University of Massachusetts Amherst - Index Yearbook (Amherst, MA)

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As the breach widened between England and America, colonial town meetings often turned into bitter disputes among loyal supporters ofthe king and patriots who demanded rebellion. The Tories in Amherst had a loud voice and determined much of the town's political feelings for awhile. Amherst got rid of the men in high positions who op- possed the war and finally in Jan- uary of 1776, the townspeople had a majority voice to support the Continental Congress. General Burgoyne and one-half of the British army marched through Am- herst on their way to Boston, knowing that the sentiments of the town officials were with the British. When Colrain heard of the Lexing- ton and Concord battle, they sent their Minutemen right away. Boston officials urged most of the men to return home because they were not prepared for warfare at all. After Northampton heard the news ofthe Concord and Lexington battles, the minutemen left immediately for the front and reached Concord on the 26th. On word of the British march on Concord. the Charlcmont Minutemen marched to Cambridge. Some returned home shortly afterwards and some re- mained to fight at thc Battle of Bunker Hill. and further saith not. owever to e est on my reco ec ion a ou o oc in e 0 ni being the 19th of April the 5 front Compys was ordered to Load whi we did, about half an hour after we found that precaution had be necessary, for we had then to unload ffirel again and then was the fi Blood drawn in this American Rebellion. It was at Lexington when saw one of their Compys drawn up in regular order Major Pitcairn of t Marines second in Command called to them to disperse, but their seeming willing he desired us to mind our space which we did when th gave us a fire then run offfl to get behind a wall. We had one ml militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the nine teenth instant, in the morning, about one of the clock, being informed that there were a number of Regular Officers riding up 8: down the road, taking and insulting people, and also was informed tha the Regular Troops were on their march from Boston, in order to ta the Province Store at Concord, immediately ordered our 'Militia to m on the common in said Lexington, to consult what to do, and conclud not to be discovered, nor meddle or make with said Regular Troops- they should approachj unless they should insult or molest usg and up their sudden approach, I immediately ordered our militia to disperse a not to fire, immediately said Troops made their appearance, and rush furiousl 8c fired u n and killed ei ht of our art without receiving a I, John Parker, of lawful age, and commander of the ' l . . e I l f 1 I Y, P0 8 P Y 1 provocation therefor from us. I, Thomas Fessenden, of lawful age, testify and declare, that being a pasture near the meeting-house at said Lexington, on Wednesday, la: at about half an hour before sunrise, . . . I saw three officers on horsebar advance to the front of said Regulars, when one of them being within s rods of the said Militia cried out, Disperse, you rebels, immediately on which he brandished his sword over his head three times, meanwhi the second officer, who was about two rods behind him, fired a pist pointed at said Militia, and the Regulars kept huzzaing till he had finishr brandishing his sword, and when he had thus finished brandishing 1 sword, he pointed it down towards said Militia, and immediately on whit the said Regulars fired a volley at the Militia and then I ran off, as fa as I could, while they continued firing till I got out of their reach. I furth testify, that as soon as ever the officer cried Disperse, you rebels, tl said Company of Militia dispersed every way as fast as they could ai while they were dispersing the Regulars kept firing at them incessant 4 John Park Thomas Fessendr 'H thb ll t' bt4Clk'thMr'3 l n 0 wounded of our Compy in the Leg his Name was Johnson also Maj Pitcairns Horse was shot in the flank we return'd their Salute ffirel and before we proceeded on our March from Lexington I believe we Kil1'd and wounded either 7 or 8 men. Asa Graves, a Sunderland native, was George Washington's bodyguard. A story in Deerfield runs that a mob of Whigs had gathered about John Wil- liams' fToryJ house. The Whigs found it garrisioned by well-armed friendsg that as they were advancing to break in the door, a window over it was opened and Seth Catlin appeared, musket in hand, threatening to blow a lane through them if they advanced another step. The crowd knew him too well to doubt his word and a parley was called. A committee of the mob was admitted 24 - Statement of Jeremy g Lister, of the 10th S Regiment, the youngest - British Officer present i 1 and for one hour the questions at issue were discussed. Meanwhile, the com- mittee was well plied with hot, strong spirits. The Committee declared them- selves well satisfied, went out and re- ported to their constituents that Mr. Williams was a good patriot and had given good Christian satisfaction. This report settled the affair and the mob went home. On April 20, 1775 a Deerfield town meeting voted to pay a small army in preparation for the Revolution.

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xii l' keep warm and dry on the soggy ground, All night we lis- tened to singers and speakers, against war, against the go- vernment, against the Presi- dent. Phil Ochs sang .. l ainit marching anymore ... and the crowd screamed and cheered. They questioned the war, the government, and who killed President Kennedy? Khmer Rouge, Vietnam, and on and on . . . Power and freedom for the people, strung out in a carnival atmosphere. Pete Seeger and Holly Near, Richard Chavez, and United Farm Workers. The rain came, the liquor bot- tles came out. Freezing in four feet of mud, comrades huddled together under unbrellas. TV cameras whirred, reporters took notes. An endless night set in along with fatigue, and everyone waited for dawn or Arlo Guthrie. The area surrounding the North Bridge was checked con- tinuously. People swarmed everywhere, even the trees were crowded. The whole atmos- phere was unreal, the rally of the PBC seemed inappropriate, belonging to another place and another time. Everyone re- membered Woodstock, and some tried to relive some of the old feeling. But it was gone, and this was not the place to get it back. At about 3:30 AM we began to make our way back over the North Bridge toward Concord. We wanted to be in Lexington to observe the reenactment of the battle on the green at 5 AM. We had been told that there would be bus service provided between the towns of Lexing- ton and Concord. In order to pick up the bus, we figured we had better be to the waiting spot early. All the policemen we asked about the bus service had no idea what we were talk- ing about, so we decided to walk and have the bus catch up to us. As we walked closer to town we noticed many of the town's people walking with picnic bas- kets, folding chairs, children, blankets and other things in order to find a good spot to see the parade, which was to start about six hours later. The prime spots near the Bridge were already filled by 4 a.m. In the center of Concord, we asked more policemen about