CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE REVOLUTION--STAMP ACT--DUTY ON TEA--SEIZING OF PINE LOGS--SAMUEL BLODGETT APPOINTED DEPUTY--HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONGRESS--LAST WARRANT POSTED IN HIS MAJESTY'S NAME--AND NEIGHBORING TOWNS--DELEGATES TO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION--COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO GO TO EXETER AND CAMBRIDGE TO BUY POWDER, LEAD AND FLINTS--FOURTH PROVINCIAL CONGRESS MEETS AT EXETER, MOSES KELLEY DELEGATE--SELECTMEN APPOINTED COMMITTEE OF SAFETY--BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL, JUNE 17, 1775, THIRTY-SEVEN MEN FROM GOFFSTOWN ENGAGED--ARNOLD'S EXPEDITION TO QUEBEC--COLONEL MONTGOMERY DID NOT CO-OPERATE--ATTACK ON QUEBEC 1776--COMPANY OF RANGERS RAISED FOR DEFENSE OF FRONTIER TOWNS--GOFFSTOWN MEN IN SAME--DISGRACEFUL SURRENDER OF MAJ. BUTTERFIELD AT THE CEDARS--MOSES KELLEY DELEGATE TO FIFTH PROVINCIAL CONGRESS--CIVIL GOVERNMENT TAKEN UP--MILITIA ORDERED TO WINTER HILL--NEW HAMPSHIRE TROOPS IN THE FIELD--SAMUEL BLODGETT APPOINTED SUTTLER--CANNON DRAGGED FROM TICONDEROGA FOR THE DEFENSE OF BOSTON--BOSTON EVACUATED MARCH 17, 1776--COMMITTEE OF SAFETY, THEIR DUTIES--DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE--MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND COUNCIL CHOSE--DEPRECIATION OF THE CURRENCY--DISLOYAL PERSONS ARRESTED--NEW YORK TORIES IN AMHERST JAIL--GENERAL STARK RESIGNS--CROWN POINT SURRENDERED, TICONDEROGA EVACUATED--COLONEL BAUM ATTEMPTS TO INVADE VERMONT--BATTLE OF BENNINGTON--BATTLE OF STILLWATER AND SARATOGA--BURGOYNE SURRENDERS--GOFFSTOWN CONTINGENT AT THE ALARM AT TICONDEROGA AND THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON--THE WINTER AT VALLEY FORCE--THREE BATTALIONS OF MILITIA CALLED FOR--FRANCE ACKNOWLEDGES THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES--BATTLE OF MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY--ATTACK ON NEWPORT--DEPREDATION IN CHERRY VALLEY--CONTINUED SERVICE OF 1ST N. H. REGIMENT--THE NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED--TEN POUNDS BOUNTY OFFERED TO SOLDIERS--EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATION ASKED FOR--TOWN CALLED UPON TO FEED THE SOLDIERS--TOWN CALLED UPON TO FURNISH 10,000 POUNDS OF BEEF TO THE ARMY--CORNWALLIS SURRENDERS, 1781--TREATY OF PEASCE SIGNED SEPTEMBER 3, 1783--LIST OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS--

In the last chapter we gleaned from the records some of the events which occupied the attention of the people from the time of the incorporation of the town to the commencement of the Revolution, a period of fourteen years. We have now arrived at that point in the history which pertains to the separation of the colonies from the mother country. The narrative cannot be enriched by any personal recollections, and but little can ascertained in the way of written evidence. The records of the town in a meagre way tell the story of the patriotism of the townspeople, and the privations and hardships which they endured, of their efforts to fill the quota of troops, and to furnish supplies for the Continental Army, of their untiring effort to help establish a state and a national government.

It was usually considered since the colonies were not represented in the Parliament they could not be taxed, and when the sugar tax, the tea tax, the law of export and import and the Stamp Act were enforced the colonies began to show resistance. The Stamp Act was brought forward; this act provided that all legal documents and transactions must be written upon paper so stamped, the paper was all stamped in England and distributed in the colonies by stamp agents. Nowhere did the act receive greater opposition than in New Hampshire.

The duty on tea was extremely obnoxious not from the amount per pound, but because the British Government held to it as a right to tax the colonies. Sanborn, in his history of New Hampshire, says: "Had the tax been but one penny per annum for each colony, the resistance would have been equally determined."

But the colonies would not submit and they generally entered into an agreement not to use tea while subject to such duty. Public meetings were held and resolutions passed against the landing of any teas in New Hampshire. Portsmouth took the initiative and at a public meeting held December 16, 1773, resolutions were passed among others "to prevent the landing or sale of any teas in that city." There was another cause of discontent in New Hampshire. The Parliament of England in the reign of George I enacted a law, in 1722, making it a penal offence to cut white pine trees above twelve inches in diameter in our province without his Majesty's royal license. There was a fine from �5 to �50, and all lumber made from such trees forfeited to the King. If an offender did not pay, he was committee to jail, and there kept until his majesty's officers saw fit to release him. In 1771 the General Court of New Hampshire gave its sanction to the law. In the charter for the incorporation of the town of Goffstown, 1761, is the following reservation. "That all white pine trees fit for his Majesty's use for masting the Royal Navy, growing on said tract of land be and hereby is reserved and hereby granted to his Majesty, his heirs and successors forever for that purpose."

John Wentworth was governor and surveyor of the King's woods; he appointed deputies wherever necessary. The surveyor or his deputies would visit mill yards, and if they found white pine logs to put the broad "R" upon them which denoted the logs belonged to the King. "The office of surveyor of the 'King's Woods,' was holden by Governor Wentworth who had his deputies in all places where the pine grew in plenty." These deputies were the cause of a great deal of vexation and trouble.

The owner of the land, before he commenced cutting, was under the necessity of employing a deputy surveyor to make the trees upon his land, reserved for the use of the King, and if he neglected to have his land thus surveyed, from inability to pay for surveying, or other cause, and proceeded to cut his timber, the same was forfeited to the King! In this way whole mill yards of lumber, got out by the settlers for building their houses and barns, the work of an entire winter, were often forfeited. The government would ride past the mill in his coach, stop, and order his servant to mark the broad "R" upon each log, and the same was the King's! After this mark, the owner or miller dared not touch a log! They were then advertised and libelled in the Court of Admiralty, and sold at public auction, and the proceeds went into the King's treasury! In most cases, however, the marking and advertising was gone through by the deputies.

Seizures were made in all parts of the province, wherever the pine abounded, and mills had been erected. As a consequence, the most determined hostility prevailed among all mill owners, and owners of lumber, where seizures had been made, against the surveyor and his deputies, This hostility soon prevailed among land owners generally, and was not limited to the surveyor and his deputies, but extended to the government. In the winter of 1771 and 1772, an extensive seizure was made in this immediate neighborhood, that caused the greatest excitment. A deputy visited most of the mill yards upon the Piscataquog, and placed the broad "R" upon all logs of the diameter reserved for the royal navy. They were then libelled in the Court of Vice-Admirality at Portsmouth, and the owners cited to appear and shew cause why they should not be forfeited. The citation was published in the New Hampshire Gazette of February 7, 1772, and was as follows:

All persons claiming property in the following White Pine Logs, seized by order of the Surveyor General in Goffstown and Weare, in the Province of New Hampshire, may appear at a Court of Vice-Admiralty to be held at Portsmouth, on Thursday the 27th. Instant at Ten of the clock A. M. and shew cause why the same should not be declared forfeited, agreeable to an Information filed in said Court:

Samuel Blodget, Esquire, was sent forthwith to Portsmouth as an agent to effect a compromise as to the matter of libel, and succeeded so far, as that by the payment of certain sums by the individual transgressing the laws, the informations were to be withdrawn.

Mr. Blodget was appointed the agent by the governor, to effect the proposed settlement with the offenders and was also appointed deputy surveyor.

His commission was as follows:

After his return, Mr. Blodget sent each of the offenders a copy of the following letter:

Among the trespassers were James McFerson, William McFerson, Thomas Miller of Bedford, and Thomas Shirley, Alexander Gilchrist, Samuel Kennedy, Joseph Kennedy, John Pattee, Asa Pattee, Ebenezer Hadley, John Hadley, John Clogston, Silas Walker, David McClure, Job Kidder, John Little and Plummer Hadley of Goffstown. These settled with Mr. Blodget and their logs were restored.

The assembly of New Hampshire in the spring of 1774 had chosen a committee of safety and had taken measures to stem the tide of British oppression but Governor John Wentworth adjourned them.

The assembly met again and set out circulars to all the towns inviting them to send deputies to a convention to be held at Exeter on the 21 of July, 1774, for the purpose of choosing delegates to a general conference at Philadelphia which me September 5, 1774.

Dr. Whiting says: "On account of the public danger they appointed a day of fasting and prayer which the people observed with much solemnity."

The convention to the number of eighty-five deputies met at Exeter July 27, 1774, and chose John Sullivan and Nathaniel Folsom to represent New Hampshire in the first American Congress to be holden at Philadelphia September 5, 1774. No record is found that Goffstown sent a deputy to this convention. Governor Wentworth was unable to resist public sentiment. There were but two parties, those in favor of the Americans and those in favor of the British. He saw that he was unable to do anything at this state of events as the people were fast becoming alarmed. They began to arm and drill, to form companies, to choose leaders, and prepare to march at short notice. During the winter the intelligence was received at Portsmouth that the exportation to America of gun powder and all military stores had been prohibited.

Suspicions were aroused that troops were to be sent to occupy the fort at Portsmouth Harbor, which contained powder, cannon and small arms, and on the 14th of December, 1774, John Sullivan and Thomas Pickering of Portsmouth and John Langdon of Durham collected a body of men and carried away the munitions of war from the fort, and completed the work just before the arrival of the Scarborough frigate and sloop of war with British troops on board, which was very opportune as the powder taken was used at Bunker Hill. A second convention of delegates chosen by the towns met at Exeter, January 25, 1775; one hundred and forty-four delegates were present, the largest convention ever before held in the province. They elected John Sullivan and John Langdon delegates to the second continental congress to meet at Philadelphia in May, and appointed a committee to call a convention when they should judge the "exegency of public affairs required it."

We do not find any record of a delegate attending this convention from Goffstown, and it is probable that none did attend, as the people of Hillsborough County had held a county congress at Amherst on November 8, 1774. The convention at Philadelphia adjourned and the spirit of the convention became widely diffused throughout the province. The feeling of unrest became more prevalent and the spirit of patriotism was more aroused each day. Meanwhile the Governor had issued writs to the several towns ordering an election of members of the assembly, which was to meet on the 4th of May.

The writs were issued by the governor and were called King's Writs; they were directed through the sheriff of the county to the towns in said county. The governor accordingly issued his writs to those towns which he was sure would elect members favorable to the King and with bitter feelings towards the colonists. The patriots were not idle. The committee for calling a convention, "should the exegencies of the public affairs require it," called a convention of delegates to meet at Exeter on the 17th of May 1775.

On the 9th of February, 1775, the warrant for town meeting in Goffstown was directed as follows:

This was the last warrant ever posted in his Majesty's name. The inhabitants met according to notice at the time and place, and we find the following record:

Although they voted to send two delegates to the Congress at Amherst, there seems to be only one chosen.

The Second Hillsborough County Congress to which Asa Patee was chosen a delegate was held at Amherst on the 5th of April, 1775. The general trend of the business then transacted was to adopt a resolution to abide by the resolves of the Continental Congress, and to recommend to the people of the county to form themselves into companies, and perfect themselves in the military act, and a resolution relative to the courts. And a committee was appointed to call a meeting of the county when they shall see occasion therefor. At length what they had anticipated occurred, a force of troops left Boston in the evening of the 18th of April to seize the military stores deposited by the patriots of Concord, and marched to Lexington where on the morning of the 19th of April they were met by a company of patriots which they fired upon and proceeded to Concord, where they met the provincial troops upon whom they fired killing and wounding several, upon which the fire was returned by the provincials and several of the enemy fell.

The British succeeded in part in accomplishing the object of their expedition, and then retreated to Boston. Exposed to the galling fire of the provincial troops all the way from Concord to Charlestown Neck, losing two hundred and seventy-three men, killed, wounded and missing. The news of this attack spread through the country like wild fire; it is said that swift horsemen conveyed the intelligence to Bedford and Derryfield and from thence it was spread by other couriers through adjoining towns. Judge Matthew Patten of Bedford made the following entry in his diary:

   April 20th "I Reed the Melancholy news in the morning that General Gage's troops had fired on our countrymen at Concord yesterday, and had Killed a large number of them. Our town was notified last night. We generay met at the meeting house about 9 of the Clock and the Number of twenty or more went Directly off from the Meeting house to assist them."

Upon the first alarm it is said that nearly two thousand troops rushed to Lexington and Cambridge from New Hampshire. Great interest was manifest in public affairs, and the excitement was intense.

On the 21st Judge Patten made the following entry in his journal: "our john and john Dobbing and my bror Samuell two oldest sons sett off and joyned Derryfield men and about six from Goffes town and two or 3 more from this town (Bedford) under the command of Capt. john Moor of Derryfield."

There is no record who these six men from Goffstown were. It is a great misfortune that no record was ever preserved of these six patriots, but they were of that loyal number so many of whom afterwards served in the long contest. Dr. Carr says in "Hillsborough County History," page 310: "When the news of the Battle of Lexington reached Goffstown it spread like wild fire among the settlers, almost to a man they left their implements of husbandry wherever they happened to be using them and hurried to a place of rendezvous, and a company under Capt. Joshua Martin was speedily enrolled and marched to the seat of war."

There is no means of ascertaining who, or how many from Goffstown, at this time were enrolled in Capt. Joshua Martin's Company, but we draw the conclusion that there was quite a number of men as would be inferred from the following references. At a town meeting held later it was:

   Votted "That Joshua Martin and M^r John Pattee be allowed the money which they expended at Capt. Solomon Pollards and Capt. Benjamin Frenches at the time of the Lexington Battle in the year 1775," also
   Votted "To allow Samuel Kennedy pay for 73 lbs. of Pork which said Kennedy found and sent to Medford at the time of the Lexington Battle, at half a pesterine pr pound,"

and as neither Capt. Martin nor John Pattee were in Richards' Company we infer they must have been of another detachment.

John Wentworth who issues the call for this convention was a native of Somersworth and of the same name as the English Governor of New Hampshire.

Goffstown sent Moses Kelly as their delegate to this convention. April 26th Judge Patten says: "I went at the desire of the town to Col. Goffes and Merrils and MacGregores and cautioned them to take Special care of Strangers and persons Suspected of being Torys Crossing the River to Examin and Search if they judge it needful." Professor Sanborn says: "The last tie to the mother country was broken." "Reconciliation was now impossible." "Men sprang to arms as though moved by a single impulse." They made solemn pledges to be ready for the extreme event."

The excitement reached every town and hamlet; people began to arm, to equip and prepare to march if need be. On the 23rd of April Capt. Samuel Richards, Lieut. Moses Little and Lieut. Jesse Carr with a company of fifty-three men, thirty-seven of whom were from Goffstown, marched to Medford and remained in the service until the 10th of August. This company was in Colonel Stark's Regiment and took part in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Although Capt. Richards' Company marched from Goffstown on the 23rd instant the people were alive and active in further measures for the defense of the colonies.

We find the following record of a town meeting holdon on the 27th of April:

   "A number of the Inhabitants of said Town being assembled at the meeting hous a memorandum of the Proceedings on Said Day
   "Votted Capt James Karr moderator
   "Voted that the Town provide a stock of gunpowder
   "Voted three half barels of powder
   "Voted two Groc of flints
   "Voted three Hundred lb of Lead
   "Voted that the Committee for hireing preaching and Schooling Desist from Disposing aney money till further orders
   "Voted Thomas Shirla be a Committee to go to Exeter to purtiche powder Lead and flints
   "Voted Capt James Karr be a Committee to go to Cambridge in order to procure powder Lead and flints"
   "A true Record Attest Alex^dr Walker T. C."

On the 21st of April the convention met at Exeter sixty-eight members being in attendance.

Hon. John Wentworth of Somersworth was chosen president of the convention and Ebenezer Thompson Clerk. The convention appointed a committee to visit the Congress of Massachusetts province and consult with them, etc., and report as soon as may be to this convention.

The convention reassembled upon the 25th instant one hundred and nine members were present. A communication having been received from the Congress of Massachusetts, a reply was sent to that body by a special committee appointed for that purpose, stating what had been done in New Hampshire relative to furnishing men and supplying them with provisions and other necessaries and informing them should the emergency require it New Hampshire would render further aid by order of the convention.

       

ALHN Hillsborough County

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