History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

of the town. In January, 1772, the inhabitants,
in town-meeting assembled, passed a resolve, declar-
ing that "no good man can be silent and inactive
in tlie cause of liberty at this alarming period,"
and also a resolve declaring that " all taxation im-
posed on the colonists without their consent and
without representation in Parliament, for the pur-
pose of raising a revenue, is unconstitutional and
oppressive."
As the times grew more threatening, the selectmen
were authorized to procure fire-arms for those
who were too poor to furnish them. John Pigeon
gave the town two field-pieces, which were accepted
by the town with thanks, and a vote was passed,
January 2, 1775, to raise a company of thirty -two
minute-men, who were to meet half a day every
week through the winter for drill, and every man
was to be paid for his time the sum of eightpence,
or, as afterwards stated, one shilling, and the eight
ofGcers eight shillings per day " over and above i
the shilling each."
At the opening of the war, April 19, 1775,
Newton numbered three companies, the east and
NEWTON.
west companies and the minute-men, — a total of
two hundred and eighteen men. Jeremiah Wiswall
commanded the east company, Amariah Fuller the ,
west, and Phineas Cook the minute-men. Besides
these, many Newton men who had passed the age
for military service, inspired by patriotism, were
eager to renew their youth and participate in the
excitement and the glory of the conflict. Noah
Wiswall, a man seventy-six years of age, who, like
his ancestors, occu2ned the house at the northeast-
erly side of the pond at Newton Centre, now in
possession of the heirs of Deacon Luther Paul,
went to Lexington on the 19th of April, 1775, be-
cause, as he said, " he wanted to see what the boys
were doing." As he was pointing out to his com-
panions three British soldiers on the field of strife,
a ball whizzed through his hand, inflicting a pain-
ful wound. Undaunted, he coolly took out his
handkerchief and bound up the wounded member,
and then picking up the musket of a fallen regular
bore it home with him as a trophy.
When the War of Lidependence was actually
commenced, Newton proved itself among the most
patriotic towns in the commonwealth, and all the
families of the town were largely represented in
the armies and battles of the Revolution. Few
records of military ardor exceed in interest the
narrative of Captain Michael Jackson on the day
of the battle of Lexington. Eoused by the rumor
that hostilities had actually commenced, he rushed
from his house in the gray of the morning, and the
minute-men having gathered on the parade-ground,
no commissioned officers being present, he was
made captain by acclamation. Arrived at Water-
town, he found the authorities assembled in con-
clave, discussing the situation and deliberating on
the course proper to be pursued. His fiery spirit
could uot brook delay ; and feeling that the time
for debate was 2)ast, and that this was the time for
action, lie stepped from the ranks to the head of
the company, and issued the sharp aud stirring
military order, " Shoulder arms — platoons to the
"
right, wheel — quick time — forward march !
And in the excitement of the moment he was actu-
ally on the way to the front with those who had
the bravery to follow him. Of the rest, some lin-
gered where they were, aud some dispersed. Colo-
nel Benjamin Hammond, the captain, followed
after his company and joined them before they
reached Concord.
Soon after the affairs of Concord and Lexington
two companies were raised, both commanded by
Newton captains, and embracing seventy-four New-
ton men. They enlisted for eight months, and
joined the army at Cambridge, ^March 4, 1776.
The east and west companies, numbering one hun-
dred and thirteen men, by request of General
Washington marched to take possession of Dor-
chester Heights.