On Wednesday, September 21, 1768, this record was set down in
the Town Book of Walpole. "Voted that they send One Person
to join the committees at Faneuil Hall. Joshua Clapp was chosen
and appointed for said purpose." It is one of the most
significant entries in all the town records, for it gives notice
that Walpole is prepared to join forces with the patriots of
America to prevent a usurpation of the people's rights.
The situation in Massachusetts was critical. The efforts of
England to lay taxes upon the Colonists had aroused resistance
throughout the land. The laws, which were held by the Americans
to be unjust, illegal, and unwarranted, were openly ignored and
evaded. So high did public feeling run, that the King's
Commissioners of Customs, who made their headquarters at Boston,
had removed themselves and their families to Castle William on
Castle Island, for fear of violence. "It is impossible for
us to set foot in Boston until there are two or three regiments
in the town to restore and support Government." Sir Francis
Bernard, Royal Governor of the Province, appealed to the home
government and they ordered troops to Boston. On September 12, a
special town meeting at Boston demanded of Bernard that he call
an immediate session of the General Court so that it might
consider the grave situation brought about by the prospect of
being quartered among the people. He refused. Bernard's refusal
was met by the townspeople with a general call to all the towns
of Massachusetts to send representatives to Faneuil Hall on
September 22 to consider measures for peace and safety of the
people. It was in response to this request the Joshua Clapp was
appointed to represent Walpole. He joined the representatives of
ninety-six towns and eight districts in an address to Bernard
deploring the fact "That a Standing Army is immediately to
be introduced among the people" contrary to the Bill of
Rights, and asking that the General Assembly, the representative
body of the people, be called together.
Bernard called upon it to immediately dissolve, declaring it as a
"notorious violation" of the constituted authority of
the Province. His threats had no effect on the delegates and they
remained in session, an outlawed body until a few days before the
British troops came sailing into the harbor on September 28,
1768. The coming of the Redcoats was a challenge, not only to
Boston but to every town in America. Walpole's answer was a new
interest in affairs outside her own boundary. This was the first
time she sent a representative to the General Court. But now,
with critical times ahead, she rose to the emergency. On May 29,
1769, the people elected Captain Seth Kingsbury to be their first
Representative. The Provincial Congress requested the towns to
withhold payment of tax money to Hon. Harrison Gray, the
Provincial Treasurer under the crown, instead, to make payments
to the newly appointed Receiver-General, Henry Gardner, of Stow.
The towns were urged to make payments to him in order that
provision might be made against "imminent dangers" that
confronted the people. Once again did Walpole speedily lend its
support to the patriot cause. Its people pledged themselves to
indemnify the Selectmen and Assessors for any damage arising from
their refusal to make payments to Grey, and also to stand back of
the Constables Abner Turner and Samuel Guild, for paying money to
Henry Gardner.
From now on we see Walpole taking an active part in every
history-making movement. When it was reported that the Royal
Governor Thomas Hutchinson (successor to Bernard) and
Massachusetts judges were to be paid from the Royal Treasury,
thus making them independent of the people, the Selectmen of
Walpole were petitioned to call a Special Town Meeting in
January, 1773, for the "Consideration of many Grievances
that the Province and Colonies Labour under..." They
appointed a committee to draft instructions to guide their
representative in his actions. This committee was made up on
Ensign Seth Bullard, Enoch Ellis, Dr. Samuel Cheney, George
Paysen, and Aguile Robbins. Under Samuel Adams' direction, the
towns were stirred to action. Thus we find the towns, Walpole
among them, acting in concert in matters of Public Welfare -- the
beginnings of an American Union. There was a breathing spell at
this point, a spell that was to be broken after more than a year
by the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Port Bill. But in this
interval Walpole prepared for what many could see for the future.
On May 20, 1773, the Town appropriated five pounds to build a
powder house. It was to be six foot square and six foot between
joints. It was to be set "on the Widow Robbins' High Hill if
she will consent to it." Yes, the Widow consented, and to
this day, the Hill is known as Powder House Hill. In June, 1774,
with armed conflict fast approaching the town voted to add 150
pounds of weight of Good Gunpowder and flints in Proportion to
the stock of ammunition.
By this time, the Port Bill, closing the Port of Boston to
commerce, was in effect. Then came the regulating acts providing
that members of the General Court should be appointed by the
King, instead of being nominated by the Representatives. Town
meetings were illegal, but Walpole held one on August 29 and
chose "deligats" to meet committees of other town in
Suffolk County "in order to consult measures Proper to be
taken for the safety of the County." These meetings were
held in private homes.
On December 30, 1774, the town voted: that one quarter part of
the Training Band Soldiers should be enlisted in the Province
Service to be ready at a minute's warning. That these minute-men
should be paid out of the town's treasury -- two shillings per
day for each day that they shall be called together and exercised
in Military Art and discipline. The Town chose a committee of
three to say how often the minute men shall be called together
and also how many hours they shall train in one day. This
committee shall view the soldiers to see whether they be
able-bodied men. Interesting records show our Town early assuming
the burdens true patriotism always brings. Several Town meetings
were held before and after the Battle of Concord and Lexington,
but no mention is made of any unusual anxiety. It should be
mentioned that out of a population of less than 800, we sent one
hundred and fifty-seven men, who, on the beat of the alarm drum
on that glorious morning followed Seth Bullard over the fields to
Concord. Their course was through Medfield, Dover and Sherborn.
Two companies, with 25 who joined a Medfield Company, formed our
patriotic contribution to that noble beginning of our struggle
for independence. A Muster Roll of a Militia Company of Walpole
in Col. John Smith's Regiment marched in consequence of the alarm
on April 19, 1775. These 157 men must have taken nearly all the
able-bodied men in the town.
The muster rolls show that some of the Walpole men who took up
arms on the 19th quit after four days; the longest term of
service is shown as about 11 days. But many of these men promptly
returned to the ranks in response to a call of the Mass.
Provincial Congress, which on April 23, voted to raise a force of
30,000 men for the defense of the Province...
The gathering of the forces for the siege of Boston brought to
Walpole the greatest bustle and excitement it ever experienced.
Rhode Island and Connecticut troops were constantly passing
through the town -- in August it is recorded "300 pass. 3
Comp. Conn. men" and another day, "Large cannon from
Providence." The month of September brought Walpole a then
obscure Captain in Connecticut service, whose name was destined
to go down in the rolls of the immortals, Nathaniel Hale.
Captain Aaron Guild, with a company of Walpole men, helped to
construct Washington's Dorchester Heights entrenchments, which so
completely commanded the British-ridden town of Boston, that it
was evacuated by the enemy without delay. (March 17, 1776)
In December, 1777, came an alarm from Rhode Island. A British
fleet had come into Narragansett Bay and anchored in Newport
Harbor. On the 8th, Governor Cooke of Rhode Island sent a
dispatch to General Washington, saying that the British had
landed that morning and that the Island of Rhode Island was in
full possession of the enemy. "I have sent repeated
expresses to the Mass. Bay and Connecticut. The forces of the
former are on the march..." Two companies of Walpole
Minute-men took up their rifles and started "upon an
alarm," the other "upon Alarum" as the muster roll
tells us -- to answer Governor Cooke's appeal. The company of
Joshua Clapp, with Andrew Willett as Lieutenant, mustered 34
officers and men, and that of Captain Oliver Clapp with Eben
Fales as Lieutenant, 30 officers and men. These forces stayed in
Rhode Island about three weeks. When the companies started home,
five men of each company were drafted to remain an additional
three weeks to reinforce the State troops. The British threw up
extensive fortification and held on until 1780, a constant threat
not only to Rhode Island, but Massachusetts and Connecticut as
well. Not only was it necessary to keep a large force opposed to
the invaders, but at every threatened offensive the Minute Men
were called upon to march. In both cases Walpole made her
contributions. Thus, in December, 1778, we find the Selectmen
taking oath that the town had raised seven able-bodied men to
serve at Rhode Island for a terms of six months, and had paid
each L 14 as a bounty.
Strenuous efforts had been made by the town to see that its
representation of 9-months and 3-year men were recruited for
Washington's Army, operating to the southward. It was voted in
February,1777, that "The men that served the Continent and
State at Roxbury and the Places adjacent should be allowd 13
shillings and 4 pence per month; those that served at New York
and Ticonderoga 3 pounds per month, and those that served at
Warwick the same as those at Roxbury." The town appointed a
committee to see if any men were disposed to enlist. They found
few so disposed; and a week later it was deemed to vote 14
pounds, in addition to State and Continental bounties, to all who
enlisted before March 1st. Another committee was appointed to
collect funds with which to pay this bounty. But raising money
was found to be as hard a task as raising men, and it was
necessary to borrow on the Town's account, at interest.
There were artillery men from Walpole who served under General
Washington when he crossed the Delaware, and later at the Battle
of Monmouth. There were men from Walpole with Washington's armies
through the periods of all campaigns. There is a story of Holland
Wood -- one day a battle was going against the Americans; he drew
off a cannon from the field without assistance, thereby
preventing its loss to the enemy. Wood was a large and capable
man, fully capable of doing the work thus credited to him. Josiah
Barden was in the Battle of Trenton and in after years told of
his experiences. At one time a soldier near him was struck by a
bullet which passed through his canteen. "Damn them, they
have spoiled my canteen," he exclaimed, and the next moment
he fell dead at Barden's side.
David Wilkinson of Walpole was under Benedict Arnold when he went
over to the enemy and saw Washington when he returned to camp and
learned of the treason.
There were soldiers credited to Walpole who were natives of other
places, hired men. One came from far-away Ireland and their best
rendition (or possibly it was wholly the fault of the company
clerk), was War Pool or War Pole. These War Poolites were at
Valley Forge; on one occasion in 1780, the town agreed to pay
1500 pounds each to two French soldiers that were hired for 6
months.
On November 30th, 1782, in France between representatives of
England and America, papers were signed, in which the
Independence of the United States was recognized and the
Revolutionary War was brought to an end.
There was rejoicing throughout the land (America) when the
Revolutionary War ended, and Walpole joined with much fervor. A
Peace Ball was held in the Ebenezer Fales house on Kendall
Street. This house was destroyed by fire in 1922...
--for the Walpole D.A.R.
--October, 1962