Franklin’s Role in the Revolutionary War

            In the 1770’s Franklin was still a part of Wrentham, and like most of America, was unhappy with England.  Over the past ten years, England had passed many laws and taxes that the colonists thought we unfair.  They protested these taxes in many ways including the Boston Tea Party and Boston Massacre.

            Fighting between England and the colonies erupted on April 19^th, 1775, in Lexington and Concord in what became known as the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”.  Riders including Paul Revere warned the villages of Massachusetts of the coming British attack the night before. Franklin men were called to arms and marched to Concord.  They were lead by Captain John Boyd, and joined other local militias in defeating the British.

            In June of 1775 during the Battle of Bunker Hill, Franklin men fought bravely under the leadership of Captain Thomas Bacon. The men were told to hold their fire until the saw the “whites of their eyes”.  The British twice charged up the hill trying to push back the colonists and twice the British were forced to retreat.  The British were successful on their third charge only when the colonists ran out of ammunition.

            After the British took control of Boston, young General George Washington was put in charge of the Continental Army.  Two companies of men from Franklin, under the leadership of Captain Asa Fairbanks and Captain Elijah Pond joined General Washington in his effort to get the British out of Boston.  On March 17^th, 1776, the British evacuated Boston, never to return.  March 17th is celebrated locally as “Evacuation Day”.

            As the war went on, many of the men from Franklin joined the Continental Army and fought bravely for our independence.  In all more then 160 men from “Wrentham” took part in the wart effort.