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The following is a Copy of a Letter from a number of Officers and others, convened at Pelham on the 15th instant, to John Brown of Whately:

Pelham, Jan. 15, 1787.

"SIR,

ACCORDING to undoubted intelligence received from various parts of the Commonwealth, it is determinedly the Governor and his adherents, not only to support the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, to be holden at Worcester next week, by point of sword, but to crush the power of the people at one bold stroke, and render them incapable of ever opposing the cruel power, Tyranny, hereafter, by bringing those who have steped forth to ward off the evil that threatens the people with immediate ruin to an unconditioned submission, and their leaders with an infamous punishment. Notwithstanding it is thought prudent, by a number of officers and others, convened at Pelham on the 15th of Jan. inst. to consult on the exigencies of the present times, that the people of the county of Hampshire immediately assemble in arms, to support and maintain, not only the rights and liberties of the people since our opponents, by their hearty movement refuse to give opportunity to wait the effect of their prayers and petitions. This is therefore to desire you to assemble the company under your command, well armed and equipped, with ten days provision, and march there, in season, to be at or near Dr. Hind's in Pelham, by Friday the tenth instant, there to receive further orders.

"Signed

D. SHAYS
J. POWERS.
R. DICKINSON,
J. BORDWELL,
J. BILLINGS.

"Capt. John Brown,
"Whately."

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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This letter was written to John Brown of Whately, Massachusetts, by officers of the Regulators, including Daniel Shays. Captain Brown was requested to assemble his company and march them to the town of Pelham by Friday, January 19, 1787. The companies were to assemble at Dr. Nehemiah Hines' (Hind) tavern by ten o'clock to receive further orders. The officers were responding to a plan by Governor Bowdoin to open the courts in Worcester the following week. William Butler began publication of the Hampshire Gazette on September 6, 1786, in Northampton, Massachusetts, 18 days after the Regulators prevented the Court of Common Pleas from convening there. The newspaper often urged support of the government and was against the activities of the Regulators. The paper came out on Wednesdays and consisted primarily of articles reprinted

 

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Letter from Shays' officers to John Brown of Whately published in Hampshire Gazette newspaper

publisher   Hampshire Gazette
author   Daniel Shays (1747-1825)
date   Jan 24, 1787
location   Northampton, Massachusetts
height   2.5"
width   2.0"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L07.042


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See Also...

Hampshire Gazette newspaper article on Shays' Rebellion

Letters to Capt. Shays and General Shepard published in the Hampshire Gazette

Hampshire Gazette newspaper article on Shays' Rebellion


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