History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

284 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1755.
Col. Pomeroy TliG two vacancies in the roster of the
Superceded. Hampshire Regiment, caused by the deaths
of Col. Williams and Major Ashley, were
promptly filled by Gen. Johnson. He designated Lieut.
Col. Thomas Gilbert of Col. Ruggles' regiment, as acting
Colonel and " Capt. Gadfire" (according to Pomeroy's
Journal), as Major. These appointments were very unsat-
isfactory to the rank and file, as well as to the officers to
whom the promotions by right belonged. To Lieut. -Col.
Pomeroy, who richly deserved promotion for his gallant
service during the campaign, this placing of an officer from
another regiment over him must have been especially gall-
ing. Very slight allusion to this matter appears in the
correspondence of Col. Pomeroy, but the mention made of
it in his journal indicates his own feeling as well as the
sentiment which prevailed in the regiment. An unsuccessful
attempt was made to induce the Governor to confirm
these appointments, and at least one officer from the army
went to Boston on that errand. Though Pomeroy himself
found plenty of other topics with which to enliven his
home correspondence, his wife seems to have been well informed
upon the subject. In a letter to her husband, dated
September 22"*^, she writes : —
" The introducing another officer from another regiment seems uni-
versally resented here." Again on the 26"', she thus alludes to the difficulty
: — "Capt. Lyman is not like to get up so soon as was expected
on account of some difficulties at the camp, particularly with regard
to a chief colonel in your regiment. * * * It grieves me much that
there should be any difficulty about the disposition of that commission,
as it must be a damage to the cause in general by making (as we hear)
great uneasiness among the soldiers of your regiment, but especially as
it should so nearly concern you." Once more she writes : — '"I presiime
you are willing " Right" should take place. You kindly and I suppose
purposely omit writing of any of these difficulties."
" Right" did at last prevail, and about the 7"' of October
Lieut. -Col. Pomeroy received his commission as commander
of the regiment. At the same time Dr. Thomas Williams,
surgeon, and brother of Col. Ephraim, was commissioned
as Lieut. -Colonel, and Capt. James House, as Major.
About a month after the fight, on the 10^'' of October, Col.
Pomeroy moved into the quarters occupied by ' ' the famous
Col. Gilbard when he reigned."
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