University of Virginia Library

NOTE TO PAGE 126.

“For the story had come that Shay's men would cover their front with
the captives.”

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 straitened
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 indivituals 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 besome 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 tradition 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.