The first and most
famous battle of the Rebellion was the Battle of Springfield. Daniel Shays and
2,000 more farmers marched on the arsenal in
Springfield. Against them were about 1,200 government soldiers who were
guarding the arsenal. Before farmers could shoot their muskets, the government
soldiers led by General Benjamin Lincoln fired a volley of cannon balls at them
and the farmers ran away. Shays' army then retreated to
Petersham, some thirty
miles away. Some of the
farmers went through Amherst, and other farmers went different ways. The farmers came
within 250 yards of the arsenal. The Battle
left four farmers dead and more than ten wounded. There were no dead government
soldiers.
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