History of Amesbury - Merrill.org

HISTORY OF AMESBURY. 275
" Voted that the Selectmen pay those men that went to guard
the prisoners taken by General Gates their wages agreeable to
the vote of the town."
It was voted not to join the Newburyport regiment with only
a major as field officer, and then the meeting was adjourned to
March 30th.
There are no lists or record of the men who were furnished
at the several calls during the year, and all the clue we have
been able to find is the record of the few orders drawn for their
pay during the latter part of the year or first part of 1779.
The following men received pay for service at Rhode Island :
" Moses Buswell, John Sargent,
Joseph Mors, Theophilus Goodwin,
Samuel Feavour, Samuel Kimball,
Andrew Whittier, Isaac Foot,
Moses Sargent, Aaron Bagley,
Philip Chandley, Paul Hardy,
Zebulon Sargent, John Patten,
Ezra Jewell, John Sheapherd,
Obadiah Badger, Timothy Colby,
Joshua Wells, Barzilla Colby ( Winter Hill) ."
There were, also, four others who had their taxes abated on
account of being in the army, viz, :
—
"Daniel Chase, jr., Aaron Bagley,
William Johnes, John Newcomb."
The reason of this sudden change in the record cannot be
imagined. The little book called the "Witch Book" gives a
very good account of the men up to 1778, when no more can
be found.
At the adjourned meeting it became necessary to adopt some
measures to raise more men, another call having been made, and
it was "Voted to make up their wages to seven pounds per
month with what they have from the Continant and State."
The committee was instructed to go to the "Eastward" to
hire the three years' men now called for, as it was very diffi-
cult finding men in town who could be spared, or were willing
to continue in the service all of the time, away from their fam-
ilies.