USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 2 > Part 47
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In 1826, the town of Concord erected a monument to his memory, on which he is described as "enthusiastic, eloquent, affection- ate and pious : he loved his family, his peo- ple, his God and his country. And to this last he yielded the cheerful sacrifice of his life."
In 1790, his son William disintered his re- mains, found his hair and nails grown since his death, and reinterred him. A few years since. his grandson, the somewhat eminent Ralph Waldo Emerson came to Rutland and was unable to identify his grandfather's grave.
The day of Mr. Emerson's funeral, Mr. Roots wrote a letter to the church at Concord. This letter is still extant in the custody of R. W. Emerson, from whom a loan of it has been obtained and a copy of it is appended, not because it is particularly interesting in itself, but as perhaps the only specimen extant of the original composition of the first settled minister in Rutland.
To the Church and people of God at Concord. Men and Brethren : - Having with mine own hand at five o'clock in the morning, Oct. 20, closed the eyes of your dear and greatly beloved l'astor, (who I trust has fallen asleep in Jesus) after a long illness with ye billious fever attended with a te- dious diarrhea of which he died. And divine
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flight from this world of Sin and Sorrow to the realms of light and regions of eternal day. On the same day of the week that the Sun of righteousness arose from the dark mansions of the grave: and probably the same hour of the day too, yea the same day in which he ascended to his meridian (I mean the highest heavens) where this bright Star (or little Sun) we trust has followed his glorious head and began his eternal Sab- bath early on the Lord's day morning.
I most sincerly condole with you for your great and almost irreparable loss, but doubt- less to his unspeakable gain For to depart and be with Christ is far better .- Far bet- ter than an abode in this clayey tabernacle, where we see as but through a glass darkly. Doubtless he is now joined the glorious throng of angels and is tuning his harp with them in praises of the great Redeemer. - This is what he seemed to long for in his last sickness, especially towards the close of life : and would sometimes speak of death as a happy Day : yet manifested such resignation to the divine will, that he seemed indifferent whether he lived or died.
His disorder was very afflicting, long and tedious, yet he appeared through the whole of his sickness, the most unexampled instance of patience I ever saw. He always seemed to be possest of the gratest calmness, serenity and composure of mind : never appeared to be in the least startled or surprised in the near approach of death, but met the King of T'errors with the greatest composure. His work is done, he has run his race; he has finished his course with joy and is gone (I think) to receive his crown. Your loss is indeed great, which you more sensibly feel than I can express. The loss of such .an eminent Saint, a faithful Pastor, Friend and minister of Christ, who used so affectiontely to treat you upon things of infinite moment, must be most afflicting. The loss is great to the churches all around; but more espec- ially to his own dear flock, whom he most affectionately loved. He has often expressed his sense of your endeared kindness to him; and how he wanted opportunity to acknowl- edge it, and if God should give him oppor- tunity. how he would shew his gratitude by exerting himself more vigorously for your good. .. But alas he has took his flight to the land of Spirits. You will see him no more, nor hear his sweet voice any more, until the great resurrection day : his warm and affec- tionate adresses you will have no more. His eyes are sunk in their orbs ; his mouth is shut; his tongue is bound in perpetual silence and his body laid to rest in the cold mansions of the grave until the heavens shall be no more.
and in which he imparted to you not only the Gospel of Christ, but even his own soul along with it. O, are not his instructions warnings, reproofs and exhortations yet speaking to you by death, in accents as loud as thunder. Oh what have you done to pro- voke the Lord most high O, search and see. That he has caused his sun to go down at noon. (O how lamentable that such a bright luminary in the Candlestick of his Church, should be so soon extinct, even be- fore it had ascended to its meridian) Surely the Lord is angry and hath a controversy with you ; or wny has he written such bit- ter things against you? Suffer an unknown stranger to exhort you to search for the Achan that hath troubled your Camp,-put away the cursed thing whatever it be. Is it barrenness under suen peculiar cultivation? Then repent and reform, lest he cut you down as cumberers out of this ground, and remove your candlestick out of its place. Attend my dear friends, to this speaking providence, that you may be happy in the end, and by happy experience be able to say that it is good that you have been afflicted. Suffer me to add : Maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Take heed that no root of bitterness springing up trouble you ; be of one mind and of the saine judgement ; live in love and peace among yourselves ; so shall the God of peace and love dwell with you.
And I pray earnestly to the Great Shepherd of the Sheep to give you another pastor after his own heart, who shall feed you with know- ledge and understanding; and take you by the hand and lead you by still waters, which is the sincere desire and earnest prayer of your unknown friend and servant for Jest' sake.
BENAJAH ROOTS
Rutland, on Otter Creek, Oct. 21, 1776. P. S. This 21st Oct., A. D. 1776, the Rev. Mr. William Emerson of Concord was decently interred in this place with the I on- ors of war by a detachment from Col. Van- dyke's Regimint commanded by Major Shep- herdson, who died of a bilious on Lord's day morning 5 o'clock, Oct. 20th in 34th year of his age, after long illness of about 5 weeks.
A VERITABLE YARN OF '76.
In 1776, John Fasset of Bennington, and Jona. Fasset of Pittsford, received commis- sions as Captains to raise two companies of Green Mountain Boys for the defence of the frontier settlements. The militia company uf Rutland were called together and paraded before the log-meeting.house ( situated near the present dwelling house of Mr. Win. Gook- in,) for the purpose of ascertaining if any of them would volunteer to join the company of Jonathan Fassett .- It was agreed that the
I mourn with you under so great a frown of heaven. I most feelingły sympathise with you in your atlictions I am a partaker with you in grief. But though he is dead he yet speaketh. Ho is speaking to you by his many warm and pathetical addresses, which you cannot yet forget, and especially his last discourse is fresh in your memories : I man who could procure the most volunteers
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should receive a commission as Lieutenant Two persons offered themselves as candidates for that office-one was Thomas Lee (who then lived near where Mr. Benj. Capron does now,) the name of the second person is for- gotten-the latter made an effort and suc- ceeded in obtaining one volunteer-Lee tried and immediately recruited some 15 or 20, and was accordingly appointed Lieutenant.
There was at that time a small settlement on Onion River in the town of Jericho. Their remote, exposed situation caused considerable anxiety, and after consultation, it was agreed that Lieut. Lee and his men should go and assist them in removing south, where they could be more conveniently protected. Ac- cordingly, providing themselves with pro- visions sufficient for ten days, and with no change of clothing, Lee and his men left home for Jericho .- Lee's Sergeants were Mott and Martin (the former of whom may per baps be rememberel by some of our oller citizens, as he afterwards settled in Brandon, and became deacon of the Baptist church in that place.) his waiter was Joshua Pratt of Rutland, then quite young, and among his men were Wait Wright, Benjamin Johnson and Nathan Pratt of Rutland. Among the settlers at Jericho was a certain politic Deacon Rood, who on the arrival of Lee, fully ap- preciating the benefits of living at home and being well protected by soldiers in prefer- ence to being removed among strangers, nowever friendly-slyly departed for Ticon- deroga and there obtained from General Gates as Continental Commander of the Northern Department, orders not only for Lee to re- main where he was but also for the Fassets to come there with their companies. In obe- dience to this order Lee remained at Rood's settlement about five weeks, his men mean- while managing as best they could with only one suit of clothes apiece. On the arrival of the Fassets, Lee and his men obtained a furlough and returned to refresh themselves and recruit their wardrobes .- With the Fas- sets was Matthew Lyon as Lieutenant, then of Arlington afterwards of Fairhaven. The pleasures of life at Jericho-with nothing but interminable wools around them, no prospect of company except unseasonable calls from bears, wolves, Indinns and Tories soon began to be realized in all their cap. tivating luxury by the Fassets, Lyon and! company. Discontented with their exposed | paymaster-while Lee received a commis-
!inactive life, they imparted their dissatis faction to each other, and soon resolved to leave the station .- But this was a dangerous step, to desert his post, would be to the offi- cer, public disgrace and the loss of his com- mission, and to the soldier, death. It was finally agreed that the soldiers should appear to mutiny and compel the officers to leave and packing up, off they started for home. Meanwhile, Lee and his men-their furlough about expiring-had started from Rutland and arrived at Brandon, on their return for Jericho, when news of the desertion reach- ed them. Lee sending on his men, imme- diately crossed over to Ti. to inform Gen. Gates of the affair. Gates had already heard of it and had sent a Major with a corps of riflemen to intercept the fugitives and bring them to Ti. At Middlebury the riflemen met Lee's men, and a ditieulty arose iminediately. The Major's orders were to take the Fassets and all their men. Lee's men replied through their ser - gants Mott & Martin, that they had done no wrong and would not give up their arms or surrender as prisoners to any power on earth; they should encamp where they were, as they had intended to do, but if the ritie- men would go on that night they would follow them the next morning, and to this the Major-seeing there was no other way without a fight-consented. The Fa-sets, Lyon and men were taken near New Hav- en and carried to Ti. Here their swords were taken from the officers, and all were thrown into the guard house. Lee obtained author- ity to release all whom he knew to be inno. cent, and the rest were to be court-martialed. The facts having been elicited by the investi- gation, the sentence liberated all the soldiers and not only deprived the officers of their commissions, but rendered them ineligible to a reappointment in the continental service. The latter part of the sentence of the officers, Gates took off saying " that if any body was d- fool enough to appoint such cow. ards, they might," and the next year Gen. St. Clair as commander of the Northern de- partment reversel the sentence of the o:5. cers. This transaction excited general execra. tion throughout the army; the officers w-re hung in ettigy &e. The Fassets never after wards held any commission in the continen. tal service, though Lyon was appointed
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sion as Captain in the Continental service for three years and raised a company, Martin being one of his Lieutenants. Hickok of Hubbardton, with a company, was imme- diately sent to Jericho. One of the conse quences of this affair, and the fierce party spirit of the times, was the shameful brawl between Mathew Lyon and Roger Griswold, in the house of Representatives in Congress, Jan, 1798. [For which see preceding Histo- ry of Fairhaven .- Ed.
TOWN OFFICERS OF RUTLAND FROM 1780 TO 1848.
1780. Town clerk Joseph Hawley ; town treasurer, Joseph Bowker; selectmen, Lt. Roswell Post, John Smith 1st, Lt. Moses Hale, Capt. Zebulon Mead, Reuben Harmon.
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1781 .- Town clerk, Joseph Hawley ; town treasurer. Joseph Bowker; selectmen, Capt. John Smith, 2nd, Capt John Smith, Ist, Col. Ja's Claghorn, John Johnson, Lt. Moses Hale.
1782 .- Town clerk, Joseph Hawley ; town treasurer, Joseph Bowker ; selectmen, Joseph Bowker, Benj. Whipple, Roswell Post, Ja's Mead, Thomas Lee.
1783-Town clerk, Joseph Hawley ; town sreasurer, Joseph Bowker ; selectmen, Benj. Whipple, Thos. Lee, Jona Carpenter, John Johnson, Samuel Williams.
1784-Town clerks, Jos. Hawley, and Tim- othy Boardman ; town treasurers, Jos. Bow- Rer and Asa Hale ; selectmen, Capt. Z. Mead, Capt. Israel Harris, Ensign John Johnson, Samuel Williams, Moses Hale.
1785 .- Town clerk, Timothy Boardman ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, Samuel Wil- liams, Esq., Ensign John Johnson Lt. Wm. Barr.
1787 .- Town clerk, Benjamin Risley ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, Sam'l Wil- liams, Wm. Barr, John Johnson.
1788-Town clerk, Sam'l Williams ; treas- urer, A. Hale ; selectmen, Eben'r Pratt, Ros. Post, Wm. Barr.
1789 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, A. Hale ; selectmen, E. Pratt, Stephen Wil- liams, Israel Harris.
1790-Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, Wm. Barr, Jared Wad- kins, S. Williams.
1791 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale; selectmen, S, Williams, Jared
Wadkins, Augustus Hibbard, John Johnson John Prentiss.
1792 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer. Asa Hale ; selectmen, S. Williams, J. John- son, Wm. Barr, J. Wadkins, Daniel Chipman.
1793 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer. Asa Hale; selectmen, S. Williams, Wait Chatterton, Samuel Mattocks, T. Boardman, Daniel Chipman.
1794 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale; selectmen, O. Harman, John Ramsdell, Aaron Thrall, Daniel Chipman.
1795 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, Nathan Osgood, Oliver Harmon, Stephen Williams, Joel Roberts, John Smith.
1796 .- Town clerk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, N. Osgood, O. Harman, S. Williams, J. Ramsdell, I. Reed.
1797 .- Town c.erk, S. Williams ; treasurer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, Darius Chipman, Jobb Ramsdell, I. Reed, Moses Watkins, Stephen Williams.
1798 .- Town clerk, Nathan Osgood ; treas- urer, Asa Hale ; selectmen, I. Reed, M. Wat- kins, Jona Wells, O. Harmon, Nathan Pratt.
1799 .- Town clerk, N. Osgood ; treasurer, Tho's. Hale ; selectmen, I. Reed, M. Watkins, Jona Wells, O. Harmon, J. Ramsdell.
1800 .- Town clerk, N. Osgood ; treasurer, T. Hale ; selectmen, I. Reed, M. Watkins, J. Wells, O. Harmon, Wm. Jenkins.
1801 .- Town clerk, Thomas Hooker ; treasurer, James D. Butler ; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Watkins, Mathew Fenton, Wait Chatterton, Elisha Clark.
1802 .- Town clerk, T. Hooker ; treasurer, J. D. Butler ; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Wat- kins, M. Fenton, W. Chatterton, R. Paige.
1803 .- Town clerk, Benj. Lord ; treasurer, J. D. Butler, selectinen, J. Wells, M. Wat- kins, M. Fenton, W. Chatterton, J. Boll.
1804 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, J. D. Butler ; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Watkins, M. Fenton, W. Chatterton, J. Ramsdell.
1805-6-7 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treas- urer, Nichols Goddard ; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Watkins, M. Fenton, W. Chatterton, J. Ramsdell.
1808 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, N. Goddard; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Watkins, M. Fenton, W. Chatterton, J. D. Butler.
1800-10-Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, N. Goddard ; selectmen, J. Wells, M. Wat- kins, M. Fenton, Eben Pratt, J. D. Butler.
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1811-Town clerk, B, Lord; treasurer, Charles K. Williams ; selectmen, M. Watkins, J. D. Butler. E. Pratt, N. Fenton, Gershom Cheney.
1812 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, M. Watkins, J. D. Butler, M. Fenton, Wm. Denison, G. Cheney.
1813 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams; selectmen, G. Cheney, Joel Smith, Abijah Pratt, Silas Pratt, John Rug- gles.
1814 .- Town clerk, Wm. Page ; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, A. Pratt, S. Pratt, John Ruggles, Win, Mead, Moses Lester.
1815 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams; selectmen, A. Pratt, S. Pratt, J. Ruggles, Wm. Denison, M. Lester.
1$16 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, A. Pratt, S. Pratt, J. Ruggles, Medad Sheldon, Wm. Barnes.
1817 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, Chauncy Thrall, J. Ruggles, M. Sheldon, Wm. Barnes, John Wells.
1818 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, C. Thrall, J. Rug- gles, Edmund Douglass, Wm. Barnes, John Barr.
1819 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, C. K. Williams, selectmen, S. Pratt, Wm. Hall, Ed. Douglass, John Barr. Wm. Fay.
1820 .- Town clerk, B Lord ; treasurer, C. [ Burt, Jos. A. Dealand.
K. Williams ; selectmen, S. Pratt, J. Barr, E. "Douglass, Wm. Fay, Moses Lester.
1821 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, Francis Slason, Wm. Gooking, Moses Strong.
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1822 .- Town clerk, B. Lord; treasurer, C. K. Williams ; selectmen, Robert Pierpoint, Abner Mead, Jesse Gove.
1823 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, Wm. Page; selectmen, R. Pierpoint, Benj. Blanchard, J. Gove.
1824-5-Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer, W. Page; selectmen, R. Pierpoint, Benning Chatterton, Edward Dyer.
1826 .- Town clerk, B. Lord ; treasurer. W. Page; selectmen, B. Chatterton, E. Dyer, A. L. Brown.
1827-8-9-Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treasurer, Wm. Page ; selectmen, G. T. Hod- ges, M. Watkins, Sam'l Griggs.
1830-31-Town clerk, A. L. Brown; treas- urer, Wm. Page ; selectmen, Samuel Griggs, Jona Dike, David Morgan, R. C. Royce.
1832-3 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Page ; selectmen, Joel M. Mead, James Porter, Elijah Boardman, Luther Dan- iels,
1834-Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wmn. Page ; selectmen, J. M. Mead, J. Porter, E. Boardman, L. Daniels, John Smith.
1835 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Fay ; selectmen, Nath'l A. Jones, Dan. Kelly, J. Porter, Stephen Daniels, Ru- fus Long.
1836 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown; treas- urer, Wm. Fay ; selectmen, N. A. Jones, D. Kelly, Rufus Long, Chauncy Thrall, D. P. Bell.
1837 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Fay ; selectmen, D. Kelly, Luther Thrall, S. Foot, Daniel Gleason, Silas Smith.
1838 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Fay ; selectmen, S. Foot, D. Mor- gan, Avery Billings.
1839 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Fay ; selectmen, Wm. Hall, A. Billings, D. Morgan, A. Dikeman, Henry Mussey.
1840 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Page; selectmen, A. Billings, Charles Burt, B. F. Blanchard.
1841-2-Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, Wm. Page : selectmen, A. Billings, C.
1843 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown : treas- urer, Wm. Page ; selectmen, J. C. Thrall, J. A. Dealand, J. C. Reynolds.
1844 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, E. Pierpoint ; selectmen, J. C. Thrall, J. C. Reynolds, Wm. Gilmore.
1845 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, E. Pierpoint ; selectmen, J. C. Reynolds, Wm. Gilmore, T. Moulthrop.
1846 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, E. Pierpoint ; Selectmen, T. Moulthrop, Benj. Capron, A. Dikeman.
1847 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown ; treas- urer, E. Pierpoint ; selectmen, B. Capron, A. Dikeman, D. P. Bell.
1848 .- Town clerk, A. L. Brown; treas- urer, E. Pierpoint ; selectmen, J. L. Billings, Wait Chatterton, Luke Ward.
Unfortunately, the records of the proceed- ings of this and most of the neighboring towns, during the first few years after their organization, are lost. The loss of all the town records, down to July, 1777, is easily
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accounted for-at that time the confusion and hurried efforts to escape from the British army, which had with a suddenness so start- ling, captured Ticonderoga and invaded the heart of Rutland county, caused the neglect of everything but the preservation of life, and the necessary means of subsistence. The cause of the loss of the subsequent records is unknown. The earliest town meeting of which the record is extant, was held on the 14th day of March, 1780 .- It seems by offici- al signatures, that John Johnson was town clerk in 1775, Ja's Claghorn, Roswell Post, and Zebulon Mead, selectmen, in 1777, and James Claghorn, Roswell Post, and Moses Hale, selectmen in 1779. The record of the - town meeting in March, 1786 has not been found. Joseph Bowker was elected town treasurer in March, 1784 and dying the sum- mer following, Asa Hale was elected treas- urer 7th Sept. 1784, Jos. Hawley was elected town clerk in March 1784 and Timothy Boardman was elected town clerk 26th May, 1784.
RUTLAND FORTS.
About the commencement of the Revolu- tionary War, the inhabitants of the vicinity erected a fort for their mutual safety, ou what is now the burnt district in East Rut land village. Few persons now living recol Ject it, and but brief details can be obtained concerning its history. Its form is oblong- about eight rods East and West, and ten rods North and South-its South side nearly coinciding with the North line of Mr. Daniels' store. It was made chiefly of ma- ple-the pickets were sunk about five feet in the ground and extended about fourteen feet high, the sides of the pickets touching each other, being hewed smooth, while the inside and outside were unhewn-at each corner was a redoubt or flanker about eight feet square, so that the front of each side of the fort could be raked from one flanker-at a convenient height for shooting, were port holes radiating in and out, leaving the cen- tre only large enough to admit a musket, and extending at a distance, of six feet apart, all around the sides of the fort and flankers .- On the West side a little South of the centre was the only gate. Inside of the fort was a small building for provisions and ammuni- tion in time of need, afterwards used as a dwelling. In the South part of the fort was a well, over which, some years after, a large | floored, in which the sentry slept, when re-
flat stone was placed and this covered with earth, so that for many years the well has not been seen, though it is said by one fa- miliar with it, that by little labor, rightly directed, the curious might be gratified in re-opening it. As other forts were built North and West of this, it soon became of little consequence, and the pickets were grad- ually used up for fuel, one of the inhabitants obtaining from his industry in that particu- ular, the soubriquet of "Picket John." No tragical incident can, by any ingenuity at this day, be connected with its fate.
Immediately upon the organization of-the government of Vermont, in March, 1778, it was decided to make Rutland the Head Quar- ters of the State troops, and Captain Gideon Brownson was appointed commander of the forces stationed here. Their first business was the erection of a suitable Fort. This was located on the hill East of Mead's (now Gookin's) Falls. It was made of unhewn hemlock logs or pickets, sunk in a trench 5 feet deep, rising 15 feet high, sharpened at the top, and inclining slightly outwards. Be- tween each of the pickets on the inside was another 8 feet high so as to be bullet proof- port holes like those in the other Fort. It seems uncertain whether there were flankers to this Fort or not. It was elliptical or oval in form, enclosing an area of two or more acres, sufficient to accommodate 200 or 300 men. On the East and West sides were large plank gates for the admission of teams and on the South a wicket gate for the convenience of obtaining water from Otter Creek. In the Northwest part of the Fort was a block house of hewn logs, 30 or 40 feet square, two stories high roofed and shingled, the jet under the eves projecting 2 feet-in the lower story were horizontal port holes and in the jet perpendicular ones through all of which a fire could be maintained completly raking every spot of ground about the house-the North and West sides of the block house form- ed a part of the outside of the Fort-the door was on the East side. In the Northeast and Southwest corners were sentry boxes, elavated on poles so as to overlook the ap- proaches to the Fort, boarded up chin high, with a covering to ward off the rain and snow, and a ladder to ascend to the door in the box. Near the northeast corner was a guard house of rough boards, roofed and
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lieved from their two hour's watch. Along the north side were the officers' barracks of rough boards, roofs sloping up against the pickets, the soldiers' barracks along the south side, and the intervening space exten- ding east and west was used for a parade ground, through the whole length of which was cnt in the turf a line on which the raw recruits learned to "toe the mark." The fort was supplied with a cannon of nine pounds calibre, and with this, one of the soldiers once boasted to a man present who had seen service that they were prepared for a pretty severe siege, for they had twelve cannon cartridges-to which the sailor, (Samuel Mc- Connell) replied they often used as many cartridges in as many minutes on board ship. The ground south and east of the Fort being covered with scrub oaks, was cleared south to the Creek and east to the distance of 15 or 20 rods to guard against unforeseen attacks .- The dwelling houses now on the hill east of Gookin's Falls are on the space enclosed by the pickets-the most northern one being about where the block house was. There is some reason to believe that the block house was built earlier then the Fort.
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