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

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

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1775.] REVOLUTION—INVASION OF CANADA. 379<br />

mortally wounded and eleven <strong>of</strong> liis company killed. The<br />

soldiers were put <strong>in</strong>to the common jail, where they suffered<br />

much <strong>from</strong> want <strong>of</strong> ])rovisions and fuel. Rations were<br />

scant throughout the city, and wood was very scarce. The<br />

smallpox was quite prevalent, and Bates had it <strong>in</strong> the natural<br />

way. On the 10"' <strong>of</strong> August, 1776, the prisoners were<br />

liberated, engag<strong>in</strong>g not to serve aga<strong>in</strong>st England till they<br />

had been regularly exchanged. Four hundred men embarked<br />

<strong>in</strong> transports, and arrived <strong>in</strong> New York harbor<br />

under convoy, about the middle <strong>of</strong> September. Soon after<br />

they reached the city, New York was captured by the Brit-<br />

ish, and the prisoners were landed at Elizabethtown, N. J.<br />

They managed to reach Wash<strong>in</strong>gton's army at Valent<strong>in</strong>e's<br />

Hill, and there Bates found his old commander, Capt.<br />

Allen, enlisted for a year's service. Here he received a<br />

portion <strong>of</strong> his pay, and soon after set out for home. His<br />

father met him at Southwick, and he reached <strong>Northampton</strong><br />

about the first <strong>of</strong> October. Paul Clapp, Joseph Parsons<br />

Jr., Russell Clark, and Oliver Edwards <strong>of</strong> <strong>Northampton</strong>,<br />

were taken prisoners with Bates, and most <strong>of</strong> them reached<br />

home with<strong>in</strong> a few days <strong>of</strong> his return.<br />

The other North- Noue <strong>of</strong> the otlicr soldiers <strong>from</strong> this town<br />

ampton Soldiers volunteered to enter the city with Arnold.<br />

The time for which they had enlisted expired<br />

on the day <strong>of</strong> the battle, and thej^ started for home.<br />

They sold the packs <strong>of</strong> those who had been taken prisoners,<br />

conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g cloth<strong>in</strong>g, etc., and used the proceeds to x>ay their<br />

way, much to the discomfort <strong>of</strong> their companions <strong>in</strong> prison.<br />

The prisoners were all captured with<strong>in</strong> the lim<strong>its</strong> <strong>of</strong> the<br />

city. While <strong>in</strong> the Quebec jail they heard no news <strong>from</strong><br />

the army or <strong>from</strong> home, till Humphrey Richardson (an<br />

apprentice <strong>of</strong> Abner Barnard) was captured and conf<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

with them.<br />

A westhampton Ebeuezcr Gee <strong>of</strong> Westhampton enlisted at<br />

Soldier. Dorchcster <strong>in</strong> the Arnold expedition, under<br />

Capt. Scott <strong>of</strong> Londonderry, N. H. He<br />

went with the rest to Dead River and returned with Col.<br />

Enos. He rejo<strong>in</strong>ed his old company at Dorchester, <strong>in</strong> the<br />

latter part <strong>of</strong> December, and was discharged <strong>in</strong> the month<br />

<strong>of</strong> January follow<strong>in</strong>g.

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