in furnishing commanding officers was surely not behind in furnishing companies of militia. From the admirable history of Woodstock militia, written by Henry Swan Dana, it is found that Royalton did have such com- panies. Mr. Dana describes the muster of the 1st brigade, 4th division of the militia of Vermont, which occurred in Septem- ber or October, 1814, at Woodstock. He says this was the only brigade muster ever held in this section. Quotations from his pen are given, one, an account of a muster day in general, and the other a description of this particular muster in 1814.
"The several companies came on the ground with their own music, drums and fifes, each playing a different tune as they marched to the lines, making the most perfect medley of martial airs,-a complete babel of sounds. As they approached the parade-ground the adjutant and his assistant, the sergeant-major, both on horseback, were the busiest men alive; their plumes were seen dancing about in all direc- tions, until at length they succeeded in quieting the confusion and clatter of the field, and bringing the companies into line preparatory to the grand day's work. The regiment was then formed in two bat- talions, and the companies took post according to their rank. The battalions were then counted off into platoons and the officers posted. A guard was detailed under the command of a lieutenant, with a ser- geant, a corporal, a drummer and fife, and assigned to their duty in guarding the limits of the parade-ground. When this was accom- plished, the cavalry, at the sound of a broken-winded brazen instru- ment, called a trumpet, were sent off to escort the officers at the inn to the parade-ground. The cavalry returned with the three field offi- cers (who until 1818 were a lieutenant-colonel and two majors, after- ward a colonel, lieutenant-colonel and major), who were received by the regiment with presented arms. The lieutenant-colonel took post in front of the first battalion, the first major in front of the second bat- talion, and the second major in the rear of the first battalion. The lieutenant-colonel drew his sword and gave his order, 'Attention the
first battalion! Shoulder arms!' The first major drew his sword and
gave his order, 'Attention the second battalion! Shoulder arms!' Sev- eral orders were then given by the lieutenant colonel and repeated by the first major. Presently the cavalry, under the blast of the trumpet, brought on to the ground the reviewing general and his staff, who passed in the front, receiving the customary salute. Meantime the drummers and fifers had been collected into two bands, one being placed in front of the first battalion and the other in front of the second bat- talion, and they cheered the general, as he passed along the line, with the customary salute and grenadier march. The regiment was then put in motion, platoons wheeling on their right and taking up the line of march to pass the general in review, and the congregated fifers put in their highest and shrillest notes, while the drummers rattled and beat, to the admiration of the martial band and the thronging spectators, male and female, who crowned every eminence that over- looked the field." Three regiments were engaged in the brigade muster of 1814 at Woodstock.
433
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
"Companies from Norwich, Hartford, Windsor, and Hartland com- posed the first or Hartland regiment; Royalton, Sharon, etc., made up the second or Royalton regiment; Plymouth, Reading, Bridgewater, Pomfret, and Woodstock, the third. Attached to the brigade were two companies of artillery, one from Hartland, the other from Windsor; and also a squadron of cavalry, consisting of three companies, one each from Royalton, Hartland, and Woodstock. Colonel Alexander, early in the morning of muster-day, paraded his regiment on King's flat, and then sent an officer to Gen. Wood for orders of the day. The general told the officer he must call on Major Beriah Green for orders, to whom he had delegated the command of the brigade for the occasion. When the officer delivered this order to Colonel Alexander, the colonel, swearing he would not train under a United States officer, marched his regiment at once to the Common, and drew up in front of the court-house, the regiment facing it and looking toward the north. Next south of him the 3d regiment was drawn up, and behind the third the 2d regiment came, the lines of the several regiments extending from the lower to the upper end of the Common. On the right of the first regiment the artillery and cavalry were sta- tioned." After a while the militia marched off to the meadows near the stone mill on the North Branch, and formed again. "About the middle of the afternoon the general, having found a peg to hang his hat on while buckling his belt, next took the hat down, and, having put it on, was escorted to the parade-ground by a detachment of the 'Troop,' where he remained a short time, and then retired from the field.
Finding matters going thus, and the case growing more dubious every moment, the field-officers called a council to consider the situa- tion. While they were thus engaged in consultation the soldiers on the right began to flash and squib, whereupon the rest of the line took up the signal, and the flashing and squibbing redoubled. The officers seeing there was like to be trouble and division in the ranks, if action was delayed, broke up the council, and the colonels returning to their regiments soon dismissed them, it being now sundown. Most of the soldiers scattered from the field and went home. The Royalton regiment stopped overnight at Winslow's tavern. They cut up fearfully. Among other performances they got hold of an old andiron, knocked the head off, and called it by the name of General Wood. Then followed a long string of proceedings to celebrate the death and burial of the general, and he was consigned to his last rest- ing-place with all the ceremony and pomp of military parade."
The refusal of these militia men to train under any other than their own officers was quite in accord with the stand taken by Gov. Chittenden, mentioned in another place. At this time Lovell Hibbard was lieutenant-colonel of this regiment which staid overnight at Winslow's tavern, but who the other Royalton men were we can only conjecture.
In 1822 the legislature directed the apportionment of 2,500 stands of arms which had been received from the United States. They went to the several towns and were deposited with the selectmen. In 1825 Gov. Van Ness advised calling them in, especially as it was expected an arsenal would be built. The act appropriating money for this purpose was repealed, and in 1828 the United States built an arsenal at Vergennes. In 1833
28
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
the legislature ordered the arms to be collected in one or more places.
Militia men were exempt from poll tax, and parents and guardians who equipped minors were allowed a deduction of twenty dollars from their list for every minor so equipped. By the law of 1818 every town was required to keep constantly on hand thirty-two pounds of gunpowder, one hundred weight of lead or musket balls, and one hundred and twenty-eight flints for every sixty-four soldiers enrolled in the militia of the town. That year sixteen men were listed in Royalton as soldiers, and four others had "horses of cavalry." These four were Thomas Clapp, Samuel Curtis, Simeon Parkhurst, and Ebenezer Rix. Each horseman was to furnish himself with "a serviceable horse, of at least fourteen hands and a half high, a good saddle, bridle, mail-pillion, and valise, holsters, a breast plate and crupper, a pair of boots and spurs, a pair of pistols and sabre, a cartridge box to contain twelve cartridges for pistols."
The flag of the militia was established by legislative act of Oct. 31, 1803, when it was enacted that from and after May 1, 1804, the flag should be seventeen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be seventeen stars, white, in a blue field; with the word, Vermont, in capitals, above the said stripes and stars. This was changed October 20, 1837, to the present flag. Officers and men came a little closer together on training days, and rigid discipline for a part of the day was set aside. The jollity indulged in after the training often ran riot, when the men had imbibed too freely of the liquor furnished by their officers. Governor Crafts in his message to the Assembly in 1829, deprecated the excesses attendant upon such occasions, saying, "the demoralizing effects of the practice, so general with officers of the militia, of treating their companies with spirits, on training days, has been witnessed by many with regret. This practice has been of so long standing that few officers are dis- posed to risk their popularity by adopting a different course. It imposes a heavy and unnecessary burden upon the officers, without any adequate benefit to the companies, but often the re- verse-causing frequent instances of intemperance, profanity, and strife. It is believed that a law prohibiting this practice would be very acceptable to the orderly portion of our citizens." Such a candid avowal of the evil effects of liquor upon the militia is refreshing, and the courageous stand taken by the governor might well commend itself to those having the power, who favor the canteen in the army. It could hardly be claimed that the exertion of training was so exhausting as to need a stimulant. It is reported of one small company, however, that after they
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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
had distributed the offices among them, they had one man left, and they drilled him until he had to lie down and rest.
In 1840 the whole number of state militia was 26,304. Per- haps its most flourishing period was about that time. In 1842 there were nine brigades and twenty-eight regiments. That year Minot Wheeler was adjutant in the 22d regiment. In 1864 an act was passed providing for organizing twelve regiments of militia. In 1867 and again in 1868 the military property be- longing to the state in the hands of officers and privates was ordered to be returned. The quartermaster was authorized to discharge from active military service of the state all officers and men who received such property under the act of 1864. In 1872 the legislature authorized the governor to reorganize the militia, and form one regiment of volunteer infantry, consisting of twelve companies, each company of fifty-one officers and men. These were to be selected from the organized militia of the state. In 1904 an act was passed giving the name of the National Guard to the militia, which was to consist of one regiment of infantry, of twelve companies. The legislature of 1908 passed a law re- quiring an annual encampment, continuing not more than seven days. It also provided for scholarships in Norwich University, not to exceed two to each troop, company or battery. The men were to be approved by the commanding officers of the companies and by the regimental commander. There is, also, one company of signal corps, and one squadron of cavalry made up of cadets from Norwich University, and designated as "The Norwich Cadets, Vermont National Guard." These were brought into the service of the state by an act of the last legislature. The company of light artillery at the University is to be discontinued. The Military Band at Brattleboro is also a part of "The National Guard."
The list of officers in the Vermont militia which follows is far from complete, but every available source known has been sought to obtain even this partial list. These men were residents of Royalton, in most cases, at the time they held these offices. While John Francis was colonel of the second regiment, he was called in 1822 to preside at a court-martial in Woodstock, when two different persons claimed the same command. Major Elisha Fowler was also a member of this court, and Lieut. Col. Mills May, who married a daughter of Capt. Daniel Gilbert, but who was then probably living in Bethel. Jacob Collamer was coun- sel for the respondent.
436
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
OFFICERS IN THE VERMONT MILITIA.
Name.
Year.
Rank
Div. Brig. Reg.
Atwood, Ebenezer
1807
Ensign
4
1
3
Billings, Oel
1814
Adjutant
4
1
4
Bloss, Benjamin
1819
Quartermaster 64
4
1
2
1821
Bloss, Perley
1809
Lieut. 2d Co. Light Inf.
4
1
2
Collamer, George W.
1823
Aid de Camp
1
3
2
Denison, Joseph A.
1818
Surgeon ¥
4
1
1
1820
4
1
2
Fowler, Elisha
1822
Major
4
1
2
1823
1
3
2
1825
Lieut. Colonel
1
3
2
Francis, Asa, Jr.
1822
Quartermaster
4
1
2
Francis, John
1819
Major
4
1
1
1820
4
1
2
1821
Lieut. Colonel
4
1
2
1822
Colonel
4
1
2
1823
1
3
2
1824
Brigadier General
2
3
Resigned, 1825
Hibbard, Lovell
1807
Capt. 1st Co. Light Artillery
4
1
2
1808
1809
Major
1812
Lieut. Col. Vol. Corps
4
1
3
Hunter, Franklin
1812
Aid de Camp
1
2
3
Kimball, Nathan
1807
Ensign
4
1
2
1808
1809
Capt. 2d Co. Light Inf.
4
1
2
Mower, Levi
1807
Capt. of Cavalry
4
1
2
Parkhurst, Calvin
1825
Sergeant Major
1
3
2
Parkhurst, Ebenezer
1807
Captain of Infantry
4
1
2
to
1809
Ensign
4
1
2
Parkhurst, Phineas
1817
Quartermaster
4
1
2
Robinson, Amos
1807.
Lieutenant
4
1
2
to
1809
Lieut. in Cavalry
4
1
2
Smith, Stafford
1807 )
Major
4
1
2
to
1809 J
Surgeon's Mate
4
1
1
1820
4
1
2
1821
1822
Surgeon
4
1
2
1823
1
3
2
1
1816
Brigadier General
1817
Major General
4
Resigned,
1818
1
3
2
1823
4
1
4
1
1
1820
Paige, Alfred
1819
Parkhurst, Eben., Jr.
1809
Skinner, Harvey
1809
1808
1819
1821
437
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
Name.
Year.
Rank
Div. Brig. Reg.
1825
Pierce, Albigence
1818
Surgeon
4
2
2
1819
4
2
1
66
4
2
2
1821
4
1
2
1823
66
4
1
2
1825
66
4
2
Throop, Judah D.
1818
Lieut. Colonel
4
1
2
1819
Colonel
4
1
2
1820
1821
Brigadier General
4
1
1823
1
3
Wheelock, Peter
1807
Lieutenant
The town records complete the data obtained regarding the general militia of the state as connected with Royalton. The selectmen's order books show that on April 6, 1820, Oel Billings was given an order for $11.28 for furnishing lead and flints for the town stock of military supplies. A town meeting record of March 5, 1838, has the following: "Voted that all the town guns, and arms, be returned to the treasury before the 1st day of April next."
THE WAR OF 1812.
The amount of material available for local history in con- nection with the War of 1812 is surprisingly limited. While rolls have been prepared for the Revolutionary and Civil wars, none has been found of much value for the second war with England. Lists of men enrolled in Vermont during this war were ordered to be kept at the time of enrollment, but these rolls are not in possession of the state of Vermont, and do not appear to be accessible in the archives of the national government. In fact, it was reported to the state officials, when a request was made for such data in 1878, that the rolls were not in condition to be consulted.
For lack of resources and time, the account of men from Royalton, or those at some time residents of Royalton, who had a part in the war of 1812 is not so full or accurate as could be desired, but such facts as have been gleaned are submitted, in the hope that additional information may be gathered for some future historian.
The causes of the second war with England are too well known to need recounting. As Vermont was on the frontier, and had a lake border on the west, whose waters were the scene of conflict from time to time, owing to British interference with shipping, she was as vitally interested in the quarrel with Great Britain as any other state could be, and no doubt rejoiced when
1820
438
HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT
the President in April, 1812, was authorized by Congress to detach 100,000 militia to be organized and held for readiness to march at a minute's notice. Three thousand of this number were apportioned to Vermont. Gov. Galusha issued a proclamation May 1st, calling for this number to be detached, organized, armed, and equipped and ready to act as minute men. They were to form a brigade of four regiments, each having ten com- panies, eight of infantry, one of artillery, and one of cavalry. The troops were to serve six months after reaching the place of rendezvous.
During the War of 1812 and a year or two afterwards, the two political parties in Royalton, the Federalists and the Jeffer- sonian Republicans, were about evenly divided, though the Fed- eralists always polled the larger number of votes, from thirty to forty more than the other party. In 1813 there was no elec- tion of governor and lieutenant governor by the people, and the election in joint session of the House and Council resulted in the victory of the Federal party, Martin Chittenden being elected.
War with England was formally declared June 18, 1812. A special session of the Assembly was held at Montpelier on July 23, and a committee appointed to draft a memorial to the Sec- retary of War for a supply of arms. The committee reported next day that the Governor be requested to apply to the Presi- dent for 10,000 stand of arms, as the militia could not equip themselves, and had guns requiring all sorts of ammunition. The militia was promptly detached in response to the governor's order of May 1st, and placed at different stations along the line of the frontier. In November an act was passed for raising a volunteer corps of sixty-four companies of infantry, two of ar- tillery and two of cavalry. It was over a part of this infantry force that Lovell Hibbard was made a lieutenant colonel. This entire force was divided into two brigades, and the men were to serve until the first of the following May. Enlistments went on under that act, as is supposed chiefly of those exempt from mili- tary duty. The selectmen were required to furnish arms and equipment, and were later reimbursed by the state. At an ad- journed meeting in Royalton on Mar. 31, 1813, Samuel Curtis, Elias Stevens, and Jacob Safford were chosen a committee to examine the account of the selectmen "for provisions and articles delivered to Capt. William Bingham for the support of himself and (company) on their march from Royalton to Burlington, likewise for waggon and horses to transfer their baggage and money expend on the journey." This meeting adjourned to April 20th, when the account of the selectmen, amounting to $40.89 was allowed, for supplying the detached militia with sup- plies while on their way to Burlington.
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