University of Virginia Library

NOTE TO PAGE 136.

The exhaustion occasioned in Massachusetts by her
struggles to support the revolutionary contest, in which her
efforts were, at least, equal to those of any other state, and
the taxes, which, at the close of the war, were necessarily
imposed upon the citizens by the state government, were
the principal causes of the disturbances in 1786-7, which
are now talked of by some of the older inhabitants, and
particularly in the western part of the commonwealth, as
the “Shays war.” It was so called from Daniel Shays, one
of the principal insurgents, and now (1822) a peaceable
citizen and revolutionary pensioner in the western part of
the state of New-York.

This rebellion is certainly a stain upon the character of
Massachusetts—almost the only one. It may, nevertheless,
serve to exhibit in a favourable light the humane and
orderly character of her inhabitants. If there were no wrongs
to be redressed, there were heavy sufferings and privations
to be borne. The stimulus of the revolutionary war had
not wholly subsided, and the vague and fanciful anticipations
of all the blessings to be conferred by “glorious liberty,”
had passed away. The people found that they had
liberty indeed, but it was not what they had painted to
their fancies. They enjoyed a republican government, but
with it came increased taxation, poverty, and toil. Their
means were rather straightened than enlarged. From the
embarrassment and confusion of the times, debts had multiplied
and accumulated; courts were established, and the
laws were enforced.

The organization of courts and the collection of debts,
formed one of the principal grounds of discontent. The

court-houses were attacked, and their session sometimes
prevented. The party in favour of the state government,
and, of course, of the support of the laws, was commonly
called the court party. An Englishman might smile at such
an application of the term.

The insurrectionary spirit was very general throughout
the commonwealth: and it might be said that the western
counties were in the possession of the rebels against republicanism.
It endured, however, but for a few months, and
was chiefly put down by the voluntary and spirited exertions
of the peaceable inhabitants. While it lasted, there
was, of course, a considerable degree of license, and occasional
pilfering, for it could hardly be called plunder; but
there was little destruction of property, and no cruelty.
Sometimes a few individuals of the court party, and sometimes
a few Shaysites were made prisoners; and in such
cases they were shut up in rooms during the stay of the
conquering party, and occasionally marched off with them
on their retreat.

It is probable that about fifteen or twenty individuals
perished in battle during the Shays war. Not one suffered
by the sentence of a civil magistrate.

The most severe engagement which occurred during the
contest, took place in Sheffield, on the 27th of February,
1787. The government party was composed of militia
from Sheffield and Barrington; in number about eighty
men, and commanded by Colonel John Ashley, of Sheffield.
This party, hearing that the rebels had appeared in
force, in Stockbridge, where they had committed some depredations,
and taken several prisoners, pursued them for
some time without success, and did not fall in with them
until their return to Sheffield, to which place the rebels had
marched by a different route. The insurgents were more
numerous, but possessed less confidence than the government
party. This circumstance was every where observable
during the contest. Upon this occasion, as the most
effectual protection, they placed their prisoners in front of
their line, and between themselves and their assailants

They probably expected a parley, and that the parties
would separate without bloodshed. This had sometimes
happened before, from the great reluctance which all felt
to proceed to extremities against their neighbours and acquaintances.
But Colonel Ashley was a man of determined
spirit, and fully convinced that energetic measures had
become necessary, he ordered his men to fire. They
knew their friends and remonstrated. The Colonel exclaimed,
“God have marcy on their souls, but pour in your
fire!” They did so, and after an engagement of about six
minutes, the rebels fled. Their loss was two men killed, and
about thirty, including their captain, wounded. The loss
of the government party was two men killed, and one
wounded. Of the former number, one was a prisoner who
had been forced into the front of the rebel line.

If the remembrance of this commotion had not been
preserved by the classical pen of Minot, its traditions would,
probably, expire in one or two generations.

This is the only civil war which has ever been waged
in our country, unless the war of the revolution can be so
called.