In January 1775 he represented Portsmouth in the Provincial Congress at Exeter convened for the purpose of choosing delegates to the Continental Congress. On the 6th of the next January he was made a member of the Provincial Council of New Hampshire. On the 23d of the same month he was elected a member of Congress then in session at Philadelphia and continued actively and usefully engaged in that important station until the middle of September 1779. He was present at the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and affixed his name to that bold instrument with the same fearless nonchalance as if signing a bill of lading. He was emphatically a working man and rendered himself extremely useful on committees. As a member of marine and commercial boards, his practical knowledge gave him an advantage over his colleagues. He was one of the superintendents of the commissary and quarter masters' department and did much towards correcting abuses and checking peculation. He was untiring in industry, ardent in zeal, philosophic in views, pure in purposes and strong in patriotism. When he retired from Congress to serve his country in a more perilous sphere, he had the esteem and approbation of his co-workers in the glorious cause of Liberty.
In 1777 he became Brigadier General Whipple and took command of the first brigade of the Provincial troops of New Hampshire acting in concert with Gen. Stark who commanded the other. Gen. Burgoyne was on the flood tide of military glory—rushing down upon the north like a herd of wild buffaloes over a prairie—spreading consternation far and wide. He was first checked in his triumphant career by Gen. Stark at Bennington, Vermont. Gen. Whipple joined Gen. Gates about the same time and was in the bloody battles of Saratoga and Stillwater where the palm of victory was measurably attributed to the troops under his command. To the consummation of the brilliant victory over the British army Gen. Whipple contributed largely. Col. Wilkinson and himself were the officers who arranged and signed the articles of capitulation between the two commanders. He was one of the officers who conducted the conquered foe to Winter Hill near Boston. His faithful negro participated in all the perils of his old massa and could not have been more elated with the victory had he been the commanding general.
In 1778 Gen. Whipple was with Gen. Sullivan at the siege of New Port which was abandoned for want of the aid of Count D'Estaing whose fleet was injured by a gale. A safe retreat was effected in the night. In 1780 Gen. Whipple was appointed a Commissioner of the Board of Admiralty which he declined, preferring to serve in the legislature of his own state in which he continued for years. In 1782 he was appointed Financial Receiver for New Hampshire by Robert Morris. The office was arduous, unpopular and irksome but in his hands lost much of its odiousness. At the end of two years he resigned. On the 20th of June 1782 he was appointed a judge of the Superior Court. On the 25th Dec. 1784 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and Quorum throughout the state which latter office he held to the day of his death. He was one of the commissioners on the part of Connecticut to settle the controversy between that state and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relative to lands in Wyoming valley. In all the multiform duties that devolved upon him in the various public stations he filled he acquitted himself nobly. He possessed a strong analyzing mind, deep penetration of thought, a clear head and good heart.
During the latter part of his life he suffered much from disease in his chest which terminated his useful career on the 28th of Nov. 1785. At his request before death, his body underwent a post mortum examination. His heart was found ossified. The valves were united to the aorta and an aperture not larger than a common knitting needle was all that remained for the passage of the blood. This explained the reason of his faintness under sudden emotion.
In all the relations of private and public life—from the cabin boy up to the lofty pinnacle of a well earned fame, Gen. Whipple was a model of consistency and virtue. He left a reputation pure as the virgin sheet. His career demonstrated clearly that in our country fame is confined to no grade in life and that practical knowledge, crowned with strong common sense, enables a man to be substantially useful to his country and fellow men. Citizens of America of only a common education—you can and should be useful. Look at this bright example and govern yourselves accordingly.
WILLIAM WILLIAMS.
Infidelity, in all its multiform aspects, is a legitimate child of inconsistency. The man who has impartially read the Bible—who understands physiology, the philosophy of mind—the minutiæ of anatomy, the unerring laws of nature, the powers of reason—the revolving circuit of his own immortal soul and denies the existence of Him who spake and it was done—who commanded and it stood fast—disrobes himself of the noblest power bestowed by creative Wisdom and forfeits the high dignity of a man. All things, from the leaf that vibrates in the gentle breeze to the etherial sky spangled with stars, proclaim the existence of a God. Most assuredly there is a Supreme Being who rules, with unerring wisdom, in the kingdoms of Nature, Providence and Grace. Beyond all cavil this position is most conducive to the happiness of the human family in this life. The superstructure of the Infidel is clustered with present misery. If its foundation should prove sandy he curses himself in this world to be more wretched in the next. Aside from the question of its divinity—Religion is the substratum of social order and human felicity. Infidelity is the destruction of both. History is crowded with demonstrations of this position. Banish the Bible and religion from our Republic—remove this firm foundation upon which the Sages of the Revolution based it—anarchy would ensue and we should rush into the same vortex of ruin which engulphed the French Republic.
By many of our Revolutionary patriots religion was exemplified—by all it was venerated. Among those of them who enjoyed its full fruition through life was William Williams born at Lebanon, Windham County, Connecticut, on the 8th of April 1731. He was the son of Rev. Solomon Williams whose paternal ancestor came from Wales in 1630. Solomon was pastor of the Congregational church at Lebanon for fifty-six years. He was a man of consistent and uniform piety—of liberal and expansive views and believed religion to be the foundation of rational liberty. His own soul enraptured with the substantial joys of practical piety—he strongly desired his children might inherit the same blessing. His prayers were answered. Of a large family of sons and daughters—all consecrated themselves to the Lord of glory and became exemplary members of the church over which their father presided.
After completing his preparatory studies William entered Harvard College and graduated in 1751. He sustained a high reputation for correct deportment untiring industry and scholastic lore. His father then directed his theological course preparatory for the sacred desk. But his talents were too diversified for a clerical life. He had a taste for classics, architecture, mechanics, mathematics and general science.