The Granite State Monthly Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 Excerpt: ...others formed themselves into two regiments, under the authority of the Massachusetts Convention." These regiments, under the command of John Stark and James Reed, were among the bravest fighters on Bunker Hill. The population of New Hampshire in 1775 is supposed by Dr. Belknap to have been about eighty-two thousand two hundred. From this number of inhabitants the Provincial Congress of New Hampshireraised three regiments, containing, in all, two thousand men. Each of these regiments, when full, contained at least six hundred and sixty-six men. In the Provincial Papers, edited by Dr. Bouton, we find a Return of Col. Reed's regiment on the fourteenth of June, 1775, amounting to six hundred thirty-seven men. Of these one hundred and fortynine were unfit for duty. We may reasonably suppose that additions were made to this number by new enlistments before the day of battle. I do not find a Return of Stark's regiment. He was unanimously elected Colonel, by hand vote, of a regiment formed at Medford, Mass., where the New Hampshire volunteers had assembled. The regiment had ten or twelve companies. The exact number is not stated. But doubtless Stark's regiment was much larger than Reed's, for the people followed him with great enthusiasm and delighted to serve under him. In a letter written by Gen. Stark, on the nineteenth of June, he says: "In the morning of the day of battle I was required to send two hun dred men, with officers," to the aid of Col. Prescott. ' About two o'clock in the afternoon, express orders came for the whole of my regiment to proceed to Charlestown to oppose the enemy who were landing on Charlestown point." The number of killed, wounded and missing of his regiment was sixty; in Reed's regiment, thirty-three; total, ninet...