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

1757.] FOURTH FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 391
inforcements and supplies for Gen. Webh. One fourth of
tlie soldiers from all the regiments in the province, except
those of York, Nantucket and Dukes, were ordered to
Springfield. Twenty thousand men responded to this call,
and they were marched hurriedly towards the seat of war
as fast as they could be organized.
Patriotism of tiie This great and threatening danger roused
P®°p^®- the patriotism of the inhabitants throughout
the length and breadth of Massachu-
setts. So eager were the soldiers to hasten to the relief of
their comrades, that when the first intelligence of the in-
vasion, accompanied by a call for reinforcements, was re-
ceived, they marched at once towards the scene of action
without Waiting for orders. ^
Reinforcements sent Gol. Israel Williams, who was succeeded by
Quickly Forward. Qyi_ OHver Partridge of Hatfield, took
command of the northern Hampshire Regiment
in active service. When Gen. Webb received information
of the approach of Montcalm, he sent for reinforcements,
and on the 6"" of August, Gov. Pownal ordered
Cols. Williams and Worthington of Hampshire, and Col.
Ruggles of Worcester, to raise men and send them to
Albany. They acted promptly, and soldiers were on the
way to the seat of war within four days. Gen. Pepperell
was ordered to Springfield on the S**" ; two days afterwards
he had orders to forward every available man and he at
once moved the regiments of Williams, Worthington and
Ruggles. On the 13''\ he writes to Capt. Christie, aide to
Gen. Webb, in substance as follows : —
When I came here, I found that Col. Worthington, Col. Williams and
Col. Ruggles Regiments were all marched forward to relieve Fort William
Henry, some of them even before the Governor could get orders
to them to march, ''snch was the readiness of this people to go to the
assistance of the distressed, that this part of the Province seems
almost evacuated, and the frontier tbereof in the north in a most
dangerous situation, the whole militia within 40 or 50 miles being
drawn off. * * * They went off on a sudden with great freedom in
great numbers and thro' great difficulties of their private affairs."
1 When tlie enemy invested Fort William Henry, Gen. Webb sent urgent requests
to Massachusetts and New Yorlf for reinforcements. It was in answer to this appeal
that many soldiers marched to his relief without orders from headquarters, and
before the capture of the fort was known.—Gen. Pepperell's Report.