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     At the above-named meeting in January, Jacob Weston was authorized by the town "to procure one hundred pounds in lawful money, to buy sd money's worth in arms and ammunition for ye town's store." It was afterwards voted, that the selectmen dispose of the arms, thus procured, by lot; but this vote was rescinded at the next meeting, and it was ordered that they be apprized, and that the selectmen retain them until further orders.
     At a meeting, March 23d, the town "voted to grant the petition of Capt. Arnold and Lt. Hall, for establishing the several votes passed in the first company of militia in Duxbury, for raising soldiers for the Continental and State service, agreeable to said petition."
     At a very large meeting of the town, on the 1st of June, called to consider the expediency of the country's adopting a new plan of government, it was nearly unanimously decided in the negative (103 noes and 3 ayes). Assessors were chosen to raise money for the militia companies; Col. Alden, Benj. Alden and Judah Delano for the north; and Joseph Freeman, Jr., Capt. Andrew Sampson and Saml. Chandler for the south. Capt. Bildad Arnold was chosen to attend the convention to be held at Concord in October next.
     The Board of War delivered (Nov. 28th,) "to Capt. Sylvanus Drew, 19 firearms for the town of Duxburough at £6."
     1779. The town voted (May 17th) that their representative, Mr. Partridge, be instructed, that if the major part of the State be for a change of government, he should vote for a committee for that purpose. The vote was then taken as regards a new constitution, which was decided in the negative by a majority of 21 votes (neg. 30, aff. 7). They then requested Capt. Hall, Lt. Elijah Baker, Capt. Calvin Partridge, Lt. Saml. Chandler and Ezra Weston, to engage three soldiers for the Continental army, and four for ____. Voted, that a tax be levied to pay the soldiers' polls, which were 3s. 6d. on the hundred.
     At a meeting, aug. 16th, they chose "Col. Briggs Alden and Mr. Eliphas Prior to attend the county convention to be held at Mr. Caleb Loring's, the 24th day of this instant August."
     1780. This year exhibited greater activity on the part of the inhabitants, to bring the struggle for freedom at an end. They appear to have entered upon the year with more determination and greater fortitude. The war, which had now been raging for nearly five years, demanded their most strenuous exertions to bring it at once to a speedy and honorable close. Discouragement and discontnent became to be manifested among the troops. Their families at home beggared, themselves receiving but poor pay and a scanty subsistence, they turned from the ranks in despair. To retain them in the ser-

vice was of the greatest moment to the country. To do this, large sums of money must be raised by taxation, and measures were undertaken throughout the provinces to raise the requisite amount. With high expectations of a future acknowledged independence, or at least with the consciousness of doing all in their power to secure this blessing for posterity, many of the towns immediately came forward to the assistance of their common country. Early in the opening of this year, (Feb. 8th,) this town assembled, to take into consideration means for procuring the necessary sum which would be required of them to discharge the debts already contracted by the war, and to furnish money for the removal of the same. Most of those who had enlisted for the term of nine months, had received no remuneration. After some discussion, it was voted to raise £5000 for the payment of these.
     Dea. James Southworth, Capt. Bildad Arnold and Eliphas Prior were appointed (Mar. 7th,) the committee of correspondence for the ensuing year. The form of government was, at a meeting held on the 22d of May, presented to the town for their approval or rejection. It was duly considered; and, on taking the question, the vote stood 44 for it, with five dissenting voices.
     The terms of service of the troops were now fast expiring, and recruits were wanted to supply their places. The town took all necessary measures to supply her quota of men in the coming campaign. It was not however until somewhat late in the season, that a company could be gathered. They assembled on the 19th of June, but without transacting any business, save voting to unite in the forming of the company, they adjourned to the next day, and met at the house of Wrestling Alden. Eighteen men were now selected, who were rquired to provide one man each. The meeting then adjourned to the meeting-house, where the following votes for raising more money were next passed. First, to raise £800 by a tax on the polls and estates of the town, to pay the soldiers raised pursuant to the three resolves of the General Court, for reënforcing the Continental army. Second, to raise £10,000 to pay the nine months' men, last in the army. At an adjourned meeting, it was voted that the above committee of eighteen be empowered to engage the men "at 20 hard dollars a month, including the State's bounty, which the town is to have the benefit of, or 20 bushels of corn, or 15 bushels of rye, or other produce at this same rate." A vote was also passed "to indemnify the officers in case there is a fine amerced on them." On the 3d of July the town again assembled, when it was ascertained that this committee, with the exception of six, had procured each a man to serve for six months. Six others were now added to to the committee, to exert their

influence in procuring the residue. The company was called together by their officers, ready for the departure on the 10th instant.
     Now came another demand for 22 militia men, to serve three months; and they agreed to raise these at their own expense; and a committee, corresponding to the number required, were authorized to procure each a man, and to agree with him. At this time the town determined, that those who shall pay the tax levied for paying the three and six months men in silver, shall be exempted from paying more for said purpose, shall be exempted from paying more for said purpose. It will be observed, that the currency was required to be hard; for at this time the paper currency had so much depreciated, that one doller in silver would purchase nearly an hundred in paper.
     A call was also made on the town by the State, for her quota of beef, which was 6190 pounds, and a tax was voted to be levied to procure funds for purchasing the same, estimating the beef at $4 per pound, which would make the amount of $24,760. Eliphas prior was afterwards (Oct. 3d) appointed to purchase it, and to hire a sum equal to the amount, if he could; and to deliver the beef to a person authorized to receive it, by the General Court. The treasurer was also told to issue notes, payable in six months, to any person who would sell the beef or lend the money.
     The following men, of Duxbury, at this period served three months in Baron Stuben's infantry:-- Isaac Delano, Joshua Brewster, Consider Glass, Oliver Delano, and James Weston.
     1781. The Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety of last year, were reappointed for the present year.
     The town met on the 1st of January, and determined to raise 14 more men to serve for three years; and a committee of the same number were appointed to procure each a man. The militia officers were requested to assist in the levy; and, at an adjourned meeting (Jan. 5th), a new plan was agreed upon, dividing the town into classes, and requiring each class to provide one man, agreeing with him as they may think best. Assembling again on the 29th, no further steps were taken, except they passed a vote, stimulating the inhabitants to renewed action. Afterwards (April) they voted to pay the twenty men, who were to march to Tiverton, three shillings per day, including the State's pay. A committee was also appointed to settle accounts with those before chosen to settle with the three, six, and nine months men. This committee consisted of Col. B. Alden, Bezaleel Alden and John Peterson.
     In July three men were enlisted in the west part of the town to serve in the Rhode Island campaign for five months. Some father resolves were made at a meeting on the 9th of

this month, in relations to the three months men. They voted to allow them £6 per month, exclusive of the State's pay; and voted to raise for this purpose £36; and also agreed to indemnify the officers if they did not draft the men.

     In this place it may be wel to give some account of the part the inhabitants of Duxbury took in the maritime affairs of this period.
     In the early part of the war, a fishing schooner, belonging to Elijah Sampson of Duxbury, was taken and burnt by the enemy, off the beach within sight of the town. She was commanded by Capt. Lewis Drew, and manned by Ezra Howard, Joseph Delano, Zebdiel Delano, Abiathar Alden, and Zadock Bradford. They were taken to New York and put on board the Jersey prison ship where they all died excepting Alden and Bradford, who returned home.
     The English forty-gunship Chatham took the schooner Olive, belonging to Capt. Nathaniel Winsor, by whom she was at that time commanded, and manned by Wm. Winsor, Thomas Sampson and Lot Hunt. They were finally released on parole with the loss of their mainsail, which the enemy retained.
     Shortly after the above, Samuel Chandler's schooner Polly Johnson, commanded by Capt. John Winsor, and manned by Consider Glass, Thomas Chandler, Asa Tour, and James Weston, was taken by the English thirty-two gunship Perseverance. The enemy put on board the schooner several of their crew, who started on a cruise for the purpose of ascertaining her sailing qualities. They however returned on the next day, and putting on board her original crew with the crew of another prize, which they had taken, belonging to Cape Ann, released them on parole, giving to the two crews the schooner, which they afterwards returned to the rightful owner.
     Capt. Elden Wadsworth, George Cushman, and Joshua Brewster served in the public armed vessels. In the summer of 1779, Freeman Loring, Studley Sampson, Amasa Delano, and Joseph Bestow joined the crew of the privateer Mars, an armed vessel of 22 guns, fitted out at Boston by Mr. David Sears and commanded by Capt. Ash. James Tour and William Ripley served aboard the Alliance frigate.
     Messrs. Warren Weston, Abel Sampson, Bisbee Chandler, Howard Chandler, and Samuel Delano were with Capt. Simeon Sampson in a brig, when he was taken by the English ship Rainbow. Abel Sampson died in the Halifax prison. The Rainbow was soon after nearly lost in a fog in the vicinity of Cape Sable; but was finally rescued from her perilous situation by the skill of a Marblehead captain who was a

prisoner on board, and who thus obtained his liberty, which was granted to him as a recompense for his services.
     In the year 1781, a small vessel, called a "Shaving Mill," was built and equipped at Kingston, to proceed along the coast to the Penobscot, and there to plunder and seize the British stores. She was a long craft, had three lateen sails and fourteen oars. She sailed from Captain's hill under the command of Capt. Joseph Wadsworth, whose lieutenant was Daniel Loring, and was absent on her cruise about three weeks.
     1782. On the 1st of August an order came from the Hon. Henry Gardner for the town to furnish the sum of £222 1/4 for three men in the State service, in accordance with the resolve of the State, March, 1782.

     1783. The blessing of peace at last came upon the States, and with it, too, the consummation of their most ardent aspirations. Liberty and independence had been acquired, though through rivers of blood and plains of desolation. As to the founds of New England we owe the blessing of religious liberty; so to the heroes of the revolution must we look, as the source of our civil independence. Both the choicest favors in the gift of Providence. Temporary has been the admiration bestowed on the mightiest exploits; but lasting as the soil upon which they trod, must be the love and veneration ever to be manifested for the memory of those who first acquired and handed to posterity, the richest of Heaven's blessings, CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. They acted from principles,--principles, which made them look rather to the future, than the past, rather to the acquirement of liberty and prosperity for their children, than to the augmentation of their own personal happiness. They strove for establishment of those institutions now so endeared to our hearts, and so beneficial to our security. They strove in unity,--unity of purpose and of deed, and may their example ever be before us, and may it prompt us to a regard for the union of our States, and may our dying ejaculations be in anticipation of an eternal concord, peaceful and happy. They bequeathed to us the choicest boons. It is to the character of the primitive settlers of New England, that we are indebted for our system of general education, now so justly the subject of our own pride, and the object of universal admiration; and their children, drinking in the spirit which actuated their fathers in the performance of those deeds still and ever will uphold that native energy and inborn perseverance, which has made New England what she is, her sons the models of uprightness, alike distinguished for integrity and probity, and the possessors of that enterprising spirit, which has caused the world to

be encircled by her numbers, and every sea whitened with her sails.
     But few of the participators in that struggle are now left amongst us. In 1840, there were in the town nineteen survivors, who received pensions from the government, but since then many of them have died.* Their names were Joseph KINNEY, aged 85 years, Howland SAMPSON 85, Andrew SAMPSON 91, Thomas CHANDLER 87, Samuel GARDNER 76, Howard CHANDLER 81, James WESTON 79, Oliver DELANO 81, Reuben DAWES 95, Nathaniel HODGES 78, Isaiah ALDEN 81, Abner SAMPSON 81, Levi WESTON 83, Judah ALDEN 89, Uriah SPRAGUE 92, Seth SPRAGUE 80, Joshua BREWSTER 77, Jeptha DELANO 81, and Edward ARNOLD 92. The aggregate age of these were 1603 years; the average age 84 ^7-19. There were four over 90; eleven between 80 and 90; and four between 70 and 80. At the same date there were thirteen widows receiving pensions, whose husbands had served in the war. Their aggregate age was 1025 years, and the average 78 ^11-13 years. Of all the towns in Plymouth county, no other, except Middleboro', had a larger or so large a number.

     * Under the first pension law, there were 22 pensioners in Duxbury. It has been estimated that there were about sixty individuals from Duxbury actively engaged through the revolution in the arm and navy. The following is an imperfect list of those men belonging to Duxbury, who were either killed in action or died in the army during the war: of Capt. S. Bradford's company, Elisha SAMPSON, Asa HUNT, and Thomas SPRAGUE, at the battle of White Plains. Col. Ichabod ALDEN at Cherry Valley, and of his regiment in the retreat from Ticonderoga to Albany, Carpus WHITE, and also James WRIGHT and Nathaniel WESTON, who died by disease. Joshua SPRAGUE, a sergeant under Capt. BRADFORD, died at New York, Aug. 20, 1776 æt 25. Ira BRADFORD served on board a privateer and was killed in a fight on Long Island Sound. Samuel ALDEN received a mortal wound in the Penobscot expedition.

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