Woodstock's Company of Horse

By Jennie Shurtleff

In 1797, brigade generals were authorized by the Legislature, to build and complete their cavalry units. The Woodstock area already had a cavalry unit, but during the ensuing years, it was reorganized under this authorization. The local cavalry group in Woodstock was known, appropriately enough, as the “Company of Horse.”

Based on existing accounts, it appears that the group was at times akin to a social club that was more interested in sartorial matters, carousing, and a spirited romp on horseback than on perfecting their knowledge and skills of military maneuvers. The group’s military accomplishments are short and unimpressive, and yet the group had enough colorful events that transpired to warrant their inclusion in both newspaper articles and the town’s history, which was written by Henry Swan Dana.

From these sources, we know that in 1808, a meeting of the “Company of Horse” was held at the Burtch Tavern that stood on the southwest side of the Green. At this meeting, several important decisions were made. First, the group chose to update their uniforms by having their coats “trimmed with gold cord” and to have “yallow buttons” as well as “white bitts and red top boots.” Second, two men were elected to office whose names would reappear periodically throughout the organization’s history. The first was Charles Dana, who was appointed Second Lieutenant. The other was Lyman Mower, who was appointed Cornet.

Above: The so-called “Burtch Tavern” was originally constructed in 1788 to serve as a jail. However, in 1797, after the General Assembly decided to build a new jail on Central Street, the building was repurposed by Benjamin Burtch to serve as a tavern.

Above left to right: Charles Dana and Lyman Mower.

Charles Dana was a local merchant who had come to Woodstock from Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and after working as a clerk had been able to establish himself as a successful merchant. Lyman Mower was a wealthy land owner and entrepreneur who ran at various times a potashery, a gristmill, a distillery, an oil mill, and a variety of other milling interests, such as wool carding and cloth dressing. Although these two men were part of the organization, at times they found themselves at odds with some other members because of their politics.

As one undated article found in a scrapbook in the Woodstock History Center’s collection notes, “Dana and Mower were federal in politics, and both active traders. But trade was conducted in those times on very different principles from such as now prevail. Very little money of any description circulated in the States, and a good part of the little there was consisted of counterfeit coin and worthless Bank notes. Traders were therefore obliged to resort to all manner of shifts, by way of barter and exchange, to sell their goods and convert any part of them into cash.” One way that such businessmen sought to embellish their earnings at the expense of obeying the law was to convey loads of pork, pot and pearl ashes, and other sought-after items into Canada where they would exchange them for money and other merchandise.

One night, in early December of 1808, Dana and Mower, loaded up their teams with merchandise and set out for Canada in defiance of the embargo that Jefferson had recently put in place prohibiting all such transactions. According to the article, “the two men, being both strong federalists, cared nothing for the embargo provided they could make a good business operation out of the move. This they did, running the blockade without any hindrances, and getting safely home with handsome returns for their trouble.  It was not in the nature of a Jeffersonian democrat to look on quietly and see the President’s proclamation violated in this way. The law might take its own course to reach the offenders; he as an honest democrat had a way of showing his disapprobation, independent of all resort to legal proceedings in the courts.

On the 18th of January, 1809, a meeting of the Company of Horse was called to fill the vacancy occasioned by the appointment of Capt. Ephraim Allen as Major. The Company came together in great commotion, the democrats especially being loud spoken in their indignation against the two officers who had broken the embargo. People were also reminded that Dana and Mower were very outrageous at times in showing their federalism, and especially last 4th of July they behaved in very disorderly manner, when peace loving citizens were celebrating the nation’s birthday, getting up a celebration of their own, and seeking to divert the minds of the people from a proper observance of the day. But the friends of the offending officers rallied strong, the punch flowed freely, and after a smart contest Dana was elected first Lieutenant by one majority. Mower, however, was jumped; upon which he sent in his resignation as Cornet to General Forbes; and the same was accepted after considerable delay.”

For Charles Dana, at least, he was able to quell the opposition by having a group of persuasive friends and money enough to buy alcohol to cajole the dissenters into a more favorable mood.

Two years later, in the summer of 1811, 1st lieutenant Charles Dana was elected to be Captain. Henry Swan Dana, son of Charles Dana, later writes in his book History of Woodstock that when the War of 1812 broke out, “considerable military activity… pervaded this village and vicinity.”  He goes on to say that Charles Dana was a “gay and gallant captain, now in the prime of early manhood, was not without his share in the martial spirit of the times, and expected to be mustered, with his company, at any moment, into his country’s service. But it so happened that all his military experience was confined to the neighborhood of these hills, and to the exercise of his company of cavalry on the parade-ground. Within this sphere his activity was remarkable, as many a curious anecdote might serve to illustrate.”

Unfortunately no details are given as to what made Charles Dana’s leadership of the group so remarkable or about the curious anecdotes related to his service.

In a different section of his History of Woodstock, Henry Swan Dana notes that prior to Charles Dana becoming captain in 1811, Cyrus Allen had held the post and that “military spirit was then at its height, and this gave animation to the military parades and exercises of June training-days and muster-days, which, being regarded as the grand festive occasions of the year, all classes and ages were accustomed to attend with one accord… The headquarters of the company, for the most part, were in the hall over Charles Dana’s store, known in later times as Union Hall. Roll being called and everything made ready, the company on parade day first proceeded to the Upper Tavern on the Common, where washtubs of punch had been provided. Here all hands partook freely of the precious drink, preparatory to the morning ride to the South Part, where the company frequently met for parade on Farnsworth’s meadow. After a swift and cheerful gallop to the South Village, they brought up at the place of destination with throats dry. Having arrived at the tavern the captain treated the company all round. After this came the parade on Farnsworth’s meadow, and so the day wore by till about four o-clock in the afternoon, when the company broke up from the parade-ground, rode back to the upper tavern… High times these young men frequently had on such occasions.”

Perhaps it was the emphasis on socializing, drinking, and having fun, rather than preparing for a battle situation, that led some to conclude that Charles Dana’s success at leading such endeavors was not necessarily the same skill set that would be required in situations where they faced an enemy. In 1813, Dana resigned from his position as captain. A series of other captains and officers led the troop over the next few years.

President James Monroe, White House Portrait, 1819 by Samuel Finley Breese Morse, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Likely the most noteworthy event that involved the Company of Horse during this time occurred in the summer of 1817. That year President Monroe was passing through Vermont on his tour of the United States, and the Company met the President in Hartford and provided escort to Woodstock.

When the President arrived in the Village, people lined up on each side of the street to greet him as the procession passed by. The President and other leaders then went to Pratt’s Inn (later called the Eagle Hotel), where he was welcomed by local leaders. The cannon was fired. People cheered, and the President continued his trek northward.

Over the next few years, there appears to be little of note for the Company of Horse, except that in 1819, under the charge of Captain Lewis Frederick Gallup, they decided to change their uniform to blue roundabout jackets, blue pantaloons, and a white vest.

The following year, in October of 1820, Captain Gallup went west to Cincinnati. Before leaving, he had delivered the roll and the company papers to Jonathan B. Farnsworth. After an extended absence, Lyman Mower – who was at this time a colonel – told Jonathan B. Farnsworth to call the company together for the purpose of electing a new captain. The group met in June of 1821, and elected Jonathan B. Farnsworth as their captain.

Under Captain Farnsworth, according to Dana’s History of Woodstock, one of the changes made was in the rations to the company during exercises. Prior to Farnsworth becoming captain, the “captains had been accustomed to furnish the liquor, and in general the supply was abundant. Farnsworth made a change by instead providing a dinner for each member of the company, and baiting for the horses. The dinner always cost twenty-five cents, and the baiting six cents; the men were to provide their own liquor. The change thus made was a little more expensive to the captain, but proved very beneficial to the company.”

Lewis Frederick Gallup, who had been the previous captain for the troop, then returned from his sojourn sometime in the winter of 1821-1822. In May of 1822, Gallup - who considered himself to still be the captain since he had never resigned from the position - ordered Farnsworth to deliver the roll for the company to him. When Farnsworth refused, Gallup had him court marshaled. A trial ensued, and ultimately the court decided in favor of Farnsworth, noting that Gallup’s absence from the state for a period of over a year was, in effect, vacating his position as captain.

As soon as the court ruled in his favor, Farnsworth promptly resigned as captain. The captain who replaced Farnsworth only called out the company once or twice for exercises before resigning. When no one else expressed an interest in taking over the office of captain, Avery Gallup (“who was absent at the time of his election”) was named captain. Avery Gallup never called the group together, and with no one else eager to take over as captain of the Company of Horse, the company was officially disbanded in 1825.