Tunnels

[BLUEHAWK]

This came up on a museum list serve I deal with daily, cannot figure out the Rev War person they are talking about... any idea?

The thread arose in a discussion about the Underground Railroad (UGRR) ...

"It?s not only the UGRR that abounds in false or "invented" tunnel stories. It reminds me that in my town (Lebanon CT) there is a story current that a famous figure during the Revolutionary War attended meetings of the Council of Safety through a tunnel from the basement in his house to the meeting place. There was a price on his head and to avoid kidnaping by Tory sympathizers or being a target for sharpshooters, he would use the tunnel. Well, well...the man would have come up through a trap door in the floor to face a dozen other members of the Council who had ridden in broad daylight to the meetings and also had prices on their heads. In fact, two of the frequent attendees were signers of the Declaration of Independence and were much bigger prizes for Tories than this famous figure.

How cowardly this makes the man look. And the man was not a coward. He went everywhere around the state throughout the entire war. He rode to Hartford for meetings of the legislature and to conduct business. He rode to New Haven when the legislative sessions were held there. He rode to Danbury to show the British neither he nor the people of Connecticut were cowed by the enemy. He held 405 meetings of the Council of Safety in Hartford alone and 41 in six other communities. And he went about his business in Lebanon in the same open way, faithfully attending church services, visiting relatives and friends, hobnobbing with visiting military and political visitors ? these are all documented activities. The list is endless throughout the eight long years of war. It is utter nonsense to think that he spent those years entombed in his house.

That said, we accept the fact that people who already believe this story won?t change their minds. These are usually the people who have seen a 1950s article in a national magazine with a fanciful drawing of the purported tunnel ("but it?s in print, it has to be true!"). They are not the worry. The worry is spreading nonsense and keeping it afloat by having docents or tour guides mention it. So we have all decided that we will just never mention the "myth." If someone brings up the subject, you just smile and say, oh, that old story. Well, we're done lots of research and it's obvious that the man was not a prisoner in his own house but went freely all about the town and the state. And let it go at that. If someone persists, then you mention the kinds of activities he was involved in outside the house (you can say: just imagine, he always went to church and there was no tunnel from house to church--some simple everyday activity like that). The logistics of building a SAFE tunnel with proper supports for hundreds of feet in an area notorious for its high water table are sometimes brought up. And if the person isn't persuaded, so be it. We don?t argue.

The most important point is NOT to mention it. You give it legitimacy by mentioning it, particularly if visitors have never heard the story. Believe me, that's what they will remember: the funny story about the tunnel. Only discuss it if someone brings it up and then as briefly as possible.

The problem with the UGRR is the word "underground." It automatically triggers a visual in people's minds of a place below ground rather than the secretiveness the word really implies. It will be a good deal harder to dispel tunnel myths associated with the UGRR than the Rev War!"

Alicia Wayland

aliciawayland@charter.net www.jtrumbulljr.org

[Jerry D]

Blue,
I agree with ya' there is a lot of Myths in History propagated by well meaning folks that have made a silk purse out of a Sow ear! For example Here is another one: Uncle Toms Cabin was a Fictional Story with an Abolitionist Writer providing the details (very political motivated ) Another good Example Benedict Arnold. Who started out a Rebel fighting for Independence(At the Battle of Saratoga) But, when Others got more accolades(promotions) he switched Back to the British side and look at all the credit and Publicity he got ! If I remember British history he is considered a Turn coat (not respected)because he switched sides for convenience and didn't take a stand and stick with it! Where as Washington was respected for his stand he stood the course.

[revwardoc]

Many of the older homes, and by that I mean 17th century and early 18th century, in New England had escape tunnels in case of Indian attack. A friend lives in the oldest house in Leicester, MA, which was built in the 1630's. In the basement, he found the opening of a long caved in tunnel. With the help of an archeologist, it was determined that the tunnel led to the bank of a pond about 50 yards away. There are still arrowheads and musket balls imbedded in the original framework of the house from Indian raids. In fact, when first built, the only way you could enter the house was by a removable ladder to the 2nd floor, since it was built to serve not only as a home to the minister who had it built, but as a local garrison.

Once the threat of Indian attacks diminished after the King Philip's War, the tunnels were used for storage...and smuggling goods past the King's revenue agents.

[BLUEHAWK]

Rev...

I was thinking, had I been there at that time, an escape or storage tunnel would surely have been a very good idea.

The BUILDING of such tunnels, on the other hand, is a whole different topic. That topic, is what interests me most... because tunnels might deal with basic human survival instinct.

To put it another way, tunnels must have been/are, very very useful... e.g the "undisclosed location"?

Jerry, we see eye to eye.