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Subject: [GM-L] History of the Town of Concord, Mass. Chapter IV - Part 26
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 14:02:08 EDT
Subject: Concord, Massachusetts - Chapter IV - Part 26
Source: History of the Town of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, Boston,
1835
Part 26
Concord in King Philip's War
The proprietors of Groton held a meeting here (Concord) , December 12, 1677,
when many of
them bound themselves to rebuild their town. They commenced the next year.
p.55/56
The government of the colony, justly apprehensive of the dangerous condition
of the frontier
towns, appointed a committee on the 15th of March, consisting of Capt. Hugh
Mason of Water-
town, Jonathan Danforth of Cambridge, and Richard Lowdon, to consider the
best means to be
provided for their safety. After consulting "the several towns in the county
of Middlesex
with reference to the best means for the preservation of our out-towns,
remote houses and
farms," they submitted the following propositions, March 28th, which were
approved.
"1. That the towns of Sudbury, Concord and Chelmsford be strengthened with
forty men apiece,
which said men are to be improved in scouting between town and town, who
are to be
commanded by men of prudence, courage, and interest in the said townes;
and the parties
in each towne are to ordered to keep together in some place commodious in
the said towns
and not in garrison houses: and these men to be upon the charge of the
country.
"2. That for the security of Billerica there be a garrison of a number
competent at Waymesett
(Lowell), who may raise a thousand bushels of corn upon the land of the
Indians in that
place; and may be improved daily in scouting and ranging the woods
between Waymesett and
Andover, and on the west of Concord river on the east and north of
Chelmsford, which will
discover the enemy before he comes to the towns, and prevent lurking
Indians about our
towns. Also they shall be in readiness to the succor of any of the three
towns at any
time when in distress; also shall be ready to joine with others to follow
the enemy upon
a sudden after their appearing.
"3. That such towns as Lancaster, Groton, and Marlborough that are forced to
remove; and
have not some advantage of settlement in the Bay, be ordered to settle at
the frontier
towns that remain for their strengthening: and the people of the said
towns to which
they are appointed are to see to their accomodations in the said towns.
"4. That the said towns have their own men returned, that are abroad, and
their men freed
from impress during their present state.
"5. That there be appointed a select number of persons in each town of
Middlesex, who are,
upon any information of the distress of any town, forthwith to repair to
the relief
thereof; and that such information may be seasonable, the towns are to
dispatch posts,
each town to the next, till notice be conveyed over the whole country, if
need be."
p.57
Another subject is embraced in the report from which the above is extracted.
The committee
were instructed to consider the propriety of erecting a "line of stockadoes
or stone works"
across the county, to include Chelmsford, Concord, Sudbury and the other
populous places;
but they deemed this inexpedient, on account of the length of way to be
fortified; the diffi-
culty of crossing ponds and rivers, the peculiar season of the year and the
scarcity of
laborers. For these and several other reasons the project was abandoned.
It would indeed have been a work of no small magnitude to erect such a
barrier as would have
been effectual against the incursion of savages. A line of garrison houses
was, however,
erected on the frontiers of all these towns; and it is probable that in
fixing upon the
location of the Christian Indian towns before the war, reference might have
been had to the
safety of the English in case of danger. They served, says Gookin, as a
"wall of defence."
To be continued - Chapter IV - Part 27 - Indians Plan Attack On Boston. p.57
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
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