VOL. XII. MANCHESTER, N. H. JAN. 1852. NO. 1. ROWELL, PRESCOTT & CO., PROPRIETORS....C. E. POTTER, EDITOR. and was born at Dunbarton, in 1693. Soon BIOGRAPHY OF GEN. STARK. JUST as the cars leave the thickly settled part after graduating at the University of Edinof the City of Manchester, and before reach-burgh, he moved to the County of Londonderry ing the Amoskeag Falls, the traveler upon the in the North of Ireland, becoming, what was Concord Railroad, will notice upon the right usually denoted a "Scotch Irishman." Here hand, near to the road, a beautiful oak grove he was married to a poor, but beautiful Scotch upon a gentle hillock; and upon close obser- girl, and soon after emigrated to America. He vation, he will perceive that these oaks shad- at first settled at Londonderry, where he reow the scattered stones of an ancient "bury-mained until some time in 1736, when having ing ground." The ground is destined, ere his house burned, he removed to a portion of long, to be removed by the hand of improve- land upon the Merrimack, then usually called ment, that so speedily and steadily, sweeps Harrytown, but which in 1734, had been inaway the vestiges of olden times, along the cluded in a grant by Massachusetts, to Ephraim banks of our noble river. This humble bur-Hildreth, John Shepley and others, of twentyial place was used by the first settlers of "Na-three thousand acres, upon the east bank of maoskeag" and has but here and there a the Merrimack, three miles in width, and extombstone to tell of the sleepers below. Yet tending from Brenton's Farm (now Litchfield), upon these few, are names, that bring up re-to Suncook or Lovewell's Town (now Pemmemberances of men, who have left their impress upon the pages of our country's history; while one sleeps there, without a stone to point the spot, whose skill and enterprise have done as much for New-Hampshire, as any other man who ever trod her soil. And though no stone tells of his deeds or his virtues; as long as the Merrimack shall flow, whose forbidding difficulties he obviated, and whose sweeping current be made subservient to the wants and conveniences of commerce, so long shall the name of Blodget be engraved upon the memories of our people. The first tomb-"three farms of about two hundred acres stone that attracts the attention in this place of the dead reads thus, Here Lyes The Body of Mr Archebald Stark He Departed This Life June 25th 1758 Aged 61 Years broke), - under the name of Tyngstown. This grant was made for services performed by a company of men under the command of Capt. William Tyng of Dunstable, who in the winter of 1703 marched to Lake "Winnipesseokee upon snow shoes, and killed six of the Enemy, and were about thirty days on said expedition **** "the said Tyng and Company being the first Company that ever undertook a March in the Winter Season on Snow Shoes, which has since been very serviceable to the Province." Prior to the grant of Tyngstown, a grant of each" had been made to Samuel Thaxter, Wm. Dunbar and another and these farms had been "pitched" upon the hill and plain, a little north and east of the "Falls of Namaoskeag." Upon this hill, and upon the grant of Thaxter, Archibald Stark settled, upon leav Archibald Stark was a Scotchman by birth, ing Londonderry in 1736. Baker Library5147 2 Soc 4548.152 THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. An educated man, Stark must have had strong desires that his children should enjoy the advantages of an education; but in a wilderness, surrounded by savages, and upon a soil not the most inviting, the sustenance and protection of a family, demanded the attention of a parent, rather than their education. and raised their guns to fire upon them, but Stark struck up their guns. They threatened him and aimed again, when he again struck up their guns; but others, out of his reach, fired upon the fugitives, and Stinson was killed in the act of jumping from the canoe upon the shore. The paddle in William Stark's hand was pierced with bullets,-but taking to His children, however, were instructed at the woods, he however made his escape. The the fire-side, in the rudiments of an English Indians were so enraged at John for aiding his education, and such principles were instilled brother's escape, that they struck him with into them, as accompanied with energy, cour-their guns, but he returned their blows with age and decision of character, made them fit such buffets, that the chief, admiring his bearactors in the stirring events of that period. ing, ordered them to desist, and he was no His four sons, William, John, Archibald, and farther molested. Upon William's return to Samuel, were noted soldiers in the "Indian the settlements, a party from Rumford, conWars," and the three oldest, had become dis- sisting of Nathaniel Eastman, Timothy Bradtinguished officers in the notable "Roger's ley and Phinehas Virgin, started for the scene Rangers," prior to the death of their father, of the disaster, found the body of Stinson in 1758. scalped, buried it in the woods near by, and These young men had been in a fine school. returned in safety. Meantime, the Indians The sports attending the fishing season of the and their prisoners were on their way to St. spring, the labor upon the farm in the summer, Francis, where they arrived on the 9th of and the toils, dangers and shrewdness, required June. Stark, by his spirited bearing, had befor the successful hunting of the fall and win- come quite a favorite with his Indian captors, ter, were calculated to develope in the highest and their good will protected him from injury degree, some of the most essential characteris-in the grand ceremony of entering the village tics of a good soldier. Besides, Indians were of St. Francis, called "running the gauntlet." scattered all along the valley of the Merrimack, and here at Namaoskeag, were the head quarters of the scattered remnants of their tribes. So that the Starks, from childhood, had been conversant with the Indian character. In addition to all this, their military leader and teacher was the noted Col. John Goffe, who had been in active, service for years, and was known as the most distinguished Indian fighter upon the frontiers. The prisoners had been in training the last part of the journey for this imposing ceremony, which consisted in each prisoner's passing through two lines of the men, women, and children of the village, drawn up for the purpose, and each one permitted to strike or kick the prisoner as he passed, as often and as hard, as caprice or revenge might dictate. The ceremony was duly explained to the prisoners, and they were told that they must repeat some Indian sentence as they passed along, and that usage permitted them to pass through the lines as quick as they could. The sentences to be repeated were “ given out" and committed to memory. These were repeated again and again, so that there should be no mistake in emphasis or pronunciation, amid the din and excitement of the imposing ceremony. Arrived at the village, all was excitement and tumult. The lines were quickly formed, and the prisoners again instructed in their parts. Each of them was furnished with a pole, some six or eight feet in length, on the top of which was placed the skin of some animal. Stark's pole was furnished with a Loon-skin. In such a school, John Stark was no inapt scholar. He resided with his father, pursuing the calling of a farmer and hunter, without any remarkable incident until the spring of 1752, when on the 28th day of April, being upon a hunting expedition on Baker's river, he was taken prisoner by a scout of 10 Indians from St. Francis. Trails of Indians had been discovered, and he and his companions, William Stark, Amos Eastman of Pennacook (now Concord,) and John Stinson of Londonderry, were collecting their traps to return home. John Stark was alone, when taken, and was stooping down upon the bank of the river - over the water, taking up a trap. The Indians were in ambush and surrounded him with the utmost caution pointing several guns towards him. Stark's attention was first arrested by a sharp "hiss," when looking round, he saw that escape or resistance was equally hopeless. The next morning the Indians lay in ambush for his companions, and as they were making their way down the river, Eastman upon the shore, and Stinson and William Stark in a canoe, the former was secured, while the Indians ordered John Stark to hail those in the canoe and in- Stark waited his turn patiently, and with a duce them to come ashore. Stark accordingly decision and promptness that never forsook hailed them, but only to inform them of his him in any emergency. The Indians had bemishap, and to hasten their flight to the oppo- come wild with the excitement of the occasite shore. The Indians immediately rose upsion, their rough usage of Eastman having but Eastman's turn came first, and he commenced running and singing out at the top of his voice, "Nen nuttattagkompish wameug nunkompeog," — which translated, reads, "I will beat all your young men." The young men, taking this as a most audacious insult, hit him right and left with their clubs, and when Eastman got through the lines, he fell exhausted-more dead than alive, from the blows he had received. BHS The Heirs of HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FROM THE VOIRS OF GEORGE C. DEMPSEY THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 3 sharpened their desire for the rough amuse-pany was the nucleus of the celebrated corps ment. The lines were quickly formed-the of " Rangers." They were principally made sign was given for the prisoner to start, and up of our hardy frontiersmen; every one of Stark started off at a deliberate trot - singing whom, as a hunter, could hit the size of a out at the top of his voice, Nutchipwuttoo- | dollar, off hand, at the distance of an hundred napish wameug nonkkishquog," which means, yards-could unerringly follow the trail of "I will kiss all your young women!" As he man or beast, and were capable of bearing the entered the lines, the first young Indians, in fatigues of a march, the pinchings of winter the height of the excitement, struck Stark nights and the gnawings of hunger, without some smart blows; whereupon, he, regardless fire or shelter-and without other covering of his Loon's skin, whirled his pole right and than their own clothes, or perhaps a bear-skin left, hitting here one and there another, and or the boughs of the pine or hemlock. dealing such heavy blows, as to knock down one or two of the nearest Indians, and to cause the others to give him a wide berth. In this manner he passed the lines without injury, filling the young Indians with astonishment, at the temerity of the prisoner, and the warriors with laughter, at the discomfiture of their young men. Added to this, their knowledge of Indian character, manners and customs, was thorough. With such qualifications, the "Rangers" soon became the most efficient corps in the English army. Rogers' first company was made up of men in the immediate neighborhood of "Amoskeag Falls"-from those whom he had annually met there in the fishing season, and who, he knew, were accustomed to traveling and hunting, and in whose courage and fidelity the most implicit confidence could be placed. Rogers of Londonderry, and Eben and Joseph Eastman, John Shute, Philip Kimball and William Phillips of Pennacook-men, the most of them known as brave and efficient officers in the " Rangers." With such men Rogers did most excellent service in the campaigns of 1756 and 7. Such boldness, on the part of Stark, won the admiration of the Indians, and he was the favorite of the village, the Sagamon adopting him as his son. This favor secured for him good treatment, but it enhanced his value in Such men were William, John, Archibald the eyes of his captors, and when in July fol- and Samuel Stark, Ezekiel and Ephraim Stelowing, he was liberated by Capt. Stevens of vens, and John Pollard of Derryfield, James Number Four, and Mr Wheelwright of Bos- Walker of Bedford, Caleb Page of Dunbarton, ton, one hundred and three dollars were de-Joshua Martin of Goffstown, Richard and James manded as the price of his freedom, while Eastman was liberated for the sum of sixty dollars. Stark and Eastman arrived at their homes in August by the way of Albany. At this time it was in agitation by the government of New-Hampshire, to take armed possession of Coossuck (the place of Pines) — to keep that rich country from the French and to check Convinced of the great efficiency of this the inroads of the Indians who came from St. kind of troops, Lord Viscount Loudon augFrancis, usually, by way of the "Coos mead-mented the corps to six companies. Of this ows;" and an expedition, under the direction of Col. Lovewell of Dunstable, Major Tolford of Chester and Capt. Page of Dunbarton, was sent by order of the Governor, in March, 1753, to survey and mark a road from Stevenstown to the Coos, for the convenience of the armed emigrants to be stationed there under the patronage of the government. Stark was selected as the pilot of this expedition, he having passed through the Coos on his way to Canada as a prisoner. battalion Rogers took the command, and was afterwards promoted to a Majority by Gen. Abercrombie. John Stark was also promoted to a Captaincy, and took the command of Rogers' company of Rangers, a mark of confidence he had most richly earned. In this new position, Stark's sterling abilities only shone the brighter, and by his cool bravery, prompt decision and “consummate prudence," he was soon the acknowledged leading spirit among the "Rangers." As such In the following year, he was appointed an he was noticed by the officers of the highest ensign, and accompanied the expedition as pi-grade in the British army, and secured the lot, under the command of Capt. Peter Powers confidence and friendship of Lord Howe and of Hollis, which was sent to Coos to demand the Earl of Loudon. of the French, who were reported to have built a fort there, their reason for so doing. Both these expeditions went to Coos and returned in safety, but accomplished but little, -as armed possession was not taken of Coos by our people, and the French were not found in possession, as reported. In There cannot be a doubt of the fact, often told the writer of this article by Lieutenants Shute and Phillips, that much of the success of the Rangers was due to the intrepid valor and consummate skill of John Stark. proof, two only, of many incidents, may be named. In the "January fight" of 1757, In 1753 commenced the French and Indian Rogers had been wounded, and Capt. SpikeWar, known as "The Seven Years War," and man, Lieutenant Kennedy, Ensign Page and the services of Stark were secured by the several privates had been killed when Rogers Governor, and he was soon promoted to a Lieut-received a second wound, and came to the enantcy in Capt. Robert Rogers' company, in the New-Hampshire Regiment, under Col. Joseph Blanchard of Dunstable. This com Stark upon conclusion to order a retreat. told his men that they had a good position, and could hold it until dark - when they could effect a retreat; but to retreat then was to risk the safety of the whole party, and that he would shoot down the first man who attempted to retreat. While he was addressing these remarks to his men, a shot from the enemy struck and broke the lock of his gun! Seeing a Frenchman fall from a shot of one of his men, he leaped forward, seized his gun and returning to his position, continued the action backwoodsmen." He marched with his until night-fall, when the enemy retired from the ground. mill, repaired to his house, took his gun and ammunition, mounted his horse in his shirt sleeves, as he came from the mill, and rode on to meet the army. As he journeyed on, he left word for volunteers to nieet him at Medford and without delay, made the best of his way to Lexington. On his entire route, his force continually increased, so that the following morning, when he arrived at Lexington, he had at his command more than a thousand companions to Cambridge, where they were received with joy and gladness. The following morning, Stark received a Colonel's commission from "The Committee of Safety of Massachusetts" with "beating orders," and enlisted eight hundred men in less than two hours from the first "tap of the drum." On the memorable 17th of June, 1775, Colonel Stark had 13 companies under his command, his regiment being the largest of the combined Continental Army-which fact conclusively shows his popularity as a military leader. Again in July, 1758, when the unfortunate Gen. Abercrombie made his unsuccessful attack upon Ticonderoga, Major Rogers with his Rangers, was ordered to commence the attack, which he did - Capt. Stark leading the advanced guard. Stark's party was ambushed -but being supported promptly, the enemy retreated to the walls. Rogers then pushed forward with his whole corps to carry a bridge betwixt Lake George and the Fort- Capt. Stark bringing up the rear. As Rogers advanced upon the bridge, the passage was disputed by a party of French and Indians and he halted with his command to consult; but Stark impetuously rushed forward, cried out with stentorian voice to his men, "this is no time for delay," rushed boldly upon the bridge, followed by his men, and scattered the enemy over the plains-thus securing, by a well-timed and impetuous onset - a secure passage for the army, while the timid course of halting to consult and reconnoitre, was calculated to give confidence to the enemy and time for rein-ready detailed 300 of his men under Lt. Col... forcement and support. In fact, this onset of Stark's, was the only brilliant affair before the walls of the Fort, as Gen. Abercrombie, with a force of 16000 strong, well appointed in every particular, made an inglorious retreat, two days after, from the plains of Ticonderoga. The redoubt thrown up on the night of the 16th of June, upon Breed's Hill, by the Americans, was done in haste, and without much claim to military skill. Gen. Stark always persisted in calling it "The Pound," being much better, he said, for securing cattle, than for protecting men! Col. Stark, with Major McClary, visited the hill early on the morning of the 17th, and examined the redoubt, and while upon the hill the Brstish began their fire upon the Americar. works from Cop's hill. Col. Stark had al Wyman, by order of Gen. Ward, to reinforce the troops upon the hill; but he now saw that the whole of his regiment would be wanted, and he hastened back to Medford where his regiment was quartered, to be in readiness for the emergency. His men were immediately paraded, and as they were without cartridges, Soon after, Capt. Stark returned to Derry-a gill cup of powder was dealt out to each man, field, and was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Page, daughter of Capt. Caleb Page of Dunbarton. In a few months, he rejoined the army and was present with his rangers, at the reduction of Ticonderoga by the forces under Gen. Amherst. Soon after, Capt. Stark retired from the service, with the promise of protection from Gen. Amherst, and that he might enter the army with the same rank, should he choose again to serve his King and country. Upon retiring from the army, he settled down contentedly upon his farm at Derryfield and soon become the pattern farmer of the neighborhood. The news of British aggression at Lexington found Stark at work in his saw-mill. Accompanying this news, was a request from the "Amoskeag boys" of Litchfield, Bedford, Goffstown and Derryfield, who had hastily collected together, that he would lead them against the enemy, who were reported to be advancing up the Merrimack. Without a moment's delay, he shut down the gate of his with which to replenish his "powder horn;' Stark, with his sharpshooters, fresh and collected, took post at the rail fence betwixt the redoubt and the Mystic river; and it is no disparagement to the other troops to say, that at this point of the lines, was some of the most desperate fighting upon Bunker's Hill. of the Sorelle. After arriving upon the ground, Stark's men threw up a sort of breast-work of stones across After the successful retreat of this unfortuthe beach to the water, and continued the rail nate army under the able conduct of Gen. fence down the hill to the stone wall or breast- Sullivan, who happily succeeded to the comwork. This wall served a most excellent pur-mand, upon the decease of Gen. Thomas, Col. pose, as the sharp-shooters from behind it could take the most deadly aim at the advancing enemy. And it is a well established fact that the corps of British troops in front of this wall were almost completely annihilated. Stark was placed at the head of a Brigade, by Gen. Gates, who had taken command of the army of the North. Soon after, Col. Stark's regiment was ordered to join Gen. Washington in Pennsylvania. He joined Washington a few days before the memorable battle of Trenton, and had the honor of being assigned, in person by Washington, to the command of the "right wing of the advanced guard," under Gen. Sullivan, in that decisive and fortunate battle. He also shared in the honor of the battle of Princeton. An incident occurred a few days previous to the battle of Trenton, which shows the unbounded popularity of Col. Stark with the soldiers. The men were worn down with fatigue and suffering, — neither properly clad or fed and the term of service of the New-Hampshire troops had expired; Col. Stark proposed to them under these unfavorable circumstances, to re-enlist for six weeks and went from company to company, as a recruiting officer, with enlisting papers in his hands, and there was not a single man of them, who refused to enlist! The splendid successes of Trenton and Princeton followed, and sunshine again broke forth upon the clouded sky of the patriot cause. Such noble conduct should have disarmed envy and checked opposition, but it did neither, and Congress in the promotions made about this time, omitted the name of Stark altogether, and placed juinor officers over him as Brigadiers! The New-Hampshire troops were opposed by the Welsh Fusileers, a veteran regiment of much service, and of the flower of the British army. They displayed in front of the rail fence and wall, with the precision and coolness of a dress parade, and marched up to our lines with the confidence of men wearing the laurels of the field of Minden; but when within eighty yards, the New Hampshire hunters opened upon them a fire so rapid and severe, that they wavered, broke their ranks, and fled in dismay. Rallied and reinforced, they again formed and marched up to the attack. "Don't fire a gun, boys, till you see the white of their eyes and I say the word," cried Stark. Fire low, aim at their waistbands!" rang the clear full voice of McClary! On came the serried ranks of the noble Fusileers, "Fire!" shouted Stark, and that sharp cracking peal, rose upon the air, from the New-Hampshire sharp shooters, that alone rises from well charged musketry; and when the smoke cleared away, the ground was strewed with the dead and dying, and the British line was again retreating in confusion. No troops could stand such deadly fire. The British officers became aware of this fact, and after rallying their forces for the third attack, gave orders to turn our left; but in this attempt, the enemy were driven back by a slaughter more dreadful than before, and could At this very moment, Stark was in Newnot again be rallied. In the excitement of Hampshire, and had done what no other man the moment, the New-Hampshire troops raised could have done at that time-organized and the shout of victory, and rushed over the fence completed a regiment! Upon hearing of this in pursuit of the retreating foe; but Col. result, he repaired to Exeter and, in spite of Stark restrained his men, and perceiving the the remonstrances of friends, resigned his fate of the redoubt and that retreat was inev-commission. His letter of resignation was as itable, his forces slowly gave ground, and the last to leave the field, retreated with the order of veteran troops. The next day, the ground sentatives for the State of New Hampshire, in Genbefore the New-Hampshire line was found literal Court assembled. erally covered with the dead! An eye-witness of the scene on the 18th, says, upon the beach betwixt the Mystic and swarded part of the hill, where the British in their third attack unatural enemy; have undergone the hardships attempted to turn the left of the New-Hamp- and fatigues of two campaigns with cheerfulness shire troops, he counted ninety-six dead bodies and alacrity; ever enjoying the pleasing satisfaction, that I was doing my God and country the greatest of British soldiers, the officers and the wound-service my abilities would admit of; and it was with ed having been removed! How terrible the slaughter! It is not too much to assume, that if the rest of the American lines had been defended with equal success, that the entire British force would have been driven from the hill or annilated. After the evacuation of Boston, Col. Stark was ordered to New-York, where he remained till May, 1776, when he reluctantly joined, with his regiment, the expedition into Canada. He went no farther, however, than the mouth follows: To the Honbl the Council and House of Repre Gentlemen : Ever since hostilities commenced, I have as far from being ravaged and enslaved by our cruel and as in me lay, endeavored to prevent my country the utmost gratitude that I accepted the important command, to which this State appointed me. I especially at this important crisis when our country should have served with the greatest pleasure, more calls for the utmost exertions of every American; but am extremely grieved that I am bound in honor to leave the service, Congress having thought least I should show myself unworthy the honor fit to promote junior officers over my head; so that conferred on me, and a want of that spirit which ought to glow in the breast of every officer appoint ed by this honorable House, in not suitably resent ing an indignity, I must, (though grieved to leave the service of my country) beg leave to resign my |