Kinsmen and Kinswomen

Oliver Prescott received less press in his lifetime than his world famous brother, but was in many ways an equally – if not more –  fascinating person, for reasons that the following makes clear. This is also from the Prescott Memorial, pp.59-60.

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Doctor Oliver b. April 27, 1731 ; m. Feb., 1756, Lydia. daughter of David and Abigail Baldwin, Esq., of Sudbury, b. Oct. 15, 1735; ten children. He graduated at Harvard College 1750, and was distinguished at college for his literary attainments and correct deportment. He studied physic with Dr. Roby of Sudbury, who had been educated in Europe, and a disciple of the renowned Boer­haave, and was an eminent physician. He settled in Groton, his native town, and for many years was extensively patronized, not only by that, but by the neighboring towns. It is said by his biographer that he had a careful and trusty horse, on whom he would frequently sleep when deprived of his rest in bed. His distinguished professional acquire­ments; his prompt and unremitted attention to the sick; his tender and pleasant demeanor while treating them in their distress; his moderate charges and forbearance toward the poor, together with the general success which attended. his practice, operated to render him for nearly half a century, one of the most popular, while he was one of the most eminent and useful physicians in the Common­wealth. He was one of the original members of the Mass. Medical Society at its incorporation in 1781, and an hono­rary member of sundry medical societies. He was presi­dent of the Middlesex Medical Society during the whole period of its existence.

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As Col. Prescott was a modest man of fairly humble financial means, there are no formal portraits, busts, etc. [Though, note, there is this.] A wonderful oral description, however, does survive… It is found in Beside Old Hearthstones, available online here.

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Some interesting facts are here added in regard to the personality of Colonel William Prescott, given by his grandniece, Mrs. Sarah (Chaplin) Rockwood, to Dr. Samuel A. Green. Her father was Rev. Daniel Chaplin, D.D., of Groton; and her mother was Susanna, eldest daughter of Judge James Prescott, brother of the colonel. She was ten years of age when the hero of Bunker Hill died.

She describes him as a tall, well-proportioned man, with blue eyes and a large head. He usually wore a skull-cap; and he parted his hair in the middle, wearing it long behind, braided loosely, and tied in a club with a black ribbon, as was common in those days. He had a pleasant countenance, and was remarkably social and full of fun and anecdotes. He was dignified in his manner, and had the bearing of a soldier.

Authorities agree on the value of early impressions; and we can but credit this description of the personal appearance of Colonel Prescott, for it was indelibly stamped upon the youthful Sarah Chaplin when sitting upon the knee of the old soldier.

…She attained the remarkable age of one hundred and four years.

During the early 19^th century, an idea took hold among a handful of academics that Col. Prescott was in fact NOT the American commander at Bunker Hill. He was. Writing near the centennial of the battle, Francis Parker was one of those who helped firmly establish the truth once and for all, and this was the article he used to accomplish that task.

A note on the references in this text…numbers occurring in parentheses represent the original document’s footnotes. Numbers in superscript following these are the new annotations for this site/ blog entry. –LSL

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BUNKER’S HILL BATTLE

AND ITS COMMAND.

“Honor to Whom Honor is Due”

Francis J. Parker, writing c. 1875

By the first of June, 1775, the increasing numbers of the invest­ing forces, and their improved organization, had begun to create discomfort in Boston. Every avenue except that by sea was absolutely closed to supplies. Cattle, hay and fuel, which the British supposed to be safe on the islands in the harbor, had been captured or destroyed, and the loss of them was severely felt—more severely because of recent additions to the numbers of the beleaguered army, requiring an increased supply of food and forage. In these affairs about the harbor several spirited skir­mishes had occurred between the belligerents, and the result of them had been to give the Americans confidence in themselves, and to make the royalists more uneasy under their restriction. The British had therefore determined to occupy the Charlestown peninsula, which could easily be defended by works at the Neck, and the possession of which would give them considerable grass and pasture, and afford them another opportunity of sallying out by land.

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On August 25, 1775, William Prescott wrote a letter to John Adams, in which he described the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Both a photo of the actual letter, and the more readable text below, are available on The Massachusetts Historical Society’s website.

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Camp at Cambridge August 25. 1775

Sir

I have recd. a Line from my Brother which informs me of your desire of a particular Account of the Action at Charlestown, it is not in my Power at present to give so minute an Account as I should choose being ordered to decamp and march to another Station.
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This account relates the colonists’ perspective, and is taken from Beside Old Hearthstones, available online at URL: http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/state/hearth/    It is obviously just a fragment, but a rather personal, and revealing one.

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…The semiweekly drillings of the Pepperell minute-men under Colonel Prescott, and the bold statements from the pulpit by Rev. Joseph Emerson, kept the people in constant expectation; so that when the news of April 19 was received they were not long in making final preparations. A mounted messenger reached the town in the middle of the forenoon, declaring that the Regulars had come out from Boston, and killed eight men at Lexington, and were fighting at Concord. The despatch with which Colonel Prescott buckled on his sword, and bade wife and only son William, then thirteen years of age, a tender farewell as he galloped off the hill, may be known without resorting to imagination; for his habits of early years and later experience are in proof of this. His order was for the Pepperell company and that at Hollis to march at once to Groton, and there join the company of the latter town, while he proceeded directly to Groton. The effect of the more immediate contact with Colonel Prescott is seen in the report that the company from his town reached Groton before the men there were ready to march. The selectmen were then together distributing arms and ammunition to their soldiers. Dr. Oliver Prescott, chairman, brother of the Colonel, upon hearing the music and seeing the Pepperell company marching to the Common in full ranks, said, “This is a disgrace to us!”