Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-21

himself astranger. Law and gospel, imbodied
in an orthodox steeple and a court house, oecu-
py the steep, rocky eminence in its midst be-
low runs the small river under its picturesque
stone bridge; and beyond is the famous female
seminary, where Aadover theological students
are WORT to take unto themselves wives of the
daughters Of the Puritans. An air of comfort
and quiet broods over the whole town. Yellow
moss clings to the seaward sides of the roofs =;
ones eyes are not endangered by the intense
glare of painted shingles and clarboards. The
smoke of hospitablo kitchens curls up through
the overshadowing elms from huge-throatsd
chimneys whose hearthstones have been worn
by the feet of many generations. The tavern
was once renowned throughout New England,
and it is still creditabte hostelry. During
court time it i. crowded with jocose lawyers,
anxious clients, sleepy jurors, and miscellaneous
hangers on-disnterested gentlemen, who have
no particular business of their own in court,
but who regularly attend its sessions, weighing
evidence, deciding upon the merits of law
yer IS plea or judges charge, getting up extern
pore trials upon the piazza or in the bar room
Of cases still involved in the glorious uncertain
ty of the law in the court house, profering gra-
tuitous legal advice to irascible plaintiffs and
dssponding defendants, and in various other
ways seeing that the commonwealth receives nc
detrment. In the autumn old sportsmen make
the tavern their head quarters, while securing
the marshes for sea-birds and slim young gen
tlemen from the city return thither with empty
game bags, as guitless in respect to the snipc,
and wag- tails as Winkle was in the matter O
the rocks after his shooting excursion at Dingl'
Dell. Twice, nay, three times year snc'
third parties have been in fashion, the delegates
Of the political churches assemble in Ipswich tC
pass patriotic resolutions, and designate the
candidates whom the good peopleof Essex coun
ty, with implicit faith in the wisdom of the Sc
lection, are expected to vote for For the resi-
there are pleasant walks and drives around thu
picturesque village. The people are noted
far their hospitality; in summer the sea wint
blows cool over its healthy hills; and take 1T fol
all in all, there is not better preserved pl9as
anter specimen Of Puritan town remaining ii
tho ancient commonwealth.
The 2lst Of April, l775, witnessed an awfu
commotion in the little village of Ipswich. Ole
men, and boys, 1.-THE middle aged had marched
to Lexington some days BEFORE and all the wo
men in the place who were not bodridden or slcl
came rushing, as with one accord, to the greer
in front of the meeting hoaso. a rumor, whici
no ono attempted to trace Or authenticate
spread from lip to lip that the British regular
had landed on the coast and were marching
upon the town A scene Of indescribablo terro
and confusion followed Defence WIS out Of til
question, as tho young and ablebodied nen {
the entire region round about had marched
Cambridge and Lexington The news of tn
battle at the latter place, exaggerated in all ii
details, had Just been received terrible attrot
tiles committed by the dreaded REGULARS ha
been related and it was believed that nothin
short of general determination of the patriot
men, women, and children-was contemplat
cd by the British commander. Almost simulta
neously the people of Beverly, village fe'
miles distant, were smitten with the same tel
ror. How tho rumor was communicated no on
coull tell. 1t was there believed that the ent
my had fallen upon Ipswich and massacred tn
inhabitants without regard to age Or sex.
1t was about the middle of the afternoon {
this day that the people Of Newbury, ten mile
farther north, assembled in an informal meetin
at the town house to hear accounts from tn
Lexington fight and to consider what action wa
necessary in consequence of that event. Parse
Carey was about opening the meeting wit!
PRAYER when hurried hoofbeats sounded up tn
street, and messenger, loose-haired and pant
ing for breath, rushed up the staircase. "Tur
out. turn out. for Gods sake" he cried, g. c
you will all be killed The regulars are march
ing on lis; they are at Ipswich now, cuttin
and slashing all before them Universal cor
sternation was the immediate result Of th
fearful announcement Parson Carey's praye
died on his lips the congregation dispersed owe
the town, carrying to every house the tidng
that the regulars had come. Men on horscbac
went galloping up aud down the streets shou
ing the alarm Women and children echoed
from every corner. The panic became irresist
Bile, uncontrollable Cries were heard that tt
dreaded invaders had reached Oldtown Bridg
little distance from the village, and that the
were killing all whom they encountered. FligI
, was resolved upon.
{ All the horses and vehicles in the town we
3 put in uaquisition; men, women, and chlldrt
s hurried as for life toward the north Sor
, threw their silver and pewter ware and 9th
t valuables into wells. Large numbers cross
: the Merimac and spent the night in the desert
: houses of Salisbury, whose inhabitants, sIrick
t with the same terror, had fled into New Ham
: shire to take up their lodgings in dwellings u
abandoned by their owners. A few individu'
r. refused to fly with the multitude: some unal
to move by reason Of sickness, were left behi
: by their relatives. One old gentleman, who
: excessive corpulence rendered retreat on his pa
0 impossible, made virtue of necessity and SEA
:, ing himself in his doorway with his load
$ king 8 arm, upbraided his more nimble nelg
n bors, advising them to do as he did, and est
and shoot the devils" Many ludicrous nsta
ees of the intensity of the terror might be rel'
ed. One man got his family into boat to
to Ram Island for safety. He imagined he "
: pursued by the enemy through the dusk of t