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

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

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1775.] REVOLUTION—PRISONERS OF WAR—TORIES. 365<br />

witli sixteen men. Here recru<strong>its</strong> were obta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>from</strong> Col,<br />

Easton's regiment, and the command assigned to Ethan<br />

Allen, who re<strong>in</strong>forced the little army with a detachment <strong>of</strong><br />

Green Mounta<strong>in</strong> Boys. Col. Benedict Arnold presented<br />

himself on the 19"' <strong>of</strong> May and demanded the chief command.<br />

The Connecticut men decl<strong>in</strong>ed to j^ield and the<br />

soldiers refused to serve under him. Arnold f<strong>in</strong>ally waived<br />

his right to the supreme command and stood by the side <strong>of</strong><br />

Allen when he demanded the surrender <strong>in</strong> the name <strong>of</strong> the<br />

*' Great Jehovah and the Cont<strong>in</strong>ental Congress." ^<br />

M<strong>in</strong>ute-Men Rush The affair <strong>of</strong> the 19"' <strong>of</strong> April so aroused<br />

to the Front. the patriotism <strong>of</strong> the people, that <strong>from</strong><br />

every quarter m<strong>in</strong>ute-men, lik§ those <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>Northampton</strong>, rushed to the front. In a few days an army<br />

<strong>of</strong> 15,000 patriots had assembled, and the siege <strong>of</strong> Boston<br />

began. At the same time Gen. Gage had been re<strong>in</strong>forced,<br />

till he had an army <strong>of</strong> 8,000 British Regulars and a fleet <strong>of</strong><br />

war-ships <strong>in</strong> the harbor.<br />

Bunker Hill. On the 17"' <strong>of</strong> June occurred the memorable<br />

battle <strong>of</strong> Bunker Hill. With one ex-<br />

ception, it is not known that any <strong>Northampton</strong> man participated<br />

<strong>in</strong> the fight. The position <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Northampton</strong><br />

company <strong>of</strong> m<strong>in</strong>ute-men has been previously described.<br />

Gcu. Scth Pomeroy, hav<strong>in</strong>g been appo<strong>in</strong>ted<br />

Gen. Pomeroy at<br />

Bunker Hill. q-j^q <strong>of</strong> the commaudcrs <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Massachusetts</strong><br />

troops by the first Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Congress,<br />

was busily engaged <strong>in</strong> organiz<strong>in</strong>g the forces levied for the<br />

protection <strong>of</strong> the liberties <strong>of</strong> the people. Jonathan Judd,<br />

<strong>in</strong> his diary, notes the election <strong>of</strong><br />

Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Congress, and remarks :<br />

Gen. Pomeroy to the<br />

"He is very high <strong>in</strong><br />

Liberty." He was present at the first session <strong>of</strong> the Second<br />

Prov<strong>in</strong>cial Congress, but his military duties soon absorbed<br />

all his attention. Worn with toil <strong>in</strong> the discharge <strong>of</strong> his<br />

accumulated labors—he was then 69 years <strong>of</strong> age— about<br />

the middle <strong>of</strong> June he sought to recruit his fail<strong>in</strong>g energies<br />

by an <strong>in</strong>terval <strong>of</strong> rest at his own fireside. Only twentyfour<br />

hours elapsed after reach<strong>in</strong>g home, when the messenger<br />

arrived <strong>from</strong> Gen. Putnam, announc<strong>in</strong>g the contempla-<br />

1 For full particulars <strong>of</strong> this expedition, consult Smith's <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Pittsfleld,<br />

vol. 1, pp. 2n, 221.

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