Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

286 SPRINGFIELD, 16S6-1SS6.
pany of Highlauders was billeted in Springfield from June, 177G, to
the March following, and in July, 1777, Colonel Cheever had charge
of the transfer of arni}^ supplies to Springfield, where it had been de-
cided to establish an arsenal and supply depot. From the town ac-
counts it appears that he made large use of the local horses and
wagons in this business.
We have the voice of tradition that the news of the Declaration of
Independence set the village aglow with enthusiasm. Moses Bliss, it
is related, was coming from West Springfield with a load of hay
when the good tidings met him, and he at once touched a light to
the hay as the most ready way of expressing his delight. It is a
thankless task to combat a pleasing tradition, and it would, indeed,
be a misfortune to unnecessarily put out this little torch of patriotism
that has so long flickered before our local firesides. There are doubts,
however. Moses Bliss was not a man to be driving a team with a
load of hay, in the first place ;
and a very fair chain of circumstantial
e\'idence could be constructed to nail such a denial to the wall. John
Worthington's torjnsm is beyond dispute ; up to the Revolution both
he and Moses Bliss were active in town, and even state, affairs ; but
when Worthington's disapproval of a revolt from the authority of
King Greorge found expression in a retirement to private life, Moses
Bliss followed his example, and aside from furnishing an occasional
vehicle or blanket or brass kettle for the soldiers, his war energies
slept profoundly. His name almost disappears from the town-meet-
ing records, and when it does rise to the surface it is but a reminder
of a very noteworthy silence. In other words, if Moses Bliss had
been a tory, he would have acted precisely as he did.
At the annual March election of 1776 Edward Pynchon declined
reelection as town clerk, a position he had held for so many years,
and this oflEice was passed down to William Pynchon, Jr. The town
did a very unusual thiug in spreading upon the records a vote of
thanks to Edward Pynchon for his services as town clerk. The
selectmen in this eventful j^ear were : Dea. Aaron Colton, James