History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1755] FOURTH FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 251
A Regiment Enlisted. Oi'dei's Were issuod ill Maich for enlisting
a regiment of five hundred men to con-
sist of ten companies in Hampshire County, and Col. Israel
Williams, Col. Partridge and Major Hawley Avere authorized
to "settle the officers" of the regiment. Major Hawley
was representative from tliis town that year, and by him
Gov. Shirley sent all the necessary papers. These gentlemen
held a meeting at South Hadley, where the matter was
considered. Major Ephraim Williams was, at the suggestion
of the Governor, appointed colonel of the regiment,
and through the influence of Major Hawley, Major Seth
Pomeroy was named lieutenant-colonel. In a letter to the
other gentlemen of the commission, dated April 9, Major
Hawley strongly urges that appointment. He says also
that Capt. Nathaniel Dwight of Belchertown would " ac-
cept a captaincy if he could have it seasonably," and that
he would have no difficulty in raising a company " speedily
in his own parts." He received his commission and joined
the army after the battle of Lake George. The custom
had been years before first to enlist the men and then to
allow them to choose their own officers, but that had long
since been changed, and now it was the duty of the commissioned
officers to recruit their own men. The ability
and influence of captains in that direction were prime factors
in their selection. All of them entered vigorously
upon this work, and on the 30*'' of May orders were issued
for the regiment of Col. Williams, as soon as tlie companies
were '' compleat," to march to the general rendezvous
at Albany,^
Lieut. Lyman's Com- Licut. William Lymau of Northampton
pany of Scouts. y^^Q prouiotcd to a captaiucy iu June, and
ordered to enlist a companj^ of scouts to
consist of not less than thirty men. None but able-bodied
men were to be accepted, each scout was to cover not less
than thirty days," and provisions for that length of time
were to be carried. The captain and other commissioned
officers were to "keep as exact journals" as possible of
each of their marches. Capt. Lyman raised his company,
but no record of any of his excursions has been found.
When reinforcements were needed for the Crown Point
1 Perry's Williamstowu, pp. 300, 301, 302.