Revolutionary War

History

Revolutionary War

Response to the cause of liberty in Yarmouth was strong and enthusiastic. Two "Liberty Poles" were erected in town and around them the Sons of Liberty gathered in support of the cause. One of these poles, the Liberty Pole atop "Liberty Hill" at the corner of present day Willow Street and Route 6A, is said by tradition to have been the first Liberty Pole ever erected. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, citizens of Yarmouth took up contributions for the "suffering citizens of Boston" and appointed committees "Of observation and prevention" and "to see that no tea is consumed in Yarmouth."

In June of 1776, the Continental Congress sent forth a request for advice as to whether "if Congress should ... declare their independence, the people will sustain them in the act." The response was "that the inhabitants of the town of Yarmouth do declare a state of INDEPENDENCE OF THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, agreeable to a late resolve of the General Court, if in case the wisdom of Congress should see proper to do it." One historian claims that no other community in the state responded to the inquiry of the Congress with anything like the decisive and bold declaration of the people of Yarmouth.

Modern-day re-enactment at the Yarmouth Common

The aggressive acts of the English in Lexington and Concord brought an immediate response from the "sturdy yeomen and sailors" of Yarmouth. At once the militia of the town, 60 officers and men, departed for the scene but as they found the soldiers had been driven into Boston, they soon returned. As the war progressed, Yarmouth responded to requests for troops, encouraging "one in every seven men" to enlist, raising bounties to pay them, and voting to suspend taxes for the volunteers while they were in service and to support the families of the men as necessary. Captain Joshua Gray commanded the local militia and on at least one occasion his militia volunteers were called out to help form a line of defense near Boston. Townspeople heeded repeated calls for war supplies and in June, 1780, Yarmouth sent north some 51 shirts and the same amount of shoes and stocking, 26 blankets and over 10,000 pounds of beef. Soon, with its town resources badly depleted by the war effort, Yarmouth successfully applied to the General Court for relief from taxation.