Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 4: First Military Movements, 1924

Chapter 4: First Military Movements

Exceedingly few towns in this part of New England may produce a record approximating that of Taunton in that continuous feature of community life that we have well denominated "military preparedness"' - a function of town protection that has existed from the earliest days, before the town was incorporated, and only a year after the first-comer settled here, to the latest times, when the entire city has saluted a great National Flag, and given its men for war, and its money and influence for "drives" at every call. Looking backward from the wartime enthusiasms of today, Taunton is able to behold a long panorama of military activities, in which every type of citizen has performed his share of one kind and another for some patriotic cause. The strong arm of hamlet and city here, for close to three hundred years, has been the military, its participants in many cases being fathers and sons for generations.

And the first scene of all is that of the small wilderness settlement of Cohannet of 1638, with its train band, and with Captain William Poole, a brother of Elizabeth Poole, first-comer, "exercising the inhabitants of Cohannet in their arms."

Plymouth, Scituate and Duxbury and other towns of the colonial period had their train bands and appointed leaders in that concerted movement that was nothing less than "military preparedness." All who were able to bear arms offered their services - and they were usually the grown men of every community - to secure the safety of the town. If there should be Indian troubles, the village was ready to meet them. If invasions threatened from any direction, protection was assured.

There were fifty-four members of that train band of the Taunton that was to be. And these also constituted the first military company of Taunton, which, actually organized in 1643, still remained in the leadership of Captain Poole, who retained his office until 1661, when he removed to Dorchester as clerk of writs, registrar and schoolmaster in that town, when Lieutenant James Wyatt commanded the Taunton company until his death in 1664. Oliver Purchase had been the ensign-bearer of the company, as in their turn had been George Macey and Thomas Leonard - all first settlers - and these men figured actively not only in the preparedness interests, but in all others affecting the advancement of the town. Their company continued to increase in numbers, when in the year 1682 it received its first division into four squadrons, as seen in the orders "to their bringing their arms to meeting on every Sabbath Day, until the last of October, according to Court order." That year the one company numbered 134 soldiers, and the town was given liberty to have two companies, if it so desired. But that was not yet to be, and in 1690 Thomas Leonard was elected captain, James Leonard, Jr., lieutenant, and Henry Hodges ensign.

Although the Council of War at Plymouth sent out its orders for two companies at Taunton, such orders were the cause of a general remonstrance from many in the town who desired no division of the first military company. The expression of these differences was continued some years, and in the Plymouth records we find the remonstrances aired in letters, in particular to and from Major John Walley, Captain Thomas Leonard, Deputy Governor William Stoughton, and even Sir William Phipps, who "would have the differences at an end." Meantime, the Court at Plymouth in 1643 had established a generally observed military discipline, and in 1653, ten years later, had ordered that a military watch be kept in every town, and that town councils and commissioned officers have power to order the same.

Close to the end of that century, then, or in 1698,-and with the growth of the village in many directions, came a succession of new military organizations, formed for purposes of protection, their popular officers holding their positions for years. The first of these new military companies was organized in the North Purchase in 1698, and attached to the First Regiment of Bristol, which regiment was under command of Major John Walley, continuing thus until June 12, 1711, at the time of the incorporation of Norton. The commissioned officers were Captain George Leonard, Lieutenant Samuel Brintnell, Ensign Nicholas White.

The South Purchase was then frontier, and the need for another company there was met with the organization just ten years later, or in 1708, of the South Purchase company, that was placed in the First Regiment of Bristol county, under command of Colonel Nathaniel Byfield, so continuing until the town of Dighton was incorporated, in 1712. Jared Talbot was captain of this company.

The first military company in Taunton, remaining intact as yet, had for its officers in 1700, Captain Thomas Leonard, Lieutenant James Leonard, Ensign Henry Hodges; Sergeants Thomas Gilbert, Jared Talbot, Thomas Williams, Henry Andrews; Corporals Stephen Caswell, Sr., Israel Thrasher, Samuel Blake, Sr.; Drummers Edward Cob, Joseph Hall, Sr. And at this time, the company was directed to "preserve order, and to prevent defects in arms and ammunition." Then, remonstrances set aside, for the general good, came the division in 1703, when the first military company was separated into two companies to be known as the Eastward and the Westward company, with Mill river as the line of division.

Thomas Leonard had charge of the Eastward company until February 28, 1709, when he was commissioned major of the First Regiment of Bristol county, and placed in command of the First Foot company of Taunton, also (outgrowth of the Eastward company), Major Leonard holding this command up to November 24, 1713, the time of his death. The other officers then were: Captain-Lieutenant James Leonard, Ensign Philip King, Sergeants Samuel Leonard, John Staples, Ezra Dean. James Leonard followed in command, with John King as his lieutenant, and Ebenezer Robinson as ensign. John King became captain November 1, 1726, on the death of Captain Leonard, and Thomas Dean was the company's ensign up to the time of the incorporation of the town of Raynham, April 2, 1746. Thus is brought to a close the record of the first military company that was enrolled by Captain William Poole in 1643.

But the First Foot company continued with a portion of the old company, the commissioned officers in 1757 being as follows: Lieutenant- - Colonel Samuel White, Captain-Lieutenant Samuel Pratt, Lieutenant Seth Williams, Ensign James Codding; Sergeants Isaac Williams, Jonathan

Cobb, John Richmond, Peter Pratt; Corporals Nehemiah Haskins, George Codding, Micah Pratt; Drummers William French, William Briggs. This company came under Lieutenant-Colonel George Godfrey's command, August 18, 1772, and was known as the "Lieutenant-Colonel's company." Daniel Wilde at that time was the captain, John Reed was the lieutenant, and Robert Crossman was the ensign. Again, and until the Revolutionary War, this company was styled the "Colonel's company," with Colonel George Godfrey in command of the Third Regiment.

The Westward company, or, as it was shortly afterward designated, the Second Foot company, was officered as follows: Captain Henry Hodges, Lieutenant Samuel Williams, Ensign Thomas Gilbert. Captain Hodges was succeeded in command by Samuel Williams, and he by Jonathan Carver. Captain Joseph Hall was in command in 1757, his staff being Lieutenant William Leonard, Ensign Henry Hodges; Sergeants Peter Pitts, Ezra Dean, Israel Dean, Ambrose Linkon; Corporals Jedediah Wilbur, Simeon Williams, David Dean; Drummers David Pollard, Seth Leonard. Henry Hodges was the commanding officer in 1762, James Leonard in 1772, and Simeon Williams in 1774, the subordinate officers being Lieutenants Henry Hodges, William Leonard, Simeon Williams, William Thayer, Ensigns Thomas Gilbert, Seth Williams, Edward Blake, Israel Dean, Ichabod Leonard.

Military history was in the making at Whittenton also, for the townsmen of that section, in the early twenties, enrolled the Third Foot company, with John Richmond as the first captain. James Leonard, who had been with the Eastward company, was a lieutenant in the Third Foot company in 1728, and John Mason was an ensign at that time. James Leonard (3rd) was the company captain in 1736, and Nathaniel Burt was the clerk. Other officers of the company were as follows: Captains William Hodges, Morgan Cobb, George Williams, Ebenezer Dean, Lieutenants John Harvey, Elijah Barney, Abijah Hodges, Joshua Dean, Ensigns Morgan Cobb, Nathaniel Burt, John Macomber, Abiathar Leonard.

When Dighton became a town, the Fourth Foot company was organized, with these officers: Captain John Andrews, First Lieutenant Morgan Cobb. Joseph Tisdale was the next captain, and he was succeeded by Edmund Andrews, and he by Thomas Cobb. The sergeants of this company in 1759 were Ebenezer Cobb, Jonathan Harvey, Nathaniel Willis; the corporals, Benjamin Crossman, Abijah Leonard, Ichabod Leonard, Jacob Cobb, Isaac Briggs. James Leonard was the captain in 1762, and Cornelius White and Samuel Leonard succeeded him. Other officers of the company were: Lieutenants Samuel Andrews, Abel Burt, Ebenezer Cobb, Jonathan Shore, Nathaniel Briggs; Ensigns Ebenezer White, Morgan Cobb (2nd), William Thayer, Abel Burt.

The Fifth Company fell into line in 1719, the inhabitants on the east side of Taunton Great river joining that company, with Seth Williams as captain, Samuel Leonard as lieutenant, and Seth Sumner as ensign. Captain Williams was succeeded by Samuel Pitts, John Godfrey, William Canedy, Ephraim Dean, Elijah Macomber, the latter retaining that position until the general reorganization of the militia in 1776. The lieutenants of the company were Jonathan Williams, Josiah Macomber, Israel Dean, Israel Thrasher; the sergeants, John Williams, Ephraim Dean, Ben-

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The Sixth Foot company was also, like the Fifth Foot company, enlisted on the east side of Taunton Great river, in 1757, with Ebenezer Dean as captain; lieutenant, Israel Thrasher; ensign, George Williams; sergeants, John Macomber, Joshua Dean, John Padelford, Edward Dean; corporals, John Hart, John Tisdale, John Sumner, Noah Dean, Benjamin Dean, John Macomber.

"Troops of horse" existed here and there from 1710 onwards, such a troop being enrolled in 1749 for participation in the French and Indian wars. The Taunton troop of 1757, attached to the Third Regiment of Militia, had for its captain Joshua Leonard; lieutenant, James Godfrey; cornet, Benjamin Pearson; quartermasters, Joseph Harvey, Nathaniel Leonard; trumpeters, Joshua Crossman, John Pidg, Charles and Solomon Dean, Josiah Harvey; corporals, John Lambert, Ebenezer Claslin, Silas Lincoln. A troop of horse, also, was attached to the Third Regiment of the county of Bristol, under command of Colonel Samuel White, in 1762, the officers being Captain George Godfrey, Lieutenant Joseph Dean, Cornet Nathaniel Leonard, Quartermaster James Tyler, Second Quartermaster Samuel Wilde.

Again, while George Leonard was colonel of the Third Regiment, a troop of horse from Taunton was attached to that regiment, with Nathaniel Leonard as captain, Solomon Dean as first lieutenant, Frederick Baylies as second lieutenant.

Five Taunton companies are recorded as having been attached to the Third Regiment of the county of Bristol in 1760, the field officers of that regiment in 1762 being as follows: Samuel White, Esq., colonel; George Leonard, lieutenant-colonel; Thomas Morey, Esq., major of the companies in the towns of Norton, Attleboro and Easton; Seth Williams, Esq., major of the companies of the towns of Taunton and Raynham. The field officers of this regiment in 1772 are recorded as follows: Hon. George Leonard, Esq., colonel; Daniel Leonard, Esq., lieutenant-colonel; George Godfrey, with lieutenant-colonel's rank; George Williams, Esq., major; Apollos Leonard, adjutant-major.

Such is our general survey of the companies and regiments that had military oversight of the growing town and its surroundings; and it was from these that calls to actual warfare were soon to be made.