Military History. 271 



wealth historv with the story of their services in the field, the 

 town, the halls of legislation, and the council chamber, from 

 the earliest days to the present time. During the French war 

 we have seen Benjamin Lincoln, as colonel of his regiment, the 

 historical Third Suffolk, to which the companies in Hingham had 

 almost from the settlement of the town been attached, taking an' 

 active part. He was also for seventeen years a member of his 

 Majesty's Council, but resigned in 1770, at the time when it was 

 fast becoming impossible for patriotic Americans to hold longer the 

 king's commissions. Colonel Lincoln died March 1, 1771, leaving, 

 among others, the son Benjamin who so worthily filled the place 

 he long occupied in public estimation and usefulness. The affec- 

 tion which is felt for the great President Abraham Lincoln, also 

 a descendant of a Hingham family, has given a national fame to 

 the name in later years. 



As early as September 21, 1768, the town, in response to a cir- 

 cular from Boston, "' chose Joshua Hearsey a committee to join 

 the committees from the several towns within the province to 

 assemble at Boston on the 22cl of September, current, then and 

 there to consult such measures as shall be necessary for the pres- 

 ervation of good order and regularity in the province at this criti- 

 cal conjuncture of affairs." His instructions were as follows: 

 " We advise and direct you that you use your endeavors to pre- 

 serve peace and good order in the province and loyalty to the king ; 

 that you take every legal and constitutional method for the pres- 

 ervation of our rights and liberties, and for having redressed these 

 grievances we so generally complain of and so sensibly feel ; that 

 all possible care be taken that the troops that should arrive have 

 provision made for them, so that they be not billeted in private 

 families, and at so convenient a distance as not to interrupt the 

 people ; that you encourage the inhabitants to keep up military 

 duty, whereby they may be in a capacity to defend themselves 

 against foreign enemies ; and in case you are exposed to any 

 charges in prosecuting any of the foregoing preparations, we will 

 repay it, and as these instructions are for your private use, im- 

 prove them for that purpose and for no other whatever." The 

 instructions were drawn up by Ezekiel Hearsey, Benjamin Lin- 

 coln, Jr., and Capt. Daniel Lincoln. 



In response to the circular, delegates from sixty-six towns, the 

 number of whom afterwards increased to ninety-eight, met on the 

 day appointed, and continued in session from day to day until 

 the 29th, during which they adopted a letter to be transmitted to 

 the agent of the province in London, and also voted to publish a 

 result of their conference, in winch, while declaring their alle- 

 giance to the king, they also declared their rights under the char- 

 ter. March 5, 1770, occurred the event known in American 

 history as the " Boston Massacre." Without discussing the 

 events which led up to the riot and bloodshed in King Street on 



