The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-04

voice OIL IOu, ut lehSl untll Tue Jaw |
has been properly repealed (the Con-
nccticut spirit which declared that
.this Commonwealth shall be ruled by
the laws of God until we have time
to frame better onesD. 1t must not
be overlooked that the same Brmiield |
town meeting which adopted this pro-
position to dissolve the Union also
adopted a resolutin to pay $5.25 apiece
to the twenty-eight soldiers which
formed Brimheld's quota in this most
unconstitutional and wicked second
war with England
Who Was Abncr Morgan.
The moving spirit in this proceeding
and the drafter of the document, /
Abncr Morgan, was an interesting and
1 stately figure in the Brimfeld of those
| days. According to Hyde's History,
]iust quoted he was graduated at liar-
\ ward College in the class Of 1913, and
| was representative from Brimfeld at
/ the General Court, July 10. 1915. held
4 At Watertown on account of the Brlt-
| ISL occupation of Boston. Sitting on
| Sunday January 81, 1916, this Gen
1 eral Court authorized the First Regi-
ment of Massachusetts provincials' to
be raised in Hampden and Hampshire
counties; Elijah Porter a representa-
I tive from Hadley, was commissioned
colonel, and Abner Morgan major.
/ their commissions being dated the
22d day of January, in the 10th year
tof the reign of His Majesty, King
/ George III. A. d. 1776."
The first half of this regiment
marched by way Of Albany. skenes-
A borough (now Whitehall. N. W, to
A Ticondcroga, Crown Point, and Col.
Porter's diary of the march is still ex-f
tant written on blank pages Of 9TH
Ntrth American Almanac and Ladies'
& and Gentlemens Diary, for the Year
of Our Lord Christ 1776. Printed by
j. Thomas in Worcester, b. Edition IN
4 Watertown and S. and e. Hall in Cam
bridge. The remainder of the regiment,
under Major Morgan, followed ny me
same route, polling along the shores
: OF Lakes George and Champlain few
! weeks later. The united regiment was
assigned to General Wooster's Brigade
; OF the Army of the North, and was
present at the death of General Mont
: gomery and the defeat of his army at
| Quebec on the night of December 81,
f 177a. The particular interest centr.nS
? ;r this regiment is that it was re-
e c,uited before there was any United
: States" or any war with Great brit-
i ain at all, and that it received written
f instructions in General Washington,
n handwriting dated February 10, 17S
G placing it upon the continental es:
a tablishment" and "associating 1t te
: the command of General Schuyler q !.
n ter its service in Canada and tina
m even at that date there was no p,o
IS position to wage the war for 1ndE
J, |prpdence Of Great Britain. Genera
J., Washington's letter to Colonel Porte
J. (Which is still eXtant). concluding
IS with the sincere wish thai you ma!
& share in eXpelling the instruments 0
= ministerial tyranny"
! What is probably Major Morgan's last
a payrool in the field as second in com
It mnnd of this regiment (there doe
not appear to have been any lleuten
h art-coloneD is before me. made on
If at Saratoga, October IS, 1911, the da
n after Burgoynes surrender, fror
g which 1t is. think, to be inferred tina
ID tho regiment (Which was only enliste
: for one year, had voluntarily RENAME
= With 'The Army Of North" In the bri
If gade commanded by General Sullivan
n and afterward General Wooster, unit
l. on the day after the surrender.
il was mustered out at Saratoga. Co
= Porter was designated by Genere
n Gates to command the escort Whic
lie conveyed Burgoyne prisoner to Bos
II, ton. The escort marched by way {
is Hadley, where General Bursoyne wa
at entertained by Colonel Porter at h
ID residence for three days (Genert
al Burgoyne presented his dress swor
10 Colonel Porter, in the possession {
whose grandchildren at Hudley 1t stt
y, remains).
- Major Morgan, on the 18th of Augu
N following Burgoyne's surrender, WI
,.." commissioner brigade major Il
-. Hampshire andi Hampshire countie
- and superintendent enlistments for II
az Continental armies until the close
- tho war. For a patriot with such
~, ~ career to suggest dissolution Of II
-. Union rather than to embark In sc
- ond year war with Great Britain lie
wv than thirty years after winning t
-, first one argues q devotion to In
~ and order no less distinguished thu
~ that Of Adams and Hancock In d
=, Tending British soldiers Indicted f
ela the murder of their own fello,
-, - citizens. At least so it seems to me.
tie Didn't Forget His Claim.
are Dr. Hyde's history gives ma
re- gljmpses of the sturdy personality
on Major Morgan. relating how
a stopped the Violin in the choir Of
,ry, First Church, etc. which 1t wol
-. make this letter too long to rec
here. 1t Is an Interesting bit of thu
old days, however, to chronicle Il
rvn when the United States with a lib
seM atty reminding that OF the Europe
$SM sovereigns who parceled out to tn
TM favorites random sections OF this ca
SHM tinent bounded by "the south sea"
'3~ "Virginia," or any convenient TT
paid for Revolutionary services W
soldier claims" Chat is. warrants
land in Western New York, Ohio, x
lucky, etc, except the Western
y: serve" which Connecticut elaine
.dA Major Morgan was one OF the few Y
,aH took personal possession OF
Ia claim" Most of the Revolution
Sd soldiers We're too poor for the V
"a considerable undertaking of procc
n ing on horseback or wagon thro
"A forests where Indians and other p
!, Fl slill urked, to identify and locate
I II expensive surveys these Claims -
"A these and their paper equivalents y
sold for dollar or two. or for w
u ever was offered. Major Morg