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. Last week, George Washington set out to make a detailed list of all soldiers in all regiments in his army. This is so he can send it to the Continental Congress to gauge supply needs for the encroaching winter. Colonel Benedict Arnold wrote from Maine, making great distance on he and his troops to Quebec. Just north of him, Ethan Allen had been captured outside Montreal. British ships are increasingly seen off the southern New England coast, creating further worries as supplies run low. Finally, the Chief Physician & Director General of the army is found to have committee treason.

            On October 1, 1775, supplies are still on the mind of Washington, the Congress, and the men in the army. This fear is exacerbated by cooling temperatures. Without much supplies, Washington’s General Orders instruct “all the carpenters in their several regiments, to erect barracks for the regiments and corps they respectively belong to.” In other words, start building winter barracks and shelters in and around Cambridge.

            On October 2, The Portsmouth Committee of Safety in New Hampshire writes to Washington, claiming they have captured a British ship, the Prince George. They say the ship had departed Bristol, England and was on its way to Boston but entered their harbor by mistake. The ship was “loaded with eighteen hundred & eighty barrels, & twenty four half barrels of flour, for the supply of General Gage’s army” and it “was taken possession of by our people this day.”

            On October 3, Washington officially bans “games of chance,” or gambling, from men in the army. He specifically mentions “toss-up” and “pitch & hustle” as two coin games that cannot be played. Those found guilty of these crimes were to be “confined and punished for disobedience.”

            Last week, it was discovered that the army’s Chief Physician, basically the first Surgeon General, had been found colluding with the enemy. Calling a Council of War on October 4, Washington and other major officers in the army discussed the truth of these accusations, calling Benjamin Church to testify. The official record states, “The General then asked the opinion of the Council severally whether it did not appear that Dr. Church had carried on a criminal correspondence with the enemy – to which they unanimously answered in the affirmative.” The Council and General both were unsure exactly how to enforce a punishment, nor did they have the authority to do many things. So, it was referred to the Continental Congress and John Hancock for guidance.

            Upon receiving a letter pleading innocence and mercy from Benjamin Church, Washington still writes a lengthy letter to Hancock, President of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He begins, “I have now a painful tho a necessary duty to perform,” before laying out the charges. Finishing the explanation, he says he and Council of War “has [] unanimously agreed to lay it before the Honbl. Congress for their special advice, & direction. At the same time suggesting to their consideration, whether an alteration of the 28th Article of War may not be necessary.” He is proposing an alteration to the Article of War, a set of laws by the Congress, to allow him to more effectively punish such charges as they are becoming more prevalent.

            On October 6, Washington writes to the Massachusetts General Court expressing the army’s need of firewood for the upcoming winter siege of Boston. He says, “evil is increasing & more alarming as the winter approaches.” Prices are going up, and lumbermen and woodcutters are hoarding supplies, refusing to sell to the army. This will be a prevalent theme in the weeks to come.

This Week In Revolutionary History…

By Sam Bishop

            To look back to the year 2000 is to nearly look back across the entire extent of my life. Though for others, it will bring back (hopefully) good memories of a time now lost, where I couldn’t merely pull out the little one-pound block in my pocket and instantly answer any question I could ever have. Maybe I could afford a house then, too! Using The Wanderer’s online archives, this article seeks to look back to October 2000 to see what was going on in the Tri-Town then, some 25 years ago.

            Still fresh off our victories over the machines 10 months after the Y2K computer error, or lack thereof, October 2000 was an eventful time in the Tri-Town. A Letter to the Editor at the end of September had said, “I am appalled and disappointed in the Town of Marion for allowing a Dunkin’ Donuts on the Route 6 area!” For some reason, I had assumed the Dunkin’ had always been there, since time immemorial. Also, the median home price in Massachusetts was about $160,000. Today, it is over $650,000. No, I am not letting that go.

            In our first October edition for 2000, Tim Lynch of Mattapoisett was on the cover, posing aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. The Wanderer reported on the start of BULLDOG TV, a program at Old Rochester Regional High School started thanks to a $600 donation from AT&T Broadband, now defunct. This service allowed students to learn about news coverage and technology while also being able to report on current events on cable TV. Speaking of ORR, the class of 1975 held their 25th reunion on October 20, 2000. They just held their 50th last week.

            On October 18, we reported “Old Rochester Regional Building Committee (ORRBC) opened four General Contractor bids for the renovation and additions to the ORR Junior and Senior High Schools. All of the bids were above the budgeted amount, with the lowest bid being approximately 10 percent over.”

            At this time, the Marion Board of Selectmen (still a few decades off their rebranding to Select Board) was looking at applications for a new Town Administrator, as Ray Pickles was slated to retire from that position by the end of the year. Chair of the Board of Selectman at this time was Albert E. Winters.

            Rochester’s Board of Selectmen at this time were planning their Town Hall renovations and expansion, with contractors touring the site and offering bids the following month. We also reported: “Progress on the Police/Communications Building project has been ‘moving slowly’ and they’ve yet to hire a Clerk of the Works, although they’ve interviewed prospective candidates. The new Highway Building, however, is forging ahead, with plans to pour the foundation slated for later in the week.”

            The Rochester Scouts, Troop 31, were hosting their third annual Haunted Hayride, and Frank McNamee was meeting with the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club to speak on antiques and jewelry.

            This month also, all three Boards of Selectmen were discussing Town Meeting warrants. Not much has changed there.

            The Rochester Lions Club hosted its Annual Halloween Parade, and Marion was planning a Veterans Day parade for the next month for the 50th anniversary of the Korean War.

            Flu clinics were up in all of the Tri-Town, as they are now, though at least we didn’t have to worry about Covid or West Nile. Much has changed since then, but a lot hasn’t much either. The town’s boards and committees still chug on, Town Meetings still happen one or two times a year, and The Wanderer still reports on these three great towns.

October Y2K

By Sam Bishop