Shay's Rebellion Chapter 9

 

Shay's Rebellion Chapter 9

THE SHAYS REBELLION 181

 

of his appointment till after he joined him in the course of hostili-

ties. As Noble and Killum of that town, who acted as his lieuten-

ants, and have in my opinion discovered more malevolent disposi-

tions and more active conduct than this man, you will allow me

to intercede that he might be encouraged to surrender himself

on that condition, as he had a chargeable family, which is sup-

ported by his industry, and the town will be burthened with their

support if he is committed. We have some privates in Westfield

who are more criminal than Sacket, particularly Ezra Clap and

Richard Nimocks, who ought I think to be apprehended."

 

He proceeds with an account of the experience of Captain Buf-

fington, who went with twenty horsemen to Brattleboro to make

some arrests of fugitive insurgents, and though officially supported

by the magistrate, met with such opposition, insult and threats of

capture and detention by a rabble, some seventy of whom were

armed, that he had to return empty handed.

 

General Shepard also suggests that the Governor should make

an immediate example of Parmenter who had killed Walker in

Bernardston, and his soldiers who had aimed at the government

party but misfired. He also reports the appointment of Mr. Samuel

Mather, Jr., as his aid de camp, in place of Major Lyman who had

been appointed Lieutenant Colonel. Captain Buffington's own re-

port of his expedition to Brattleboro to apprehend Luke and Elijah

Day is given with ample details and includes an additional report

of the Bernardston affair.

 

On Feb. 15 a warrant was issued for the arrest and commitment

"to any Gaol or other safe place within this Commonwealth" of

Samuel Noble and Thomas Killum of Westfield.

 

Copy of Parole given by Shays to a number of those whom he

had made prisoners :

 

We the subscribers, inhabitants of said county of Hampshire, do upon

the parole of honour solemnly engage and declare, that we will not in

future take an active part in favour of government against the people who

stile themselves Regulators, either by bearing arms, aiding and assisting

with provisions, or giving intelligence, or by counsel, or any way, directly

or indirectly, to aid or assist the government troops, or adherence for

and during this termination of the present contest between said Govern-

ment and the Regulators. In witness whereof, we have voluntarily set

our names, this 30th day of January 1787, at head-quarters, Pelham.

 

N. B. If any exchange of prisoners should take place, and the under

named are exchanged, they are no longer holden by virtue of this paper.

(Hampshire Gazette, Feb. 7, 1787.)

 

 

 

182 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

 

The following Proclamation ordering the arrest of the ring-

leaders of the Insurrection was issued Feb. 9:

 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

By his Excellency James Bowdoin, Esq., Governour

of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts —

A Proclamation —

Whereas the General Court of this Commonwealth did, on the fourth

of February instant, declare, that a horrid and unnatural Rebellion and

War had been openly and traitorously raised and lined against this Com-

monwealth, with a design to subvert and overthrow the Constitution and

form of Government thereof — and Whereas it appears that Daniel Shays of

Pelham, and Luke Day of Westspringfield, in the County of Hampshire,

Adam Wheeler of Hubbardston in the County of Worcester, and Eli Parsons

of Adams in the County of Berkshire, have been the Principals in, and

Abettors and supporters of this unnatural, unprovoked and wicked Re-

bellion against the dignity, authority and Government of the said Common-

wealth —

 

I have therefore thought fit, by and with the advice of the Council,

and at the desire of the General Court, to issue this Proclamation: hereby

requiring all Judges, Justices, Sherifs, Grand Jurors, Constables and other

Officers, civil and military, and also recommending it to all other good

Subjects within this Commonwealth to use their utmost endeavours, for

discovering and apprehending the said Daniel Shays, Luke Day, Adam

Wheeler and Eli Parsons and them to deliver to the high Sherif of the

County of Suffolk, that so they, or either of them, may be rendered to

Justice; and for the Encouragement of such persons as shall apprehend

the said Daniel Shays, Luke Day, Adam Wheeler and Eli Parsons, or either

of them and deliver them to the Sherif as aforesaid, — It is hereby de-

clared that he or they shall be entitled to receive out of the .public treas-

ury for that service a Reward of one hundred and fifty pounds for Daniel

Shays, and one hundred pounds each for Luke Day, Adam Wheeler and Eli

Parsons — and all persons whatsoever are strictly commanded not to harbour,

entertain or conceal the said Daniel Shays, Luke Day, Adam Wheeler

or Eli Parsons as they will answer the contrary at their Peril and avoid

the Penalties in this case by Law provided.

 

Given at the Council Chamber in Boston this Ninth day of February

in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven,

and in the Eleventh year of the United States of America.

 

James Bowdoin.

By his Excellency's Command,

John Avery, jun. Secretary.

 

(Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 189, pp. 121-2.)

 

The action taken respectively by various towns incident to the

discomfiture of Shays and the disbandment of his forces, is inter-

esting as evidence of the diverse attitudes of near neighbors toward

the rebellion. Shays had swept down through the town of Granby

in the flush of his unholy ambition to defy the government forces

 

 

 

THE SHAYS REBELLION 183

 

and appropriate, for an extended campaign of license, the national

munitions stored in Springfield. He had hurried back across its

territory, not a conqueror, and not an abject fugitive, which he

was to become so soon. A town meeting held there passed reso-

lutions appealing to General Lincoln to restrain pursuit and "pre-

vent awful destruction of Mankind."

 

A petition from Leverett to Lincoln and Shepard was similar

in its tenor, deploring the fact that some, by "a misguided Zeal

have fermented, and Kindles Coles of strife the flame of which has

slain a Number,," hoping for the "interposition of Heaven," and

the smile of the "God of Sabboath," upon means employed to re-

store peace. Colrain petitioned Lincoln for clemency, "a most dar-

ing attribute when connected with Power and Legal authority,"

"to insure against cuting off the members of the natural body."

The selectmen of Williamstcwn, with fine judicial discrimination

between the respective claims of the contending parties, sent reso-

lutions which on the one hand recognized the necessity and im-

portance of the government, and on the other "the equal impor-

tance" of attempting the "Redress of all Grievances of the People."

 

The appeal to Lincoln of Conway is peculiarly significant, since

the town was a hotbed of sedition and defiance. It depicted the

results of the civil war in the region as having thrown the people

"into a State Little short of that where the offenders against the

Majesty of Heaven are Doomed to suffer according to their crimes,"

and he is asked to lift his "eyes up to him who in the Heaven be-

holding the Follies of men overlooks their Crimes and bestows

his Favours on the most undeserving."

 

Green secured the above citations for his History of Springfield

from papers cherished by the family of General Lincoln, and adds

a protest of the redoubtable commander himself against what

seemed to him the excessive severity of the Legislature in dealing

with the insurgents.

 

When the question of pardon for the rebels was under consid-

eration, Samuel Adams, then President of the Senate, opposed it

very strenuously, one of his pleas having been that "in monarchies

the crime of treason and rebellion may admit of being pardoned

or lightly punished ; but the man who dares to rebel against the

laws of a republic ought to die." Just before the capture of Shays

Adams proposed in the Senate that Congress should be informed

of the condition of affairs so as to secure help from the Confedera-

tion if necessary, but the lower House, through the influence of

 

 

 

184 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

 

western members tinctured with insurgency, defeated the measure,

using the incredible argument that it was incompatible with the

dignity of Massachusetts to allow United States troops to set foot

upon her soil. Congress, alaimed at the condition of affairs, had

in October preceding called upon the States for a Continental

force, but not daring to declare its true purpose said it was for

service against the Indians.

 

The remarkably moderate action on the part of the federal

authorities, as we must consider it, was not reached without stem-

ming a tide of determined opposition from various quarters. Peti-

tions poured in from more than a score of towns in favor of the

liberation, without further penalty, of all the State prisoners, and

some of them went so far as to appeal for the immediate recall and

dismissal of the State troops for the purpose of preventing further

bloodshed. But the absurdity of that latter plea was immediately

emphasized, for while the general question of policy was still under

debate. General Lincoln received an express from General Patter-

son with an appeal for reinforcements on the ground of the obstin-

acy and malignity of the rebels in Berkshire. General Lincoln had

already dismissed three companies of artillery and ordered two

regiments to Worcester, because seeming to be no longer needed

after the insurgent stampede from Petersham.

 

In response to that appeal from Berkshire, General Lincoln with

his diminished force on Feb. 7 marched from Petersham to Hadley,

reversing the movement of that awful night of his forced march

after Shays. On the following afternoon he bivouacked in North-

ampton and thence proceeded through Chesterfield, Worthington,

Peru, Hinsdale, and Dalton to Pittsfield.

 

General Patterson at the head of 500 volunteers, among them

many of the most prominent citizens, had dispersed a party of 200

insurgents under Hubbard at the intersection of three roads in

West Stockbridge, greatly aided by the personal appeal of Theo-

dore Sedgwick, afterward a judge of the Supreme Court, who rode

boldly without support to the front of the line of the insurgents

and urged them as old acquaintances and neighbors to lay down

their arms. There was another gathering of insurgents in Adams

who scattered at the approach of Capt. William Francis, to assem-

ble again in Williamstown and disperse again when he appeared

there.

 

While Lincoln was marching to Berkshire 250 insurgents col-

lected at Lee for the purpose of preventing a session of the courts.

 

 

 

THE SHAYS REBELLION 185

 

and they were met and opposed by a party of citizens of about an

equal number. Peter Wilcox, Jr., was the leader of the outlaws,

having his habitation in a log cabin which stood on the present

site of the public library building. He is said to have given the

order to fire the "cannon" at Patterson's forces in East Lee. Accord-

ing to tradition his men were on Perry Hill and the government

party was on Hamblin Hill. The rebels had secured Mrs. Perry's

yarn beam, mounted it on a pair of wheels and drawn it back of

the house on the hill. A ramrod was flourished and all the motions

of loading were made, then while a lighted tar-rope was swung

the order to fire was given and Patterson's men beat a retreat. In

a subsequent parley the two parties finally agreed that the insurg-

ents should disperse, and in case any of them should be captured

General Patterson promised to use his utmost endeavor to have

them tried within their own county.

 

Peter Wilcox, Jr., and Nathaniel Austin were taken, confined

and later sentenced to be hanged, but escaped from jail by the aid of

saws and women's garments furnished them by their respective

wives, who were allowed to visit them. Wilcox hid in a cave for

a while and was never again molested.

 

From time to time traces of the fugitive leader came to light.

In a letter dated Durham, Feb. 13, 1787, Gen. John Sullivan, then

Governor of New Hampshire, sent to Governor Bowdoin the fol-

lowing items : "Last evening I received advice from the western

part of this State, where I have a gentleman now in waiting who

bore my dispatches to the officers in that quarter, that on Wednes-

day morning last Mr. Shays crossed from Westmoreland in this

State over Connecticut River into Vermont ; that on Tuesday he

beat up for voluntiers in his own party to accompany him to

Pultney in Vermont, where he said he would erect his standard, but

only three followed him ; the residue laid aside their arms and are

gone to labor in the neighborhood of Westmoreland for their sup-

port. Captain Day with another party remained at Westmoreland

on Wednesday evening (his intentions are unknown)." He closed

the letter with an assurance of zeal in ferreting out and handing

over to the Massachusetts authorities all fugitive rebels wanted

for punishment.

 

Shortly afterward General Lincoln reported to Governor

Bowdoin from Pittsfield that Shays and a number of his officers

were at Bennington and Shaftsbury and "that they expected to

continue some time there & at White Creek, where Shays has a

 

 

 

186 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

 

sister, within the State of New York & a little distance from

Bennington."

 

After having returned from his expedition with General Lincoln

in Berkshire, General Shepard reported to Governor Bowdoin

some results and impressions worthy of consideration.

 

"Westfield, Feb. 18, 1787.

Sir, — We returned from our rout in the northwestwardly part of

this country to Northampton last Friday evening, after receiving

the submission of many people in each town of those who had borne

arms or furnished provisions or in any way contributed to annoy

the government.

 

"The most criminal in almost every town has absconded, insolent

menaces have been and still are in circulation in those places at

least where none of the troops of government have appeared, and

inflammatory letters have been handed about to prevent the evil

spirits of sedition and rebellion from evaporating. We expected

a forcible opposition in several places where we have been, which

probably was really intended by some imprudent and inconsider-

ate persons. In many places they threaten still to protect, as they

would call it, the more considerable fellows of their party. A

transfer of real and personal property hath been made in many in-

stances, some who have fled have drove away their cattle, and by

various artifices these people attempt to defraud the public of a

compensation for their crimes.

 

"Thus it appears that many of the insurgents who suppose they

are unable to cope with the government by force are devising

every method to embarrass, to intimidate, to revive the dying spirit

of rebellion, and to continue to injure the State as far as is in their

power from revenge, from despair and from malevolence. We

have taken the arms of these deluded people who were in posses-

sion of them ; but great numbers left their guns in the course of

a lengthy and circuitous flight, as fear suggested the danger of

returning to their families with arms. Such are to reclaim and

resign them. The greater part of those to whom the oath has been

administered appeared to be fully convinced of their foolish and

wicked conduct and I believe will not resume their opposition. I

have not received any return from the Justices who acted with

other detachments of the troops whose operations were under my

direction, but the people in general who have not fled into Vermont,

or elsewhere have taken the oath of allegiance, and have resigned

their arms in all those places where the troops of government

have passed.

 

 

 

THE SHAYS REBELLION 187

 

"From present appearances and prospects much decision and

vigour will I think be necessary on the part of the Legislature,

and this vigour and decision will undoubtedly produce the de-

sired events. Effectually to rivet in their minds a compleat con-

viction of the force of government and the necessity of an entire

submission to the laws, these malcontents must see a considerable

force in each of these three upper counties. Removing too soon

that force by which alone they have been quelled, before the idea

of their inferiority has become familiar and established in their

minds, might be productive of pernicious consequences. Five

hundred in each of these counties may suffice, with what force

may be raised occasionally of the well affected inhabitants.

 

"Whether it hath proceeded from the desire of avoiding the

payment of the duties of excise solely, or not, the tavern keepers

and retailers have generally been very seditious, their houses have

been the common rendezvous for the councils and the comfort of

these people. A total disqualification for a limited time or for

ever of enjoying those privileges ought certainly in my opinion

to be the subject of serious discussion with the General Court.

 

"Nothing very particular as yet hath been communicated from

General Lincoln to me.

 

"I have written a very similar letter to this to the Speaker of

the House, and am. Sir, with must respect.

 

Your Excellency's most obedient servant,

"Wm Shepard.

"His Excellency James Bowdoin Esq."

 

(Massachusetts Historical Collections, Seventh Series, Vol. VI,

pp. 142-3.)

 

That report certainly reveals in General Shepard high qualities

of statesmanship, which must be added to other evidences of a

similar kind and to his ability as a martial leader in all efforts

to make a fair estimate of his character.

 

General Shepard having returned to the valley made his head-

quarters at Northfield, where he would be a check upon the rebels

who had fled across the line into New Hampshire and Vermont,

and might plan incursions then back across the borders.

 

On Feb. 16, the day of Captain Buffington's failure at Brattle-

boro. General Shepard dispatched a small party to Bernardston in

order to secure a notorious ringleader of the insurgents, Capt.

Jason Parmenter. Jacob Walker of Whately on horseback ac-

companied the squad. In the eastern part of the town they came

 

 

 

188 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

 

suddenly upon Parmenter and two companions in a sleigh. The

rebel captain hailed the other sleighload and receiving no reply

ordered his man to fire but their priming was wet and their pieces

were silent. Then Walker and Parmenter fired simultaneously

at each other and the rebel's aim proved deadly. The trio hurried

away and had gained such a start on the pursuers after Walker

had been cared for that they were not then followed, the snow

being three feet deep. They were captured, however, the next

day in Vermont by Captain Buffington and a body of infantry, and

lodged in jail at Northampton.

 

Mr. Walker was buried with military honors at Hatfield. Rev.

Mr. Wells of Whately preached the funeral sermon, and Rev. Mr.

Williams of Northampton made the prayer. That was one of the

few instances of bloodshed in the rebellion which for many months

brought men with arms in their hands and animosity in their

hearts into conflict. The wonder is that the actual loss of life

was so small as to be almost negligible. It is, indeed, inexplicable,

and well-nigh incredible.

 

The terms of service for which the militia had been ordered

into the field having expired Feb. 21, and the later detachment

not having arrived in great numbers, there was a time when Gen-

eral Lincoln had barely thirty men under his command at Pitts-

field, not sufficient to be a competent bodyguard for him against

any considerable force of the enemy. But the fact seems to have

escaped the attention of the rebels, though they really cherished

hopes of capturing him and other prominent personages in the

conduct of their guerrilla warfare.

 

At a sale of autographs, etc., of Dr. Thomas Raffles at Libbies'

in New York, Feb. 3, 1892, the following document was included :

 

"Williamstown, Feb. 24, 1787.

 

"Col. Parsons is in Stamford with About 150 Men and threat-

ens to make an attack upon the friends of Government in Wil-

liamstown this day.

 

"Col. Thomson J. Skinner.

To General Lincoln."

 

Two weeks before the final conflict of the rebellion was fought

the following circular letter was sent out to the lower towns of

Hampshire :

 

Berkshire, Feb. 15, 1787.

Friends and fellow sufiferers: Would you now tamely suffer your aims

to be taken from you, your estates to be confiscated and even swear to

 

 

 

THE SHAYS REBELLION 189

 

support a constitution and form of government, and likewise a code of

laws which common sense and your conscience declare to be iniquitous

and cruel? And can you bear to see and hear of the yeomanry of this

commonwealth being marched and cut to pieces by the cruel and merci-

less tools of tyrannical power and not resent it even into relentless blood-

shed? Would to God I had the tongue of a ready writer that I might

impress on your minds the idea of the obligation that you as citizens of

a republican government are under to support those unlimited rights and

privileges that the God of nature hath entitled you to. Let me now persuade

you by all the sacred ties of friendship, which natural affection inspires

the human heart with, immediately to turn out and assert your rights.

The first that I would recommend is to destroy Shepard's army, then

proceed to the county of Berkshire as we are now collecting at New

Lebanon in New York State, and Pownal in Vermont state, with a de-

termination to carry our point if fire, blood and carnage will effect it.

 

Therefore we beg that every friend will immediately proceed to the

county of Berkshire and help us to Burgoyne Lincoln and his army.

 

Eli Parsons.

 

The following official report shows the continued confidence

of the rebels, the methods to which they resorted, and the spirit

of the loyal portion of the community. A copy of it has been pre-

served among the papers of the late James Russell Trumbull and

has been now oflfered for publication by their custodian.

 

Northampton, Feby 27th, 1787.

Sir — I beg leave to inform your Excellency that by official accounts from

the State of Vermont as late as Friday last at Brattleborough were seen

the infamous characters, Obed Foot, one Gale an aid to Shays, Eli Parsons,

Joel Billings, Reuben Dickinson, Genl. John Nash and many others. Luke,

Elijah & Thomas Day were at New Marlborough, where they remain

under the protection of the rabble raised in the town of Brattleborough

and places adjacent, who are to be commanded by one Fosdick, who not

long since belonged to the County of Worcester, and was very seditious

there. Many of the Insurgents, who have been in arms against the Govern-

ment, and will not return to their allegiance, are daily joining those Cul-

prits, who have absconded. There is a letter in circulation in this County,

signed by Obed Foot, White & Anderson, the contents of which are to

encourage the people to come and join them, and by no means to give up

their arms to the force of government, as they will be able with those col-

lected and collecting, with the assistance of Vermont and those coming

from Canada for that purpose to defend themselves. The regulators (as

they call themselves) give out without the least hesitation that they shall

be able to carry their point and overthrow government as soon as Spring

opens and the snow is gone. They shall be able, they say, to march in

what direction they please, and not be confined to particular routs. Many

of the people who have not joined them again, are carrying their arms into

Vermont and either deposit them, or make a sham sale of them, for the

vile purpose of obtaining them again, in case a favorable opportunity should

 

 

 

190 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

 

oflfer for destroying this government. As I have heretofore observed to

your Excellency, they are removing their live stock, household furniture

and all the moveable property they have. Some of them are making

conveyance of their real estates. It appears to me that those insurgents

who have fled into the State of Vermont, and those who are disaffected

in that State, if they are wholly uninterrupted, will raise a considerable

force by the time the Spring will open, which will be very troublesome

to the Northwesterly part of this County, and doubtless will murder and

plunder unless they are prevented by an armed force. I have also men-

tioned that the gaols are filled with criminals. I would only suggest to

your Excellency, whether it would not be prudent and expedient to have

some of those capital offenders tried and executed immediately (if they

deserve it) as an exainple to others.

 

* * *

 

Mr. Perry of Bristol County is in Gaol in this town on warrant.

I am this moment informed by Mr. Shaw of Cummington, a man to

be relied on, that Shaj'^s, Hinds, and some others were in Pittsburgh Ver-

mont, on the 19th Instant. A certain 'Squire Hamilton of Vermont State

was taken at Colerain and is in gaol in this town for his seditious conduct.

If your Excellency could forward a few copies of the Militia law you

would oblige me.

 

I am. Sir, with the greatest respect, j'our Excellency's

 

Most obedient humble servant,

Wm. Shepard.

His Excellency James Bowdoin Esqr.

 

(Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 190, pp. 379-381.)

 

During- the night following Feb. 26, a party numbering eighty

or ninety, under Capt. Perez Hamlin, who had been hovering just

over the border in New York, entered Stockbridge, pillaged many

dwellings and made prisoners of some of the most prominent

citizens, and started for Great Barrington early the following

morning with their prisoners and booty. Hearing of their advance

on Great Barrington some forty of its citizens under two Captains,

Elijah Dwight and Thomas Ingersoll, the latter a settler there

from Westfield, started in sleighs for Suffield, hoping to co-oper-

ate with men there for the common defence, the Great Barrington

men taking lead with them to melt up for bullets to eke out their

meager supply.

 

The rebels reached Great Barrington about the middle of the

forenoon and regaled themselves upon such household supplies

as they could find, while the people in panic hid their valuables,

even pewter platters, which were in demand as material for bul-

lets. Soon after noon the Sheffield men under Captain Goodrich

moved to join the Great Barrington contingent, the combined

body, under command of Col. John Ashley, another settler from

 

 

 

THE SHAYS REBELLION 191