While the government forces assemble, rebel leaders…
January 1787 CE
While the government forces assemble, rebel leaders in the west—including Shays and Day—organize their forces establishing regional regimental organizations that are run by democratically-elected committees.
Their first major target is the federal armory in Springfield.
General William Shepard had taken possession of the armory, pursuant to orders from Governor Bowdoin, and used its arsenal to arm a force of some twelve hundred militia.
He has done this despite the fact that the armory is federal, not state, property, and that he did not have permission from Secretary at War Henry Knox to do so.
The insurgents are organized into three major groups, and intend to surround and simultaneously attack the armory.
Shays has one group east of Springfield near Palmer, Luke Day haa a second force across the Connecticut River in West Springfield, and the third force, under Eli Parsons, is to the north at Chicopee.
The rebels had planned their assault for January 25.
Luke Day had changed this at the last minute, sending Shays a message indicating he would not be ready to attack until the 26th.
Day's message is intercepted by Shepard's men, so the militia of Shays and Parsons, some fifteen hundred men, approach the armory on the 25th not knowing they will have no support from the west.
When Shays and his forces near the armory, they find Shepard's militia waiting for them.
Shepard first orders warning shots fired over the approaching Shaysites' heads, then orders two cannons to fire grape shot at Shays' men.
Four Shaysites are killed and twenty wounded.
There is no musket fire from either side, and the rebel advance collapses.
Most of the rebel force flees north, eventually regrouping at Amherst.
On the opposite side of the river, Day's forces also flee north, also eventually reaching Amherst.
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