The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-08
vERM0NTs FIRST CONTINENTAL
REGIMENT.

One hundred years ago to-day-May 8,
1776-a letter, or petition, Of Joseph |
Woodward, "chairmau OF the committee of
"New Hampshire grants" was presented TO
the continental congress, setting forth the
condition Of the grants, and asking that,
for the future, they might "do Duty In the
" Continental service (if required) as inhabi-
+" tants of said New Hampshire Grants,
=" and not as inhabitants of the province of
New York, or subjectlto the Limitation,
F" restrictions or regulations of said Prov
" ince, and that commissions, as your honors
" shall Judge meet, be granted accord
ingly." The letter and petition were
referred to q committee consisting OF
Cesar Rodney, of Delaware; Benjamin
Harrison, of Virginia. Joseph Hewes, of
North Carolina; Thomas Lynch, of South
Carolina; and Robert Alexander, of Mary
land; and, on the 30th of May, they re.
ported resolution, recommending that the
inhabitants OF the New Hamshire grants
" for the present, submit to the govern
ment of New York, and contribute their
" assistance, with their countrymen, in the
contest between Great Britain and the
United Colonies" but that such submits
sion should not prejudice their rights to
the lands in controversy, nor be construed
to admit the jurisdiction of New York,
which matter may be determined at the
termination OF the troubles with Great
Britain. June 4, 1776, Captain Heman
Allen, who had charge of the petition, had
leave to withdraw it, she representing"
a. the resolution states, "that he had left
cat home some papers and vouchers neces-
"sary to support the allegations therein
contained" The real reason OF its with.
drawal, however, is stated by Allen in his
report to the convention held a, Dorset,
July "a, 1776, as follows: On the advice
"of several gentlemen, he made motion to
" withdraw the said petition, that the Dele
"gates from New York should not have it
lin their power to bring the matter TO a
" final decision at a time when the Con-
vention had no proper Delegate in the
" House."
Notwithstanding this untoward result,
and the withdrawal of the petition, con
gres,, the day after the adoption of the De-
claration of Independence-July 5, 1916
substantially granted the request of The pc
tition, by the adoption of the following
resolution "Resolced, That q regiment
/" be raised out Of the officers who served
in Canada, on the same terms on which
the regiment, to be commanded by Col
onel Dubois, is to be raised and that the
following persons be appointed officers
" of the said regiment:
"Seth Warner, colonel
Samuel Stafford, Northumberland
Elisha Painter, major
Jog6aH otaah|ii,ra Seeffy,s Jhcob' v6fg,
boroug, captains John Allen,
Fnsset, Walbridge, Deane,
James Gold, Sill, Ebcnezer Hide
Gamaliel Painter, first lieutenants
Ebenezer Beaumont, adjutsnt."
The terms on which Colonel Dubois's
regiment was raised were thus stated IN 9
resolution adopted by congress, June 20
1776: "Resolred, That colonel's com.
:" mission be Immediately issued to Major
i" Dubois, with instructions forthwith to
raise regiment to serve for three years
or during the war, and that the corps OF
officers be composed of such as have
served with credit in Canada no officer to
receive his commission until his company
be raised and armed the arms of the
81 tbav,, oa1x 20 ho al NJ
by the committees of the counties, where
the companies are raised, and paid for by
the continent, on their being mustered.
William Sherman, jr., was appointed
July 6, by congress, paymaster of the regi-
ment and on the 18th of September the
following resolution-which, we believe,
has never before been published in Yer.
mont-was adopted "Resolped, As it ap.
"pears from colonel Warmers representa-
ton of the state of his regiment, that
major Painters appointment much OBJ
structs the raising the said regiment, that
therefore, major Painter be directed to
"repair to the city of Philadelphia, tina
the matter may be enquired into, and
that 1t be recommended to col. Warner
and the other officers, that they forth
with proceed to raise their men and com.
"plete the regiment, relying on the jus
tice OF Congress for the settlement of the
uneasiness among them" On the six
teenth of September, congress proceeded
to the election of officers, by ballot, to 'fil
sup" "sundry vacancies in colonel War
ner's battalion"-and the fact that suct
vacancies existed, the cause of them, and
their being supplied, seems to have beer
overlooked in writing Vermont history
John Fassett and M'Une were elect
ed captains in room of John Grant ant
Jacob marlborough, who declined TO &C
cept their commissions con account O.
"their i'll state OF health" and Joseph SAT-
ford, Thomas Ransom, John Chapman an,
Robert Torrance were elected first lieuten
ants in the room of Deane deceased, Walb
ridge and Allen, who declined serving, AM
John Fassett, promoted and Benjamin
Hopkins was elected adjutant.
That this regiment was fully organized
is we'll known, and something of the ma
ture of its services may be gathered from
statement of Gamalel Painter, a lieutenan
in the regiment, and, subsequently,, dis
tinguished citizen of Addison county. lii
states that, in the summer of l776, he wa
appointed lieutenant in the company
commanded by Captain Simeon Smith, il
the regiment of Colonel Seth Warner, anc
Joined the army at Ticonderoga, In Marct
1777; that, as such, he was in the retrea
of the army from Ticonderoga PARTED
pated in the battle of Hubbardton, July Z
TIT; at Bennington, August 10; and a
the surrender of Burgoyns at Saratoga, Ii
October of that year that, in ITS ant