Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 24, 1883

War Of The Revolution

Reminiscences of Col. Joseph Durfee - Early Incidents - 1777 - Fall River exposed to the British - Organization of a Guard of Safety - The British approach the Town by Boats - Fired upon by the Guard at the Bay - Retreat of the Guard - Pursuit by the Enemy - Battle near the Bridge1 - The Enemy defeated - Burningof Buildings by the British - Capture of Richard Borden - Retreat of the Enemy.

The following reminiscences of Col. Joseph Durfee, written in 1834, is an invaluable contribution to the pioneer Eevolutionary history of the town :

" Joseph Durfee was the eldest son of the late Hon. Thomas Durfee. He was born in April, in the year 1750, in what is now the city of Fall River. At that time, and until within a few years, the Fall River stream was owned by the Bordens. Much of what is now in the city, where are elegant buildings and a dense population, was then a wilderness, where the goats lodged in the winter seasons. The Bordens and the Durfees were then the principal proprietors of the Pocasset Purchase, and owners of the land on the south side of what is now Main Street for more than a mile in length. Thomas and Joseph Borden owned the south side of the stream, and Stephen Borden owned the north side. Thomas Borden owned a sawmill and a grist-mill at that time, standing where the

" Thomas Borden left a widow and four children, viz., Richard, Christopher, Rebecca, and Mary. Joseph Borden, brother of Thomas, owned a fulling-mill, which stood near where the Pocasset Factory now stands. He was killed by the machinery of his fulling-mill. He left four children, viz., Abraham, Samuel, Patience, and Peace. Patience was my mother. Stephen Borden, who owned the north side of the stream, had a grist-mill and a saw-mill standing near where the woolen establishment has since been erected. He left six children, viz., Stephen, George, Mary. Hannah, Penelope, and Lusannah.

" The widow of Joseph Borden was afterwards married to Benjamin Jenks, by whom she had six children, - John, Joseph, Hannah, Catherine, Ruth, and Lydia. The widow of Stephen Borden was married to John Bo wen, by whom she had two sons, - Nathan and John.

" At that time, and until within a few years, there were but two saw-mills, two grist-mills, and a fullingmill standing on the Fall River. There are now about forty different mills on the river. The stream was very small ; but the falls were so great that there was little occasion for dams to raise a pond sufficient to carry the wheels then in operation. A small footbridge, which stood near where the main street now crosses the stream, afforded the only means of passing from one side to the other of the stream, except by fording it. There was formerly a small dam near where the Troy Factory now stands, over which the water flowed the greater part of the year. When it failed, those who owned the mills near the mouth of the stream hoisted the gates at the upper dam and drew the water down. It was no uncommon thing, twenty-five or thirty years ago, for the water to be so low and the river so narrow at the head of the stream that a person might step across without difficulty. It was frequently not more than six inches deep. At one time there was a foot-bridge of stepping-stones only across the Narrows between the North and South Ponds.

" Our country has been involved in three wars since my recollection. The first was with the French and Indians, when we fought for our lives. The French offered a bounty for every scalp which the Indians would bring them. It was therefore certain death to all who fell into the Indians' hands. I distinctly recollect the time when Gen. Wolfe was killed, and of seeing the soldiers on their march to reinforce the army. I saw many men enlist into the service, and among them Joseph Valentine, father of William Valentine, of Providence. I was then about ten years of age.

" The second war was with Great Britain, during the greater part of which I was actively engaged in the service of my country. We then fought for our liberty. We were divided into two parties, called

Whigs and Tories, the former the friends of liberty and independence, the latter the enemies of both. Before the Revolution broke out the Whigs were busy in making saltpetre and gunpowder, in making and preparing small-arms, in training and learning the art of war. At this time we of this State were British subjects, and constituted what was then called the Colony of Massachusetts. Conventions were held in the colony to transact the business and consult upon the affairs of the colony. At one of these conventions I received a captain's commission, signed by Walter Spooner, Esq., and took the command of a company of minute-men.

" British ships, commanded by Wallace, Asque, and Howe, early in the Revolution, were off our coast, in the river and bay, harassing and distressing the towns of Newport, Bristol, and other towns on the river. I was called upon with my company and such others as could be mustered to guard the shores and prevent the British from landing, until the colony could raise a force sufficient to protect the inhabitants from their depredations.

"In 1776, after the battle on Long Island, a reinforcement was called for to cover the retreat of the American troops. I was ordered to take the command of a company of sixty men and march forthwith to the army then retreating from New York. These orders were promptly obeyed. With the company under my command, I joined the regiment commanded by Col. Thomas Carpenter, and by a forced march we reached the army a few days before the battle at the White Plains. In that engagement I took an active part.

" Soon after my return home from the battle at the White Plains, the British landed at Newport, on Rhode Island, and took possession of that town. I was called upon to proceed immediately with my company to assist in covering the retreat of the small forces then commanded by Col. John Cook from the island of Rhode Island. This was effected without loss, though attended with difficulty and delay, as there was no bridge from the island to the mainland. At that time the inhabitants in the south part of Massachusetts and Rhode Island were in a critical situation. They were nearly surrounded with British emissaries. A part of the English squadron lay off our coast, and their troops had possession of the south part of Rhode Island. Both were harassing our towns, destroying property, and making prisoners of the inhabitants. In addition to this, we had Tories at home, enemies in disguise, who were aiding and abetting the British, while they professed friendship for the cause of liberty and for those who were shedding their blood to obtain it.

" Early in the spring of 1777, I received a major's commission, and was stationed at Little Compton, in the State of Rhode Island, in the regiment under the command of Col. John Hathaway, of Berkley, Mass. At Little Compton, and in that neighborhood, I continued several months on duty with the regiment, often changing our station to repel the invasions of the enemy and to protect the inhabitants from their frequent depredations. In the fall of 1777, 1 returned home to Fall River. I found the citizens, among whom were my relatives and best friends, exposed and continually harassed by the enemy. I applied to several of the leading and influential men of this place, and proposed raising a guard for the safety and protection of the inhabitants. They coincided with my views, and the necessity of a guard to protect our defenseless inhabitants. I went to Providence to consult Gen. Sullivan, who was commander-in-chief of all the forces raised in this section of the country, and to obtain assistance from him. He approved of my plan of raising a guard, and gave me an order for two whale-boats, and an order also for rations for twenty men, drawn upon the commissary, then at Bristol. I soon raised a guard, procured the store now standing at the end of the Iron- Works Company's wharf in this place for a guard-house, where we met every clay, called the roll, and stationed sentinels for the night to watch the movements of the enemy, and give the alarm when approached. The orders of the sentinel were peremptory, - that if a boat was seen approaching in the night, to hail them three times, and if no answer was received, to fire upon them. It was not long before one of the guard, Samuel Reed, discovered boats silently and cautiously approaching the shore from the bay. The challenge was given, but no answer received. He fired upon the boats. This created an alarm, and the whole neighborhood were soon in arms. I stationed the guard behind a stone wall, and kept up a constant fire upon the enemy, until they brought their cannon to bear upon us, and commenced firing grape-shot among us, when, as we were unable to return the compliment, it was deemed advisable to retreat. Two of the guard were sent to remove all the planks which laid over the stream for foot-people to cross upon, and to cut off, as far as possible, every facility for crossing the stream, except the upper bridge. We then retreated slowly until we reached the main road, near where the bridge now crosses the stream. I then gave orders to form and give them battle. This was done, and never were soldiers more brave. So roughly were the enemy handled by our little band of Spartans that they soon beat up a retreat, leaving behind them one dead and another bleeding to death, besides the wounded whom they carried away.

" The wounded soldier left by the enemy, before he expired, informed me that the number of the enemy who attacked us was about one hundred and fifty, commanded by Maj. Ayers. When the enemy landed they set fire to the house of Thomas Borden, then nearly new. They next set fire to a grist-mill and a saw-mill belonging to Mr. Borden, standing at the mouth of the Fall River. These buildings I saw when set on fire. When the British troops re- treated, as they were compelled to do from the shots of our little band of volunteers, they set fire to the house and other buildings of Richard Borden, then an aged man, and took him prisoner. We pursued them so closely in their retreat that we were enabled to save the buildings which they had last fired. The British were frequently fired upon, and not a little annoyed by the musketry of our soldiers as they passed down the bay in their boats on their retreat. Mr. Richard Borden, whom they took prisoner, was in one of their boats. Finding themselves closely pursued by a few American soldiers, who from the shore poured in their shot and balls upon them as fast as they could load and fire, and finding themselves in danger from the musketry of these few brave Whigs who pursued them, they ordered Mr. Borden, their prisoner, to stand up in the boat, hoping that his comrades on the shore would recognize him, and desist from firing upon them. But this he refused to do, and threw himself flat into the bottom of the boat. While lying there a shot from the Americans on shore killed one of the British soldiers standing by his side in the boat. Mr. Borden was obstinately silent to all the questions which were asked him, so that not being able to make any profitable use of him they dismissed him in a few days on parole. This engagement took place of a Sabbath morning, on the 25th of May, 1778. The two British soldiers killed in this engagement were buried at twelve o'clock on the same day of the battle, near where the south end of the Massasoit Factory now stands.

" During a considerable part of the month of August following we were busily engaged in procuring arms, ammunition, and provisions for the soldiers, and in building flat-bottomed boats and scows for the troops to cross over the river on to Rhode Island, with a view to dislodge the British army who then had possession of the island. A barn, now standing near the stone bridge, was occupied for a commissary store, of which I had the charge until things were in readiness and the troops prepared to cross over to the island, when I left the'* store in charge of my friend and relative, Walter Chaloner.

" In the forepart of August, 1778, the American troops embarked in the boats and scows prepared for them and landed on Rhode Island, where I joined them, having been appointed a major in Col. Whitney's regiment. Our troops were then marched to a spot but a short distance to the north of what is called Butts' Hill, where they encamped for the night, with but the canopy of heaven for a covering and the ground for our beds. But we were animated with the hope of liberty, with a belief that we were engaged in a righteous cause, and that He who sways the sceptre of the universe would prosper our undertaking. At this time we were anxiously looking for the French fleet, from which we hoped for assistance against the enemy, whose numerous bodies of troops were before us. Soon the French fleet hove in sight, when the British set fire to the shipping in the harbor and blew up most of the vessels within their reach. Not long after the French fleet came up, the British fleet appeared in the offing. Immediately the French fleet tacked about, went out and attacked the British squadron, when broadsides were exchanged and a bloody battle ensued. A tremendous storm came on, long remembered as the August storm, in which the two fleets were separated, and many who had escaped the cannon's mouth found a watery grave. The French fleet, or so much of it as survived the storm, went into Boston to repair, and the remnant of the British fleet went into New York.

" Soon after this storm our troops marched in three divisions towards Newport, - one on the East road so called, one on the West road, and the brigade commanded by Gen. Titcomb moved in the centre, - until we came in sight of Newport, when orders were given to halt, erect a marquee, and pitch our tents. General orders were issued for a detachment from the army of three thousand men, our number being too small to risk a general engagement with the great body of British troops then quartered on the south end of the island. Early on the next morning a detachment of troops, of which I was one, was ordered to proceed forthwith and take possession of what was called Hunneman's Hill.

" The morning was foggy, and enabled us to advance some distance unobserved by the enemy, but the fog clearing away before we reached the hill, we were discovered by the British and Tory troops, who commenced such a heavy cannonade upon us that it was deemed expedient by the commanding officers, to prevent the destruction of many of our brave troops, that we should fall back and advance under the cover of night. Accordingly, when night came, we marched to the hill undiscovered by the enemy. We immediately commenced throwing up a breastwork and building a fort. When daylight appeared we had two cannon mounted, - one twenty-four pounder and one eighteen, - and with our breastwork we had completed a covered way, to pass and repass without being seen by the enemy. The British had a small fort or redoubt directly under the muzzles of our cannon, with which we saluted them, and poured in shot so thick upon them that they were compelled to beat up a retreat. But they returned again at night to repair their fort, when they commenced throwing bombshells into our fort, which, however, did but little damage. I saw several of them flying over our heads, and one, bursting in the air, a fragment fell upon the shoulder of a soldier and killed him.

" At this time we were anxiously waiting the return of the French fleet from Boston, where they had gone to repair. But learning that they could not then return, and knowing the situation of the British troops, that they were enlarging and strengthening their forts and redoubts, and that they had reinforcements arriving daily from New York, it was deemed expedient by our commanding officers, Lafayette, Greene, and Sullivan, all experienced and brave generals, that we should retreat to the north end of the island.

"Accordingly, on the 29th day of August, early in the morning, we struck our marquee and tents and commenced a retreat. The British troops followed, and soon came up with our rear-guard and commenced tiring upon them. The shots were briskly returned and continued at intervals, until our troops were joined by a part of our army a short distance to the south of Quaker Hill, so called, when a general engagement ensued, in which many lives were lost on both sides. At night we retreated from the island to Tiverton. On the following day we left Tiverton, crossed over Slade's Ferry, and marched through Pawtucket and Providence to Pawtuxet, where we remained until our term of service expired.

"Some time after this I received a lieutenant-colonel's commission and took the command of a regiment to guard the sea-shores, and a part of the time my regiment was stationed at Providence. I soon received orders from Gen. Gates, who at that time was principal in command, to march with my regiment to Tiverton and join Gen. Cornell's brigade. The war now raged throughout the country. Old and young, parents and children, all, excepting the Tories, were engaged in the common cause of their country, in breaking the shackles of colonial bondage, in obtaining her liberty, and achieving her independence. Old England now began to examine the prospects before her. She found, after a bloody contest, what she might and ought to have known before, that her rebellious colonies, as she was pleased to term them, could be ruled, but not ridden upon, that by mild and liberal measures she might have retained a valuable part of her kingdom. She discovered her error too late to profit by it. The brave people of her colonies were resolved to throw off the yoke and themselves be free.

"On the 29th day of October, 1779, the British troops left Ehode Island, and the American troops, under the command of Gens. Gates and Cornell, marched on to the island and took possession of the town of Newport. On the 29th day of December following, my time of service having expired, I returned home to my family. This was the coldest winter known during the last century. The river and bay were frozen over so thick that people with loaded teams passed all the way from Fall River to Newport on the ice. I continued in the service of my country until about the close of the Revolutionary war, when I removed from Fall River to Tiverton, in the State of Rhode Island, where I lived about thirty years. During this time I was elected by my fellow-citizens to several offices in town, and was a member of the General Assembly for many vears.

" When Thomas Jefferson was elected President of the United States in 1801, and the Democratic fever raged to the highest pitch, I was what was then called a Federalist, and having repeatedly sworn to sujiport the Federal Constitution, could not consent" to turn my coat wrong side out. I was therefore not permitted to hold any office for some time after. But in time this party fever abated, and finally the people united in electing Mr. Monroe, under the general appellation of Federal Republicans. Attempts have since been made to alter the Constitution, that noble fabric reared by the Revolutionary patriots, and should they succeed it will be, in my estimation, like sewing new cloth to an old garment."