Editing Shays's Rebellion (section)

==Aftermath==
[[File: Monument to shays rebellion.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|This monument marks the location of the final Shays's Rebellion battle in [[Sheffield, Massachusetts]].]]

Lincoln's march marked the end of large-scale organized resistance. Ringleaders who eluded capture fled to neighboring states, and pockets of local resistance continued. Some rebel leaders sought assistance from [[Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester|Lord Dorchester]], the British governor of the [[Province of Quebec (1763-1791)|Province of Quebec]] who reportedly promised assistance in the form of [[Mohawk people|Mohawk]] warriors led by [[Joseph Brant]].<ref>Szatmary, p. 108</ref> Dorchester's proposal was vetoed in London, however, and no assistance came to the rebels.<ref>Richards, p. 34</ref> The same day that Lincoln arrived at Petersham, the state legislature passed bills authorizing a state of martial law and giving the governor broad powers to act against the rebels. The bills also authorized state payments to reimburse Lincoln and the merchants who had funded the army and authorized the recruitment of additional militia.<ref>Richards, p. 32</ref> On February 16, 1787, the Massachusetts legislature passed the Disqualification Act to prevent a legislative response by rebel sympathizers. This bill forbade any acknowledged rebels from holding a variety of elected and appointed offices.<ref>Richards, p. 33</ref>

Most of Lincoln's army melted away in late February as enlistments expired, and he commanded only 30 men at a base in [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]] by the end of the month.<ref>Richards, p. 35</ref> In the meantime, around 120 rebels had regrouped in [[New Lebanon, New York]], and they crossed the border on February 27, marching first on [[Stockbridge, Massachusetts|Stockbridge]], a major market town in the southwestern corner of the state. They raided the shops of merchants and the homes of merchants and local professionals, establishing an operational headquarters at [[Anna Bingham|Bingham's Tavern]]. This came to the attention of Brigadier John Ashley, who mustered a force of around 80 men and caught up with the rebels in nearby [[Sheffield, Massachusetts|Sheffield]] late in the day for the bloodiest encounter of the rebellion: 30 rebels were wounded (one mortally), at least one government soldier was killed, and many were wounded.<ref>Szatmary (p. 122) and Richards (p. 36) disagree on the casualty figures. Szatmary reports three government soldiers killed, Richards one. Richards does not report on the government wounded.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Anna Bingham: From the Red Lion Inn to the Supreme Court|author=Lion G. Miles|journal=The New England Quarterly|volume=69|issue=2|date=June 1996|pages=287&ndash;299|doi=10.2307/366668 |jstor=366668 }}</ref>
Ashley was further reinforced after the encounter, and he reported taking 150 prisoners.<ref>Richards, p. 36</ref>