Regulators Pursued

On January 30, 1787, General Lincoln sent a letter to Daniel Shays, asking for his surrender. Shays and his men did not want to surrender unless they were guaranteed a pardon from the state. Lincoln marched the army 30 miles in deep snowdrifts and surprised the Regulators. Shays and his men fled in all directions. Having broken up Shay’s ranks, General Lincoln and his men marched back to western Massachusetts to eliminate any remaining bands of rebels there.

By March 1787, most of the Regulators had fled Massachusetts. As many as two thousand went to Vermont and New York. Captain Daniel Shays, along with many other Regulator leaders sought refuge in Vermont.

Reforms Passed

Immediately following the uprisings of 1787, the Massachusetts legislature, at long last, responded to some of the demands of yeoman farmers. The tender law was extended, and debtors were allowed to leave debtor’s prison if they swore an oath saying that they had no property to pay their debts or sustain themselves while they were in prison. Taxes were lower in 1788 than they had been in eight years.

Most rebels were pardoned, provided that they agreed to sign an oath of allegiance to the state. Those who surrendered were barred from voting or holding elected office for three years. To prevent them from encouraging another rebellion, they were also disqualified from teaching school or running taverns.