Justin Hitchcock's Remarks and Observations

73

the road above the ferry lane when we came
to the court house we found it well guarded
by the friends of Government who were well armed
and had too pieces of Artillery the court was
setting but could not do business amids the
noise and confusion. The Mob were numerous and as
they Marched by us by agreement I counted
the sections and allowing 8 men to a section
I made them from1200. to 1300. others did the same
Daniel Shays was at their head About 300 in the
front were armed the rest not or not generally so
The freinds of Government were fully Armed tho
I thought the Mob the most in number. The
Court adgourned And we had no further business
a sort of agreement was entered into with the
Mob by which we all retired home in peace
The Mob assembled at Worcester in November and
stoped the Court setting there. They were out in
too severe storms Thus at the close of this year all
law and goverment was compleatly prostrate. In
Worcester Hampshire and Berkshire James Bowdoin
Esq. was now our Governor and he and the Council
with the Genl Court were about trying whether
they should rule or a Mob

1787 The beginning of this year was truly an
alarming crisis. The Goverment ordered Genl Shepherd
to assemble an armed force at Springfield the latter
part of January and the friends of Goverment
turned out with alacrity and zeal and the
Insurgents as the Mob were now called turned out