THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, 1754-1763 -- PART II
5TH COMPANY (cavalry)
Abner Fogg, CaptainAbraham Drake, sent Joseph Moulton, Lieutenant
Joshua Pickering, Cornet
Edward Hilton, Qr. Master
Samuel Webster, Corporal, sent Burnham
| Thomas Pickering Thomas Marston Cotton Ward, Clerk John Young, Private Nathaniel Wallace Pearson Brown Samuel Sherburn Moses Blake Edward Smith Abraham Dearborn John Batchelder John Shepard Benjamin Norris Joshua Webster Samuel Dalton Obadiah Marston, Trumpeter Charles Huntoon, Private Paul Fifield Burnham Webster Tristram Sanborn Isaiah Rowe Josiah Clough |
Benjamin Fuller Jonathan Locke; [sent Abraham Dearborn] John Weeks Walter Wiggin; [sent Piper] Francis McCoy Benjamin Busswell Samuel Winslow Moses Richardson Benjamin Seagle Noah Hobbs Joseph Moulton Benjamin Leavitt James Piper Jonathan Sanborn, Trumpeter Caleb Smith, Private Simon Lamprey; [sent D. Webster] Samuel Brown Benjamin Smart Abraham Kenniston |
Lord Loudoun did, in fact, in fulfillment of his promise, dismiss a good men men after a month's service. Of Captain Fogg's company, a few were soon discharged, but the greater part remained at Number Four till into November. But the rangers were not sent till the following January. Whether any Hampton men were in this important branch of the service, we do not know.
Let us comprehend the situation. "At the close of the year 1757, France possessed twenty times as much American territory as England; and five times as much as England and Spain together." Flushed with her two years' triumphs, she had grown bold and arrogant.The English were correspondingly depressed, but still resolute.
The period of the war, thus far, had been one of peculiar trial at Hampton. The fatal ravages of the throat distemper; the terror of the earthquake; the law-suits; the constant danger of attacks by land and sea, and men needed for defense gone into peril, some of them to death, in the army; short crops and scanty subsistence -- ah! we little know at what cost our homes were purchased! But now, if men had but known it, the crisis was past. William Pitt had taken the helm and all was changed. With efficient commanders and a liberal policy, courage revived and success followed. The ;next two years saw the power of France broken; and, before 1760 closed, all Canada belonged to Great Britain, and, the western and southern forts had been reclaimed.
For the campaign of 1758, New Hampshire raised 800 men, a portion of the regiment participating in the second siege and capture of Louisburg, and the rest at Ticonderoga and the western frontier. Hampton still bore here part in the conflict. This was the year that John Lamprey was chosen constable instead of Eliphalet Sanborn, who was "gone out into the King's service." On the 4th of June, Rev. Ward Cotton preached from Matt. 26:41, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation." The sermon was addressed to the soldiers, who were going away the next day. A time-stained paper, dated June 6, 1758, still preserved, requires Samuel Dow, clerk of the 1st company in the 3d regiment of militia, "forthwith to Impress a Sufficient Gun for the use of Benjamin Sanborn, belonging to said Company and Going in the Expedition against Canada, and Deliver said Gun to said Benjamin Sanborn and make Return" &c., signed Meshech Weare. The Hampton roll for this regiment cannot be given. And for 1759, "No roll of this regiment [of 1000 men] is to be found. It was made up, as was usual in all such cases, of draft, from each of the regiments of militia in the Province." From Col. Meshech Weare's regiment was drafted a company commanded by Capt. Jeremiah Marston of Hampton. He had been a lieutenant in the campaign of 1757. He also commanded a company in 1760, and was present at the surrender of Montreal. In his command were many Hampton men, among whom, Timothy Dalton is known to have died at Ticonderoga.
"Prior to the arrival of the several companies to the place of rendezvous [Exeter], they were under the immediate command of the governor, and he issued special orders to each company. Gov. Wentworth's order to Capt. Marston has been preserved, and is as follows:
| 'Province of New Hampshire. |
To Capt. Jeremiah Marston:
You are hereby directed to assemble the company of foot, raised for the Canada expedition and under your command, without loss of time, and march them to Dunstable, where you will receive orders from Col. Lovewell for your further proceeding toward Albany. If your whole company can not be got together at one and the same time, you are to have a prudent and careful person to collect them and follow you to Dunstable.
| B. Wentworth.'" |
During the war, many of the sick, from small pox and other diseases, were sent into hospital at Albany.
"Jona Elkins came into ye house [of Representatives] and Represented that he was a solder in the Crown Point Expedition in the year 1755, that he was discharged in the Muster Roll ye 21st of Octobr which was 21 days short, [Probably should read 7 days.] he being left to take care of the sick at Albany, wch place he did not leave till ye 28th of said month, & prayed further allowance" --- which was granted.
John Elkins died in the army at Albany. He was son of Jonathan, and he had a brother Jonathan. The above was very probably one of them.
March 13, 1760, was observed as thanksgiving-day, "occasioned by ye Reducktion of queBack."
May 18, following, Rev. Ward Cotton preached to the soldiers who were going that week to join the army, from Acts X:7, "A devout soldier."
Hostilities between the opposing nations continued on the ocean til 1763, when the Treaty of Paris brought peace and quietness after the long conflict.
The next war that darkened the land, was the fearful struggle for Independence.