Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/605

 THE DORR WAR. 495 The Dorr Legislature met in May, 1842. Near the close of its sessions, Nathaniel C. Smith, the representative from Barrington, sent in his resignation, and a new election was ordered. Others resigned or were arrested. The Charter authorities organized military companies to put down the popular uprising "by force and arms." Dorr was pro- claimed a traitor, and his followers were threatened with arrest for overt acts of treason against the government of the state. In Barrington, as well as throughout the state, the excitement was intense, and personal hatred was bitter between the members of the two parties. Family ties were broken by the strain of partisanship. Personal danger, more real than fancied, led many Dorrites of Barrington to secrete themselves or flee from the town. The Barrington militia, which had fallen into inaction, was revived in the manual of arms and company movements on the Green at the Congregational Meeting House. Pierre Bowen Mauran, grandson of Capt. Joseph Carlo Mauran of the Revolution, was the drill master of the company. In June, Governor Dorr's forces gathered in considerable numbers for such action as might seem advisable, while the position of the United States government in the matter rendered it proba- ble that United States troops would be called to aid the defence of the existing state government. Martial law was declared by Governor King. "Governor Dorr" called for volunteers to meet in Gloucester. This was the signal for the gathering of the "Law and Order" troops, and on Thursday, June 23, the Fourth Regiment, consisting of two Bristol companies, one Warren company, and one Barring- ton company, took a steamer from Warren for Providence, to join the forces in that city. The Barrington company was made up as follows :