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

n87.] SHAYS REBELLION. 517
marched to Great Barrington, where they made a general
jail delivery. But the alarm had been given, the militia
began to collect, and the plunderers had only time to prepare
for their own safety. A retreat through Egremont
was at once commenced, but the government force arrived
there first, and a hot engagement took place. In a few
moments the rebels gave way, and a number of prisoners
were captured. This was the expiring effort of the rebellion.
Plundering and stealing was continued by detached
parties of the regulators for some little time, but most of
those implicated in the troubles fled to other States. Safe in
these asylums they continued to " Hurrah for Shays,"
ready to participate in any outbreak that might occur.
The General Court requested the Governor to write to the
authorities of other States, suggesting that they should
apprehend certain refugees and prevent them from obtaining
supplies. Favorable responses were received from most
of them and arrangements were made by which any guilty
person demanded by Massachusetts should be given up.
Most of the leaders of the rebellion were captured and imprisoned.
Day was made prisoner at Westmoreland, N.
H., in January, 1788, and taken to Boston. Shays and Eli
Parsons escaped capture, and petitioned the Legislature
for pardon, which was granted. Shays died respected at
Sparta, N. Y., in 1825, aged 85 years. Parsons died at
Oswego, N. Y., five years after, "a genial, kind-hearted
and respected citizen."
A story of the Insurrection.
A Northampton incident of these unsettled
times, handed down by tradition and showing
the determination of the people, women
as well as men, in resisting these unlawful proceedings,
ought not to be omitted. The exact date of its occurrence
is uncertain. Very probably it took place about the 27"' of
January, 1787, when Day's party of insurgents, while run-
ning away from Gen. Lincoln, spent the night here. The
story is as follows :
—
Capt. Joseph Cook was an innholder and Keeper of the
Jail on Pleasant Street, the keys of which it is said he kept
beneath the feather-bed upon which he slept. When the
rioters came at night to set the prisoners free, the ke}' to