SOURCE: "Putnam's Monthly Historical Magazine", Jan.-Dec. 1895, New Series, Vol. III (also publ. as The Salem Press Historical and Genealogical Record VOL. V); Eben Putnam, Publisher and Editor, Salem.

NEWBURY AND NEWBURYPORT IN THE LEXINGTON FIGHT.

      (Read before the Historical Society of Old Newbury at its meeting held on the new Massachusetts holiday, April 19, 1894.)

CONTRIBUTED BY MISS E. A. GETCHELL.

      The spirit which pervaded the American colonies during the few years preceding the breaking out of hostilities which led inevitably to the war of the Revolution, was as fervid in Newbury and Newburyport as in any other section of the country.
      In the year 1772 Newburyport held a meeting Dec. 23, and Newbury Dec. 29, and chose committees, the former of twelve persons and the latter of sixteen, "to take into consideration our publick grievances, and the infringement of our rights and liberties," and to report, etc.
      The following month adjourned meetings were held to hear the reports of these committees, which were accepted and ordered to be entered on the town records, there to stand as a lasting memorial of "the sense they have of their invaluable rights and of their steady determination to defend them in every lawful way as occasion may require."
      Before the year was out the good people of the town had opportunity to back their words with deeds. Let it be remembered that British tea was destroyed in Newburyport a week or ten days before the event of a like nature in Boston; but Market square is a much humbler locality than Boston harbor, and so the trumpet of Fame has been silent over it.
      In the summer of 1774 meetings were held in Newbury and Newburyport to take into consideration certain letters sent from the committee of correspondence in Boston relating to the proposed general congress of the colonies "to consider and advise on the present distressed state of our civil and commercial affairs." Later on the town of Newbury chose the Hon. Joseph Gerrish, and Newburyport Captain Jonathan Greenleaf as their respective representatives.
      In the latter part of October, 1774, the town of Newburyport held a meeting, and "voted that all the inhabitants he desired to furnish them

selves with arms and ammunition, and have bayonets fixed to their guns, as soon as may be."
      We can readily imagine the martial activity aroused by this order. In the long winter evenings what furbishing of muskets and old King's arms, moulding of bullets, and repairing and replenishing of powder-horns! how the ramrods were looked to, the locks oiled, furnished with new flints, and manipulated until every part worked with all possible smoothness?
      The old grandsire in the chimney corner, roused by the hustle to the remembrance of the warlike doings of his youth, would recount to the eager urchins crowding ther settle-bench tales of the great struggle between France and England for supremacy in America, and perhaps the thrilling stories handed down by his father of Indian warfare and alarms.
      The women of the household, listening as they plied the cards, or drove the flax wheel, may have softly sighed over the prospect of anxiety and privation which unfolded itself for the future, the reality of which lingered in the memories of the oldest among them no doubt; but the sturdy spirit which was theirs by inheritance would have scorned to shrink at sacrifice. So to drive away unwelcome thoughts they were fain to debate whether the Liberty tea, so called, was really composed of raspberry leaves or some other herb, and what could be done to eke out the supply of molasses for the summer.
      There were other horsemen beside Revere who rode swiftly and silently away from Boston in the gathering darkness of the evening of April 18, 1775. One of them made his way northward, past Winnisimet, over the Lynn marshes, pausing to leave a brief sentence or two with the yeomanry of Salem, flushed with the success of the encounter with the regulars only a short time before, still northward over the Newbury pike, dropping the curt order with the Ipswich minute men, and about midnight drawing rein in Newbury.
      The message spread like wildfire, and at sunrise the companies were ready to set out on their march with arms and provisions.
      It has been thought appropriate in our keeping of the day that copies of the muster rolls of the companies should be obtained from the archives at the State House, Boston, and made public here for the benefit of their posterity, who desire to share in the fame of their ancestors. Mr. Robert Noxon Toppan has kindly and faithfully made such copies and the following is the result of his labors:

      "The following lists of officers and soldiers who marched from Newbury and Newburyport on April 19 and 20, 1775, to the headquarters of the army established at Cambridge, upon what is called the Lexington Alarm, are copied from the original muster rolls preserved at the State House in Boston. These rolls are generally distinctly written and are in good condition, only a few names being difficult to decipher from the fading of the ink, or by having been handled a good deal.
      The total number borne on these lists is three hundred and twenty-eight (328) about all of whom started on their march on the 19th, the very day of the fight at Lexington and Concord, as soon as the news reached them that the British troops were advancing from Boston.
      The alacrity with which the American militia men obeyed the summons to advance against the regular royal troops shows how intense was the excitement of the hour. From motives of patriotism some of the men paid their own expenses on the march, while others gave the service of their horses; a trooper of the militia appears to have received about eighteen pence a day, and a foot soldier about seventeen.
      It is to be hoped that the Lexington Historical Society will reprint the short pamphlet written many years ago by Mr. Elias Phinney, which gives a very graphic account of the early morning fight at Lexington, the encounter at Concord, and the retreat of the English forces, with the names of the killed and wounded belonging to Lexington, Concord, Acton, Cambridge, and other neighboring towns, including several from Lynn, and even one from Danvers."

Vol. 11, page 195.
      A muster roll of the several persons that marched from Newbury to headquarters at Cambridge belonging to the Troop on the Twentieth of April, A. D., 1775, on ye alarm under command of John Brickett, Lieut., viz.:

JOHN BRICKETT, Lieutenant.

Parker Jasques, Corporal.

Abram Adams, Trump.

Privates.

Benjamin Adams. Enoch Little. Joshua Hills

Moses March. Stephen Coffin. Thomas Thurlow.

William Greenleaf. Moses S. Moody.

      The above are credited with thirty miles travel and four days service.

Privates.

Eliphalet Hill. Caleb Kimball. Samuel Dole.

Thomas Williams. Joseph Knight. Thomas Davies.

Enoch Huse. Abel Merrill.

      (The eight men last mentioned in this roil were detained as Post-Riders and received their pay as such.)

John Brickett, Lieut.

      Each person borne on this roll bore his expanse out and home, so that no Innholder or Retailer have any demand on the Province or person on this roll.

John Brickett, Lieut.

Middlesex, ss. 8 Dec. 1775.
      Lieut. John Brickett, ye subscriber to this muster roll, made oath that in taking the same he acted faithfully and impartially according to his best skill and judgment.

Before me,

Abram Fuller, Justice of the Peace.

      Each person named of the within roll belonging to Newburyport, went with each man his horse and furnished to Headquarters at Cambridge as ye order of Court did mention anything relative to Horses I leave it with ye Hon. Court to make such advance as they in their wisdom will think meet, & remain yr Honors,

Most obt. Hble. Servt.,

John Brickett.

(Endorsed.) Watertown, Feb. 22, 1776.
      Examined and compared with original. William Thorley, S. Holten, Committee.
      In Council Feb. 23, 1776. Read & allowed & ordered that a warrant be drawn on ye Treasurer for £7 3s. in full of this roll.

Perez Morton, Esq., Sec'y.

Vol. 12, page 104.
      A Muster-roll of Capt. Jacob Gerrish's company that marched to Cambridge in the Alarm, April 19, 1775.

JACOB GERRISH, Captain.

SILAS ADAMS, Lieutenant.	BENJ. STICKNEY, Lieutenant.
Sergeants.
Paul Moody. Jedediah Stickney.	Joseph Danforth. John Noyes, 2d sergeant.

Privates.

Nathaniel Adams. Jededlah Carrier.

Jacob Low, Jr. Benj. Poor.

Nathaniel Pearson. Nathan Adams.

Joseph Choat. Oliver Goodridge. James Chute. Daniel Hale. Enoch Boynton. Enoch Adams, Jr. Stephen Lunt. John Currier. John Cheney. William Flood.

Eliphalet Poor. John Sawyer. John Lunt. Richard Martin. Amos Poor. Stephen Smith. Abram Thorla. William Searl. Jacob Hale. Enoch Adams.

Jacob Low. John Turner. David Chute. Timothy Dorman. Abner Woodman. Thomas Smith. Amos Stickney. Stephen Gerrish.

      (Time of meeting April 19, travel 80 miles, expense of travel 6s. 8d, time of service 6 days, balance due the capt. £1, 5s. 8d, etc.)
      £25, 7s. 9d.

Jacob Gerrish, Capt.

      N. B.--ye above men who have no travel carried out against their names continue in ye service till ye last of Dec., and was made up for Travell and paid accordingly in the muster-roll of my company.
      (March 20, 1776. Capt. Gerrish made his affidavit that the roll was correct. The Committee examined the accounts and a warrant for £25 7s. 9d. wits ordered to be drawn.)

Vol. 12, page 169.
      A Muster roll of the Minute Company that marched to Cambridge under the command of Capt. Moses Little, in the alarm, April 19, 1775.

MOSES LITTLE, Captain.

TIMOTHY PILLSBURY, Lieutenant.

Privates.

Thomas Brown. Joshua Little. Moses Holt. Matthias Atkinson. Nathan Merrill. Joseph Merrill. Jacob Merrill. Edmund Chase. Moses Rollins. Joseph Carr.

James Merrill. Joshua Pillsbury. Joisiah Little. Jacob Coffin. Matthias Plant Sawyer. Benj. Brown. Moses Coffin. John Atkinson. Amos Atkinson. John Morgaridge.

Joshua Merrill. Samuel Coffin. Jonathan Chase. Daniel Goodridge. Benj. Carr. Peter Ordway. David Whittemore. Lemuel Fowler. Enoch Merrill.

      (Affidavit of Capt. Little before Jonathan Hastings, Justice of the Peace, March 27, 1776. Examined and compared by committee. Warrant for £19, 5s. 11 1/4 d. ordered in Council April 2, 1776. Miles travelled, 60. Days out, 5. 1d per mile, 5s. for travel.)

Vol. 13, page 17.
      A list of men who marched with Capt. Moses Nowell from Newburyport, April 19, 1775, against the British troops.

MOSES NOWELL, Captain.

BENJ. PERKINS, 1st Lieutenant.	ELIAS DAVIS, 2d Lieutenant.
STEPHEN JENKINS, 3d Lieutenant.
Sergeants Paul Lunt. Timothy Ford. Wm. Ames. Samuel Clark	Corporals. Moses Pike. Nathaniel Fellows. Nathaniel Montgomery. Samuel Foster.
Drum and Fife.
Benj. Pearson. Caleb Haskell.	Richard Hale. Joseph Cross.

Privates.

John Somerby. John Wyatt. Wm. Shackford. Edmund Pettengell. Timothy Palmer. Michael Toppan. Moses Kimball. Thomas Haynes. Moses Pidgeon. John Brett. John Chase. John Brichford. Wm. McClintock. Josiah Teel. Thomas Gould. Joseph Somerby. Samuel Harris (2 days). Thomas Merrill. David Rogers. Moses Newman. Edward Toppan. Benj. Beckley, Jr. John Adams. Edmund Moore. Nicholas Titcomb. Samuel Wyatt. Wm. Halliday. Hezeklah Goodhue. Thomas Greenleaf. John Little. Nathaniel Mitchell.

Amos Pearson. Wm. Stlckney. Stephen Moore. John Sleeper. Thomas Hammond. Thomas Merrill. Jonathan Dole. Wm. Damm. Jesse Amory. John Perry. Henry W. Tinger (2 days). Thomas Frothingham. Samuel Nowell. Joshua Pettengell. Thomas Leigh. Jacob Knapp. Benj. Greenleaf. John Brown. John Cheever. Nicholas Moody. Thomas Weskom. Joseph McHard. Wm. Connor. Joseph Herbert. Jacob True. Joseph Smith. Mayo Greenleaf. David Pearson. Samuel Swazy. Asa Dickson. Joseph Stickney.

Samuel Hall. Thomas Gardner. Robert ______. John Stickney. John Hammond. Isaac Frothingham. Jonathan Carter. Jonathan Plumer. Michael Titcomb. John Halliday. Joseph Davis. Francis Rogers. James Brown. James Forth. Roger Lord. John Little. Joseph Pearson. Isaac Marble. Paul Noyes. Wm. Farnham. John Kettle. Stephen Giddings. Joshua Mitchell. Nathaniel Warner. Zebulon Titcomb. John Wood Brown. Josiah Plumer. Lewis Gay. Moses Cross. Moses ______. David Somerby.

Wm. Hazeltine. Thomas Boardman. John C. Roberts. Joseph Somerby, Jr. Enoch Moody. Benj. Eaton. Silas Parker. John Cook.

Philip Johnson. John Goodhue. Amos Follansbee. Nathaniel Smith. Lemuel Coffin. Tristram Plumer. Isaac Currier. Roland Stockman.

Caleb James. Amos French. Enoch Plumer. Nathaniel Haskell. Moses Fessenden. Samuel Huse. Luke Webster.

      (Affidavit of Capt. Nowell, Dec. 4, 1775; warrant for payment of £79, 13s. 3d. ordered March 25, 1776. Miles 75, days 4.)

Vol. 13, page 19.
      Muster-roll of the several Persons who marched from Newbury to Headquarters at Cambridge, on the Twentieth day of April, 1775, under the command of Thomas Noyes, 3d.

THOMAS NOYES, Captain.

ENOCH LONG, Lieutenant.

ABNER BAYLEY, Ensign.

MOSES BRICKETT, Ensign.

Joseph Ames. Thomas Chase. John Chase. Parker Chase. Winthrop Colby. Enoch Davis. Nathaniel Emery. Joseph Goodridge. Benj. Hills, Jr. Enoch Long, Jr.

Moody Morse. Thomas Rogers. John Rawling, Jr. Joshua Sawyer. Joseph Brown, Jr. Abel Chase. Joseph Chase, Jr. Daniel Cheney. Nathan Chase. Robert Davis.

Wm. Foster. William Hills. Thomas Huse. John March. Parker Rogers. Silas Rogers. Barns Short. Daniel Thurston.

      (Miles 80, days 4, total expense £21, 1s. 8 1/2 d.)
      Each person borne on this roll bore his expense out and home so that no Innholders have any demand on ye Province or person on this roll.

Thomas Noyes, Capt.

      Essex, ss. 2 Dec., 1775. Then ye above named Thomas Noyes appeared and made oath to ye truth of ye above rolls.

Before me,

Caleb Cushing, Jus. Peace.

      In Council, March 16, 1776. Read and allowed that a warrant be drawn on ye Treasurer for £21, 1s. 8 1/2 d. in full of this roll.

John Lowell, Dept. Sec'y.

      Examined and compared with the original.

Edward Rawson, Jonas Dix, Committee.

Vol. 13, page 43.
      The Roll of that part of the Company that marched from Newbury on the nineteenth day of April, 1775, on ye alarm on sd day uder ye command of Capt. Jonathan Poor of said town of Newbury, in ye county of Essex and colony of ye Massachusetts & in ye second Regiment of Militia in said county whereof Samuel Gerrish was Colonel to defend this country from ye invasions of the ministerial troops.

JONATHAN POOR, Captain.

MOSES ISLEY, 1st Lieutenant.	SIMON HALE, 2d Lieuteiwant.
Sergeants.
Benj. Todd.	Paul Plumer.

Privates.

Stephen Dole. Samuel Gerrish. John Hale. Daniel Hale, Jr. David Dole.

Anthony Ilsley. John Noyes (3 days). William Plumer. Mark Plumer (3 days). Stephen Poor.

John Thurston (3 days). Benj. Thurston. Henry Dole. John Nichols (3 days).

      Miles, 86, with the exception of Mark Plumer and John Thurston who are credited with 64 miles. Days, 6. (Opposite the names of John Noyes and John Nichols is written "enlisted in ye army.")
      (Oath of Capt. taken before Caleb Cushing, Jus. Peace, 2 Dec., 1775. Warrant for £15, 5s. ordered by John Lowell, Dep. Sec.)

Vol. 13, page 73.
      A Minute roll of Capt. William Rogers 3d Company under command of Col. Samuel Gerrish of Newbury.

WILLIAM ROGERS, Captain.

SAMUEL CARR, Lieutenant. JOSHUA NEWELL,   " JOSHUA BROWN,    " Samuel Pillsbury, Corporal. Nathan Emery,         "       Daniel Pillsbury, Drummer.

WADLEIGH NOYES, Lieutenant. NATHANIEL HILLS,        " Ezekiel Morrill, Corporal. Moses Moody,       "       Ephraim Emery, Fife.

Privates.

Joseph Noyes. John Chase. John Eliot. Thomas Follansbee. Nehenmiah Follansbee. Aaron Noyes.

Thomas Hills. Samuel Jaquish. Jacob Merrick. Parker Noyes. Benj. Pettengell. Moody Smith.

Mark Woodman. Samuel Sawyer. John Merrill. Parker Smith, Asa Bayley. John Smith.

Job Flanders. Joseph Goodridge. Obadiah Hill. Samuel Hills.

Jonathan Thurston. William White. Francis Dean. Moses Chase.

Zebulon Engersol. John Emery. Abel Woodman.

      (Time 19 April. Miles, 40. Days varying from 3 up to 9.)
      Affidavit of Capt. 3 Jan., 1776, before Samuel Holden, Jus. Peace through the colony. examined and compared by Samuel Holden and Edward Rawson, committee. Warrant for £23, 6s. 5 3/4 d. ordered 22 1776.

Perez Morton, Dep. Sec.)

Vol. 13, page 196.

      A Muster-roll of the Company or party of men under the Command of Gideon Woodwell, Capt., who marched from Newbury on ye alarm On ye 19th of April, 1775, to Cambridge, & continued till ye 23d of ye same & set off for Newbury with leave.

GIDEON WOODWELL, Captain.

Henry Somerby, Sergeant.

Paul Gerrish, Sergeant.

John Dole, Corporal.

Daniel Knight. Andrew Stickney. Joseph Allen.

David Stickney. John Bly. James Safford.       William Hale.

Parker Knight. Peter Stanwood. John Smith.

      (Miles 86, days 6, expense of travel 7s. instead of 6s. 8d.)
      (Affidavit of Capt. 7 Jan., 1776, before Joseph Gerrish, Jus. Peace.
      Watertown, 22 Feb., 1776, examined and compared by committee. Warrant for £12, ls. 6 1/2 d. 23 Feb., 1776.

Perez Morton, Dep. Sec.)