Fitchburg City (part 1 of 3)

Fitchburg City

The General Court of Massachusetts had already assured the Congress that the people of the Old Bay Colony would undoubtedly support them ; but to make the matter doubly sure, a resolve was passed that each town in the colony should take individual action on the matter.

In accordance with this resolve, the people of Fitchburg assembled in town-meeting, July 1, 1776, just three days before the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. And this is the answer that little Fitchburg returned to the General Court at this alarming crisis: " Voted, that if the Honorable Continental Congress .should, for the safety of these United Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, that we, the inhabitants of the town of Fitchburg, will, with ourselves and fortunes, support them in the measure."

In October, 1776, the town voted adversely in regard to the question submitted to it, in common with the other towns of the Province, as to whether the " then Representative House, together with the Council, should make a form of government for the State of the Massachusetts Bay.'' The objections of the people of Fitchburg to this project took the form of a report and were based on the following well-taken points: that the members of the present House were not elected with a view to any such action, and that many of the inhabitants, who ought to have a voice in the matter, were absent in the army. In other words, they thought it best not to be in too much of a hurry.

Two and a half years later, in May, 1779, the town voted unanimously (forty-five votes) in favor of a new State Constitution. Just a year previous their vote on the same matter was twenty-two in favor and four against. In August, 1779, Capt. Thomas Cowdin was elected delegate from this town to attend the convention held at Cambridge, September 1st, for the purpose of framing the new State Constitution. This Constitution, as prepared by the convention, was submitted to the people for their ratification in May, 1780, and Fitchburg voted unanimously (65 votes) in favor of its adoption.

During this period the inhabitants of Fitchburg who remained at home were by no means reclining on beds of roses. It was " hard times " with them. Money was scarce, prices were high and the soldiers .and their families had to be provided for.

In 1777 the town began to get tired of the heavy burden. There was much gloom and not a little grumbling; but through it all no word reflecting on the justice of the American cause would be tolerated by the mass of the citizens. Patriotism was put above everything else and persons who did not come up to the mark in this respect were closely watched. *' More than one inhabitant of this town was threatened with a coat of tar and feather.^, and even with the destruction of his house," says Torrey.

Everybody was called upon to contribute to the good cause, to the utmost of his ability, and the suspicion and wrath of the citizens fell upon those who did not seem disposed to do their full share.

The people were divided into classes, according to their wealth, and each class furnished soldiers in turn, as they were called for by the government, and had to provide for the bounty money.

In addition to all the money furnished by these classes, the town also expended what amounted to quite a sum in those days. It is difficult to estimate how much the town actually expended during the last five years of the war, because the currency fluctuated so much, but it was probably between $7000 and -SSOOO.

It is very easy to see that all these war expenses, combined with the ordinary running expenses of the town, must have taxed the resources of the inhabitants of Fitchburg to the utmost. To cap the climax, the Continental currency, issued by the Congress, was counterfeited by the British, and the country was flooded with this spurious paper.

In 1777 the currency began to depreciate and continued to do so in a most alarming and ruinous manner. The government, for some inexplicable reason, made them legal tender for debts due, and the result was that many, who were previously in comparatively affluent circumstances, were reduced to almost absolute poverty. On the 1st of January, 1780, this currency had depreciated to such an extent that $1.00 specie was worth .?32.50 Continental.

The records at that period show that sums of money were voted by the town that would appear fabulous, did we not understand about the depreciation. Thus, in February, 1780, it was voted that the inhabitants should be allowed three dollars (i e., about nine cents "hard money") per hour for their labors on the highways. Eight thousand dollars was voted to be raised to assist in supporting soldiers' families. "In July, it was voted to raise S1666.66 to hire soldiers with. In the October following, a committee of the town contracted for four thousand eight hundred pounds of beef, and agreed to pay $26,000 for it, or at a rate of over $5.00 per pound.'' In 1781 Continental money took a still greater drop, and in March of that year two men who had been elected collector^ of taxes in Fitchburg for the ensuing year, and refused to serve, were each fined $900, equal to about $10 specie, the usual fine in such cases. At the same time the town voted $20,000 for repairs of highways and allowed each person $5 per hour for his labor.

The last, but not perhaps the least, of the troubles with which the town had to contend during this period was that dreaded disease, sraall-pox, which broke out here in 1776. A hospital for the purpose of inoculation was established in town by Dr. Thaddseus McCarty, of Fitchburg, and Dr. Israel Atherton, a noted physician of Lancaster. It does not appear that there were many deaths from the disease. Notwithstanding all these trials and hardships, Fitchburg increased considerably in size during the war, and at the time of the declaration of peace, in 1783, the town had about one thousand inhabitants.

Shays's Insureection. - At the close of the war, trade was stagnant, and there was very little money. The State government, in order to keep up its credit, imposed very heavy taxes on the people. At first the people had recourse to petitions ; but finding that no amelioration resulted from their numerous statements of grievances, they broke out into open rebellion against the State authorities. The leading character in the short-lived disturbance was a man named Daniel Shays, a former captain in the Continental army; hence the name Shays's Insurrection was applied to it.

The discretion that had previously characterized the people of Fitchburg, fortunately prevented ihem from breaking out into open rebellion ; but their threats were loud and deep, and not all the taxes ordered by the government were collected.

In June, 1786, Elijah Willard was appointed a delegate from this town to a convention, held in Worcester, to consider the best means of extricating the people from their burdensome difficulties. The town voted to defend his property if he should be arrested for attending the convention, " provided he behaves himself in an orderly and peaceable manner; otherwise he is to risk it himself

By all means in their power, short of force of arms, did the people of Fitchburg resist all eflbrts to collect the taxes, and the consequence was that a large company of soldiers was sent here in the fall of 1786, to enforce obedience. This made the citizens exceedingly indignant, and there were several occasions when serious strife was imminent. The company was prudently withdrawn to Townsend in the winter of 1786-87. During all their stay in Fitchburg, the soldiers exhibited great insolence towards the citizens, and when they were ordered to Townsend they put a finishing touch to their impudence by impressing men, horses and conveyances to take them there. A number of the soldiers were taken by Asa Perry, who hated them most cordially, and he managed to tip his load into the snow-drifts several times in the course of the journey. During 1787 the trouble gradually subsided and matters went on with tolerable smoothness.

It may be of interest to give a short description of the appearance of the town as it was about a century ago. In his " History of Fitchburg," Mr. Torrey has given as good and accurate a description as could be written, which is as follows: "A traveler, approaching from the cast or south, would first behold the tavern of Thomas Cowdin, Esq. Upon the hill to the northwest might be seen a small, yellow and rather mean-looking meeting-house. In front would appear the 'red store ' of Joseph Fox, Esq., and in the rear of that his dwelling-house, with large projecting eaves. The mills and meeting-hou.se of Deacon Ephraim Kimball were just below, and over the bridge were two houses more. Casting his eyes up the hill, he would see the house of Rev. Mr. Payson, where C. Marshall now lives. This was all that could be seen, and all that then constituted the middle of Fitchburg. Thence proceeding westward, over a crooked and rough road, the traveler would next see the house already mentioned as having been built by David Gibson, and opposite to that, on the right, the baker's shop. He would then come on to the present Common. Here his eyes would be greeted by small, stunted pine trees, and such bushes as grow upon the poorest land. A straggling log fence here and there might serve to diversify the scene. Nothing more was to be seen, unless William Brown had commenced building Captain Z. Sheldon's present dwelling-house, till, passing the swell of ground at Dr. Abel Fox's house, the modest, unassuming house of Benjamin Danforth would be visible on the right, and his blacksmith's shop on the left. Continuing his course onward, over one of the most wretched roads that ever bore that name, and passing over the high bridge - and a crazy one it was - near the bellows-shop of Messrs. Thurston & Battis, no marks of human habitation were to be seen till, passing around the hill, he might discern in the distance the solitary cottage of Benjamin Kemp. The river, which is now crowded, so to speak, with mills and factories, then appeared like a useless profusion of water, flowing noisily along over its rocky bed to the parent ocean, unobstructed by a single dam save the one in the Old City. Such, fifty years ago, was the forbidding aspect of what is now the busy and pleasant village of Fitchburg." The reader will bear in mind that the foregoing was written by Mr. Torrey in 1835 or 1836.

In addition to the middle of the town above described there was, a century ago, a flourishing settlement in the westerly part of the township. Theland there was elevated, the soil good and there was no river to cause trouble every spring. This region, now known as Dean Hill, was settled early and became quite prosperous. This locality boasted of two taverns, kept by Jacob Upton and Jedediah Cooper respectively, a blacksmith's shop and a doctor, besides the houses of many thrifty farmers.

The people living in this region had to pay their proportion of the taxes for the annual repairs of bridges and highways in the middle of the town. To free themselves from these heavy and, in their opinion, unjust taxes, they determined to be set oif as a separate town; and in the warrant for the annual townmeeting March 7, 1785, was an article " to see if the town will take into consideration the request of Mr. Jacob Upton and others, to see if the town will set off the inhabitants of the northwesterdly part of

Fitchburg, with their lands and privileges, free and clear from said Fitchburg, to join the extreme part of Westminster with the noriheasterdly part of Ashburnham, to be incorporated into a town, to have town privileges as other towns."

The people in all other parts of the town were unanimously opposed to this project, doubtless fearing that, in case this prosperous and growing portion were set off and ceased to contribute to Fitchburg's town expenses, they would be utterly swamped by the taxes necessary to repair the damage done by that grievous nuisance, the north branch of the Nashua. Bo the article was promptly voted down.

The people in the west, by no means discouraged by this defeat, went to work immediately to gain their point and contrived a very shrewd scheme worthy of " Yankee ingenuity."' The time had come when all were agreed that there was need of a new meeting-house in a more central locality. This commonly acknowledged fact was made the basis of a petition brought before the town by the people of the west in May, 1785. The substance of this petition was that a mile or more in width of the northerly part of Westminster, with the inhabitants thereon, be annexed to Fitchburg, these proposed new inhabitants " to be convened with others of the inhabitants of said town, for the public worship of God and to be vested with all other privileges with said town in public matters, to join with the inhaliitants of said Fitchburg to build a meeting-house on Ezra Upton's land," etc.

This, at first glance, seemed like a perfectly fair proposition. If adopted, territory would be added to the township and the location of the proposed meeting-house would be quite near the centre of the town. But the men of the east were Yankees, too, and dust could not be thrown into their eyes. Tney saw the point so speciously concealed by the meetinghouse scheme. They saw that if the petition were granted and the new territory annexed, the inhabitants of the new acquisition, combined with the people in the west, would then be strong enough to control the town-meetiug, would vote to be set off as a separate town and thus leave the remainder of the town of Fitchburg in the lurch. So the petition was negatived, doubtless much to the chagrin of those who had hoped to pull the wool over their neighbors' eyes.

Nothing more (except complaining of the distance they had to travel to go to meeting) was done by the people of the west until March, 1786, when they very modestly requested of the town, "that Eev. Mr. Payson have liberty to preach some part of the time in the year in the westerly part of the town." This privilege was also denied them, " the town thinking that by yielding an inch they would open a door through which they might unwillingly be thrust a mile," as Mr. Torrey aptly expresses it.

to have a new meetiug-house as near them as they could get it. At this time began a controversy concerning the location of the meeting-house, which lasted over ten years, and required ninety-nine townmeetings to settle. An account of this controversy will be given in the ecclesiastical history.

The town records during this period (1786-96) contain but little that does not refer to the controversy. Two events, however, occurred in the course of these years that are worth noting in this section. One was the census of 1791, from which it appears that Fitchburg's population at that time was one thousand one hundred and tifty-one, showing that the town had grown very slowly during the previous eight or ten years.

The other event was the appearance of Rev. Peter Whitney's "History of Worcester County," published in 1793. It may be of interest to give a few of his impressions about Fitchburg as it was then. After a very brief account of the incorporation of the town and a description of the character of its surface and soil, he says: "Most of the people live in comfortable and easy circmnstances, possessing all the necessaries and many of the conveniences of life. They are industrious, and, having a good soil to labor upon, live independent, and, for an inland town, several families among them may justly be deemed rich. The people near the meeting-house are settled pretty thick, and there much business of various kinds is performed; for here runs, a few rods south of the meeting-house, the north branch of Nashaway River. One part of this river comes from Ashburnham, the other part from Watchusett Pond; these unite a little west of Fitchburg Meeting-House. After this junction, and just below the meetinghouse, there is one corn-mill, one saw-mill, one fulling-mill, one clothier's works, one trip-hammer and works for grinding scythes. These occasion a great resort of people there to transact their various concerns." Further on he states that it is a flourishing place, and thinks that "if they continue in peace and unity they will still greatly increase in numbers and wealth." He adds: "They subsist chiefly by husbandry ; there are, however, the usual mechanicks and a few dealers in European, East and West India goods."

The town records contain very little of interest during the last few years of the century. February 12, 1796, a small part of the south we«iterly portion of the township was annexed to Westminster. In 1798 the town laid a tax on " Doggs,'' and the next year voted to abate it. The tax appears to have amounted to fifty-three dollars. In the fall of 1797 it was voted " to build a pound with stone two rods square within the walls." The contract was given to Thomas Cowdin (son of Captain Thomas Cowdin, who died in 1792), for thirty-three dollars and fifty cents, with the privilege of taking stone off the town's land. The old stone pound still stands in the woods, close by the Ashburnham hill road, and looks desolate and forsaken. Whether it has been rebuilt or not since 1796 the writer cannot state ; but its appearance would indicate that it had not.

Chapter Xxxviii History From 1800 To 1872

The year 1800 found the town in a tolerably flourishing condition. The population had increased to one thousand three hundred and ninety. The people had recovered their equanimity on the meeting-house question, and the new house of worship was much appreciated on Sundays, and often called into use on week-days for town-meetings, its first use for this purpose being on September 17, 1798. A clock had been put into it, for which the town, for some reason unknown, seems to have heen rather unwilling to pay.

In 1801 there appears to have been a revival of the desire of the people in the west to be set off; for, at a town-meeting February 23, 1801, there was an article in the warrant " to see if the town will vote to set oif all the inhabitants in the northwestern part of the town of Fitchburg, who wish to be set off as a town, agreeable to a plan formerly drawn by some of the inhabitants of the towns of Fitchburg, Westminster, Ashburnham and Ashby." It was voted to pass over this article.

During the following five years there seems to be nothing of special interest entered upon the town records. In September, 1806, the town voted to choose a committee to provide jilans for a powderhouse, select a location for it and ascertain, " as near as they can," the expense. The coDiraittee made a favorable report, and the town voted March 7, 1808, to build the powder-house, and chose a committee of three to attend to it. This powder-house was located near the bend in the present Central Street, and is well remembered by many of our older citizens. It stood there for a considerable number of years.

Jn 1808 the town concluded a satisfactory agreement with the town of Lunenburg, " respecting paupeis, public lands and taxation," matters that for some time had been in dispute. It was the custom in Fitchburg, as in most towns at that time, to let out the poor to the lowest bidders. Regular public auctions were held every yeitr for this purpose: and some of the conditions upon which certain of the paupers were " let out '' are worth noting. Thus, for example, one L. W. was bid ofl" by a citizen ''to lodge and board and mending for the said L.'s work, till she is otherways disposed of, the town to cloathe her and doctor her in sickness if need. In regard to one of the town charges it was always stipulattd that

In April, 1808, a certain pauper " was struck off at a public vendue, at 26 cents a week, - all running charges excluded, viz., sickness and clothing." The prices bid ranged from nothing to a little over a dollar a week, according to the capabilities of the paupers to work and the amount of care necessary to look after them. In 1820 a new method was begun, all the paupers, thirteen in number, being let out together to Jacob Upton, for the year, for three hundred and nine dollars and seventy-five cents.

In May, 1810, there was an article in the warrant "to see if the town will raise a sum of money to purchase an engine." There seems to have been a fire just previous, but the people could not have been very greatly alarmed, as no action was taken on this article.

During the first decade of this century the town was only moderately prosperous. The population had increased somewhat, being one thousand five hundred and sixty-six in 1810. People were undoubtedly deterred from settling here on account of the high taxes necessary to keep the roads and bridges in repair and to build new ones. Moreover, there was bitter dissension among the people in regard to theological matters, which will be referred to later. It began early in 1801 and continued until 1823, when the two societies mutually agreed to disagree, to live and let live, and a final separation took place.

It was during this decade that the first cottunfactory was erected in Fitchburg. It was also one of the earliest (the third) built in this State. This factory, known among us for more than half a century as the "Fitchburg Woolen Mill," was built in 1807 by a corporation of some thirty individuals, for the purpuse of trying the then novel experiment of spinning cotton. It was successful for a time, but later was converted into a woolen-mill. In 1887 it was purchased by the Parkhill Blanufacturing Company ; thus, by a singular coincidence, the first factory built in Fitchburg was, after many years, restored to its original industry. A detailed account of this old landmark will be given hereafter. On " Election Day," 1810, Capt. Martin Newton put in operation two spinning-frames in a building near the present "Stone Mill."

Paper-making was begun in town in 1805, in a mill built on the site of the Eollstone Machine Company's works, by Thomas French. The dam built there the year previous was the third across the Nashua. Up to the year 1810 nothing in the way of manufacturing enterprises, other than those mentioned above, had been established in Fitchburg as permanent industries of the town. Scythes, bellows, hats and a few other articles were made here then on a small scale, but are now no longer among the industries of Fitchburg.

In March, 1811, the town made another unsuccessful attempt to raise money ($100) for the purchase of a fire-engine, and July of the same year chose Paul Wetherbee, John Thurston and Samuel Gibsou a' committee " to raise a contribution for the relief of the sufferers of Newbury port by a late fire."

The War of 1812 does not seem to have had much effect on town affairs here. The war was unpopular in New England, but Fitchburg appears to have borne her part without any murmuring. In the warrant for a town-meeting in May, 1812, was an article "to see if the town will offer any reward, by way of bounty or wages, to such soldiers as may volunteer, or be detached, to supply the number of troops required by the commander-in-chief from the infantry and cavalry of said town.'' It was voted that the town make up the soldiers' wages to twelve dollars a month while in actual service.

For some years previously there had been an article in the town warrants, from time to time, to see if the town would sell the twenty-two and a half acres of land purchased of Thomas Boynton in December, 1788, for the meeting-house site, but never used. The town had not as yet been able to come to an agreement about it. In 1813 there was an article to see whether it should be sold to Jonas Marshall, Jr., and the proceeds applied to the purchase of a bell for the meeting-house, on condition that Mr. Marshall "will give $100 more than two or three men, that shall be agreed upon, shall appraise the land to be worth.'' The article was not acted upon. In March, 1817, it was finally voted "to sell the town's land bought of T. Boynton, reserving a piece for the pound," and a committee of three was chosen "to sell it to the best advantage." The members of this committee seem to have accomplished their work, and in March, 1818, it was voted that the conveyance be made by the town treasurer and "to appropriate the money arising from the sale of the town's laud to repair the bridges carried away by the freshet;" but this vote was reconsidered and it was agreed to appropriate the money " as any other." The spring of 1818 seems to have been particularly disastrous to the bridges.

August 21, 1820, the town voted on the question, "Is it expedient that delegates should be chosen to meet in convention for the purpose of revising or altering the Constitution of Government of this Commonwealth?" The vote was unanimously in favor of choosing such delegates (eighty-five votes). October 16, 1820, the town chose Calvin Willard and John Shepley as delegates to attend a convention held for this purpose in Boston, on the third Wednesday of November, 1820.

During this decade the population of the town increased very little, being one thousand seven hundred and thirty-six in 1820. In these ten years three more cotton-mills were built in town - the first being Newton's cotton factory, built in 1812 by Captain Martin Newton and Solomon Strong. To accommodate this factory the town, in September, 1812, laid out a " town road and private way, two rods wide, to a stake opposite the northwest corner of the new Factory." This " way " (now known as Newton Place) passed through the land of Oliver Fox, " whose damage," as the records say, " is appraised at $101, which Newton and Strong are to pay, as also all expenses of making and keeping it in repair." The second factory was the " Red Mill " (where Pitts' mill now stands), built in 1813, and the third was built on Phillips' Brook in 1814 by a company which failed soon after the close of the war, but was later put into operation as a cotton factory by other parties.

During thi» period many new roads had been built, and old ones straightened and made more level. The town fathers began to recognize the fact that a straight line is the shortest distance between any two given points. The early settlers, for the sake of protection and defence, lived on the tops of the hills, and the roads, being built for their accommodation, went straggling and twisting over the various hills as best they could. Evidently such roads, besides being difficult to construct and hard to travel on, were really in the end the most expensive that could be made, because of the great damage necessarily done every year when the snows of winter melted and produced torrents of water, which washed them out badly and rendered them dangerous to travel upon. The authorities saw this, and began to "mend their ways" in a double sense. Much improvement in this respect had been made by 1820, but the roads in and around Fitchburg could not be called really good until some ten or fifteen years later.

Let us now return to the consecutive history of the town. The convention in Boston in 1820 prepared articles of amendment to the Constitution, to be submitted to the people for ratification ; and April 9, 1821, the inhabitants of Fitchburg were called together to vote on the proposed fourteen articles of amendment, eacli one to be voted on separately. The result was as follows :

Up to this time the town seems to have been unsuccessful in regard to getting a vote to purchase any fire apparatus. There appears to have been, however, an "Engine Company," for in October, 1821, it was voted " that the town provide ten pair leather buckets for the Engine Company." They probably thought it well to have the name, because the engine must come sooner or later ; and come it did, before very long, too, for in March, 1823, it was voted " to raise one hundred dollars to purchase an engine;" also " to close with Oliver Fox's offer," which was that he would build an engine-house and give the land, providing the engine be kept down in the " Old City." This engine was what is now called a '' hand tub," and had to be fed with water from buckets. The engine-house was located near the present quarters of Niagara Hose, No. 4, on Day Street. So the " down-towners " had the distinction and gratification of having the fire-engine near them.

During the years 1814 to 1822, inclusive, the town voted not to send a Representative to the General Court, and in 1822 a line was imposed on the town for neglecting to send any that year. In April, 1823, the town authorized Joseph Simonds, town treasurer, to pay the fine and in the following SeptemVjer, voted to petition the General Court to relinquish the amount of the fine.

In April, 1827, the sum of seventy-five dollars was raised to pay the expense of completing the fireengine and fifty dollars for buckets. At the same time it was voted " that the overseers of the poor be authorized to purchase a farm for the support of the town's poor, and, if they do so, that they be authorized to stock it, provide farming tools, etc."

They accordingly purchased a piece of land in the southeastern part of the town, on the road to Leominster (now Water Street in South Fitchburg) and it has been used as a poor-farm since that time. In April of the next year it was voted to change the name of poor-house to that of work-house. May 5, 1828, it was voted " to build a reservoir for water on the common, with two pumps, at an expense not exceeding $50."

The year 1830 brought several novelties to Fitchburg. In the autumn of that year J. E. Whitcomb & Co. opened a printing office in town, in a building just below the tavern which stood on the site now occupied by the Fitchburg Hotel. In October, 1830, this enterprising firm began the publication of a newspaper - the first one in Fitchburg - called the Fitchburg Gazette.

Another event of this year was the appearance of " A Map of Fitchburg, Mass., Surveyed by Levi Downe : October, 1830." It bore the imprint of "Pendleton's Lithography, Boston, Mass.," and was well executed, and showed very accurately the condition of the town at that time. From it we learn that there were then in Fitchburg three hundred and twenty-five dwelling-houses, two meeting-houses, one academy, twelve school-houses, one printing office, two woolen manufactories, four cotton manufactories, one scythe manufactory, two paper-mills, four gristmills, ten saw-mills, three taverns, two hat manufactories, one bellows man ui'actory, two tanneries, two window-blind maiiul'acturics and one chair manufactory.

During the ten years, 1821-30, the town made considerable progress. The population had increased much more than it had in any previous decade, being two thousand one hundred and seventy-six in 1830, an increase of nearly four hundred and fifty over the number of inhabitants in 1820. Several substantial dams had been built and a number of new mills and factories erected.

The improvement of the roads and bridges had begun in earnest. Many old roads had been practically discontinued and new ones built. The road to Leominster had been straightened and otherwise improved ; in 1830 a new road was opened to Ashburnham, and about the same time another to Lunenl urg. The river-road to Westminster was opened a few years later.

Two substantial stone bridges were built in 1829 over the Nashua, on the Keene and Boston mail road (now River Street), a little west of the meeting-house. The cost of these two bridges is stated to have been over two thousand one hundred dollars. The fireengine seems to have been put into requisition at least a few times during the ten years, for in May, 1828, it was voted that a reward of two hundred dollars be authorized to be offered "for the apprehension of any person or persons who shall be convicted of having set fire to the buildings which have recently been burnt in this town."

The " High School Association of Fitchburg " was formed about 1830, and during that year erected the academy, for which Captain Zachariah Sheldon very generously donated the land. The academy stood a little in front of the present location of the Fitchburg High School building, and cost about twelve hundred dollars. All these things show that the people were awake to the necessities of the times, and that the town was well started on its prosperous career.

The year 1832 witnessed the establishment of the first bank in Fitchburg. The Fitchburg Bank was chartered that year by the Legislature with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, and went into operation in July. It began business in a small granite building on the site of the brick building now occupied as an office by the firm of Crocker, Burbank &Co.

Nothing else of special note seems to have occurred during the period from 1831 to 1835. The following vote in August, 1832, may, however, be of sufficient interest to copy ; for some of the older residents doubtless remember the big sign-post referred to, which stood on the Common lialf a century ago. " Voted, that Capt. Z. Sheldon have permission to erect a sign-post on the Common, under the direction of the Selectmen, with regard to place, kind and stile of post and guide- boards, all to be done to their satisfaction ; and it is expected to be ornamental to the Common."

about that time, taken from a letter written by a native of Fitclibuig tlien residing in Wisconsin, is so graphic that it is worth quoting. Tliis letter was written in 1SG4 in response to an invitation to attend the Centennial celebration of the town in June of that year; and in it the writer goes back in recollection to the time " when the 'old city' was little else than the ' stone factory ' and a farm ; when boys, and men, too, played ball on the Common, whicli was then a waste of sand (well covered with granite blocks and chips) from the Unitarian ' meeting-house ' to the ' Lower Tavern,' and without any enclosure or improvement of any kind except the town-pump and a huge sign-post ; when the old yellow ' town schoolhouse ' held a prominent place at the head of the street, and the orchard next, which, I think one member of your committee and all the boys of that period will remember, had no other fence at its front on the main street of the village than a rough stone-wall, containing, I verily believe, more stones than can be found in any one place in all Wisconsin.''

A more extended description of the main street about 1836 would show the following: Beginning on what is now West Main Street, one would first see the " Red Mill ; " a little below it, on the present corner of Main and River Streets, stood a store ; and beyond that, not far from the Common, was the Baptist Church, which is now occupied as a carriage repository. One would next come to the Common, with the First Parish (Unitarian) Church standing at its head and the " yellow school-house" flanking the church and standing at the present junction of Main and Mechanic Streets. On the corner of Main and Rollstone Streets was the Orthodox Church, on the site of the present Calvinistic Congregational Church, and just below was the brick building which still stands there, though somewhat enlarged. The lower portion has always been used as a grocery store, and for half a century, lacking a few months (April, 1836, to October, 1885), it was occupied by Mr. Thomas C. Caldwell, for many years the veteran grocer in active business in Fitchburg. In 1836 the upper portion of this building was occupied by the tailor's shop of Daniel Cross. Mr. Cross is still in the same business, though in much more commodious quarters than those early days afforded, and enjoys the distinction of being the senior merchant in active business in Fitchburg. He began business here in 1833. The building of which we were speaking was afterward raised one story and otherwise enlarged, and for many years the upper portion has been used by the Sentinel Printing Company. The grocery store in the lower portion, though now passed into other hands, will probably always be called the T. C. Caldwell store. Just below was Factory Square, with the Fitchbu rg Woolen Mill standing in the same place as at present, and substantially the same in appearance then asnow,with the exception of an addition to the northwest corner, built in 1887 by the present owners.

Factory Square has lost the charm of the noble elm which, until a few years ago, lifted its w-ide-spreading branches over its centre. Next the square stood a tavern, on the site of the Fitchburg Hotel, and beyond the tavern was a store, in the rear of which was the printing office. On the other side of the street, directly opposite the tavern, was the store of Benjamin Snow & Son, above that a hardware store, then the granite bank building, and above that, on the present corner of Main and and Academy Streets, where the National House now stands, was another tavern. The academy was plainly visible at the then extremity of Academy Street. There were about forty dwelling-houses scattered along the upper portion of the street. In " Newton's Lane " was a cottonfactory, and in the " Old City " were the " Stone Mill," the Burbank Paper Slill, a tavern, a store in the rear of I. C. Wright & Co.'s present hardware store, a brick school-house, occupying about the site of the old meeting-house, and about a dozen dwellings. Such, in brief, is a description of the appearance of Fitchburg a little over fifty years ago.

LTntil about this time the First Parish Church had been used for town purposes; but in 1830 the Parish began to think seriously of building a new church just above the site of the old one. This made it necessary for the town to take some action in regard to having a town hall, and on December 31, 1836, the following vote was passed: "Voted, to unite with School District No. 1 in erecting a building for townhouse and school-house, if it can be done on equitable terms." A committee was chosen to purchase a spot, and another committee to build the house, &c. A site was bought on the corner of Main and Baker (now Circle) Streets, and arrangements were made by which the old meeting-house was moved to that location and fitted up for town purposes. The house, much altered from its original appearance, still stands there and is now known as Crocker's Hall. The first town-meeting was held in it November 13, 1837, at which time the following report of the expenditures of the committees in making this change was rendered : "Cost of spot, i?1000. Benchesof old meetinghouse, $410. Moving it, .1ii200. Stone-work, $518. Painting, $140. Labor and material, $639.86, - less old porches and stuff sold, $29.16 = $2922.57."

During the period between 1830 and 1840 several newspapers were started here, but had only a brief existence. In 1838, however, a new era was inaugurated in the journalism of Fitchburg by the starting of the Fitchburg Sentinel, December 20lh of that year. This newspaper has continued to be published ever since, and on December 20, 1888, completed a halfcentury of prosperous existence.

The fourth decade of this century may justly be called a very prosperous one in the history of the town ; but it was only the precursor of what was to come. The population in 1840 had increased to two thousand five hundred and seventy; old Indus- tries had flourished and new ones had come into town to stay. The foundation of the large machine manufocturing interests of Fitchburg was laid in 1838 by the establishment of the firm of J. & S. W. Putnam in town.

The records contain very little of interest or importance during the few years succeeding 1840. In April, 1844, it was voted " that the selectmen procure a suitable safe for the preservation of the books and records of the town.'' About this time also the people began to think of having a town clock, and in November, 1844, it was voted " pay one-half the expense of a first-rate clock to be placed on the Second Parish Meeting-House, provided the said one-half does not exceed two hundred dollars, and that the selectmen be a committee to see this money properly applied." At the same time it was voted " to discontinue the travel on the Common between the two rows of maple trees, as far down as these trees extend, and that the same may be fenced, provided it be done free of expense to the town."

The all-absorbing topic at this time was the Fitchburg Eailroad. The first public meeting to consider the project of direct communication between Boston and Fitchburg, by a railroad, was held in the town hall November 12, 1841, pursuant to a notice printed in the Sentinel the day previous. The people of Fitchburg were deeply interested in having the road built, and aided, in every way possible, their fellowtownsman, Alvah Crocker, Esq., through whose zeal and untiring energy the railroad became an accomplished fact. The year 1845 will ever be a memorable one in the annals of Fitchburg. In February of that year the track was completed to this town, and on the 5th of the following March the road was opened for use. There was more or less contention in regard to the location of the depot. The site finally decided upon was a part of Deacon David Boutelle's garden ; so the " Old City " was again favored, as it was in the case of the first fire-engine; and its prospects began to brighten. Three years later the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad was completed, and Fitchburg's importance as a railroad centre began to develop. These railroads rendered the natural resources of the town fully available, and inaugurated a new era in business. The people worked hard to secure them, and richly deserved the almost incalculable benefits that have been derived therefrom during the last forty years or more. A powerful impetus was given to the town, and the question " Where is Fitchburg?" was no longer asked, at least in this Commonwealth. Energetic business men saw the capabilities of the town and located here, and the population began to increase in a most gratifying manner. Iq 1845, according to a census taken by the assessors, the population of the town was three thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.

report was accepted and adopted March 2, 1846, and from it we learn that the following-named streets were then in existence: Main, Mechanic, Prospect, West, River, School, Chestnut, Rollstone, Baker's, Academy, High, Pleasant, Prichard, Central, Blossom, Summer, Water, Laurel, South and Cross Streets. This committee also named Cottage Square and Newton's Lane.

At a town-meeting, November 7, 1848, a committee, previously appointed for the purpose, reported a code of by-laws to be observed by the town of Fitchburg. These by-laws were quite strict, and if rigidly enforced, must have rendered the town a model of law and order. At this meeting these by-laws were accepted, and a committee, consisting of Alpheus P. Kimball, Ivers Phillips and William Carleton, was chosen to procure the sanction of the Court of Common Pleas thereto. The sanction was duly obtained at the December term, 1848, and the by-laws were printed by order of the town and distributed among the citizens.

In 1849 the town took a wise and commendable step by voting " to establish a High School, to be kept throughout the year, with suitable vacations, and the School Committee to put it in operation as soon as convenient." The sum of eight hundred dollars was raised for this purpose.

The year 1850 found Fitchburg a bustling, thriving town of a little more than five thousand inhabitants. The increase in population and business was unprecedented in the annals of the town. During the decade the foundation of the chair business had been laid here by Walter Heywood and Alonzo Davis. Two more banks had been established - the Fitchburg Savings Bank, in 1846, and the Rollstone Bank, in 1849. The Fitchburg Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated March 22, 1847, and began business September 1st of the same year.

Several substantial and, at that time, commodious and ornamental brick blocks had been built in town previous to 1850, among which may be mentioned the Torrey & Wood, Heywood, Comee, Town & Piper, Snow & Wood (now called Central Block) and Rollstone Blocks. The Universalist Church was built in 1847 and had in the lower story three good stores. The Fitchburg Hotel Block was erected about 1850 and furnished four good stores. It is quite evident, therefore, that Fitchburg was at that time well provided with stores and accommodations for oflices, etc. The American House was built in 1845 by David Boutelle; but the easterly wing, under which the stores are located, was not erected until 1858. All of these blocks still stand, though a few have been remodeled somewhat.

Since 1850 the advance in all directions has been so rapid, and there has been such a multiplicity of events, that no attempt will be made in this portion of t' e sketch to speak of anything but matters per- taining directly to town affsiirs, which cannot be taken up elsewhere. The progress in education, church affairs, manufacturing, etc., will be given in detail in special chapters hereafter.

In 1851 appeared the second map of Fitohburg. It was a large, full and accurate map, and when compared with its predecessor of 1830 showed what an immense advance the town had made in the twentyone years.

March 31, 1851, the Legislature passed an act to authorize a Fire Department in the town of Fitchburg, which was accepted and approved by the town May 26, 1851.

About this time the people began to think seriously of building a new town-house. The old one was manifestly too small to accommodate the great increase of voters, and it was necessary that something be done about the matter in the near future. But, as was the case with everything of that kind, there was contention as to where a new town-hall, if built, should be located. The " Old City " people had secured the stone railroad depot and were anxious to have the town-house, too. On the other hand, the town-house had previously been up-town and the people there were bound to have it remain in that vicinity. Fortunately, before much time was wasted, an amicable conclusion was reached, as is shown by the following extract from the Fitchburg News of January 28, 1852 (Vol. I., No. 2).

On Monday, the 2Gth, the citizens of Fitchburg Toted to bnild a Town House, GO by 100 feet, two stories high, with a basement for a uiiii'Ivet or other purposes. The probable coat, according to Mr. Wood's statement, will be S2i),000.

The Hall is to be in the second story, according to the plan proposed, aild the first floor reserved for courts, scliools, or otlier purposes, according to the judgment of the building committee, or future instruction of tlio Town.

Tile site most liltely to be selected is next below Central Block, where Dr. Blood now resides. The meeting was large and at one time conaideraldo warmtli was manifested both pro and con., but tlie feeling soon subsided and the plan submitted by tlio committee was unanimously adopted, as was also tlie report nominating a building committee. This committee consists of Messrs. N. Wood, J. P. Putnam, I. Phillips, C. Marshall, N. Cowdin, A. J. Town and Col. Upton.

It is truly a matter of congratulation, not only that we are at last swreofsoon having a good House, but also that such harmony ijrevaila in regard to it.

New Town House. - .\ handsome and substantial town-house is soon to be erected in Fitchburg. An appropriation for this purpose, of 5^6,000, was made at tiie last March meeting, and the new building is to be located on Main street, just south of Central Block. The foundation is to be laid immediately and the building completed during the

At Antietam the Fifteenth also distinguished itself, though at the great cost of three hundred and fortythree men, killed, wounded and missing. Lieutenant- Colonel Kimball was recommended for promotion for his gallantry and good management of his command during this terrible battle.

After this the regiment was engaged in a campaign in the Shenandoah Valley and at Fredericksburg, December 12, 1862. Nothing of note occurred until June 25, 1863, when it began a forced march from the Rappahannock to Gettysburg. It was a hard march, but that the members of the regiment performed it well is shown by the following order read to them June 27th :

General Orders^ No. 105. - The Fifteenth and Nineteenth Massachusetts Volunteers for niarcliing in the best and most compact order, and with the least straggling from their ranks, are excused from all picket duty and outside duty for four days.

The record of the Fifteenth at Gettysburg July 2-4, 1863, was very brilliant. "The regiment went into action with eighteen officers and two hundred and twenty-one enlisted men. During the three days it lost three officers (Col. Ward, Capt. Murkland, of Fitchburg, and Lieut. Jorgensen) killed, eight officers wounded, nineteen enlisted men killed, eighty-flve wounded, many of them mortally."

In the spring of 1864 there were about three hundred officers and men in the regintent, and nearly half of this number were killed and wounded in the battle of the ^Vilderness early in May of that year. During the next few weeks it took part in all the marches and battles in which the Second Corps was engaged, from the Rapidan to Petersburg, and on the 22d of the following June, reduced to five nfficers and uvruhj men, it confronted a large force of the enemy "near the Jerusalem plank road before Petersburg." Here, by a hidden manoeuvre of the enemy, it was flanked, and all, except one officer and four men, were taken prisoners. This officer was wounded the same day, and the four men placed in another command until more of the officers and men came from the hospitals. Its three years' term of service having expired, the regiment was, on July 12, 1864, ordered to proceed to Worcester, where it arrived on the 21st, about one hundred and fifty strong. The State and city officials gave it a rousing reception, and on the same evening all that were left of the Fusiliers and were able to travel (about twenty men) arrived in Fitchburg and were given a public reception.

Such is a brief account of the brilliant, though sad, record of one of the best regiments Massachusttts sent out; and Fitchburg has every rea.'ion to be proud of the prominent part which the officers and men furnished by the town took in the making of its glorious history.

Company D, Twenty-first Regiment (Washington Guards). - For some cause or other the Guards were not allowed to go with the Fusiliers, though desirous of so doing ; and it was not until July 19. 1801, that the company was ordered into camp at Worcester and became Company D of the Twenty-first Regiment. Their departure was the occasion of another public demonstration by the citizens, consisting of a meeting in the town hall, a dinner at the American House and a grand parade.

The Twenty-first Regiment left Worcester August 23, 1801. It was first under fire at the battle of Roanoke Island, February 8, 1802, when it acquitted itself nobly and was the first to plant a Union flag inside the enemy's works. It lost fifty-seven men, killed and wounded, in this battle. Our own Company D was honored after the battle by the presentation to its captain, Theodore S. Foster, of a flag by Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. Maggi, commanding the Twentyfirst. Accompanying the flag was a note which concluded thus : " You may inscribe on the flag these words : The Officers of the Twenty first Regiment, M. v., to the brave Captain T. S. Foster, of Co. D." The flag and note were sent by Captain Foster to the Fitchburg Public Library, to be there preserved.

March 14, 1802, the regiment took part in the battle of Kewbern, and was highly commended in the official report for its bravery. General Burnside, after the battle, presented to it the first gun (a brass field-piece) which it captured from the enemy. Its loss in this action was three officers and fifty-four men, killed and wounded.

July 9th it arrived at Newport News and became part of the Army of the Potomac, and, during the rest of 1802, it was almost constautly on the move. It took part in General Pope's campaign, and, in the disastrous retreat that followed, it suffered great hardships. It also participated in the following battles, with great credit to itself, during the latter part of 1862 : Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Antietam and Fredericksburg. The regiment's losses in these four battles were two hundred and sixly-six officers and men killed, wounded and taken prisoners.

During most of 1863 the regiment did picket duty in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was a part of the besieged force that was shut up in Knoxville for some weeks in November, and was on duty constantly and made several brilliant charges during the siege ; and when the siege was finally raised, December 5,^ 1803, the Twenty-first was one of the regiments ordered to pursue the enemy. " From that time the regiment saw weary marches and constant exposure, and was reduced to such an extremity that tioo ears of raw corn per day Were issued to each man as his ration. Thus situated, in the woods of East Tennessee, on the 29th of December, 18G3, the proposal was made to the regiment to re-enlist for the new term of three years, and in thirty-six hours all but twenty-four of the regiment had re-enlisted."

January 8, 18G4, the Twenty-first started for home on a "veteran furlough," and received a public reception on its arrival in Worcester. At the expiration of the furlough it returned to the scene of operations, and was in season to take a prominent part in the battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, but was fortunate enough to suffer a comparatively light loss, - three officers and twelve men.

June 16th the regiment arrived before Petersburg, having been almost constantly engaged in skirmishes and battles wiih the enemy during their entire march, and having lost upwards of one hundred officers and men within the five weeks preceding. On the following day it participated in a brilliant charge on the enemy's works; and from that date to July 30th was constantly in the rifle-pits at the front.

V On the 30th occurred the explosion of the mine, and this regiment was in the division which rushed into the ' crater,' only to be repulsed with severe loss."

This was the last engagement in which the Twentyfirst participated, as soon afterward " it was decided that the Regiment was not a 'veteran regiment,' because of the Ihree-fourths that had re-enlisted, fiftysix had been rejected for various reasons, and it was ordered that the Regiment be broken up, and the officers and non-enlisted men proceed home to be mustered out."

On August 30, 1864, the regiment was accordingly mustered out at Worcester. This breaking up of the organization was a great disappointment to all who had ever been connected with it, and certainly its history during the three years of its existence reflects much honor and credit on both officers and men. It is gratifying to state here that Captain Foster, who went out as the commander of Company D, was promoted to major May 17, 1862, and to lieutenant-colonel September 2, 1862.

Company F, Twenty-fifth Regiment. - In the autumn of 1861 authority was granted to raise the Twenty-fifth Regiment, and Edwin Upton, of this town, was appointed its colonel. The old Guards formed the nucleus of the company raised in Fitchburg, of which Charles H. Fo^s was appointed captain.

Recruits came in rather slowly, and September 23, 1861, a large meeting of the citizens was held at the town hall to help recruiting in town. David H. Merriam, Esq., presided, and Hon. Goldsmith F. Bailey made an eloquent address. This meeting had good results, and Capt. Foss had Company F filled in less than a month after he began to raise it.

Fitchburg a parade was held, after which the company enjoyed a dinner provided for its members at the American House, through the liberality of Charles T. Crocker, Esq. After the dinner remarks were made by Mr. Crocker, Amasa Norcross, Esq., and Rev. George Trask, and later in the afternoon Company F left us amid great enthusiasm and hearty God-speeds.

On the 10th of October some of the friends of Col. Upton united in the presentation to him of a fine horse and set of equipments as a token of their esteem and regard. The presentation speech was made by Amasa Norcross, Esq., and Col. Upton feelingly returned thanks to his fellow-citizens for their splendid gift, after which he invited them to partake of a collation at the American House. Earnest remarks were made by Hon. Moses Wood, Hon. J. W. Mansur and other gentlemen present.

October 31, 1861, the Twenty-fifth left Worcester and went to Annapolis, where the next two months were spent in drilling, during which time it acquired such proficiency that it was complimented officially as one of the best of the large number of regiments gathered there.

As in the case of the Twenty-first Regiment, the Twenty-fifth's first baptism of fire was at Roanoke Island. At this battle it did good service, fighting in the front ranks for three hours, when, their ammunition being exhausted, the regiment was ordered to the rear. Its loss in this battle was forty-eight killed and wounded. A month later the regiment was engaged at the battle of Newbern. Here it made a gallant charge on the breast-works of the enemy, and was the first to plant the State colors on the work. It was also the first regiment that entered the city of Newbern. Its loss was miraculously small, - twenty killed and wounded.

From this time until about December 1, 1863, the regiment was in the vicinity of Newbern, doing picket duty and having occasional skirmishes with the enemy.

On account of poor health Col. Upton was obliged to resign his command of the Twenty-fifth, much to the regret of his men ; and at ihe time of his retiring he was presented by tfce enlisted men of the regiment with a beautiful sword, belt and .sash, costing one thousand dollars. Col. Josiah Pickett succeeded him in the command.

Early in 1864 a furlough was granted, and the Twenty-fifth returned to Massachusetts, receiving a most hearty welcome in Boston and Worcester. It left Boston for the field March 21, 1864, and early in May was engaged in several sharp conflicts not far from Richmond. In one of these engagements, by a singular coincidence, the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regiments were directly opposed to the Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-seventh South Carolina Regiments. On this occasion Massachusetts got the better of South

Carolina. It was a sharp struggrle, and among the killed was First Lieut. Charles E. Upton, of Fitchburg. A week later, while moving towards Richmond, the regiment was attacked by the Rebels, and came near being captured. The official report of this action says :

" The Twenty-fifth fought splendidly, holding their ground with the utmost tenacity, inflicting on the charging columns of the enemy the most terrible slaughter until surrounded, and with their ammunition exhausted, they were ordered to face by the rear rank and charge the Rebel line in the rear, thereby throwing the enemy into such confusion as to enable the regiment to extricate itself from one of the most perilous positions troops were ever placed in, and completely checking the advance of the enemy.''

The losses of the regiment in all these contests during the month of May, 18G4, amounted to twentysix killed and one hundred and fifteen wounded.

On the 3d of the following June the Twenty-fifth underwent its most terrible experience of the war in tlie battle of Cold Harbor. During the day this regiment made a most heroic assault upon the Rebel lines, and held the position they attained, though at a terrible expense of life. The total loss of the regiment in this battle was as follows : 4 officers and 23 men killed; 11 officers and 128 men wounded ; 2 officers and 47 men missing. Among the killed were - James Graham, Jr., of Fitchburg, second lieutenant of Company F, and Lieut. -Col. George E. Marshall, of the Fortieth Massachusetts Regiment, who was also a Fitchburg boy.

This was the last regular battle in which the Twentyfifth participated. June 13th it went to the "Point of Rocks," on the Appomattox River, and two days later made an assault on the enemy's works, carrying the position and capturing two cannon, and on the 18th made another charge which was unsuccessful. The loss in these two assaults was seven killed and thirty-one wounded.

October 5, 18(34, the portion of the regiment whose term of service had expired was ordered to Worcester ami mustered out October 20th. The remainder, consolidated into a battalion of four companies, remained in North Carolina, taking part in only one engagement (Wise's Forks) during the period of its stay. July 13, 1865, it was ordered to Massachusetts to be mustered out, thus closing the record of the gallant Twenty-fifth.

Company A, Thirty-sixth Regiment. - In July, 1862, President Lincoln issued a call for three hundred thousand men, and authority was given to raise the Thirty-sixth Regiment. Fitchburg's proportion was found to be ninety-seven and Captain Thaddeus L. Barker, of the ''Old Guards," was appointed to raise a company.

On July 12, 1862, a large citizens' meeting was held in the town hall, at which resolutions, presented by Thornton K. Ware, Esq., were adopted, recommending the calling of a town-meeting at an early date to take measures for offering a bounty of seventy-five dollars to every recruit. A committee was also chosen to canvass the town for recruits.

A town-meeting was held just a week later at which it was voted to "authorize and instruct our selectmen to appropriate and pay one hundred dollars, as a bounty, to each and every acceptable recruit, when he shall have been mustered into the United States service and shall have joined the Volunteer Company now forming in this town, or either of the three companies from this town, now at the seat of war; not to exceed in all the sum of ten thousand and one hundred dollars."

Lieut.-Col. John W. Kimball, of the Fifteenth, was designated as colonel of the Thirty-sixth, but being unable to obtain his discharge from the Fifteenth, Major Bowman, of the Thirty-fourth, was apijointed its colonel.

The regiment arrived in Washington September 7, 1862, and on the 20th joined Gen. Burnside's army at Sharpsburg, Md., arriving a little too late to take part at Antietam. For some time it was in various parts of Virginia and witnessed its first battle at Fredericksburg, but was not actively engaged, being held in reserve, and having only two men wounded.

During the following winter nothing of note occurred. Early in April, 1863, the Thirty-sixth was sent to Cincinnati to guard the polls at the election of the mayor of that city. After the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, this regiment, with others, pursued the enemy and lost eight men in skirmishes. Then followed their trying campaign in Mississippi, in which the regiment lost one hundred and fifty men by death and discharge on account of disease and exhaustion.

During the autumn it was engaged in several minor battles, losing about thirty men. It was present at the siege of Knoxville and suffi^red with the rest from lack of food. After the siege was raised the Thirtysixth joined in the pursuit of the enemy, and during the winter of 1863-64 suffered very severely from lack of food and clothing. At one period the rations were " si.c spoonfuls of flour a day for seven days and what corn could be picked up from under the feet of mules and horses."

On the 6th of April, 1864, the regiment arrived at Annapolis, where the men received new clothing and good food and enjoyed a much-needed, though short, rest. A month later it took part in the battle of the Wilderness, where "the regiment acquitted itself nobly, charging the enemy three times with a loss of two officers and sixty-two men killed and wounded.'' The battles of Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor followed soon after, and the regiment was engaged in both and lost heavily, - one hundred and twenty-six officers and men killed and wounded.

June 16, 1864, the Thirty-sixth arrived before Petersburg and on the following day made a gallant charge on the enemy's works, capturing four cannon and four hundred and fifty prisoners; and for the next four weeks it was in the rifle-pits, at the front, and lost some twenty men, picked oft" by the rebel sharpshooters. It remained in the vicinity of Petersburg until April 1, 18G5.

The regiment was mustered out of the service June 8, 1865, and arrived in Worcester two days later, where it received a hearty public reception by the citizens.

Captain Thaddeus L. Barker, of Company A, was promoted to major, May 6,1864; lieutenant-colonel, October 12, 1864, and to colonel, November 13, 1864.

Companies A and B, Fifty-third Regiment. - In August, 1862, a call was issued for troops to serve nine months. Fitchburg's citizens took hold in earnest, and in a few days two entire companies were enrolled. After the ranks were filled, the town voted, August 30th, to give each of the nine months' volunteers from this town one hundred dollars bounty. Euo'ene T. Miles was commissioned captain of Company A, and Jonas Corey captain of Company B, both companies being attached to the Fifty-third Regiment.

Lieutenant-Colonel John W. Kimball, of the Fifteenth, was designated colonel of the Fifty-third, and assumed his command of it November 29, 1862. On that date he received a fine horse and set of equipments from a few of his many friends in Fitchburg.

The Fifty-third started for New York November 29th, to join General Banks' expedition. On account of the prevalence of a mild form of scarlet fever among the men, the regiment did not leave for the South until January 17, 1863. It then went by steamer from New York to New Orleans, and thence to Baton Rouge.

The regiment was first under fire Ap:il 12, 1863, at Fort Bisland, and was actively engaged on the following day. During the next night the enemy evacuated the works, and at daybreak on the 14th, Fort Bisland was in possession of the Union army, and the flag of the Fifty-third was the first to be planted on its ramparts. In this battle Lieutenant Nutting, of this town, in command of Company A, was killed, as were also thirteen privates.

The regiment participated in the pursuit of the enemy, capturing many prisoners and driving in a lot of cattle. It accompanied the army to Opelousas and Alexandria, and arrived at Port Hudson May 22, 1863, where it remained until July lllh, much of the time being actively engaged with the enemy. The first general attack on the works at Port Hudson took place May 27th, and during that day and the next the Fifty-third was at the front, in hot conflict a large portion of the time. Its loss was thirty killed and wounded. From the 1st to the 4th of June the regiment was in the rifle-pits to the front, and from the 5th to the 8th joined in an expedition to Clinton. It was a severe march, and several men in the regiment were sunstruck. The enemy retired from Clinton without giving battle. The Fifty-third returned to Port Hudson on the evening of the 8th, and remained in comparative quiet until the 13th ; on the evening of the 13th orders were given for it to join in an assault on the works of the rebels at three o'clock the next morning. Four regiments were designated to make this assault - the Fourth Wisconsin, Eighth New Hampshire, Thirty-eighth and Fifty-third Massachusetts - and at the appointed time they myved upon the enemy's works. The rebels opened a murderous fire upon the heroic men, but their line did not waver. It advanced on the double-quick close to the works, but was not strong enough to carry them, and no supports came to its aid. It was a gallant, but most disastrous, charge. The Fifty-third lost eighty-six men killed and wounded. One of the killed was Captain Taft, of Fitchburg, the third commander lost by Company A in two months. The bravery of the Fiftythird in this charge was highly commended, and Colonel Kimball, for special gallantry, was recommended for promotion.

Just previous to the first general attack on Port Hudson a most deplorable accident befell the Fiftythird. It happened thus : On the night of May 25, 1863, it was ordered to do picket duty, General Paine, who gave the order, honoring the regiment by saying " he wanted this Regiment, because he knew he could depend upon it to hold the position during the night." Soon after taking their position for the night, the rebels at their front opened fire, which was unwittingly returned by two New Yoik regiments in the rear, thus placing the Fifty-third between two fires. Fortunately the firing was stopped before much damage was done ; but it was at this time that Captain George H. Bailey, of Fitchburg, was killed. He was in command of Company A, having received his appointment only one week previous to his death.

Port Hudson surrendered July 9, 1863, and the Fifty-third, after doing picket duty for two days, started for Baton Rouge, and on the 15lh went to Donaldsonville, where it was in camp, and engaged in drill and picket duty till August 2d, when it returned to Baton Rouge. Its nine months' term of service having expired, it was ordered to Massachusetts.

A grand public reception was given it at Fitchburg August 24th, on which day fully eight thousand people from surrounding towns were present to witness the return of the brave soldiers. An address of welcome was delivered by Amasa Norcross, Esq., to which Colonel Kimball responded for the regiment. A procession was then formed and marched to the upper Common, where a bountiful collation, prepared by the ladies, was e/ijoyed by all.

The Fifty-third was in service for only a comparatively short time, but it made for itself a most brilliant record, and, in the wcrds of the various generals it served under, " it ought to have been a three years' regiment."

Considering the short time it was in service, its loss from disease was something fearful, as the following statement, given by Mr. Willis, in his book, shows :

Many of the members of the regiment who returned home had disease fastened upon them, from which they never recovered ; some twenty dying within a few days after reaching home.

Company F, Fifty-seventh Regiment. - October 17, 1863, President Lincoln issued a call for three hundred thousand more men. Fitchburg's quota was found to be one hundred and twenty, and Captain Levi Lawrence was authorized to raise a company in town.

It took a long time to fill the ranks, and many meetings were held and strenuous efforts made by the citizens before the company was ready to start. Finally, on February 6, 18(34, it left for camp at Worcester, under command of Captain Lawrence, and became Company F, of the Fifty-seventh Regiment.

The Fifty-seventh left Massachusetts April 18th and arrived at Annapolis two days later, whence it proceeded to Washington and was immediately ordered to the front.

Its first battle was at the Wilderness, where it was hotly engaged for one hour, in which time its loss was two hun<lred and fifty-one officers and men killed, wounded and missing.

May 12th it took part at Spottsylvauia and lest seventy-two officers and men, and on the 18ih, in a reconnoisance, lost seventeen more. On the 24th it was ordered to cross the North Anna River to test the strength of the rebels, was attacked on both flanks and lost its lieutenant-colonel and thirty-six men.

The regiment then went to Cold Harbor, and was engaged in that vicinity for a lew days and then marched to Petersburg, where itarrived June 16, 1864, and remained for several months. Ou the 30th of July it participated in the assault at the explosion of the mine, and lost six officers and forty-five men in the disastrous attempt.

During the following two months the Fifty-seventh was engaged in picket duty near Petersburg, and on September 30th was in the battle of Poplar Grove

During the next three months the regiment, or rather what there was left of it, was engaged in reconnoitering and skirmishing, losing, during the period, some twenty men.

In a movement on the Weldon Railroad in December, 1864, the men suffered extremely from cold. For some time afterward it lay in the lines before Petersburg, with the exception of a short period when it joined in a reconnoi.sance towards Weldon about the middle of Februaiy, 1865. The intense cold during much of the winter caused severe suffering.

Petersburg was evacuated on April 3d, and on that day the regiment entered the works and was ordered to guard the roads to Richmond and Chesterfield. Soon afterward it went to Washington and performed provost duty at various points in that vicinity until July 30th, when it was mustered out after a service of about fifteen months, during which time it made for itself a most honorable and enviable record.

Company H, Fourth Heavy Artillery. - This was the last company raised in this town, and was recruited under President Lincoln's call, issued July IS, 1864, for one year troops. As the bounty was large iS200), and the term of service short, the company was very quickly raised, a large proportion of the men in it having seen service in other Fitchburg companies. Eben T. Hayward, of this town, was uhosen captain, and the company left Fitchburg for Readville August 15th, and left the State for Washington September 13, 1864. It was then consolidated with various other unattached companies as the Fourth Heavy Artillery Regiment, and designated Company H.

This regiment was assigned the duty of garrisoning various forts on the Virginia side of the Potomac, and Company H, during most of its term of service, occupied " Fort Garasche," where there was little to do except to drill in artillery and infantry practice. It was an uneventful year for the men. They faithfully performed their allotted tasks and received mmh praise " for their good drill and soldier-like conduct."

The Call For Three Months' Troops. - Toward the end of May, 1862, when Gen. Banks' army was routed and the rebels were rapidly approaching the national capital, the President hurriedly issued a call to the Governors of all the States to send on all three months' troops that could be spared for the defence of Washington.

Gov. Andrew's call upon the Massachusetts militia reached Fitchburg early Monday morning. May 26, 1862. Both the Guards and Fusiliers had efficient organizations at that time, and were ready to respond to any sudden call. The men assembled at their armories, and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon took the train for Boston, the Fusiliers, witli sixty-six men, under Capt. Eugene T. Miles, and the Guards, with fifty-eight men, under Capt. Jonas Corey.

" Among the incidents of this exciting day may be mentioned the fact that wlien the order of Captain Miles reached the shop of Whitman & Miles (of which firm the captain was a member) fifteen men dropped their tools and stepped forward to join the ranks of the ' Fusiliers,' and the firm, not at all disturbed at this wholesale reduction of their 'available force,' at once gave another proof of their patriotism by presenting ten dollars to each of the fifteen."

Our men, together with other companies that had been hurried to Boston, were quartered for two nights in Faneuil Hall. But the alarm at Washington soon subsided and Governor Andrew received a telegram saying that the troops were not needed ; so the men were dismissed and Wednesday afternoon, May 28th, the Fusi/iers and Guards returned to Fitchburg in high feather, had a parade through the streets aud were treated to a collation by the jubilant citizens.

Though these men did not go to the " seat of war," yet it was their expectation and intention so to do, and their prompt response is worthy of record in a history of Fitchburg. The majority of them saw service and fought bravely in the companies sent out later from this town.

March 13, 1865, Colonel Kimball was made brevet brigadier-general United States Volunteers, "for gallant and distinguished services in the field and during the war."

By way of summary, it may be stated that of the citizens of this town who went to the war, one was brevet brigadier-general, two were colonels, two lieutenant-culonels, two majors, two surgeons, four brevet majors, seventeen captains, twenty first lieutenants, seven second lieutenants, three navy officers and sixteen seamen in the navy, six hundred and ninety-three non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates, making a grand total of seven hundred and sixty-nine men - nearly one-tenth of Fitchburg 's population at that time. Of this number sixty were killed in battle, sixty-eight died from wounds, disease or starvation in rebel prisons, twenty-five were taken prisoners and eighty-four received wounds from which they recovered.

Much more might have been written about our brave soldiers if space would permit, and the writer would be glad also to give some history of the naval experience of the sixteen war-ships and gunboats, on board of which were citizens and natives of this town. Suffice it, however, to say that there were very few great battles in the War of the Rebellion in which Fitchburg men did not participate with credit to themselves and honor to the town.

Of the large amount of private benevolence and assistance no record has been, or ever can be, written : but of the work of the town and of various benevolent societies, a record can be given which, if elaborated, would form one of the most interesting portions of Fitchburg's history.

It will be remembered that at the very beginning of the war the town appropriated $10,000 for the equipment of our soldiers and support of their families ; and at every annual town-meeting during the war the following vote was passed : " Voted, That the Selectmen be authorized to pay for the support of the families of Volunteers such sums as they think their circumstances require."

The money thus voted was in addition to the "State Aid " authorized by the Legislature to be paid by towns. By this generous provision of the town the selectmen, aided by the hearty co-operation of the citizens, were enabled to relieve all cases of need ; and it is safe to say that no soldier's family in Fitchburg sufiered from lack of the necessaries of life during all the period of the war.

Of the two principal societies organized in this town for the relief and assistance of soldiers we propose to give a brief account, and the first to be spoken of is

The Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society. - The ladies of Fitchburg, as has been stated before, began their work of preparing clothing, etc., previous to the departure of our soldiers ; and this work they unremittingly continued while the war lasted.

In order that their good work might be carried on in a methodical and efficient manner, it was thought best to organize a society, and, at a meeting held September 16, 1861, this "Soldiers' Aid Society" was formed, and Mrs. Ebenezer Torrey was chosen president, with Mrs. Amasa Norcross as secretary. The prime object of this society, as stated in its constitution, was " to furnish to the soldiers engaged in the present war of our country such aid as may be in our power." Most faithfully did the members carry out this object to the end. Any lady could become a member on p-iyment of twenty-five cents, and it is needless to say that the membership was very large. All the preparation of work, purchasing and general direction of aflairs werje vested in a board of twelve directresses, chosen, with the other officers, annually.

The funds of the society were derived from membership fees and annual assessments, but were largely increased by private donations and church contributions; and the Dramatic Club, the Musical Association and the "Relief Committee " placed goodly sums at its disposal. The "Old Folks" choir also gave concerts at various times and donated the proceeds to the society.

One of the first things done by this society was the preparation of boxes of clothing, etc., which were sent to the Twenty-first and Twenty-fifth Regiments at Annapolis, and also blankets and winter clothing sent to the Fifteenth at Poolesville; and in return the secretary of the so -iety received letters from the commanders of the Fitchburg companies conveying their sincere and lieartfelt thanks. Tiie Thirty-sixtli and Fifty-third Regiments were similarly provided for before they left the State.

At the time the Fifty-third was detained in New York, in the winter of 1862-63, under very uncomfortable circumstances, the society, on January 1, 1863, sent to the members of Companies A and B an inviting dinner of roast turkey and New England plum-pudding and pics. That the dinner "went to the right spot " was amply attested by the acknowledgments received in return.

Of course the intention of our Soldiers' Aid Society was to make the Fitchburg boys its chief care ; but its work was by no means limited to them. During the war it sent large amounts of various supplies and necessaries to the Sanitary and Christian Commissions, the Massachusetts Relief Association at Washington, the New England Soldiers' Relief Association at New York, the Worcester Relief Society and to persons known to the society who were caring for the wounded in the hospitals. From all these societies and individuals thus aided came scores of appreciative and thankful letters.

The actual amount of money received and expended for relief by this society during its existence was something over one thousand five hundred dollars ; but of the innumerable gifts of clothing, bedding, delicacies for the sick and wounded, no estimate of value can ever be made.

The society held stated meetings, but there were times in its history when sudden and imperative calls were made upon it; and lis earnest members, putting aside their household duties, worked, as we may say, day and night, for the soldiers. One such occasion as this was when, in May, 1862, tlie Fusiliers and Guards were ordered to report in Boston, ready for duty, at a few hours' notice. In I'elation to this emergency the records of the society contain the following: - " Forthwith, the ladies, Monday morning though it was, snatched sewing implements, and in rapid haste gathered at the Town Hall, to fit out our men with flannel shirts and other appropriate garments, and sewing-machines and busy fingers vied with each other to achieve the work."

And in the same way, when the wires flashed to us the news of some terrible battle raging, as at Gettysburg, the Wilderness, or other fields of carnage and suffering, the ladies flew to their work of mercy and comfort. All honor to the ladies of Fitchburg who performed this vast amount of noble work ! Many of them have long since left us and gone to their reward ; but, whether living or dead, their labors during those long, dark years are, and ever will be, remembered, and will remain as an everlasting memorial of their self sacrificing devotion to the cause of liberty and the relief of suffering.

When the Rebellion was crushed and the army disbanded, the necessity of thi< society ceased. Its last meeting was he'd June 22, 1805, " no member regretting she had been identified with its labors, but rather that it could not more truthfully be said of her, 'she hath done what she could.' "

The Soldiers' Relief Committee. - This was a large organization composed of gentlemen living in all section4 of the town, and did a vast amount of good work during the two years of its existence.

It was started at a citizens' meeting in the town hall, September 26, 1861, its object being "to organize for the more effectual aid and comfort of the soldiers in the field from this town and their families."

A sub-committee of eighteen was chosen "to raise funds to aid enlistments, to procure comforts for our soldiers and their families and take such other action in the matter as may be deemed expedient.''

This committee to raise funds, etc., went to work immediately, and collected considerable money, farm produce and clothing ; and the following-named gentlemen were appointed an executive committee to distribute the same : Dr. Thomas R. Boutelle, Alvah Crocker, Lewis H. Bradford, Hanson L. Reed and Henry A. Willis.

Tills executive committee immediately issued a circular, which was distributed among the citizens requesting that all cases of destitution in the families of volunteers be reported without delay.

On October 21, 1861, occurred the battle at Ball's Bluff, in which the Fifteenth Regiment lost heavily. Our own Company B, of that regiment, suff'ered terribly in the battle, and Capt. Clark S. Simonds and eighteen of his men were captured and imprisoned at Richmond. Nothing was known here concerning their fate till letters were received from Capt. Simonds informing us of the imprisonment of himself and his men, and making an earnest appeal for his men, who were suffering for lack of clothing and money. This news did not reach us till November 20th, a month after the battle. A meeting of the citizens was forthwith called, and held on the evening of the 20th, at which seven hundred dollars in cash were raised, and about one hundred dollars' worth of clothing contributed by the merchants. This money and clothing, together with blankets, etc., given by the Soldiers' Aid Society, were consigned to the hands of Henry A. Willis, Esq., who started with them for Fortress Monroe ou November 26th, whence they were in due time forwarded to our boys at Richmond. At this time Mr. Willis visited the camps of the Fifteenth, Twenty-finst and Twenty-fifch Regiments. About three weeks after the supplies were forwarded from Fitchburg, a letter was received from Captain Simonds, acknowledging the receipt of the money and clothing and conveying his thanks, on be- half of his men, for the prompt and generous response which the people of Fitchburg had made to his appeal.. The letter also contained the following, which is certainly worthy o f record in this place:

It is a fact of wbich I sluill ever speak with pride, that FUchhurg wna thejirst and onhf town as yet to aid her prisoner/*, and Masisachusetts the only State. Since the clothing came from Fitchburg, clothing of all kinds, enough for three hundred and fifty men, has arrived, sent by the State authoritiea of Massachusetts, for the relief of her men now here in captivity, placing them in comfort, in this respect, for the winter.

This statement that Fitchburg was the Jirsl toxon in the whole North to send aid to suffering prisoners is indeed one that may justly inspire a feeling of pride. Many other towns soon followed her example, but ere long the inhuman orders of the rebel authorities made it impossible for our supplies ever to reach the starving and almost naked Union prisoners.

Our citizens mont willingly contributed money to be placed at the disposal of the Soldiers' Relief Committee, and the town, on December 14, 18G1, voted to appropriate the sum of one thousand dollars to help it in its noble work, and until the committee ceased to exist, in October, 1863, it carefully sought out the needy families of soldiers and relieved their wants. About two thousand dollars was thus disbursed, beside a very large amount of clothing, farm produce, &c., of which no accurate account was ever kept. After October, 1863, this work was conscientiously carried on by the citizens and the town until the close of the war.

During the whole course of the war, when news reached us of great battles, either the Soldiers' Relief Committee or the citizens very quickly despatched committees io the front with generous amounts of supplies, and to look after and bring home the wounded. Such action was taken after the battles of Ball's Bluf}', Roanoke Island, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and the battles before Petersburg.

Lack of space prevents us from giving an account of all this, and the mere details of a few of the more important contributions after some of the great battles must suffice. After the battle of Gettysburg there were sent, on July 14, 1863, in charge of Henry F. Coggshall, Esq., $1079.60 in money, and nine barrels and five large boxes packed solidly with clotliiug, bandages, liquors, wines and delicacies for the sick and wounded.

News of the battle of the Wilderness reached Fitchburg May 8, 1864. It was Sunday, and that evening a meeting of the citizens was held in the town hall, the result of which was that in less than twenty-four hours after the meeting Dr. Alfred Hitchcock and Messrs. H. A. Goodrich and E. B. Hayward started for the front, taking with them seventeen hundred dollars in cash and sixteen barrels and bundles of carefully selected stores for the sick and wounded. This promptness and generosity of our citizens received wide notice in the newspapers " and Fitchburg, for her repeated efforts in this direction, became noted

There is no accurate account of all the money thus sent away to the fields of battle for the relief of the sick and wounded soldiers ; but the whole amount received and disbursed by the various societies and committees in town was not far from twelve thousand dollars. Most of this sum went to the soldiers themselves, together with large amounts of supplies. Besides this, much was done by the town and societies for the soldiers' families in the way of money andaupplies. Certainly Fitchburg did all that could be expected and the gratifying feature of it is that everything was done and given freely and spontaneously.

Soldiers' Funerals. - Soldiers from this town met death in almost every one of the great battles of the Civil War and on scores of battle-fields of minor importance.

Seven public funerals were held in Fitchburg during, or shortly after, the war, over the remains of eleven of our boys, and a brief mention will here be made of them.

The first was that of Clark S. Simonds, captain of Company B, Fifteenth Regiment. Captain Simonds was killed at Antietam, September 17, 1862, while conversing with Colonel Kimball after the battle was nearly over. His funeral was held September 23d, with military honors, and all business in the town was suspended.

The second public funeral was that of Henry A. Beckwith, first lieutenant of Company D, Twentyfirst Regiment. Lieutenant Beckwith was mortally wounded at the battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862, and died, four days later, in the hut of an old slave woman near the battle-field. His body was brought home by his wife and Henry A. Willis, Esq., and given a public military funeral on Sunday, October 5, 1862, in the town hall, which was densely packed.

The third was that of George G. Nutting, first litutenant of Company A, Fifty-third Regiment. He was killed at Fort Bisland, La., April 13, 1863, and on account of the absence of Capt. Miles, was in command of the company at the time of his death. His body was at once sent to Fitchburg, wheie it was given a public burial. May 1st. On that day business was suspended in town during the afternoon, flags were at half-mast, and the town hall, in which the services were held, was beautifully decorated. A long procession followed the remains to the cemetery, and the fallen hero was laid to rest in Laurel Hill with military honors.

The fourth was that of Frederick H. Sibley, first lieutenant of Company I, Thirty-sixth Regiment. He died of disease at Louisville, Ky., August 17, 1863, and his remains were brought home by his father. His funeral occurred at the Universalist Church, August 27, 1863, and he was buried with military honors.