David Hoyt to his Father, Regarding Shays' Rebellion

But yesterday morning our Horsemen bro^t inte
ligence that Shays was advancing with a full de-
termination to Quarter his army into y^e Barracks,
about 12.O.Clock we were allarm^d and the Army
immediately Parraded on the Hill and were put in Battle
array. two pieces, one Howit, & one Field piece were station
ed in front to Rake the great Road where we expected
the main body would come up. the artillery was conver^d
on y^e Right by the Company of Cadets under Maj^r
Williams of this Town Capt Dickinson with his com-
pany of Infantry (among whom is Ep.) and a party of
y^e Horse were ordered out to meet y^e Enemy and wherever
they met them to order them to stop, if they did not stand
to give them Fire. he (Capt. Dickinson) marched out about
one & an half Mile and met them he took up a Bridge
and Form^d his men for Battle; but about six minutes
before he was to fire he had orders to make a safe retreat
ing The Enemy approach^d Slowly . Sun. about one
hour high their front appear^d, Genl Shepherd- first a
horseman to their leader, told him if he did not halt in
3 min^s he would Fire. the leader rejected the mess-
age and treated the messenger with contempt. the three
min^s being out, our horsemen open^d, to y^e right and
left, and the pieces opened upon them. they did not appear
to much regard two or three of y^e first shotts but the
fourth shot was better directed and the Ball took its
Course directly into their Ranks about breast high
they then broke flow into the greatest disorder the grape Shot