An attack was made on Thursday last by a party of Insurgents under Shays, upon
the troops commanded by General Shephard, at Springfield—previous to the
attack, upon the approach of the Insurgents, Generall Shephard sent messages
to them at three several times, informing them that if they advanced he should
assuredly fire on them—Mr. Shays replied, he was resolved to proceed and
sleep that night in the barracks, and continued to advance.—General Shephard
then ordered several cannon to be discharged on their right and left, but they
still advanced; he then ordered the pieces to be leveled against the insurgents,
at which time they were within 55 rods; as soon as they were discharged, the
insurgents fled with the utmost precipitation—One of the men who managed
the cannon, was by accident dangerously wounded—Four of the insurgents
were killed, and a number wounded.—As General Shephard’s orders
extended no farther than merely to defend the post, he did not pursue the insurgents,
the greater part of whom might probably have been killed or taken—Shays
retreated that night to Ludlow, and the next day marched to Chicabee.—On
Friday and Saturday the troops under General Lincoln arrived at Springfield,
and in the afternoon of Saturday, marched to West-Springfield, where Day and
his party had taken their station, but on the approach of General Lincoln the
insurgents retreated with expedition and arrived the same evening at Northampton—Shays
retreated the same night from Chicabee to Amherst and his men in their rout
took from the house of Major Goodman, at South-Hadley, two barrels of rum, his
account books, divers articles of household furniture, stripped the beds, broke
the windows, &c.—they also broke open the house of Col. Woodbridge,
and took divers articles from others in the neighbourhood; but it is said that
Shays endeavoured to prevent several of the outrages committed by his party.
On Sunday, in the afternoon, Day marched from Northampton to Amherst with his
party, which was then reduced to 240 men. On Monday General Lincoln, with his
troops which came from the lower counties, marched from Springfield towards
Amherst, but finding, when he came near that place, that Shays had retreated
to Pelham, the troops turned off and took up their quarters at Hadley, from
that place Gen. Lincoln wrote yesterday to the leaders of the insurgents, advising
them to disband their deluded followers, and engaging that the privates, if
they would immediately lay down their arms, should be recommended to the General
Court for mercy—General Putnan was charged with the letter who returned,
but what answer he brought, or whether any, we have not been informed.
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