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Subject: Hist. of Harvard by Nourse - Harvard's Col. Josiah Whitney, most noted officer
Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 13:41:11 EDT

The History of Harvard, Massachusetts, 1643-1732, by Henry S. Nourse,
Clinton, Mass.
1894. - W. J. Coulter, Printer.

p.329 cont'd

The above report being read upon an adjournment, the 13th instant in a town
meeting in
Harvard was accepted and voted that the Representative of said town Govern
himself
accordingly.

March 23, 1778 - 2. Voted that the committee appointed by the Town the 12th
of January
last to hire soldiers when called for from this Town, in defense of the
cause we are
contending for with Great Britain be Impowered at any time or times to draw
so much
money out of the Town Treasury by orders from the Selectmen as shall be
necessary to
make up to each Soldier together with their Bounties and other Wages six
pounds per
month who shall hereafter Inlist or be draughted and and serve as a Soldier
in either
of the New England States. Likewise voted to make the same addition to the
non-com-
missioned officers wages as is voted to the private soldier, and the said
committee
to be accountable to the Selectmen for the sums they shall so draw out of
the said
Treasury by procuring Certificates from the Soldiers who shall receive said
money.

June 25, 1778. - 3. Voted that the Committee appointed to hire soldiers for
this
Town act discretionary therein, in this and after draughts, during the Town's
pleasure.

4. Voted and granted the sum of eight hundred pounds to be
collected for the purpose of hiring soldiers.

January 25, 1779. - 2. Voted and granted the sum of eight hundred pounds for
supporting poor families of Continental Soldiers, and to defray other necess-
ary charges of purchasing clothing for Soldiers.

Widows & orphans of those who laid down their lives.

The needy families of those in the service, and the widows and orphans of
those who laid down their lives for their country, were systematically cared
for by the town fathers, and the state refunded the amount expended.

Massachusetts demanded of each town a proportionate share of the clothing
required by the soldiers, making annual requisition upon it according to its
financial ability. These assessments seem not to have been recorded, but in
1780 requisition was made upon Harvard for twenty-eight pairs of shoes, ten
shirts and twenty seven pairs of stockings.

March 21, 1779 - Voted that we will use our endeavours in execution of every
salutary measure for appeciating our Continental currency, and lowering the
price of the necessary articles of life.

p.330 History of Harvard.

Captain Eleazar Hamlin was sent as a delegate to a Convention at Concord
which
met on the first Wednesday in October, "to consider and proceed further on
regulating the price of articles." He also attended the county convention
called for the same object in August. The legislated scale of prices based
upon irredeemable paper money demanded frequent re-adjustments and the
tinker-
ing of the patriotic financiers could not stay the rapid depreciation of the
Continental currency.

Short Service Enlistments - 1776 to 1782.
Colonel Josiah Whitney of Harvard.

Upon the departure of the Continental army for New York, Massachusetts
militia
were summoned to the defence of the coast. Two regiments were formed in
April,
1776, for the defence of Boston harbor and stationed at Hull. For these the
Continental organization was adopted which fixed the battalion complement at
eight companies of ninety men each. Colonel Josiah Whitney of Harvard was
placed in command of one of these regiments but seems to have been followed
by only two of his townsment: Joseph Fry and William Stevens, in Capt.
William Warner's Company.

Simon Farmer, Jonathan Simons and Consider Turner served in Colonel Thomas
Marshall's battalion and Capt. Andrew Haskell's Company. A memorial from
Colonel Whitney, found in Massachusetts Archives, clxxxi. 293, throws some
light upon the service performed by these regiments and upon the character
of Harvard's most noted officer in the Revolution:

Harvard's most noted officer in the Revolution:

Josiah Whitney, Colonel.

To the honourable the Council and House of Representatives convented at
Watertown in the State of Massachusetts Bay.

Your memorialist hereby shows: That he was appointed the tenth of April,
last, to take the command of a Battalion of men raised by this State and
tho' the pay of the State was small, yet my zeal for the Liberties of my
Country was so great, that I cheerfully undertook: The men were obtained
and we early in the Spring took the field, while the Enemy were in the
harbor and a re-inforcement daily expected. But since that, other officers
have been appointed; the men ready raised to their hands without their being
at any expense to look them up: placed in the most secure and least labor-
ious quarters and yet put on Continental pay; while we who were at vast ex-
pence to inlist our men are stationed


p.331 Short Service Enlistments.

in the key of the State, the most hazardous and fatiguing post, where
everything is difficult to be obtained and of extravagant price; and
only the small establishment of this State to support us, which does
not much more than clear our expenses. This as to myself is not so
grievous, for I am ready to spend, not only my fortune in the Cause,
but my Life also if need requires; but my under officers are very
much troubled and think your bounty towards them small as towards some
of the other regiments, and though they do not pretend to claim Contin-
ental pay as absolutely due, yet when they consider the impartiality
that ought to govern every legislative body, and which they are persuaded
reign in this House they flatter themselves that you will not degrade them
below their brethren, but raise them to Continental pay.

And this I humbly conceive would put a stop to the great uneasiness in
the camps; and that coldness and indifference that appears between the
several regiments would cease; and all would go on in love and unity in
the glorious Cause of Liberty.

Therefore, your petitioner humbly prays that you would take the
premises under Consideration and order as in your great wisdom that
you shall think best; and if possible put us on Continental pay -
and as in duty bound shall ever pray.

Josiah Whitney, Colonel
Camp at Hill, October ye 29, 1776.

To be continued p. 331 - Request for five thousand aid - our army in N.Y.
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

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