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     1773. This year the first minute company in town was raised. Previous to this the towns people were in the habit of frequently assembling for military exercise, and were usually drilled by Maj. Judah Alden. The officers of the company now raised were as follows. Ichabod Alden, captain; Andrew Sampson, lieutenant, and Judah Alden, ensign. Among the other individuals, who composed the company, the following are remembered.

Samuel Loring,    } Peter Bradford     } John Hanks,        } Daniel Loring      }

Sarg'ts.

Joshua Cushing, } James Shaw,       } John Drew, drummer, Amherst Alden, fifer.

Corporals.

Privates

Saml. Alden, Thomas Chandler, Saml. Chandler, Thomas Dawes, Nathl. Delano, Luther Delano, Berzilla Delano, Thomas Delano, Saraiah Glass, Peleg Gallifer, John Glass, John Oldham, John Osyer, Kimball Ripley,

Thaddeus Ripley, John Southworth, Joshua Sprague, Thomas Sprague, Saml. Sprague, Uriah Sprague, Wm. Sampson, Ichabod Sampson, Joseph Wadsworth, Chas. Thomas, Prince Thomas, Consider Thomas, Wait Wadsworth, Seneca Wadsworth,

     Some time after this a regiment of minute men was formed out of Plymouth County, and Theophilus Cotton of Plymouth was chosen colonel; Ichabod Alden of Duxbury, lt.-colonel; and Ebenezer Sprout of Middleboro', major.

     Mr. George Partridge was now chosen commander of the company.
     The officers of the two companies of militia at this time were, of the first--Capt. Levi Lorring, Lt. Bildad Arnold, Ens. Benjamin Freeman; of the second--Capt. Calvin Partridge, Lt. Elijah Baker, Ens. Adam Fish. The next officers were, of the first--Capt. Samuel Loring, Lt. Benjamin Freeman, Ens. Nathaniel Sprague; of the second--Capt. Elijah Baker, Lt. Nathan Sampson, Ens. Cornelius Delano. Capt. Baker was next promoted to a Major.
     Another body of men was organized about this time, consisting of all the men over 50 years of age, who were styled the "alarm list," and were under the same officers as the militia. Sentries were also stationed at different points in time of danger, and at Captain's Hill.
     1774. These were appointed a Committee of Correspondence, (May 30th): Capt. W. Wadsworth, Dea. P. Wadsworth, Geo. Partridge, Capt. Samuel Bradford and Micah Soule, to unite with the Committee in general for the Province. They also chose (Sept. 19th) Geo. Partridge, Capt. W. Wadsworth, and Dea. P. Wadsworth, a Committee, to join the County Committee, in order to act upon the political affairs of the Province.
     On the 6th of July, the justices of Plymouth county addressed a letter to General Gage, and after congratulating him on his appointment to the office of Governor-General, and his safe arrival, continue in substance as follows: --"We consider you a person in whom are centred all the qualifications necessary for the discharge of that important trust; and though sensible that the endeavors of your predecessors were met with bad success, yet we think, that your Excellency has power to check every disorder, and to secure for our constitutional privileges. We have seen with serious concern the influences of those persons calling themselves Committees of Correspondence, and against these and their abettors we promise our incessant aid." To this Gen. Gage returned an answer, dated July 12th, assuring them that he would "take every step in his power to secure to them the peaceable enjoyment of all their constitutional privileges, and to give that free course to the laws, on which every State depends for its support, and without which no government can subsist" Among the signers of the address of Plymouth, were Major Briggs Alden and Capt. Gamaliel Bradford of Duxbury. These, however, afterwards at a town meeting (Sept. 19th,) made each a public recantation, and craved the forgiveness of the town. Their declarations were nearly as follows:--"The Address to Thomas Gage, Esq, Captain General and Governor, &c., of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, of the General Sessions

of the Peace, and Justices of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for the county of Plymouth, published in Draper's & Byles' papers (Boston Newsletter) of the 14th of July, 1774, I acknowledge I voted for. For which I am sorry from my heart and humbly ask the forgiveness of the town of Duxbury and all the inhabitants of the province; and I likewise promise and declare upon the true faith of a Christian, that I will not take a commission, nor act upon any under this new plan of government, if offered to me."
     Beside Maj. Alden and Capt. Bradford, the following Justices also subscribed the above Address: Thomas Foster, Joseph Josselyn, Abijah White, Edward Winslow, Pelham Winslow and Gideon Bradford.
     The political affairs of the province were now fast drawing to a crisis. On the arrival of Gen. Gage, this year, the General Court assembled at Boston, of which Mr. Partridge was a member from Duxbury. This was soon adjourned to Salem. Here they met, and a secret caucus was proposed, and many of the leading whigs accordingly met in the night, a short distance from the town. Mr. Partridge was present, and took, with others of those noble spirits, those decisive and determined positions, which could not be mistaken, and which much conduced to the completion of that efficient organization of opposition, which was then in embryo. We have the words of Mr. Partridge relative to the occasion of this conclave, "Gen. Gage (said he) had come over with his troops and proclamations, to frighten us rebels into submission! We soon had his mandate, dissolving the Court, and directing us to meet at Salem, in order, as he said, to 'remove us from the baneful influences--the baneful influences of Boston!' So we met there. And in a short time one began to ask another, 'What can we do? the worst must come to the worst!' 'Why, we will have a caucus and see what can be done.' Then, when we met a member in whose eye we saw one true to the cause, we touched him on the shoulder--' Be silent--meet with us to-night--at such an hour--in such a place--and bring your man.' All were prompt to the hour. The meeting was full. Order was called. 'Shall we submit to Great Britain, and make the best terms in our power, or shall we resist her encroachments to the point of the sword?' --There was a pause. We looked at each other; and the unanimous answer was given, 'We will resist her encroachments to the point of the sword!' Now came the question-- 'What shall be done? The gulf is passed!' 'We will have a Congress at Concord. We will send letters to all the colonies, and urge them to send delegates to meet at Philadelphia. We will have committees of safety. We will take care of our arms. We will go to our homes, and wake every one that sleeps.' "(Rev. Benj. Kent's Address.)

     A provincial congress was convened at Salem on the 7th of October; but adjourned on the same day. It was again convened at Concord, on Tuesday the 11th. A meeting of the town was held (Oct. 3d,) and Geo. Partridge was chosen to attend in their behalf at the adjourned meeting of the congress, with these instructions: "To Mr. George Partridge,--As it is unlikely, in the present situation of our public affairs, that the House of Representatives should sit to do business, we instruct and require you to join with the intended Provincial Congress to be holden at Concord, in order to deliberate and determine on the most wise and prudent measures to be adopted for the true interest, happiness and freedom of the Province."
     Previous to this, a congress of Plymouth county had been held on the 26th of September, at Plympten, when it adjourned on the next day to the Plymouth court-house, when a committee reported same resolves; and of this number Mr. Partridge of Duxbury was one. The congress at Concord adjourned on the 15th; again assembled at Cambridge on the 17th, and adjourned on the 29th; it met again at Cambridge on the 23d of November, and dissolved on the 10th of December.
     1775. The town chose (Jan. 16th) Mr. George Partridge to attend as their representative to the Second Provincial Congress at Cambridge on the 1st of February; and also voted £32 8s. 4d. in aid of the same. This congress adjourned on the 16th; met again at Concord on the 22d of March, adjourned on the 15th of April; again met at Concord, on the 22d, and adjourned the same day; then at Watertown an the 24th, and finally dissolved on the 29th of May.*
     At the same meeting, (Jan. 16th,) these were appointed a Committee of Inspection, to see the resolves of the Provincial Congress duly executed: Capt. Saml. Bradford, Joshua Hall, Maj. Gamalial Bradford, Jr, Dea. Perez Loring, Capt. Benja. Wadsworth, Jacob Weston, and Peleg Wadsworth. The town afterwards (Jan. 30th) voted to procure thirty fire-arms with bayonets, for the use of the town; and Geo. Partridge, Ichabod Alden and Wm. Thomas were appointed to obtain them, and £60 were furnished them. A meeting had been called previously, to see "if ye town will provide proper fire-arms and all other warlike instruments, and ammunition suitable for to defend ye town and country as need may require."
     Some time before the open rupture of hostilities, Gen. Gage, at the solicitation of the tories, had stationed at Marshfield a body of the British troops, the Queen's Guards, for their pro-

     * Mr. Partridge was, this year, a member of the General Court from Duxbury, and was one of the Committee ordered to wait upon General Washington, on his arrival.

tection. An address, dated at Pembroke Feb. 7th, 1775, was sent to Gen. Gage by the selectmen of Plymouth, Kingston, Duxbury, Pembroke, Hanson and Scituate, protesting against placing an armed force among them in time of peace assuring him that there was no truth in the statements of those of Marshfield and Scituate, who declared that this was necessary to protect them from the exasperated fury of the whigs. They declared that no plan of attack had been formed, and begged that his Excellency would examine the case, before he complied. On the 15th of the same month, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress voted that these six towns are highly approved of in finding out the malicious designs of their enemies in requesting Gen. Gage to station there a body of troops. They recommended them to continue "steadily to persevere in the same line of conduct, which has in this instance so justly entitled them to the esteem of their fellow-countrymen; and to keep a watchful eye upon the behavior of those who are aiming at the destruction of our liberties." Gen. Gage, however, thought fit to comply. The following letter, from a tory in Marshfield, to a gentleman in Boston gives some of the circumstances of the case; which must be read, however, as a loyalist's account. It is dated Jan. 24th, 1775.
     "Two hundred of the principal inhabitants of this loyal town, insulted and intimidated by the licentious spirit, that unhappily has been prevalent among the lower ranks of people in the Massachusetts Government, having applied to the Governor for a detachment of his Majesty's troops to assist in preserving the peace, and to check the insupportable insolence of the disaffected and turbulent, were happily relieved by the appearance of Capt. Balfour's party, consisting of one hundred soldiers, who were joyfully received by the Loyalists. Upon their arrival, the valor of the minute men was called forth by Adams' crew; they were accordingly mustered, and to the unspeakable confusion of the enemies of our happy constitution, no more than twelve persons presented themselves to bear arms against the Lord's annointed. It was necessary that some apology should he made for the scanty appearance of their volunteers; and they colored it over with a declaration, that, 'had the party sent to Marshfield consisted of half a dozen battalions, it might have been worth their attention to meet and engage them; but a day would come when the courage of their minute host would be able to clear the country of all their enemies, howsoever formidable in numbers.' The King's troops are very comfortably accommodated, and preserve the most exact discipline; and now every faithful subject to his King dare fully utter his thoughts, drink his tea, and kill his sheep as profusely as he pleases."

     The following letter, from a loyalist of Boston to a gentleman of New York, also relates to the affair, and is dated Jan. 26th, 1775.
     "About a week ago one hundred and fifty of the principal inhabitants of Marshfield entered into Gen. Ruggles' association against the Liberty Plan. When this was known at Plymouth, the faction there threatened to come down in body and make them recant, or drive them off their farms. On this the Marshfield association sent an express to Gen. Gage to acquaint him of their situation and determination, and begged support. This was readily granted, and a captain and three subalterns and a hundred private men were immediately detached on board two small vessels to Marshfield, where they landed very quietly last Monday; and, when last accounts came, them was no appearance of the Plymouth rebels.
     The detachment carried with them 300 stands of arms for the use of gentlemen of Marshfield; one hundred and fifty more having joined the association on advice of the Plymouth threatenings; the whole three hundred have solemnly engaged themselves to turn out in case of attack.
     That the liberty rebels of this town (of Boston) might save their own credit, and that of their adherents in Plymouth, and that they might have something to say for not opposing the detachment, they, on first hearing where the soldiers were going, wisely sent off an express to their confederates, begging them to desist from doing what they really had no mind to do."
     In speaking of this case Gen. Gage in a letter to the Earl of Richmond said: "It is the first instance of application to Government for assistance, which the faction has ever tried to persuade the people they would never obtain; but be left to themselves."
     The Town of Marshfield, in town meeting assembled air the 20th of Feb. 1775, voted not to adhere to Congress; and also to make addresses to Gen. Gage, and Admiral Graves. Dr. Winslow was moderator of the meeting, and framed the addresses. Their original answers are note before me.* Gen. Gage's is as follows:

"To THE LOYAL INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF MARSHFIELD.
     GENTLEMEN,--I return you my most hearty thanks for your address, and am to assure you, that I feel great satisfaction in having contributed to the safety and protection of a people so eminent for their Loyalty to their King, and affection to their country at a time, when Treason and Rebellion is making

"Rev. B. Kent's MS. Coll. 210, 211.

such hasty strides to overturn our most excellent constitution and spread Ruin and Desolation thro' the Province.
     I doubt not that your duty to your God, your King and country will excite you to persevere in the Glorious Cause in which you are engaged, and that your laudable example will animate others with the like Loyal and Patriotic Spirit.

Tho. GAGE."

     Admiral Graves replied as follows:
TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF MARSHFIELD.
     GENTLEMEN,--The warmth with which you declare your principles of Loyalty to your Sovereign and his Constitutional Government cannot fail of being grateful to the mind of every lover of his country: and it is much to be wished that the uniform propriety of your conduct will extend its influence to the removal of those groundless jealousies, which have unhappily warped the affections of too many of your countrymen from the parent state, and which are new tending to raise violent commotions, and involve in Ruin and Destruction this unfortunate Province.
     The approbation you are pleased to express of His Majesty's appointment at this critical juncture to the command of his American fleet, is flattering; and you may be assured that my countenance and support shall never be wanting to protect the Friends of British Government and reduce to order and submission, those who would endeavor to destroy that Peace and Harmony, which is the and of good Legislation to produce.                                                                             SAML. GRAVES."
     A protest was circulated against the proceedings of the above meeting and received 64 signatures.
     This detachment was under the command of Capt. Balfour, and consisted of one hundred men with two field pieces. The presence of these troops caused but little uneasiness to the inhabitants, as they were under good discipline, and used no improper conduct towards them. They frequently visited Duxbury various numbers; and one Sabbath surrounded the meeting house, during the services, and amused themselves in looking in at the windows, somewhat to the discomposure of the more timid within. Toward the close of March, Capt. Balfour devised a project of attacking Plymouth, and accordingly a conference was had at the house of Edward Winslow, Esq., and in the discussion of the question Capt. B. enquired of John Watson, Esq., "Will they fight?" "Yes, like devils," was the cheerful assurance of Mr. Watson, and upon further consideration the plan was abandoned.
     Immediately after the news arrived of the bloodshed at Lexington, Col. Cotton with his regiment formed for an attack on Bafour's party. On the 20th Col. Cotton and Maj. Sprout

met in Duxbury, at Col. Briggs Alden's for consultation. Maj. Judah Alden, who was in Rhode Island when the news came of the fight, had just returned, having ridden all day on horseback, and soon after learning the circumstances of the case, he met Cato, a negro who had been sent by Capt. Balfour to ascertain the numbers of the men who were marching against him. Maj. Alden, suspecting his design, told him to tell Balfour, they were coming in a host after him, and dismissed him. Col. Cotton a returned to Plymouth; and, about 7 o'clock, on the morning of the 21st, marched far Marshfield with a portion of his regiment, consisting of the Plymouth company under Capt. Mayhew, the Kingston under Capt. Peleg, Wadsworth, and the Duxbury under Capt. Geo. Partridge. They proceeded to Col. Anthony Thomas', about a mile N. W. of Capt. John Thomas', where were Balfour's troops. At this juncture Col. Cotton and Lt. Col. Alden held a long conference, as to the course to be taken. At noon there were assembled about 500 men, including the crews of many fishing vessels in the harbor. In the afternoon Capt. Clapp's company from Rochester and Capt. Harlow's from Plympton arrived. Capt. Peleg Wadsworth was greatly dissatisfied with the delay, and moved forward his company until within a short distance of the enemy, and then halted as his numbers were too small to venture an attack. About 3 o'clock, P. M., two sloops hove in sight and anchored off the Brant rock. Balfour then conveyed his company through the Cut river in boats, and reaching the sloops soon sailed for Boston, leaving however several sentinels behind to watch the movements of the Americans, who also set guards for the night. The British watch finally left and in going to their boats, they passed one of the American sentry posts, where were stationed Blanie Phillips, and Jacob Dingley, both of Duxbury. Dingley was seized, and conveyed to their boat, when they concluded to release him. Phillips escaped, fired his gun, and gave an alarm, which roused the country for many miles around. Balfour, it is reported, said that if he had been attacked, he should have surrendered without a gun. In their hurry to escape they left much of their camp equipage behind. He fought with his company at Bunker Hill, and, as he afterwards told a inhabitant of Duxbury, whom he recognized in New York, he left the field with but five men following him, upon which he had entered with as fine a company as was in His Majesty's service.
     On the 1st of May, four companies of the Regiment were ordered to Plymouth. The company from Duxbury was now commanded by Samuel Bradford, whose officers were the same as had been previously. These were stationed at Plymouth until the 1st of Sept. as a guard. During this time a

detachment of twelve men under Maj. Judah Alders performed guard duty at Captain's Hill. In August, Col. Davis, the quartermaster, came from Roxbury with orders for the regiment to embark in whaleboats, and proceed to Sandwich to receive 100 barrels of flour, which had been brought from New York, and conveyed across the isthmus. Twenty boats immediately despatched under the care of Capt. Sylvanus Drew, and the command of the expedition was given to Capt. Samuel Bradford. Converting their blankets into sails they reached Sandwich about one o'clock, having been five hours on their passage. In passing the bar they had to encounter a strong wind, in which some of the boats were swamped, though none of the men were lost. Having loaded their boats with the flour, they started on the next day, and landed it safe about five o'clock in the afternoon on Cohasset beach, and it was conveyed by land to Roxbury. On the 26th of June preceding, the committee of correspondence of Plymouth, those of Duxbury and Kingston joining in the prayer, sent a memorial to the Provincial Congress, expressing their regret that they had made a determination to move to Roxbury a portion of Col. Cotton's Regiment. "We know," said they, "that Admiral Graves has said we were a rebellious people, and because we have built a fort, it would not be long before he would blow the town about our ears;" and we now request that the troops may be permitted to remain, or else the town will be left.
     On the 1st of Sept. Col. Cotton moved his regiment to Roxbury, which formed apart of the detachment ordered to throw up entrenchments on Dorchester heights, March 4th, 1776. The officers of the regiment at this time were-- Theophilus Cotton, Col.; Ichabod Aiden, Lt. Col.; William Thomas, Surgeon; John Thomas, Surgeon's mate; John Cotton, Jr., Quarter-master; Joshua Thomas, Adjutant.

Captains. Tho. Matthew, Earl Clap, John Bradford, John Brigham, Joshua Benson, Isaac Wood, Peleg Wadsworth, Amos Wade, Saml. Bradford, Edw. Hammond.

Lieutenants. Nathl. Lewie, Isaac Pope, Jesse Sturtevant Edw. Sparrow, Wm. Thompson, Abiel Townshend, Seth Drew, Archelaus Cole, Andrew Sampson, Timothy Ruggles.

Ensigns. Benj. Warner, Chas. Church, Tho. Sampson, Nehemiah Cobb, James Smith, Foxwell Thomas, Joseph Sampson, Lemael Wood, Judah Alders, Nathan Sears.

On the removal of the Americans to New York in 1776, several others of Duxbury joined Cape Bradford's company,

and proceeded on with the regiment. Among others were Isaac and Nathl. Delano, and Consider and Oliver Glass. The company remained in New York about a year, when Capt. Bradford resigned his commission, and came home with a great part of his company, many of whom soon again enlisted. Commissions were granted to Joseph Wadsworth, Adam Fish, and Judah Alden, all of Duxbury, to be Captains. Each of those immediately raised their companies, and had many Duxbury men under their command. In the summer of 1777, Capt. Wadsworth having raised a company in Duxbury, marched to Boston, to proceed to join the army of Gen. Gates.
     Col. Cotton's second in command, Lt. Col. Ichabod Alden of Duxbury, had not, previous to the commencement of hostilities, seen any military service, except that he had been for a short time an officer of the militia. He inherited much of the fortitude and independence of his ancestors. His feelings were in perfect unison with the whigs, and he denounced the provoking usurpation of their rights as tyrannous and not to be borne, and was among the foremost to resort to means of violence for the protection of those privileges bequeathed to him from his ancestors, and to whose memory he owed it to preserve them for posterity. He thought, that

"To fight In a just cause and for our country's glory, Is the best office of the best of men; And to decline, when these motives urge, Is infamy beneath a coward's baseness."

     He was soon after promoted to the rank of Colonel, and after the capture of Burgoyne, at Saratoga (Oct. 17th, 1777), was stationed with a regiment of the continental army at a place called Cherry Valley, sixty miles west from Albany, for the defence of the frontiers. In consequence of its exposed situation a fortification had been erected here, during the receding spring, by order of Lafayette, and its command was at once solicited by Col. Gansevoort, with the regiment which had so greatly distinguished itself in the preceding year in the defence of Fort Schuyler. It was nevertheless given to Col. Alden, under whose superintendence it had been built, who soon after arrived with his regiment. We have now to relate his sad and mournful end, while in command of this post. He was attacked by surprise by the enemy under Capt. Walter N. Butler, a royalist, and Brant, a noted Indian Mohawk Chief, with about 700 loyalists and Indians. Col. Alden with a large portion of his officers and men fell victims to their savage cruelty. He had received due notice

of this preconcerted plan of the tories and Indians, for on the 8th of November he received a despatch front Fort Schuyler, conveying the intelligence, which had been received there by an Oneida Indian, who reported that he had learned it from one of the Onondagas, who had been present at a great meeting of the Indians and tories at Tioga, at which this determination had been formed. Col. Alden discredited it, and for good reasons perhaps, as a mere idle Indian rumor, yet he took precautions, but refused the inhabitants of the village permission to deposit their valuables in the fort, (from whence they had been removed, not anticipating farther hostilities before spring,) giving as a reason that it would only be a temptation for his soldiers to plunder; and at the same time assured them, that he would use all diligence against surprise, and by means of vigilant scouts be at all times prepared to warn them of approaching danger. Accordingly scoots were sent out on the 9th, and proceeding down the Susquehannah, as it were in the very face of the enemy, they kindled a fire in the evening, and by the side of which very foolishly laid themselves down to sleep. The result might have been foreseen, for they were prisoners when they awoke.
     Had they followed the dictates of prudence, the scenes to follow would probably have never occurred, and the charges of imprudence, now sometimes so justly imposed on the vigilant colonel, would have missed their record on the page of the historian. In the mean time the enemy, drawn thither by the light of the fire, soon surrounded them, and, having extorted all necessary information, moved forward on the 10th, encamping, however, for that night on the top of a hill thickly covered with evergreens, about a mile southwest of the fort and village of Cherry Valley. There was a light fall of snow in the night, but it turned to rain in the morning, with a thick and cloudy atmosphere. The officers of the garrisons were accustomed to lodge about among the families near the fort, and from the assurances of their colonel the apprehensions of the people were so much allayed, that they brought themselves reposing in perfect security. Col. Alden, with Stacia, his lieutenant-colonel, lodged with Mr. Robert Wells, a gentleman of great respectability. The enemy having ascertained the localities of the officers, approached the unsuspecting village in the greatest security, veiled by the haze which hung in the atmosphere. An alarm was however given before the enemy had actually arrived at the village, by the firing of an Indian upon settler upon the outskirts, who as riding thither on horseback. He was wounded, but nevertheless pushed forward, and gave instant information to the colonel, who still disbelieved the approach of an enemy in force, supposing the shot to have proceeded from a straggler.

He was soon convinced of his error, for, before the guards could be called in, the Indians were upon him. Unfortunately for the inhabitants, Butler, with his rangers, had halted just before entering the village, to examine their arms, the rain having damaged their powder. During this pause the Indians sprang forward, and the Senecas, being at that time the most ferocious of the six nations, were in the van. The house of Mr. Wells was instantly surrounded by the warriors of that tribe, and several tories of no less ferocity, who rushed in and massacred the whole family. Col. Alden himself escaped from the house, but was pursued down a hill by an Indian, who repeatedly demanded of him to surrender. This he refused to do, turning upon his pursuer and repeatedly snapping his pistol at him, but without effect. The Indian ultimately hurled his tomahawk with unerring aim, and, springing forward, seized in an instant his scalp. Thus in the outset fell the commander, who unfortunately was but little accustomed to Indian warfare; and had he been as prudent as he was brave, might have averted the tragic scenes of that hapless day.* -- W. S. Stone's Life of Brant.
     Although some blame should be attached to the incredulity of Col. Alden, yet it must be recollected that many rumors of a like nature (though to be sure not always in the form of a despatch) were constantly reaching his ears, and all proving to be equally false and without foundation. And, perhaps, still further it may be urged in his favor, that the extreme lateness of the season would have seemed almost a guaranty, that no attack would be attempted, even near the outermost pasts of the frontier. Yet there are some who view his course more harshly, and consider him guilty of a "most criminal neglect of duty."
     As an officer, Col. Alden was brave and persevering; as a gentleman, he was accomplished and agreeable; and in all his relations of life, he formed around him lasting and steadfast friends, and in his intercourse with others was honorable and just; and his untimely death could not but be lamented by all who knew him.
     His widow in Duxbury received official tidings of the event, as she was proceeding toward Boston in her chaise; though none of his effects ever reached her.

     1775. The town appointed (April 26th) Capt. Joshua Hall, Ezra Weston and Ichabod Alden a committee to pur-


     * Lieut. Col. Stacia was taken prisoner, and most of the guard at Mr. Wells' house were captured or slain. Thirty-two of the inhabitants, mostly women and children, fell victims, while the garrison in the fort remained secure.--Stone.

chase a cargo of corn in a vessel at Duck hill, and store it for time of need.*
     A third provincial congress was convened at Watertown on the 31st of May, and dissolved on the 19th of July. This congress, June 29th, "Resolved, that thirteen thousand coats be provided as soon as may be, and one thereof given to each non-commissioned officer and soldier in the Massachusetts forces, agreeable to the resolves of Congress on the 23d of April last; and in order to facilitate their being procured," provisions were made for the several towns to furnish a certain number of the 13,000. Plymouth county was to provide 1054; Essex, Worcester, Middlesex, Hampshire and Suffolk alone furnishing none. The towns of Plymouth furnished in this proportion: Bridgewater 188, Middleboro' 160, Scituate 125, Plymouth 100, Rochester 86, Pembroke 66, Plympton 56, Marshfeld 54, Abington 46, Duxbury 44, Kingston 38, Hanover 37, Wareham 30, and Halifax 24. A resolve was afterwards passed, advising the inhabitants to kill no more sheep, except in cases of necessity.
     These were chosen (July 10) a Committee of Safety: Ezra Arnold, Levi Loring, Joshua Stanford, Dea. Southworth, Capt. Hall, and Isaac Partridge; and afterwards (Aug. 7th,) it was voted not to use powder, except to shoot destructive vermin.
     1776. Liberty or Death! was now the prevailing sentiment of the land. The flag of freedom flying from the Liberty-poles throughout the province, bore this far-famed motto to the skies, and its holy influences upon all the assemblies of the people were exerted. "We leave the affair relating to independency to the Continental Congress, to STAND OR FALL WITH THEM," was the emphatic declaration of the town (May 23d), who were willing and ready to place in the hands of the chosen of the people the destinies of their lives and fortunes. To stand by them in prosperity, or to fall with them in adversity, was a duty, which they alike owed to the memory of those, of whose happiest boons they were the grateful recipients; which they owed to each other, and which they owed to posterity.
     The Committee of Correspondence for this year (chosen May 11th,) were G. Partridge, Isaac Partridge, E. Arnold, Peleg Wadsworth, James Southworth, Perez Loring, Levi Loring, Gaml. Bradford, Jr., Bildad Arnold, Eliphas Prior, Judah Delano, Joshua Stanford and Reuben Delano.
     Mr. Partridge was also this year the town's representative. He was appointed one of a committee of three of the General

     * During the operation of the Boston Port Bill, supplies were sent to the suffering inhabitants of that town by many of the towns throughout the province. Duxbury forwarded (March 13th) twenty-one cords of wood, and (March 27th) the sum of £4 5s. 8d.

Court, to visit the Commander-in-chief at New York, and obtain his advice concerning the term of enlistment, and the amount of bounty of the Massachusetts quota of troops. They had been instructed by the Massachusetts General Court to raise the men for one year; but on their arrival at New York, Gen. Washington requested Mr. Partridge to proceed to the National Congress, then sitting at Philadelphia. There he was advised to propose first to Washington a compliance with this instruction; but if the Commander-in-chief should disapprove of it, to propose the enlistment of men for three years, or during the war. When Mr. Partridge returned, he mentioned first the Massachusetts instructions to Washington, who, raising his eyes to heaven, and clasping his hands, exclaimed, --My God! Sir, are you going to give me an army to last but one year I cannot consent to be commander-in-chief of such any army." Mr. Partridge then advanced the second proposition, and the men were raised for that period.--Rev. Benj. Kent's Address.
     Early in the spring of this year, 700 bushels of corn, from a Virginia vessel, were purchased, to store it for time of need, at an expense of £99 3s. 4d. Other expenses attending it, made it amount to £106 13s. 9d.
     Late in the year (Oct. 7) a meeting of the town was called, and it was decided, that it was not expedient for the General Court to form a new constitution or plan of government; but to go on in the same method as is usual, or as heretofore they have done." However, early in the next year (May 14th, 1777), they instructed their representatives "to act upon a new plan of government."
     A fort was, early in this year, built at the Center by the towns of Plymouth, Kingston and Duxbury. On the part of Duxbury, Isaac Partridge and Dea. Peleg Wadsworth were chosen (Feb. 20th,) their agents in the work of erection. No attack, it is believed, was made on this during the war. A few shots, however, were exchanged with the British frigate Niger, Capt. Talbot; and at this time one of the balls from frigate pierced the light-house; and the vessel grounded on Brown's Island shoal, but soon got off.
     A beacon was also erected on Captain's hill and in the night time in any danger of attack by the enemy, tar barrels were fired, which called the neighboring towns to assistance.
     The Gurnet fort mounted three 12-Pounders, one 6-pounder, and two 9-pounders. The garrison consisted of about 60 men, nearly one half of whom were from Duxbury. The first officers were Capt. Wm. Weston of Plymouth, Lt. A. Sampson, and Ens. Nathl. Carver. These were succeeded by Capt. Andrew Sampson of Duxbury, Dea. Smith and Ebenezer Barker, both of Pembroke were Lt. and Ens.; and

afterward Capt. Stephen Churchill, whose second in command was Lt. John Washburn.
     Early in this year an incident occurred, which caused considerable confusion in the country around. The valiant Capt. Manly with a number of valuable prizes approached the harbor, and entering it anchored off Saquish point. It was supposed at the time that it was a British fleet, come to burn the towns around the bay. A beacon was immediately fired on Saquish, which was soon followed by another at Captain's hill, and at Monk's hill in Kingston, and at Plymouth. Troops came pouring in from the neighboring towns, and the companies of Duxbury assembled under arms at Captain's hill; but soon after the facts of the case were known, and the crowd dispersed.
     This was a time of general fear along the coast by those who were expecting the execution of the threats of Admiral Graves. Sentinels were constantly posted, and they attended divine service on the Sabbath, with their arms.
     In General Sullivan's campaign in Rhode Island, nearly the whole body of militia in the county were ordered to his aid. The two companies of Duxbury marched under the command of Capt. Calvin Partridge, and were gone about two months. Arriving at Little Compton, they were placed under the immediate command of Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, who had charge of the militia, then assembled to the number of about 2000 men. On one occasion, while Gen. Sullivan was skirmishing with the British at some distance, Gen. Wadsworth by his command drew up his militia in a body and formed them ready for an attack, whenever orders came for advancing. While thus arrayed, he was informed that they would probably be soon be ordered forward. Gen. Wadsworth then for a short time harangued his men, and prepared them for the onset; but as no orders came they saw no fighting on that day. This occurred late in the summer of 1777.
     During the absence of the men, the harvesting was done by the matrons of the town, who divided themselves into two companies, the one commanded by Miss Rachel Sampson, and the other by Mrs. William Thomas, and met by turns at the different farms, and gathered the crops; there being none but the old men remaining in the town.
     1777. The following were chosen (March 17) a committee of correspondence and safety: Deacons Wadsworth, Southworth and Loring, Capt's Hall and Arnold, Ezra Arnold, Eliphas Prior, Reuben Delano, Judah Delano, Joshua Standford, and Perez Chandler. There were but few towns in the province, who did not number among their inhabitants some of the supporters of the British Government, who were induced to act the part, more from fear, than from a sincere

belief in their duty of loyalty; though doubtless there were some of the latter class. Few towns were destitute of a tory house, where these bondmen of British tyranny were wont to congregate, either in secret or openly. In Duxbury (and to its honor may it be said,) there was not a single tory! None dared to profess themselves the friends of British tyranny.
     Liberty-pole recantations in Duxbury were not numerous, as there were none to recant. However the tories of other towns did not altogether escape their strict regimen, which they judged perhaps comfortable to the duties of perfect patriots. An attempt was made to seize upon Nathaniel Phillips, one of the principal loyalists of Marshfield; but he contrived to escape their vigilance. At one time Dr. Stockbridge, Paul White, and Elisha Ford, three of the leading tories in Marshfield, were seized and carted under the liberty pole in Duxbury, and forced to sign recantations. The liberty pole was placed on the hill near Col. Bradford's and stood several years after the war. However it appears from the records that (May 14th, 1777) the town appointed John Sampson with instructions "to procure all evidence that he could get against all the enemies of the State, and to make report thereof to proper authorities."
     Marshfield was the centre of toryism in this quarter. A large number was also collected at Sandwich. There were some at Plymouth, Halifax and Taunton, and a few in Bridgewater; and these seemed to constitute nearly the whole tory legion in the Old Colony. The associated loyalists at Marshfield numbered about 300 persons. Among the principal characters of this body may be mentioned nearly every member of the ancient Winslow family, and the residence of Dr. Isaac Winslow was one of the chief places of their meeting; yet he alone of the family was permitted to remain on his estate during the war. He died here in 1819, aet. 81, having lived a life of usefulness in his profession. Another member of this association, Nathaniel Ray Thomas, bore the odious office of mandamus counsellor. He embarked for Halifax on the evacuation of Boston by the British army in 1776, where he died in 1791. He is called in McFingal,

"That Marshfield blunderer, Nat. Roy Thomas."
     In the month of July in the year 1774, about seven hundred persons from different parts of the county assembled in Marshfield, and marched to the dwelling of Mr. Thomas, to endeavor to compel him to resign his commission of mandamus counsellor. Arriving here they were told that he had gone to Boston; however they searched his house, and put the family under oath, administered by a justice of Pem-

broke, who was present, and they solemnly declared that he was absent.
     Another, Abijah White, who had been the representative of the town in the General Court, and a government man of great zeal, but of little discretion, carried to Bostong the celebrated Marshfield resolves, censuring the whigs, and caused them to be published, which drew upon him their wrath, and he sunk under the burden of general ridicule. He was obliged to flee to the protection of the British in Boston, to rescept the fury of the whigs, and here in remuneration for his services, the English General appointed him superintendent of a turnip field, which had been planted (where now is the Boston Latin School,) by the troops to furnish themselves with vegetables for the sick, the town at that time being deprived of all intercourse with the country without. This proved scarcely consistent with the dignity of the Marshfield loyalist. In McFingal, in recounting one of his exploits, it says, --

"Abijah White, when sent, Our Marshfield friends to represent, Himself while dread array involves, Commissione, pistols, swords, resolves, In awful pomp descending down, Bore terror on the faction town."

     He was of the party of tories and marines, captured by Maj. Tupper at the light house in Boston harbor, and was wounded in the encounter. Isaac Joice, Seth Bryant, Caleb and Melzar Carver, Israel Tilden, Thomas Decrow and Joseph Phillips were likewise odious to the friends of liberty, and were proscribed and banished in 1778. The mob sometimes acted with indiscretion, though it is not known that the town on any occaison forced upon these enemies of their liberties any unwarrantable punishments. Some, it is true, were compelled to sign recantations of sentiments under the liberty pole. The following account is given* of the treat-

     * Lorenzo Sabine's American Loyalists. Of the colonies, says the same authority, New York was undeniably the loyalists' strong hold, and contained more of them than any other colony in all America. Massachusetts furnished 67,907 whig soldiers between the years 1775 and 1783, while New York supplied but 17,781. In adjusting the war balances after the peace, Massachusetts had overpaid her share in the sum of $1,248,801 of silver money; but New York was deficient in the large amount of $2,074,846. New Hampshire, though almost a wilderness, furnished 12,496 troops for the continental ranks, or quite three quarters of the number enlisted in the Empire State.
     One more fact may serve to throw a still stronger light, to illuminate more brightly the nearly unanimous whig principles of the OLD BAY STATE. Virginia, whose established quota was the next highest and within four thousand of that of Massachusetts, failed to comply therewith in the

ment of a Halifax tory, at the hands of some of the furious whigs. One Jesse Dunbar by name, having bought some fat cattle of a mandamus counsellor in 1774, drove them to Plymouth for sale. The whigs soon learned with whom he had presumed to deal, and after he had slaughtered, skinned and hung up one of the beasts, commenced punishing him for the offence. His tormentors, it appears, put the dead ox in a cart and fixed Dunbar in his belly, carted him four miles and required him to pay one dollar for the ride. He was then delivered over to a Kingston mob, who carted him four other miles and exacted another dollar. A Duxbury mob then took him and after beating him in the face with the creature's tripe, and, endeavoring to cover his person with it, carried him to counsellor Thomas' house, and compelled him to pay a further sum of money. Flinging his beef into the road, they now left him to recover and return as he could. When he was received from the Kingston mob, he was put into a cart belonging to Mr. Wiliam Arnold. By the command of Capt. Wait Wadsworth, he was first allowed to walk by the cart; but while some of the boys, who were collected in great numbers, were dancing around him, he tripped some of them up with his feet, which so irritated the people, that they placed him again in the cart with renewed violence; and soon again transferred him to another ox cart, which carried him and finally tipped him out in front of the counsellor's door.
     The town chose (Nov. 24th) Bezaleel Alden, Nathan Chandler and Joseph Soule a committee "to fulfil the resolves of the Court, relating to the soldiers in the Continental army."
     1778. Early in this year (Jan. 15th), the town assembled, and voted to instruct their representatives to comply with the resolves of the Continental Congress, and to keep a confederate union with the United States, to be entered upon for the good of the whole. Dea. Loring, Capt. Arnold, and Mr. Partridge were appointed to draw up instructions, which they reported as follows:-- "To George Partridge and Dea. Peleg Wadsworth, Representatives;-- You are directed to act and to do in the matter, relating to a compliance of a perpetual union and confederate commerce with the United States, as you shall judge most meet for the advantage of this and the other United States, for the god of the whole relative to the matter."
     These were appointed (April 6th) a committee of inspection and safety,-- Wrestling Alden, James Freeman, Jr., Judah Delano, John Sampson and Dea. Loring.

number of about 22,000 men: while Massachusetts overrun over 15,000 men. Thus Massachusetts, though required by Congress to furnish only 4,000 more men, raised over 37,000 more!

Continued