Mr. Editor:—
my Dear Sir:—I have read with interest your article in the
Medford Historical Register relating to ancient ammunition recently found in the easterly part of
Medford.
It recalls vividly events and scenes long vanished.
Your query, ‘Who were the artillery men?’
needs an answer, if you can find anybody who has lived long enough.
There was a battle there once.
In or near 1840 a wild excitement arose among the boys in
Medford, especially at the old brick schoolhouse, which stood behind the
Unitarian Meeting-house and next to the home of Miss Mary and
Miss Lucy Osgood.
News had reached us that there was to be a muster and an Indian sham fight on the great plain, between
Medford and
Malden.
When the day arrived a lot of boys started for the battlefield.
James Hervey and
Warner Clisby went, and, though I am less sure about him, Gorham Train.
I was then ten years old, and I went with them.
We went eastward on Salem street, passed the end of Fulton street, almost to the town frontier, and the whole warlike scene was before us.