Shays's Rebellion Chapter 4

THE SHAYS REBELLION 131 

On election day, in May, 1786, Colonel Porter's regiment met in Hadley 
and Shays appeared at the head of the Pelham company. His activity and 
officer-like appearance excited admiration, and were the subjects of much 
conversation. (History of Northampton, Vol. II, p. 492.) 

6hays is said to have been "conspicuous for bravery at Bunker 
Hill and Stoney Point and present at the surrender of Burgoyne." 

In the Hallowell Journal, the author, who was in Col. Rufus 
Putnam's Fifth regiment, Gen. Nixon's brigade, Ezra Newhall, 
Lieutenant Colonel, says that Shays was in his regiment, "in three 
years service and respected as a very good officer, was very good 
to his men." (Quoted in "Lynn in the Revolution," Howard Ken- 
dall Sanderson, p. 180.)) 

Shays' commission as Captain in Gen. Rufus Putnam's 3d 
Massachusetts Regiment was dated Jan. 1, 1777. 

The Conkey tavern in Pelham and the Clapp tavern in East 
Amherst were favorite resorts of Shays. 

Holland, in comparing the two men as far as known, says, "It 
was more the result of accident than any other cause that Shays 
had the precedence, and the fortune to make his name infamous 
by association with the rebellion in which he was engaged. Day 
was the stronger man, in mind and will, the equal of Shays in 
military skill, and his superior in the gift of speech. 

It was in September, 1786, that Shays first came out into the 
open with a force which he had mustered to commit a glaring 
act of insurgency. The lower courts had been interrupted in 
several places, but hitherto the Supreme Court had not been 
molested. That august body was to assemble in regular session 
in Springfield, Sept. 26. Cognizant that plans to interfere with 
it were maturing. Gov. Bowdoin ordered out the militia of Hamp- 
shire County under command of Major Gen. William Shepard 
of Westfield. In the three and a half years which had elapsed 
since the completion of his service in the Continental army he had 
not forgotten the art of war which he had been learning and prac- 
ticing for so many years. He was no carpet knight but a tried 
and seasoned veteran, ready to march forth again at the call of 
duty, and the rebels had abundant reason to show him far more 
respect than they actually accorded him. But desperate defiance 
of authority, civil and military, and irreverence toward person- 
ages greatly superior to them in ability and character, were prom- 
inent features of their lawless game. 

The troops began to gather on Saturday, Sept. 23, and 150 of 



132 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 

them took possession of the Court House well armed, officered 
and equipped. 

The following order is preserved among the Shepard papers 
in the Westfield Atheneum : 

Springfield, Sept. 25, 1786. 
Sir: I am suspicious that Col. Gideon Burt has through business and hurry 
forgotten to send any orders to you to bring on your Company to Spring- 
field on Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock. I therefore request and command 
you as you value the blessings of Constitutional Government & the peace 
and security of society, to assemble the men in your Company and march 
them, both Train band and Alarm list to the Court House here by nine o'- 
clock tomorrow morning completely armed and with three days rations. 

I am, sir, your humble servant 

William Shepard Major Gen'l 
4th Division 
Lieut. Abel Chapin, 
Chickopee. 

There was need of the utmost diligence and haste in collect- 
ing forces to sustain the government and resist the mob which 
had gathered in great numbers and which was continually being 
augmented by fresh arrivals from various quarters. Chief Jus- 
tice Cushing, and Justices Sergeant, Sewell and Sumner were in 
attendance, and by the time that the Court convened fully a thous- 
and troops were under arms to furnish needed protection from 
the mob. The insurgents considerably outnumbered them al- 
though inferior in equipment and officers. There were many 
veterans in both camps, while, however, many of the insurgents 
had been gathered haphazard without having any experience of 
martial drill or discipline. On the other hand it is said that more 
than one company sent to reinforce the militia marched boldly 
and bodily into the ranks of the insurgents. Affairs surely were 
decidedly mixed, so much so that many spies and many timid 
citizens carried about their persons both a sprig of hemlock which 
was the rebel badge and a piece of white paper used by the loyal 
party, and put one or the other on his hat according to circum- 
stances. The action of the remote town of Rowe two months 
later shows that the spirit of incertitude and confusion had not 
then abated, for "being Repeatedly Requested to Join in the Dis- 
pute between the Court and those called the regulating party" and 
not being able to decide between them, it was recommended 
that as many as "can conveniently march" should proceed to 
Springfield and, having informed themselves, "join that party as 



THE SHAYS REBELLION 133 

they shall Judge to be in the right of the cause, they acting en- 
tirely for themselves in the matter." 

Shays and Day acted together, and spent much time in drilling 
and haranguing their forces. All were chagrined to find the Court 
House pre-empted by government troops. The rank and file were 
eager to make an attempt to carry it by storm, but the leaders 
were too wary and prudent to permit such a rash course, appre- 
ciating the general inferiority of their adherents. 

The Court was regularly opened, but could accomplish no busi- 
ness because of the absence of the grand jury, some of the mem- 
bers of which felt that their duty lay in the line of defending 
the Court House and judges, even though thereby they were 
rendering nugatory the presence of these officers of the law. It 
was better to have a portion of the machinery of the law properly 
geared though turning out no products, than to have all the parts 
scattered broadcast under the mob's fury. 

During the day a message was sent to the court by the insurg- 
ents stating the conditions upon which they would disperse and 
return to their homes. They demanded that no penalties should 
be imposed upon the regulators who forcibly prevented the ses- 
sions of the Courts in Northampton, or upon those who had gath- 
ered in Springfield to interfere with the sessions of the Supreme 
Court, "that no civil case should be tried unless both parties there- 
to should be willing," that the militia which had then and there 
gathered to protect the Court should not be paid for service thus 
rendered. To these and some other proposals less preposterous 
the Court replied with a vigorous denial, which so exasperated 
the rabble as to make an attack upon the militia imminent. 

There followed a complaint that the militia had been insulting 
in its treatment of Shays' forces, denying them the right to march 
where they pleased, which was responded to by permission to 
march anywhere so long as they behaved themselves and com- 
mitted no acts of violence. Thus encouraged the 1200 insurgents, 
only about half of whom had muskets, and very few of whom had 
bayonets, strutted back and forth trying to intimidate the militia, 
until they wearied of the exercise and were convinced of the 
falseness of the rumor that the militia had resolved that they 
should not march past the Court House. It is to the credit of 
the militia that it calmly refused to take the dare thus insolently 
flung at it. 

Thus matters progressed until the third day of the sitting of 



134 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 

the Court, when it adjourned after deciding not to attempt to 
convene later in Berkshire according to appointment, lest its ex- 
perience in Springfield might be repeated there. The insurgents 
in reality had won a triumph, successfully defying the Court to 
transact its proper business, though technically the Court had 
maintained its regular sessions. That success drove the insurg- 
ents to a frenzy, inflaming them to a clamor for an attack upon 
the government. Shays sent a presumptuous demand to General 
Shepard to surrender the Court House, but the sturdy commander 
drew up his men in line to meet an attack, which though threat- 
ened was not executed, Shays parading his forces back and forth 
before the steady ranks of the defenders but doing nothing more. 

Finally, having defended the Court House so long as there 
was any reason for so doing, and having heard threats made of 
an attack upon the arsenal a half mile east on the hill, General 
Shepard let the rabble have the Court House while he withdrew 
his forces to the protection of what was more valuable at that 
juncture. 

Minot, with fine consideration, says : "The condition of the 
Town of Springfield was truly melancholy during the civil conten- 
tion. Neighbours were opposed to each other under arms, the 
houses were rendered the scenes of female distress ; and it was in 
the power of accident only, to have brought on an action which 
might have destroyed the lives of thousands, and subjected all 
property to the immediate vengeance of the party that might have 
become victorious. After remaining in this situation for four 
days the inhabitants were relieved by the dispersing of both par- 
ties." (Insurrections in Massachusetts, p. 49.) 

Judd, less pompously and more naively, tells his story of the 
exciting days : 

Tues. [Sept.] 26, 1786. 60 or 70 men of the Militia set ofif for Spring- 
field, very early to support the Government. About 81 set out, some from, 
Westhampton Hkewise got to Springfield about 10. Militia at the Court 
House and the mob above Ferry. About 1 the Mob marched down in or- 
der and back; about 900 armed and unarmed. Government upwards of 1000. 
Court sit in the afternoon. A very sorrowful day. Brother against Bro- 
ther. Father against Son. The Mob threaten the lives of all that oppose 
them. Came away about sunset. 

Wednesday, 27. Went with Dr. Woodbridge about 9. Got to Spring- 
field about 12. Lines are drawn with Centuries kept by each party. Looks 
more threatening than yesterday. Committees from each have met but can- 
not agree. Court did business in the P. M. our situation is truly deplor- 



THE SHAYS REBELLION 135 

able. An alarm about 7; but rest of the Night was Quiet. 

Thursday, 28. Mob threaten much but they are not coming. Those 
who threaten most do the least. The agreement nearly completed yester- 
day. Militia march on to the Hill, the Mob march and countermarch 
through the Town. Militia discharged about 3 P. M. Mob are high yet, 
not lowered tho lost their vim. I came away about 5; nothing but fire 
and Smoke where the Mob are. 

Fryday, 29. Militia got home in afternoon. 

Besides the government forces mobilized in response to the 
Governor's order and on duty during the disturbance, an ancient 
muster roll proves that eighty persons who had arrived from vari- 
ous towns organized themselves into an independent company of 
defense, chose Gen. Warham Parks of Westfield to act as their 
Captain, and were armed at the public store. Several Westfield 
men served in the ranks. 

Two official reports, one by Col. Elisha Porter of Hadley, 
Sheriff, the other by General Shepard, were forwarded to Gov. 
Bowdoin on the same day: 

Springfield, September 25th, 1786. 
May it please your Excellency, 

Finding since I saw your Excellency, that the combination for pre- 
venting the Supreme Judicial Court from sitting at this place tomorrow 
were increasing — and that they intended to take possession of the Court 
House on Sunday, I called upon Gen. Shepard for aid and advice. We 
judged it prudent to take possession on Saturday night as privately as 
possible. For that purpose I came here, and with a number of Volunteers 
belonging to this Town to the number of about forty I took possession of 
the Court house about ten o'clock in the evening, and about three o'clock 
in the morning were joined by about one hundred & fifty men from North- 
ampton and about fifty men from Hadley who were ordered by the Gen- 
eral for that purpose. They are now on the ground and are resolutely de- 
termined in favour of Government. 

General Shepard writes by the Stage to whose letter I refer for further 
information. 

I have the honour to Subscribe myself — 

Your Excellency's Most Obedt & hble Sert. 

Elisha Porter 



His Excellency 
James Bowdoin Esqr. 

(Mass. Archives, Shays' Rebellion, Vol. II, p. 265.) 

Springfield, September 25th, 1786. 
May it please your excellency — 

From the various movements in this County the inlistments as they are 
called of a party to obstruct the sitting of the Supreme Judicial Court, by 



136 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 

law to be holden in this place, this week, the Sheriff has tho't it his duty 
to call on me to assist him with the strength of this division. I have ac- 
cordingly ordered about two hundred men to take possession of the Court 
House here last Saturday night which was executed accordingly with great 
execution & address. 

I have ordered all the remainder of the militia both train band and 
alarm list to be here to-morrow at nine of the clock, completely equiped, 
with three days provisions, & I have reason to depend on some further 
assistance, but from the coolness toward the government which is too gen- 
eral & prevalent, the number & issue must be uncertain & precarious. The 
number of those who will endeavor to oppose the due course of Justice 
is uncertain also, but probably will be considerable, yet I cannot but hope 
we can support the Government in this county. 
I have the honor to be with great respect 

Your excellencys Most obedient humble servant. 

Wm. Shepard 
Major General of the 4th division. 
N. B. I have just received intelligence that five hundred insurgents are 
to be embodied at West Springfield this evening & some say two thousand. 

His excellency 

James Bowdoin esq. (Id. p. 266) 

Four days later the following report was sent : 

Springfield, Sept. 29th, 1786. 
May it please your Excellency — 

In my letter of the 25th Instant, I acquainted you that I had taken pos- 
session of this Court house here, and expected the Militia to join the next 
day. I am able to inform your Excellency now of the events which have 
existed between that and this letter. The Justices and other gentlemen 
belonging to the Supreme Judicial Court arrived, opened, sat, and on Thurs- 
day morning adjourned (of their proceedings however your Excellency 
will have a particular account from them no doubt) and were protected by 
the Militia, from violent invasion and influence. I had here under my com- 
mand about eight hundred men, who bore arms, among whom were not 
less than two hundred of the most respectable and opulent gentlemen of 
this County, including a company of Volunteers of this town; to arm whom 
I supposed it absolutely necessary for the protection of the Court, of the 
town, and of my own Corps, to demand and seize the key of the Arsenal and 
take from there two hundred stands of arms. As the Magazine and all the 
public property appeared to be in danger. I hope this measure, which was 
very disagreeable to me, may meet your Excellency's approbation and that 
of the General Court, as those arms were very carefully kept, and returned 
uninjured. There was a considerable number present who would have taken 
arms had I judged it necessary. A particular return of all who came here 
for the support of government from each regiment, I shall transmit to you 
as soon as it is practicable. 

The number of those who were in this town collected to oppose govern- 
ment with arms, was, by as accurate an estimation as we could obtain, about 
seven hundred and twenty. Those who had clubs and weapons not under 



THE SHAYS REBELLION 137 

the description of arms, may be called about five hundred. It appears they 
had sent expresses to all parts of this County, to many parts of the counties 
of Worcester and Berkshire, and some say into the State of Connecticut 
for assistance. They were continually receiving reinforcements and threat- 
ened to arm themselves from the public Magazine. We finally agreed by 
Committees of Officers from each party that they should dismiss their men 
and give a signal, immediately after which I was to dismiss mine, and that 
all persons were to return home without injuring or insulting any person. 

The Militia were entitled most deservedly to great applause, both officers 
and soldiers, for extraordinary decency and order of conduct, and for their 
firmness in vindication of the rights of government. A few companies of 
the Militia I retained until this morning, but now all are out of town. 

I shall have the honor, probably, to see your Excellency next week, 
and am, with great respect 

Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant 

Wm Shepard 

Majr Genii 4th Division 
His Excellency James Bowdoin Esq. 

More than a hundred men went from Deerfield with the militia 
to defend the Springfield arsenal. Sheldon says that more than a 
thousand soldiers were billeted on the townspeople at one time 
during the movements incident to quelling later disturbances. He 
also appends a bill presented for payment for supplies from time 
to time. 

"Selectmen of Deerfield to Aaron Marsh Dr 

1787 Jany 5th To 22 lbs of Powder a 204 d pr. lb. 2 114 

To 42 sheets of paper for Cartridges 2 8 

Feb. 5 to 47 gills N. E. Rum De'd Capt Dick 5 

his company pr verbal order 
Feb. 6 to 3 bushells of wheat at 4s 6d 15 9 

(This line was erased but the figures stand) 

" 7th to 48 gills N. E. Rum De'd as above 5 

" 23 To 3 galls W. I. Rum De'd Lt Catlin 15 



4 14 9 
Omitted Jany 17 To pd Jona Hayt for himself 

sleigh and horse to Gary Troops to Springfield." 

That there were conservative and sane views curent amid the 

radical sentiments so freely expressed at that period of stress and 

anxiety is evidenced by the following brief editorial comment in 

the Hampshire Herald of June 20, 1786: 

The scarcity of cash says a correspondent is a general complaint, and 
it has got to be so fashionable to complain of hard times and the scarcity of 
money, that debtors seem to think that they have sufficiently satisfied their 



138 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 

creditors, if they tell them the times are hard and money scarce. This has 
so long been the theme, that people almost universally believe it although 
it is a falsehood. Every generation and age thinks the former days and 
times were better than the present. This however, is a mistake, founded 
on false surmises and vain imaginations. The original principles of human 
nature are the same in every age, and ever have been since the fall. Times 
are easy when men do their duty; but when they deviate from that and en- 
ter the road of vice and indolence and licentiousness, then difficulties em- 
barrass, and troubles perplex them. 

In an editorial in the same journal Aug. 15, 1786, several months 
before the final outbreak of Shays and his followers, a very sane 
and fair statement of the existing civic conditions is given, with 
a protest against the subversion of existing institutions. A quo- 
tation from it is worth considering: "One grievance complained 
of is the weight of taxes ! It is granted that taxes are heavy ; and 
it is hoped government will exercise all reasonable forbearance. 
But though they are a burthen we are not sure they ought to be 
called a grievance. They are the unavoidable consequence of a 
long and expensive war which was undertaken with the general 
voice of the people, who chose it in preference to an abject sub- 
mission to the demands of a British Court. When we declared 
war, we knew it might be long; and if long would certainly be 
very expensive ; and now to complain of these burthens which we 
agreed to take upon ourselves, as the easier alternative, is an in- 
consistency dishonourable to Americans." 

The whole article is a dispassionate discussion of painful but 
inevitable conditions, in striking contrast with the rantings and in- 
flammatory diatribes of the ill-balanced demagogues who fomented 
the insurrection. Had more attention been paid to such reason- 
able consideration of public affairs, the Commonwealth would 
have been spared the disgrace of men lately patriots in the ser- 
vice of their country, turning into rebels against the authority 
for which they had wrought and suffered in order to insure its 
establishment, so speedily lifting the weapons of treason against 
it. 

Hampshire Herald, Sept. 27, 1786. 

Springfield, Wednesday, Sept. 27. 

Eleven o'clock. Forenoon 

Friends and Fellow-Countrymen 

Let us not forfeit the dignity of our natures by attempting to destroy 

our excellent Constitution — a constitution, by which our lives and liberties 

are protected from the ravings of merciless rapine, by which the good order 

and harmony of society are preserved, in short, by which we are preserved 



THE SHAYS REBELLION 139 

in the full enjoyment of every privilege which can tend to render our lives 
agreeable or happy. Let us not eradicate fair liberty that venerable tree, 
that plant of Renown, on whose fruit we subsist, under whose shadow we 
enjoy security and peace, and thereby run the hazard of incurring the 
shackles of Tyranny and oppression; but let us make every exertion to 
support and defend it; let us nourish and cherish it with all possible assid- 
uity, that we may, under an indulgent Providence, long enjoy Peace and 
Harmony, which are the Basis and Ornaments of Society, and the Foun- 
dation of all Public and Private Happiness. 

That all appears in large, heavily leaded type, and what follows 
is in small, unleaded type: 

There, are now assembled in this town, about 2000 men bearing arms; 
1200 of which number appear disaffected to the present form of govern- 
ment; and threaten the annihilation of the Court now sitting here, unless 
they acquiesce with their proposals; which they have sent them. The 
others are for supporting and protecting it. The judges and other gentle- 
men of the Court Arrived in town on Monday evening and yesterday, at 
the appointed time, and in the usual manner, opened the Court and pro- 
ceeded to business; — at nine this morning they again opened the Court; 
but immediately adjourned the same to three o'clock this afternoon. There 
are committees chosen from among both parties, who are now consulting 
what measures to take that shall give most general satisfaction. 

By the last mail from the Eastward we have received an account of 
the insurrection in the State of New Hampshire, which is as follows: In 
the year 1785 the legislature of that State passed an act making every spe- 
cies of property a tender at an appraised value. This was attended with 
unhappy consequences. The people still thought they were grievously 
burdened; and to alleviate their load, a convention of Committees, in 
August last, from about thirty towns assembled, agreed upon, and preferred 
to the General Court, a long petition setting forth their grievances on ac- 
count of the scarcity of money, and praying for an emission of paper bills 
of credit, in which there was no single trace of an idea of redemption, or 
any one attempt to give the currency a foundation; their object was, how- 
ever, to have this paper a tender for all debts and taxes. 

The Legislature soon after formed a plan for the emission of twenty 
thousand pounds, to be let out at four per cent, and landed security re- 
deemable at a future period, carrying interest at six per cent, to be a tender 
for taxes for the internal support of the State, and for fees and salaries of 
the officers of the government. This plan was sent as early as the four- 
teenth of September to the several towns to collect their minds upon the 
subject. 

On the twentieth, at four of the clock in the afternoon, about 400 men 
on horseback and on foot entered the town of Exeter where the general 
Court was sitting; about fifty of them, or perhaps more, were armed with 
muskets, and the others with bludgeons; their principal leader appeared to 
be one Moses French, a farmer of Hampstead, aided by one Coffin, a major 
in the militia, and two or three others; they afifected military parade, and 
had a drum; after they had halted a while, they sent a paper into the House 



140 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS 

of Representatives, who were convened in the meeting house, demanding an 
answer to their former petition without delay; it was dated on Exeter 
Plain, and signed Moses French, Moderator. The President (General Sul- 
livan) considered the petition, and publickly shewed, with a great strength 
of reasoning, and very cooly, the extreme folly, as well as the very great 
injustice of the prayer of their former petition, and concluded by saying 
that no consideration of personal danger should ever compel him to so 
flagrant a violation of the constitutional rights of the people who had placed 
him in the chair of government. 

As soon as this speech was made the mob beat to arms, and surrounded 
the meeting house where the President, the Senate, and the House remained; 
Those of the mob who had muskets, were ordered to charge with balls, 
which command they instantly obeyed. The house proceeded to business 
as usual without taking any notice of the management at the doors. Cen- 
tinels were placed at each door, with fixed bayonets, and the whole Legis- 
lature were prisoners. After sun set the president attempted to come out, 
but was prevented by a firm column. Thus they were obliged to remain 
until a drum was heard at a distance, and a number of them huzzaing for 
government. The mob appeared frightened, some of them began to run; 
and the Court were permitted to retire to their homes. 

The President then called forth the power of the State, and advanced 
toward the insurgents, who were drawn up at a tavern in the outer part of 
the town; there was no conflict; the mob fled; and nothing was to be done 
but to pick up the prisoners. A number fled and made a stand at a bridge. 
General Cilly soon came up with them, rushed in and seized their leaders. 
One of them ordered them to fire, but government appeared with such 
force that they dared not obey; about forty of them were made prisoners 
and are now in gaol to be tried for treason, — the rest soon fled to their 
lurking places, from where they must be dragged to an ignominious death 
unless the clemency of government shall pity and save them. By this time 
there were more than 2000 men in arms; about 300 of them were horse; 
all ready to make any risque to preserve legal government, & the due exe- 
cution of the laws. 

A communication in the Hampshire Gazette of Oct. 4, 1786, 
addressed "Mr. Printer" and signed "A Regulator," declares the 
object of the insurgents to be "not a redress of grievances, but 
a total subversion of the present government. * * * We mean 
to make thorough -work of it, not to put our hands to the plow and 
look back, — we have advanced so far, and know that there is no 
safety but in completing the business, and leaving not one stone 
upon another," and more of like tone, evidencing the anarchistic 
ideas which he claimed for himself and others to be promoting. 

A letter under date of Hadley, Nov. 8, 1786, was sent to all the 
towns of the county, stating that the convention then in session 
there had chosen a committee of correspondence with other coun- 
ties and would report at an adjourned meeting on the first Tues- 



THE SHAYS REBELLION 141