[4-127] [Petition from Towns in the Western Part of the Province for Assistance, 1756.] To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq' Capt General Governor & Commander In Chief in & Over His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire The Honble his Majesty's Council & House of Representas in General Assembly Conven'd the 3rd Day of January 1756The Humble Memorial & Petition of Josiah Willard Benjamin Bellows & Isaac Parker in behalf of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Keene, Swansy, Winchester, Walpole, Putney, & New Charles Town all in the Province of New Hampshire, Shews That the Towns aforesaid are Situate on the Frontiers of the Province aforesaid, and tho they are very Considerably Improvd So as to Raise all the Necessary Provisions for the Inhabitants, yet are now but Weak handed many of their ablest Men having Listed in the Late Expedition & are Still absent - And by their Situation the Said Inhabitants are Greatly Expos'd to Danger from the Incursions of the French & Indian Enemy from whom there Seems to be a Greater Probability of an Attack now (as the Season Favours their Travelling and the Course of their Inroads on the Settlements on Hudson's River if not wholly Prevented is Greatly Impeded by the Operations of the Last Summer & the Posting of Soldiers in proper places) than at any time Since the Last War. - That the Said Inhabitants have at their Own Expence Built Good Forts which woud be Sufficient for their Defence with a Competent number of Men which they did & Defended their Settlements while they got their Daily Bread at the Peril of their Lives During the Last War But as there Seems to be no other Rout for the Enemy to take or at Least not any where they are Invited by an Equal Prospect of Success, As there is no Room to Doubt of their Inclination or Vigilance to Improve Every Oppor tunity to Annoy us, nor of their Ability to Execute their Schemes. for making a Descent upon Our Settlements, which they Look upon with a very Envious Eye, the Said Inhabitants Cant but Apprehend their Danger Greater now than Ever -- This Fear is Quicken'd also by the Remembrance of their Great Sufferings During the Last War & which they begin now to feel again with others of the Same kind Coming upon them with Double Weight - For besides the Loss of many Lives wch they then Sustain'd, it is not a most uncomfortable Situation to be kept always in fear of being Ambushd to have Life Continually hang in Suspence & Doubt, from those who Lye in Wait to Destroy to fear being Suddenly Dispatched or Captivated by a Barbarous Enemy when about Business in the Secure Retreat they have that the very Water they use is Purchasd with the hazzard of their Blood as well as their Bread at the Peril of their Lives and to have no Prospect of Help nor Asylum to fly to for Safety This State of Life Every One on the Least Attention will See is most Pittiable But Experience only can give a just Idea of the Misery attending it That the Great Advantage of Extending Our Settlements & Enlarging our Borders Arising Even to those who have no Immediate Interest in the New Settlements & Even to the whole Community are too Numerous to be Particulariz'd & too Obvious to need it, nor is the Opposite Case of Contracting Diminishing & Driving in those Employ'd in making New Settlements Of Striking the Disease Inward upon the Vitals & bringing it nearer the Heart So Remote & Improbable as not Worthy of Notice or too Inconsiderable to be fear'd―That the Said Inhabitants Weary of Such a Precarious Condition will not Endure it much Longer but Will & must Quit their Habitations tho' they now begin to be Pleasant (in other Respects) as Well as Profitable yet they had Rather part with all than Risque their Lives in the manner aforesaid for they may well on this Occasion Adopt those Words Skin after Skin - Even all that a Man has will he give to Redeem his Life But whether this will be for the Public Good -- whether the Advantage Arising to the Province by Maintaining & Supporting these Settlements will Countervail the Charge is what your Petitioners would Humbly Suggest to be Considered And which Way Soever it Shall be Determined they Pray they may have an Explicit & Speedy Answer That they may not be kept in Expectation till they have no Way of Escape-till they are either Killd Captivated or have their Substance Destroyd And as they Apprehend the Danger Great wch is Impending they Pray Your Speedy & wise Resolution upon the Premises and they Shall as in Duty Bound Ever Pray &c Josiah Willard In Council Janty 2d 1756 read & recomend & Sent Down to the Honble ye Assembly Theodore Atkinson Secry [4-128] [Atkinson to Weare. Court Matters.] Portsm° Jan 16th 1756 SI have this moment red a Letter from his Excellency In which he Presses & Insists upon my Setting in the Superiour Court & that I would Endeavour to Prevail with you to Do the Same I am Apprehensive he will mention the Circumstances of that Court where Some care will be taken to make the Justices an Adequate Allowance I wish our Assembly had Prevented him by doing Something I am much Concernd at the Delay in that Court tho Concious the fault does not Lay with the Bench However I have Determined to Set if you will attend also for at Least a Court or Two tho' have by no means alterd my oppinion with my resolution & therefore I hope & must Pray your Consent to Set Pray Let me hear from you as you have not now those frequent Calls from your family you had when you came to this resolution I hope you will be Prevaild upon to Continue to Act which will under my Circumstances Obleedge Your most Obedient Humble Sert Theod' Atkinson [Superscribed] On his Majys Service To the Honble Meshech Weare Esq' at Hampton falls [4-131] } [Chaplain Emerson's Petition, 1756.] Province of New Hampsh) tain General, Governor, and Commander in Chief In To His Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq. Capand over His Majesties Province aforesaid - To the Honble his Majesties Council, and House of Representatives, in General Assembly Convened. The Petition of Daniel Emerson, late Chaplain in the New Hamp shire Regiment. Humbly Shews That Your Petitioner did proceed with the Regiment under the Command of Colonel Blanchard. And that for his Necessary Convenience rode on horseback — that his horse by himself or some of the Regiment was frequently employed till the day of the Ingagement with the Enemy was at Lake George, & that day his horse Strayed away, or by some person without his privity, was taken from Fort Edward, and that he hath not since come to the Possession or knowledge of him that his Saddle & bridle was left at Fort Edward when he Marched to Lake George, and that on his return, on enquiry could not find them So that this Misfortune & loseing a horse of the value of Twenty two pounds ten shillings New Tenor. And a Saddle & bridle of the value of Five pounds, new Tenor has befallen Your Petitioner and left him under Necessity to purchase at Albany another horse Saddle & bridle (at a dear lay) to get homeWherefore Your Petitioner prays that Your Excellency & Honours will Consider him in the premises. And that out of his Small Grant for wages such a Considerable Sum may not fall on him, but that he may be favoured with the Justice & Clemency of this Honble Court, so far as to be reimbursed the value of his horse, Saddle, & bridle afores And Your Petitioner, as in Duty Bound, Shall ever pray Febry 20th 1756. Daniel Emerson In Council Feby 20 1756 read & ordred Sent Down to the Honble Province of Voted, That the prayer thereof be granted, & that the Sum of Twenty Seven pounds Ten Shillings be paid the Said Petitioner out of the money In the Treasury for the Crown Point Expedition, That If the horse, Bridle, or Saddle, be found, that they be Deliverd to the Committee of Warr or their order for the use of the Government Andrew Clarkson Clerk In Council Eodm Die read & Concurrd [4-132] [Thomas Row's Statement. Soldier, 1756.] I the undernam'd Soldier Enlisted under Capt Joseph Eastman and Drafted to L Gerrish at my Return home from Albany was taken Sick at Dierfield the 29th of October after my Sickness proceed on my Journey ariv'd at my home the 12 Day of November 8 Days of Said time I have been at my own Expences which I leve to ye Discretion of ye Gentleman of ye Assembly or ye Committee of War to be Allowed for Thos Row [4-132] [Abiathar Sanborn's Statement. Soldier, 1756.] I Abiather Samburn September ye 12th after a fit of Sickness at the flates near Albany Proceeds homeward have been at Dearfield under Doctor ariv'd at my home ye 26 Instant which I Leave to the Discretion of ye Gentlemen of the Assembly or the Committee of War to be Allowed for my Expences a Coming home Said timeAbiathar Samburn in Capt Tashs Company 14-133] [Wages and Rations, Crown Point Expedition, 1756.] Province of N hampshire Allowance of wages for a Regiment of 500 Men for the Intended Expedition to Crown Point Colonel of sd Regiment. Lieut Colonel of D° N Tenor £36. 0 30 p Month 1. Common Drummer to Each Comp For Each private Centinal one Armourer for sd regiment for his Assistant Capt Lieut to the Colonel Commissary to ye Hospitel 2 Lieuts to Each of ye Field officers Company, that the 2d Lieut in the Colo Company and ye two Lieuts in ye Lieut Colonels and Major Company Allowance at ye Place of Rondezvous, viz Each man 14 ounces Bread p Day Each man 2 Oz. Ginger p week 14 Do Pork P do 1 Jill Rum p Do D° I1 flour p Do I. pint Indian Mealp D° 4. Oz. Butter p D° 1. pint Molasses p Do sp Theod Atkinson of the Comtee |