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Copy of a letter from Gen. Lincoln, to Capt. Shays.
Hadley, Jan. 30, 1787.

To Captain Shays and the Officers commanding the men in arms against the Government of this Commonwealth.

WHETHER you are convinced or not of your error, in flying to arms; I am fully persuaded that before this hour, you must have the fullest conviction upon your own minds, that you are not able to execute your original purposes.

Your resources are few, your force is inconsiderable and hourly decreasing from the disaffection of your men; you are in a post where you have neither cover nor supplies, and in a situation in which you can neither give aid to your friends, nor discomfort to the supporters of good order and government. Under these circumstances you cannot hesitate a moment to disband your deluded followers. If you should not, I must approach and apprehend the most influential characters among you. Should you attempt to fire upon the troops of government, the consequences must be fatal to many of your men the least guilty. To prevent bloodshed you, will communicate to your privates, that if they will instantly lay down their arms, surrender themselves to government, and take and subscribe the oath of allegiance to this Commonwealth, they shall be recommended to the General Court for mercy. If you should either withhold this information from them, or suffer your people to fire upon our approach, you must be answerable forall the ills which may exist in consequence thereof.
B. LINCOLN, commanding the forces of Government.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: After the assault on the Springfield Arsenal on January 25, 1787, General Benjamin Lincoln wrote to Daniel Shays and his officers telling them that, to prevent bloodshed, they must tell the men to surrender and take an oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. William Butler began publication of the Hampshire Gazette on September 6, 1786, in Northampton, Massachusetts. The mission of the newspaper was to inform the public about the issues pertaining to the ongoing insurrections. Butler hoped that it would help prevent the mob mentality from gaining strength. Articles from 1786 and 1787 reflect contemporary views on Shays' Rebellion.

 

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"Copy of a letter from Gen. Lincoln to Capt. Shays" in Hampshire Gazette newspaper

publisher   Hampshire Gazette
author   General Benjamin Lincoln (1733-1810)
date   Jan 31, 1787
location   Northampton, Massachusetts
height   7.75"
width   3.0"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L04.080


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See Also...

Hampshire Gazette newspaper article on Shays' Rebellion

Copy of a letter published in the Hampshire Gazette regarding Shays' Insurgents

Letters to Capt. Shays and General Shepard published in the Hampshire Gazette


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