![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.4993055555555554in"
height="1.3194444444444444in"}

image of Daniel Shays from a 1787 almanac

Courtesy: Wikipedia

**Daniel Shays** (c. 1747 - [September
29](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_29),
[1825](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1825)) was a captain in the
[American Revolutionary
War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War). He is
mostly known for leading a small army of farmers in [Shays\'s
Rebellion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shays'_Rebellion), which was a
revolt against the state government of
[Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts) from
1786-1787, and a seminal event in the history of the early United
States. Many historians see the Rebellion as a major factor in the
abandonment of the [Articles of
Confederation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articles_of_Confederation),
the adaptation of the [United States
Constitution](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution),
and the creation of the [Federal government of the United
States](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States).

Little is known of his early life; he was probably born in [Hopkinton,
Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopkinton%2C_Massachusetts)
to Patrick Shay (spelled without the s) and Margaret Dempsey. He married
Abigail Gilbert on July 18, 1772 in [Brookfield,
Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookfield%2C_Massachusetts).
In 1777, he was commissioned as a captain in the [5th Massachusetts
Regiment](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Massachusetts_Regiment) and
he participated in the battles of [Bunker
Hill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill),
[Ticonderoga](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ticonderoga_(1775)),
[Saratoga](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saratoga) and [Stony
Point](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stony_Point). His [service
record](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_record) was notable, and he
was awarded a ceremonial sword by the [Marquis de
Lafayette](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_de_Lafayette) at the end
of the war for distinguished service.

After resigning from the army in 1780, Shays settled in [Pelham,
Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelham%2C_Massachusetts),
where he served in several [local
government](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_government) positions.
Economic conditions in the U.S., especially [Western
Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Massachusetts),
began a serious decline and, by 1786, Shays became one of several who
took command of units of rebels. The uprising soon became known as the
\"Shays Rebellion\" after an encounter between a force of about 800
farmers under Shays, and a private militia unit of roughly the same
size, at
[Springfield](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield%2C_Massachusetts)
on [September 26](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_26),
[1786](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1786). Four men were
killed[\[1\]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Shays#_note-0%23_note-0)-
the first casualties of the rebellion - and many were wounded. Shays and
his men were trying to prevent the [Massachusetts Supreme
Court](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Supreme_Court) from
convening, fearing indictments against farmers in arrears.

By the winter of 1786-1787, there was open fighting between government
forces and rebels. After several skirmishes, Shays and his men were
defeated at [Petersham,
Massachusetts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petersham%2C_Massachusetts)
on [February 2](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_2),
[1787](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1787). Shays then fled to the
[Vermont Republic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermont_Republic).
Condemned to [death in
absentia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_in_absentia) on a charge of
[treason](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason), Shays petitioned for
amnesty in February 1788, and the petition was granted by [John
Hancock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hancock) on [June
13](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_13). Shays then relocated to [New
York](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York). Shays was later granted a
\$20 monthly pension by the federal government for his Revolutionary War
service. He maintained for the rest of his life that his service in the
Revolution and his fighting during the rebellion were for the exact same
principles. He died impoverished in [Sparta, New
York](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta%2C_New_York) and is buried in
[Springwater](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springwater%2C_New_York).
During his life, he never allowed a portrait of him to be made, so it is
unknown what he looked like.