Excerpts from the Journal of Park Holland

tarry in Hadley tarry about sunset we received Orders to March
immedially and it was generally supposed it was for Pelham
but the fact was Gen^l. Lincoln had received information that
Shays had decamped at Pelham & had Marched for Petersham.
We soon got under way the Weather being comfortably warm
but 11 or 12 ^oClock at Night there came a Violent Squall of Snow
from the Northwest and the Weather changed imediatly to intolerably
cold. The snow was deep but there was a fine Hard Sleigh path which
would have made it fine Travilling had it not ben that our Artille-
-ry was in front and the carriage Wheels being much wider
apart than sled & Sleigh runners ware which brot a large
quantity of the Old Snow into the path which made it most intolerable
bad travelling and arrived at Petersham about sunrise having
travelled Thirty mile in the course of the Night verry much
Fatiauged and badly Frost bitten. I had but two
men in my Company that were not Frostbitten more or
less. Shay being informed that Gen^l. Lincoln was close in his his
rear began to think of leaving the Town so rapid were their
movements that many left their Provisions and some was
on the Fire cooking for breakfast our Quarter Masters
had gone in front of us to look out for Houses for us to
Lodge in so when we come to the Streat we had only to take
take possession of such Houses as they pointed out to us some
of them was then in possession of Shays men but they soon
quit and gave us peasable possession. The main Body of
Shays troops marched to the Northward throu Petersham to the
North Bounds of the Town which was in a Vally and in
some miasure out of the way of the Wind hear they made a
halt probably to consult what was best to be don either
either to make a firm Stand and give Gen^l. Lincoln Battle