This week in Revolutionary War History, let’s discuss what was going on 250 years ago in and around the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay.

            The best way to figure out what was going on was to read Washington’s papers and General Orders of the time period, as there was daily correspondence and orders put out to his officers and troops.

            Last week, we discussed Washington’s General Orders of July 17, where he would reiterate the importance of his orders to his officers and their duty to pass on the contents of such to lower ranking troops. Coming into mid-July, Massachusetts, 1775, George Washington is still headquartered in Cambridge, conducting the Siege of Boston for the next few months. Militiamen from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have all arrived in the past weeks, eventually amounting to around 10,000 troops under his command in the region.

            On July 18, Washington would thank Yankee political representatives for nominating and supporting his ascension to the role of Commander in Chief, telling the Governor of Rhode Island Nicholas Cook by letter, “You will please to accept my Sincere Acknowledgments for your favor delivered me by General Green, on my Appointment to the chief Command of the American Army – The Voluntary Choice of Freemen contending in the great Cause of civil Liberty, & the concurring Approbation of the wise and good, at the same Time that they confer the highest Honour upon the Object of that Choice, demand the utmost Energy & Exertion of my poor Abilities.”

            Washington is busy… very busy. In this time, he is constantly sending out notes and letters. Many of thanks, many of orders. On July 18, he is trying to further gather supplies in Cambridge. He asks, in his General Orders for the day, for “Spades, pick-axes, wheel-barrows, hand barrows, axes and crow-barrs; and to mention the number and quality, of any of these implements, that are still wanting, to carry on their respective works.” He needs tools! The positions are being entrenched and dug in for the long siege ahead. Not to mention, supply lines must be protected, as he awaits more troops on the long march from New Hampshire. The General Orders of July 19 are lost to time, but it is likely more of the same.

            On July 19, however, he wrote to John Hancock of the intention of Matthias Ogden and Aaron Burr (“sir”) to join the Continental Army, and his support and favor of such for the Continental Congress to award them high positions. Both Ogden and Burr would soon head north with Benedict Arnold to attack Quebec. On July 20, Washington, still managing organization and discipline, would gripe over the time of drums being played, saying “Certain drums in, and near Cambridge, very improperly beat – this morning before day; although the troops are ordered to be under arms, half an hour before day light; it does not follow the drums are to beat at that time.” He also reiterates the importance that all goods coming into the camp be regularly logged. His “Aids-de Camp” are in charge of this task, among others.

            The following day, he writes to his brother Samuel Washington, lamenting at the difficulties of his task but also ending with hope, saying “The village I am in, is situated in the midst of a very delightful Country, and is a very beautiful place itself, though small – a thousand pities that such a Country should become the theatre of war – A Month from this day will bring on some Capitol change I expect; for if the Enemy are not able to penetrate into the Country, they may as well, one would think, give up the point & return home.” Rather misplaced, but it at least shows he was fond of Massachusetts and, at least in writing, maintained the war would be over soon. It would not. The General Orders of the next day, July 21, are also lost. He would, however, inform Hancock of his intention, with the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts Bay, to raise another 700 men from Massachusetts. He was also in communication with the Rhode Island Assembly to raise more troops there. The same day, he would urge Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut to expedite troop arrivals from his state “with all possible expedition.”

            The next few days, Washington is reorganizing officers and his newly raised troops into regiments and brigades. He also lays out the individual military needs of these men, as well as needs for transport boats – swivel guns, anchors, oars, etc. Importantly, he is also still trying to figure out how to differentiate his troops as well as those of different ranks, writing “As the Continental Army have unfortunately no uniforms, and consequently many inconveniencies must arise, from not being able always to distinguish the commissioned officers, from the non-commissioned.” He’d continue, “For instance, the Field Officers may have red or pink colour’d Cockades in their Hatts: the Captains yellow or buff.”

            These hundreds of letters per week were sent out from less than 50 miles north of us, 250 years ago.

This Week in Revolutionary History…

By Sam Bishop

            Mattapoisett has had a town band since the mid-1800s. It’s likely it was formed the same year the town was incorporated: 1857. Archeological forensics notwithstanding, what we do have is very compelling.

            Thanks to the Mattapoisett Museum, we have photographic evidence, historical instruments, and early handwritten musical scores. Photographs show the Mattapoisett Cornet Band. The band is shown at a town event with Civil War veterans but no veterans from World War I. This leads us to believe the photo was taken between those two major wars (1865-1914). These bits of historical data help to establish a time frame for the band.

            Digging a bit deeper in our quest to establish a date for the band, we found the museum has an instrument called an “ophicleide.” This fascinating wind instrument looked like a saxophone which plays in E- flat. This brass horn was invented in 1817 and was produced until 1920. The ophicleide was replaced by the helicon in the mid-19th century.

            Playing a significant role in the transition of instruments used in marching bands and brass bands was the helicon. Its design was critical in the development of the sousaphone in 1893, while the ophicleide would become the saxophone in 1841. Inside the case holding the ophicleide is a book of music, hand copied in 1867.

            J. White band music and instrument depot of Boston produced the book of music. White passed away in 1885, and the depot closed around 1909. There is a J. White band music catalog in the Library of Congress archives.

            The Mattapoisett Cornet Band’s drum lettering changed with the word “Cornet” disappearing around 1900. It was replaced by just “Mattapoisett Band” by 1905.

            Unfortunately, we do not have a precise date for the Mattapoisett Band. We can, however, confirm with certainty that 1900 is the year the Mattapoisett Cornet Band disappeared. Therefore, we have chosen 1900 as our starting point.

            Please join us for our 125th celebration on Wednesday, July 30, at 7:00 pm at Shipyard Park. The band will receive a citation from Massachusetts State Representative Mark Sylvia in recognition of our long history, and we will perform a special musical program.

By Band Director Jayson E. Newell