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��THE GRANITE MONTHLY.
��during the whole war, and was pro- moted to the rank of colonel in 1784. This station gave him authority and control over ail able-bodied citizens between the ages of sixteen and fifty, as the law then was. Capt. Webster had thus the command of about seventy-five men. As an officer, he was beloved by his soldiers, and always had their entire confidence. He was born to command. He was in stature about six feet ; of a massy frame, a voice of great compass, eyes black and piercing ; a countenance open and ingenuous, and a complexion that could not be soiled by powder. He was the very man to head the proud columns of the Sons of Liberty. Hence, soon after the Lexington fight, we find him at Cambridge, at the head of most of his company. He armed more than half of his men, and re- mained on duty at Winter Hill for six months of that year. In 1776, re- signing the office of selectman, he en- listed a company and repaired to New York in season to take part in the battle of White Plains. Before he went into the army in this year, with the aid of his colleagues, he procured the signatures of eighty-four of his townsmen (being all except two) to the pledge offered to the people agreeably to the resolution of congress, as follows :
"We do hereby solemnly engage and promise that we will, to the utmost of our power, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the hostile proceedings of the British fleets and armies against the United Ameri- can Colonies."
His son, Hon. Daniel Webster, the last year of his life, thus eloquently referred to the signers of this pledge in Salisbury : "In looking to this re- cord thus connected with the men of my birth-place, I confess I was gratified to find who were the signers and who were the dissentients. Among the former was he from who I am imme- diately descended, with all his broth- ers, and his whole kith and kin. This is sufficient emblazonry for my arms ;
��enough of heraldry for me." In the spring of 1777 he enlisted a company for the relief of the northern army. After a short service he returned for the purpose of assisting in the organiza- tion of a still larger force to oppose the progress of Burgoyne. Before the first day of July he reported to Col. Thomas Stickney, of Concord, that his company was mustered and ready for active service, all save Benja- min Huntoon and Jacob Tucker, "who each wanted a firearm." None could be procured in Salisbury for them, and Col. Stickney was request- ed to furnish arms for these men.
We once had in our possession two original letters from Capt. Webster to Col. Stickney on this subject. In this company that was engaged in the battle of Bennington on the 16th of August, were enrolled forty-five of the good men of Salisbury, two thirds of whom had wives and families, embrac- ing the Pettengills, the Fifields, the Bohonons,the Huntoons, the Sanborns, the Eastmans, the Smiths and Scrib- ners,the Greelys and Websters. They all returned safe excepting Lieut. Andrew Pettengill, who died, soon after his return, from injuries received in this campaign. He was an excellent officer, and father of Lieut. Benjamin Pettengill. About seventeen of the company were from New Britain, now Andover, and ten others from the town of Hillsborough. Among them were McNeil and Andrews, Symonds and Booth, who had before fought on other fields. McNeil and Andrews had car- ried upon their shoulders their Capt. Baldwin, when mortally wounded in the battle of Bunker Hill.
His company occupied a position in front of the breast-work of the Hes- sians in the battle of Bennington. The bodies of the Hessians were par- tially concealed. Webster felt the disadvantage and addressed his men : "Fellow-soldiers, we must get nearer the Hessians. Storm their breast- work." The action was suited to the word. The enemy were soon dis- persed.
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