In 1775, two-hundred twenty-five years ago, the tensions
between the British and the thirteen American colonies (brought on by
the various punitive acts of the British Parliament) had reached the
explosive stage. Under the Intolerable Acts (closing the port of
Boston, increasing the number of troops in Boston and the naming of
General Gates as governor of Massachusetts, putting Boston under
virtual martial law) the ferment finally exploded. In mid-April
General Gates sent out a force to seize Patriot arms caches in
Concord. The British force met with resistance from Patriot militia
in both Lexington and Concord and had to retreat, suffering great
losses. The Revolution had begun, the time of protest and debate were gone.
While the British were retreating from Concord, Lord Percy was on
his way with reinforcements and four baggage wagons loaded with rum,
brandy and provisions, he also had a guard of twelve men for the
relief of Colonel Smith’s hard-pressed troops. The convoy of wagons
fell behind the main force. Reverend Phillips Payson, leading some
men from his parish in Chelsea, was joined by men from Marblehead.
Reverend Payson’s detachment of eighteen men on made their way to
assist at Lexington. While traveling through Menotomy (Arlington),
Reverend Payson encountered the supply wagons. The Americans attacked
the soldiers guarding the supply wagons, killing one, wounding
several, and taking the whole convoy of prisoners along with their
arms and provisions. Two members of the Pratt family, Thomas and John
, were listed with the Chelsea men. When General Washington arrived
in July, he personally commended Reverend Payson for his act of bravery.
While the British were in possession of Boston, all boats along
the Chelsea landings were confiscated to prevent goods of any type
being sent into Boston. The British rowed their barges around day and
night to prevent any infractions of British law. While prowling at
night the British would row into shore and raid the farms for the
much needed produce. One morning about daybreak, Deacon Sayles went
out to his farm with a hoe in his hands, just about the time a
British barge was about to land for a raid on the farm. The British
saw the Deacon and thinking he had a gun, beat a hasty retreat.
The Chelsea shores became well guarded against the British raids.
The British need for farm produce was great and worth taking chances.
Small boats were rigged with dummies to look like men. These boats
were pushed ahead of the barge to receive any sentry fire at the
landings. On one such occasion, Lieutenant Samuel Pratt was behind a
tree when the British pushed one of these boats ashore. Samuel Pratt
kept silent until the British were about to land. He then fired his
gun and shouted for others to come. The British become so alarmed
they pushed off, leaving their boat and dummies behind.
There were many regiments that came to assist in the siege
of Boston. Two companies from Nashua, N. H. were encamped in Chelsea.
One company was quartered in Prattville from the Watts home at the
bend of Washington Avenue and County Road to the area of Washington
Park of today. The second company was quartered in the Cary House and
near the old Downes salt works near Marginal Street.
There were close to twenty-five slaves from Chelsea that served in
the Revolutionary War, including Sifax Cary. Sifax was a slave from
the Cary farm who died in the war.