79 BIOGRAPHICAL. ORIGINAL. COL. WILLIAM BUCKMINSTER OF BARRE. No kind of reading affords more entertainment and instruction than Biography. Zeno, the celebrated philosopher, when he enquired of the Delphic Oracle what manner of life he should lead, received for answer, "ask the dead." It enables us to approach without fear and converse freely with the most reserved and inaccessible. The wise and good of other days are made to sit at our tables, and we listen to them, as to friends and companions. The benefits of experience flow from an acquaintance with their actions and lessons in wisdom result from their conversation. We invite them to our firesides and dismiss them one after another, without tedious ceremony or a tax on our hospitality. Intimacy inspires confidence, and their virtues rarely fail of imparting a profitable influence. That is a commendable trait in the human character which instinctively leads us to overlook defects and search only for good qualities in the dead. Some one has said, that no book was ever written that did not contain something worth reading: the same may be said of men; that no one ever attained the middle age of life without having said or done something worth recording. Persuaded that an account of the lives and characters of those who were the companions of our fathers must be acceptable to the present generation, it has been thought proper to gather facts and collect information relative to those most eminent and worthy, and insert them in the pages of this work. With this view the reader is now presented with a brief notice of Col. William Buckminster, of Barre, who for the ardour of his patriotism and the excellence of his heart, lived and died in the esteem and affection of all who knew him. Of his ancestry all we know is, that his grandfather, Joseph Buckminster, was a native of Brooklyne, called Muddy River, in this state. He removed from this place to Framingham, in the county of Middlesex, and was one of the earliest settlers of the town. Here he died at the advanced age of eighty four. His son, Joseph Buckminster, father of William, the subject of this memoir, was born in 1697. He represented his fellow citizens in the Legislature for upwards of twenty years. He died in 1780, in the eighty fourth year of his age. William Buckminster was born at Framingham, the 15th of De cember, A. D. 1736. In 1757 he removed to Barre, and there devoted himself to the business of agriculture, the sole occupation of both his father and grandfather. Independent in his opinions, and unwavering in his judgments, with more than ordinary endowments of mind, he obtained the confidence and respect of the people.His integrity made him friends, and his understanding gave importance and consideration to his political sentiments. The treaty of peace between England and France in 1763 was attended with important results to the American colonies. An eight years war had involved the former deeply in debt, and its ministry resolved to raise a revenue to relieve the embarrassment by laying a tax on the provinces. This measure, fraught with so much injustice and tyranny, kindled universal resentment. Not only violating the most essential and important rights secured by charter, it manifested a contemptuous disregard to the valuable services performed by the colonies in the late, long and expensive contest. The principal men of Massachusetts, inheriting the highest relish for civil liberty from their ancestors, and watching with a jealous eye the gradual encroachments of power, remonstrated with warmth and vehemence against the oppressive measures of the ministry. The rights and privileges granted in the charter became daily better and more thoroughly understood. The sea-ports took alarm at the exorbitant imposts and duties laid on merchandise, and the discontent and inquietude, at first, confined to a few, shortly spread through the whole community. The insulting ty ranny of Bernard the Governor, and the odious course adopted by the officers appointed by the king to enforce the orders of the British parliament, awoke all from their slumbers. The period that elapsed from 1764 to '75 was one deeply interesting to the colonies. The spirit of party had divided the community. Some were inclined tamely to acquiesce in the oppres sive and unjust measures of the parent country, while the major part was for resolute and determined resistance. Mr. Buckminster from the beginning espoused the cause of the latter. His eager zeal for maintaining the rights contended for by the Colony, and the warmth of his patriotism, as early as 1764, made him distinguished among the whig party. Decisive in his measures, open and undisguised in his friendships, he enjoyed to an unusual extent the confidence of his fellow citizens. In 1774 he signalized himself by his activity in providing arms and ammunition, in compliance with the recommendation of the provincial Congress. A new organization of the militia now took place, and in this as in every instance where liberty was the object, the public was benefited by his active ser vices. The minute men raised in Barre were commanded by him. No exertions were spared to improve them in military discipline and inflame their minds against the tyrannic measures of the British parliament. On information of the skirmish at Lexington, which spread through the country with the rapidity of an electrié shock, he marched his company to Cambridge. Here the militia was re-organized, and from a captaincy, he was promoted to the office of Lieutenant Colonel in the Regiment commanded by Col. Jonathan Brewer, of Waltham. In the memorable battle of the 17th of June, on Bunker Hill, he acquired reputation for prudence and bravery. He continued on the field during the whole engagement. Just before the retreat of the Americans, he received a severe and dangerous wound from a musket shot. The ball entered his right shoulder and came out near the middle of the back. Although this disenabled him from performing further military service, his name was continued on the army list until the close of the war. His usefulness was highly appreciated from the influence he possessed over the minds of the people. His example had discovered entire devotion to the cause of independence, and his opinions, received with readiness, inspired all with courage. No one contributed more to keep alive the spirit enkindled by the attack on the inhabitants of Lexington than Col. Buckminster. re. After the battle at Bunker Hill he returned to his farm at BarHere he devoted himself to agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life. He was highly respected by the people of the town, and served them acceptably in various offices. Those who knew him best praised him most. Few persons sustained a more spotless character. He seems at all times to have been a man of the most inflexible integrity. The warmth of his patriotism and the zeal with which he served his country made him truly estimable. Our institutions of liberty, the exercise and enjoyments of our dearest rights, resulted from the united efforts of like undaunted spirits. Posterity will ever hold in grateful remembrance their valuable and active services. His remains are interred in a grave yard in Barre. The epitaph inscribed on the monument erected over him, is said to be a faithful and impartial record of the virtues which distinguished him through life. It is as follows: Sacred to the Memory of An Industrious Farmer, An Honest Man, A Brave Officer, And a Friend to his Country; The Rev. Joseph Buckminster, of Rutland, was an elder brother of William. He was born at Framingham, March 1st, 1720, and died at Rutland, Nov. 27th, 1792. His son, Joseph Buckminster, D. D. of Portsmouth, was father of the celebrated divine, Rev. Joseph S. Buckminster, formerly minister of the church in Brattle street, Boston. HISTORICAL. ORIGINAL. DESTRUCTION OF WYOMING. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40.) WHEN he had reached the spot designated for making the treaty, he found the place unoccupied. It would seem this had been enough to have put him on his guard. Unwilling, however, to return without effecting the objects of his errand, he continued to advance toward the neighboring highlands skirting the valley of the Susquehannah, to find some person with whom to hold the intended conference. Already too far from the fort to afford or receive relief in the event of an attack, and loth to retrace his steps without seeing the enemy, he still continued to penetrate the solitude of the forest. The sombre appearance of the country from the dense foliage of the trees, the dead silence that reigned on every hand, and the fear of treachery, filled all with gloom. At length, at some distance in the bushes, a flag was descried; the holders, as if apprehending danger from the number of men in the train of Zebulon, seemed to retire as he advanced. The motions of the flag invite him to follow. The unsuspecting American to dispel the impressions of fear, pressed forward: the timid bearers continued to withdraw; and Zebulon pursued unmindful, until too late, of the snare into which his own imprudence and the perfidy of the enemy had led him. On a sudden John with all his forces sprung from their coverts and with the most hideous yells commenced the work of death. Zebulon notwithstanding the weakness of his measures thus far, now evinced a courage and prudence honorable to a more able and experienced commander. He formed his troops advantageous ly and withstood the assaults of the enemy for near an hour. The firmness and resolution with which the contest was maintained, and the vigor and warmth displayed throughout his lines came near deciding the victory in his favor. But at this critical juncture a soldier, actuated either by cowardice or treachery, was heard to exclaim, "the Colonel has ordered a retreat," and a scene of the greatest confusion immediately ensued. The ranks were broken, and the Americans fled in every direction. The Indians renewed the war whoop, and with characteristic ferocity fell on the unresisting fugitives. The tomahawk and scalping knife perfected the work of the sword and bayonet. The dead, the dying, and those more unfortunate victims reserved for torture, presented a picture too horrible to be conceived. Of the four hundred who left the garrison only seventy escaped to carry back the sad tidings of defeat. These with Zebulon, at their head re-crossed the Susquehannah to fort Wilkesbarree. The next day, the fourth of July, the enemy re-invested fort Kingston. To aggravate the terrors of the massacre of the preceding day, the conquerors sent into the garrison an hundred and ninety six bloody scalps. The command now fell on Col. Dennison. Zebulon had left the post during the night and with his family passed down the river. It is thought he was the only officer spared. On the fifth, Dennison having defended the fort against the assaults of the enemy for a few hours, and, seeing, at length, the insufficiency of his means to hold out much longer, sent a flag to Col. Butler to enquire what the garrison might expect on surrender; to this, Butler with more than savage fierceness, and a barbarity peculiar to himself, returned for answer "the hatchet." Dennison now apprised of the determination of the enemy to exterminate the whole colony, resolved to defend the place to the last extremity. After resisting until most of his men were either killed or disa |