THE scenes and actors in the war of our Revolution have been familiar to us from boyhood. Bunker Hill, Lexington, Saratoga, and Valley Forge, are names which convey distinct ideas to us of the heroic achievements of our immediate ancestors; while Gates, Schuyler, Putnam, Greene, and a host of others no less patriotic, are well known to us as household friends. We have been acquainted with them long; we have seen the stage upon which they acted their parts nobly; we ourselves, in the sense that they lived for posterity, have witnessed the characters which they assumed, and have pronounced our verdict upon them. Though much is still to be written, and doubtless well written, of the war of our Revolution, and of those who achieved our independence, the day will never come in which we or our children will better know those great souls, or more truly honor their imperishable renown.

But there are other pages of our history with which we are less acquainted. Back of those days when we first emerged into the world of nations, while we were but "in the gristle of our youth," and not yet hardened into the bone of manhood, we, of the present age, seldom look. Content that we achieved all that we demanded when the days of our majority came, and that not even the strength or discipline of our natural mother could hold us in dishonorable tutelage, we forget the early culture which fitted us for mature action, and the occasions which opened to us in our minority the secret of our strength. We honor those who made us freemen, but forget those who taught us to be men. Like the Olympian victor, we count our years from the first crown we won, overlooking those which witnessed the frequent defeats, the constant struggles, the undismayed reverses, and the unmitigated toil, which prepared us for the conflict, and finally gave us the victory.

The history of New England, in the mind of the great mass of the present generation, dates little farther back than

the days of the opposition to the Stamp Act; and yet, for long years prior to that, the character of her population was developing, under the wise but severe dispensation of an overruling Providence, to that very point when it would successfully resist that tyrannous enactment. The threeand-thirty years which preceded the outbreak of 1774, were occupied by a generation worthy to be the fathers of those who achieved our independence. They were the years of toil, of suffering, of undismayed effort, of manly counsel, and fervent prayer, which made the men of the Revolution what they were. Patiently, but with a firm resolution, ever planting itself deeper in the soul, the fathers had eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth were set on edge." And it was not the Stamp Act, nor the Boston Port Bill, nor the levies of foreign troops, nor the haughty bearing of colonial governors, but the long and steady purpose of the British Parliament, manifested in the oppressive measures of forty years, which gave strength to the arm and indomitable purpose to the effort, which contended for and won our independence.

From among these fathers of the Revolution, the names of a few have descended to our own day, while those of others, no less true-hearted, earnest and patriotic, have been well nigh lost in the crowded current of subsequeut events. Of these latter, Col. Seth Pomeroy, whose name stands at the head of this article, was no mean representative. Fortuitously gaining possession of his manuscript writings, a very small portion of which have ever seen the light, it has appeared to us not undesirable to select a few of such as elucidate contemporaneous and doubtful events, and introducing them by a slight notice of the writer, and the scenes which they chronicle, to usher them in this way before the public.

Col. Pomeroy was a native and a resi dent of Northampton, in Massachusetts Bay. He was descended from one of the

oldest families in the colony, being of the fourth generation from Eltweed Pomeroy, the grand progenitor of all the Pomeroys in the United States, who, emigrating to this country from Devonshire in the year 1633, first settled in Dorchester, near Boston, and afterwards removed to the banks of Connecticut river. This Eltweed is represented to have been a man of good family, tracing his pedigree back to Sir Ralph de Pomeroy, a favorite knight of William of Normandy, whom he accompanied into England, acting a conspicuous part in the battle of Hastings, and afterwards building a castle called Berry Pomeroy, still in preservation, upon the grants which he received from the crown. Disgusted with the tyranny of the Stuarts and Archbishop Laud, and being a man of liberal and independent mind, Eltweed Pomeroy, accompanied by a large number of emigrants, mostly men of good circumstances and in respectable standing, determined to remove to America. Like most of the Dissenters of that age, he was a mechanic, having for many years carried on the business of making guns to a large extent, and with much reputation. Upon sailing for America, he closed his business, and selling the greater portion of his stock in trade, brought with him only his tools. After a residence of several years in Windsor, Ct., the province of Massachusetts Bay offered him a grant of one thousand acres of land on the Connecticut, on the condition of his establishing his business as a gunsmith within the bounds of the province. He did so; and it is a curious fact, that, among the seven generations which have succeeded him, there has been lacking at no time, in the direct male branch of descent, a follower of the original trade. The only article of the tools of the old progenitor of the family, which he brought rom England, known to be still in existnce, is the original anvil, now in the possession of Lemuel Pomeroy, Esq., of Pittsield, himself, for more than thirty years, a arge contractor with the United States or government arms.

Upon the banks of the beautiful Conecticut, in the midst of those broad interales which, sweeping from the base of Mount Holyoke, spread themselves towards he north and the south in green esplalades, surrounded by a pure, unmixed,

and rigid, puritanic population, whose faith knew no relaxation from the most literal injunctions of the Mosaic law, was the birthplace and home of Col. Seth Pomeroy. From the time of his birth, on the 20th of May, A. D. 1706, until his death, on the 19th of February in 1777, his family was known and respected throughout the colony; and, during a full half of that eighteenth century, no man stood higher in the love, and honor, and esteem of the hardy population of western Massachusetts than he did.

His boyhood and youth, with the intervals of a few weeks of schooling, in the phrase of the day, every winter, without which the laws of the Puritans allowed no boy to grow to manhood, were spent in learning the trade of his fathers. He afterwards became so thorough a workman in the making of guns, that the Indians of the Five Nations and of the Canadas sent deputations with their furs, annually, for many years to Northampton to exchange them for his rifles. Indeed, he himself was unexcelled as a certain shot, and in his younger days was known to return from his farm, near the foot of Mount Tom, some five or six miles from Northampton, with a deer, a bear, and a wolf, as the result of a single day's sporting. He continued the manufacture of guns, notwithstanding his frequent and long absences from home in the service of th province, for many years, employing many hands, and meeting most of the home demand for muskets from his own works.

Col. Pomeroy was married to Mary Hunt of Northampton, on the 14th December, 1732. From this time, or soon after this, he was largely employed in the public service. At that early day, while the western section of Massachusetts was infested by tribes of roving Indians, and the axe of the pioneer had not yet been heard in the upper valley of the Housatonic, no small portion of the public money, and of the forces at its command, were employed in opening roads through the western frontier to Albany, and in erecting forts on the north-western line of the province.

Probably no man in New England was better fitted to superintend duties like these, and no man of that day certainly had more to do with them. To his sagacity, prudence and foresight, accompanied with

great activity and unconquerable resolution, Berkshire county is indebted for the first great thoroughfares through her mountains, and the early access of emigration to her valley. Under a general commission from General Pownall, Col. Pomeroy labored assiduously in this great duty for many years of the early part of his life, and the success which his untiring industry gave eventually to all his projects for the public weal, accomplished much for his future reputation.

In 1745, Pomeroy accepted a commission as Major in the expedition which was raised against Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton. Perhaps no one event in the early history of the New England colonies more clearly exhibits the temper and spirit of the people, than this does. All Europe seemed convulsed with war. France and England, without adequate cause, became mingled in the melée, and like two mastiffs, scarce rested from recent strife, sprang from their kennels and rushed to the fray. Before the news of an infraction of peace had reached New England, a body of French from Cape Breton had surprised the little English garrison of Causeau, and destroying the fort, plundering the fisheries, and burning the buildings, had carried to Louisburg eighty men as prisoners of war. The people of New England were in great alarm, for they could expect no aid from the mother country, and were of themselves ill able to sustain the burden of a war. The temper of the people, however, was aroused, and Massachusetts, obtaining, by a single vote in majority, the acquiescence of the Legislature to an expedition against Louisburg, prepared for the conflict. Solicited to engage in the enterprise, Pennsylvania furnished a small supply of provisions, New York of ammunition. New England furnished the men. From New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts, a few more than four thousand troops were enlisted for the expedition. The fishermen of Marblehead, chased from the fishing banks by French privateers, gladly led forth in the enterprise, while to support them, with no knowledge of the science of war, but with hardy frames and fearless hearts instead, gathered the ploughmen of Merrimac, the lumbermen of the Kenthe hunters of the Penobscot, the

pioneers of Fort Massachusetts, and the quiet husbandmen from the banks of the Connecticut. On the last day of April, 1745, the little fleet, containing only its one-and-twenty cannon, landed its promiscuous soldiery to bombard a city, whose walls of thirty feet in height, and surrounded by a ditch of eighty feet in width, were fortified by two hundred and thirteen cannon, and manned by sixteen hundred men. On the evening of that day the young Major thus writes in his journal:

"Tuesday, April 30, 1745.-This was a fair, pleasant morning. We came in sight, sun one hour high, of Louisburg. There appeared a side toward Cabarough Bay, to prevent our peogreat number of French marching up the seaple's landing; but as quick as possible, though the sea ran so high as to make it difficult, our boats were on shore, and the men, springing from the foremost, ran to meet the French, and

came in shot of them. There was a short but

sharp engagement. Two of the French were killed on the spot, one was taken prisoner, and several were wounded, while we had none killed, and two only slightly wounded. The French ran off as fast as they could, our men following them, hut the woods being very thick they soon got out of sight. The blood of our boys being up, numbers followed for the woods them, so that by the next morning they had as fast as they landed, and finally got round killed two more, taken three more prisoners, and chased the rest into the town. We all landed safe, though in great danger, and encamped that night on Cape Breton."

After investing the city of Louisburg for more than a month, with no apparent signs of a surrender, it might be supposed that the hearts of the besiegers would be discomfited. That such was not the case. the following letter shows very plainly

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"From the Grand Battré, 14 miles north from the City of Louisburg, May the 8th, 1745.

"MY DEAR WIFE :-Notwithstanding the many dangers and hazards I have been in since I left you, yet I have been, through the goodness of God, preserved. Though much wo ried with the great business I have upon mi hands, I cheerfully go on with it. I have muc to write with but little time, and shall therefore only give some hints.

The Grand Battré is ours. Before we e

tered it, the people had fled out of it, and grome over to the town, but had stopped up the touchholes of the cannon. General Pepperill gave me the oversight of some twenty smiths in L ing them out, and though cannon balls and bal.

hundreds of them were fired from the city and the island fort, striking some the Battré, some the parade, and some in our very midst, yet none of us were hurt, and as soon as we could get the cannon clear, we gave them fire for fire. Louisburg is an exceeding strong, handsome and well situated place, with a fine harbor. It seems impregnable, but we have been so successful hitherto, that I do not doubt but Providence will deliver it into our hands. It looks as though our campaign would last long, but I am willing to stay till God's time comes to deliver the city into our hands, which I do not doubt will in good time be done. We have shut them up on every side, and still are making our works stronger against them. Their houses are compact, for which reason our bombs must do much hurt, and distress them in a great degree.

My dear wife, I expect to be gone longer from home than I did when I left it, but I desire not to think of returning till Louisburg is taken. I hope God will enable you to submit quietly to his will, whatever it may be, and enable you with courage and good conduct to go through the great business that is now upon your hands, and not think your time ill-spent in teaching and governing your family according to the word of God.

“The affairs at home I can order nothing about, but must wholly leave them, hoping they will be well cared for. My kind love to Mrs. Sweetland, my duty to Mother Hunt, and love to brothers and sisters all.

"My dear wife, if it be the will of God, I hope to see your pleasant face again; but if God in his holy and sovereign providence hath ordered it otherwise, I hope to have a glorious meeting with you in the kingdom of Heaven, where there are no wars, nor fatiguing matches, nor roaring cannon, nor cracking bombshells, nor long campaigns, but an eternity to spend in perfect harmony and undisturbed peace. This is the hearty desire and prayer of him that is your loving husband. SETH POMEROY."

From the cottage in the bosom of New England, where there is much concern about the expedition," leaving her children, whom she "orders after the word of God," to the care of " Mother Hunt," the wife, care stealing upon her "pleasant face" but making no inroads upon her brave heart, answereth thus:

"Northampton, June 27, 1745. "MY HONORED AND DEAR HUSBAND:-The 25th instant yours reached me, rejoicing to hear that you were alive and in health, glory to the great Preserver of man. O thou, my longed for, good and tender husband, you are in an enemy's land, but God rules their hearts. I

now write not knowing what will befall you; may infinite Power give you to tread upon the high places of the enemy, preserve you from death, be your shield, strength, support, counsellor, deliverer from harm, keeper from evil and all fire, your guide and instructor in all your dangerous engagements and laborious undertakings. Your labors are great, concerns many, and an exposedness to sudden death awaits you. My heart is with you; my soul distressed and much pained for you. May God be my support, in whose hand is the breath of all life and the soul of all living. May God enable me to trust his goodness, faithfulness, and rely on his mercy, till the evil be past and divine gales blow a heavenly calm. My dear husband, suffer no anxious thought to rest in your mind about me, your tender offspring, or business at home. We are all in a Christian land, daily experiencing divine favors. Our neighbors and friends are ready upon all occasions to afford their assistance when needed or re

quired. I am in health, and also the family at present. No evil at any time hath occurred since your departure. Mr. Pease hath been faithful in your shop business, and behaves with good content, and by these presents his due regards. Seth, your other little self and second name, I have sent down to New Haven about a month ago. Our dear and tender parents, brethren and sisters are in health-kinsfolk and all others in this town, not one person sick that I know of. Divine Providence smiles as though our enemy this summer would be restrained, and our peace not disturbed. The whole town is much moved with concern for the expedition, how Providence will order the affair, for which religious meetings every week in town are maintained. My dear husband, I leave you in the hands of God, desiring to submit to his will, whatever it may be.

"Please to write every opportunity. Mr. Sweetland sends his kind love to you. My love to you in the bonds of peace, and may God grant you to see much of Divine goodness; all which is the true desire of your dutiful and loving wife, MARY POMEROY. "To Major Seth Pomeroy, in the expedition against Cape Breton, these."

Think of that! With hard work all day long, " erecting fascine batteries," viewing salient angles," boring out the touch-holes of spiked guns," dragging cannon "over boggy morasses, for which Joe Meserve of New Hampshire had invented sledges that they might not stick again in the mud, and "giving the enemy fire for fire," our young Major, " after prayer at night, reads his wife's letter aloud" to his company. "Fight, my brave boys, for the whole town is moved with concern how Providence will