New York: Hill and Wang. At Cambridge, they joined the hundreds, later thousands, of militiamen who were to bottle up General Gages Regulars, until the British had to abandon Boston in March of 1776. Harassed for miles, British soldiers began to go house to house clearing families from the buildings along the road. Roll sworn to at Rehoboth. In August 1636, the first offensive military attack by militias failed when Massachusetts dispatched John Endecott with four companies on an unsuccessful campaign against the Pequot Indians. 1775 (Lexington) to headquarters at Cambridge, fourteen days; also Private on a Pay roll, dated 13 Jan. 1776, of Capt. On the evening of April 18, Paul Revere and other riders raised the alarm that British regulars were on their way to Concord. Edward HAZEN Jr.sgrandson-in-lawJonathan Foster (1719 in Shrewsbury 1821 in Cortland, New York), Jonathan enlisted in 1775; Pvt. Wounded: John Robbins, Solomon Pierce, John Tidd, Joseph Comee, Ebenezer Munroe Jr., Thomas Winship, Nathaniel Farmer, Prince Estabrook, and Jedediah Munroe. The athletic teams of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst are nicknamed the Minutemen and Minutewomen. They fixed the date for taking Dorchester Heights at June 18. Today, a US flag flies from the location now known as the muster field.. This was the first time that the militia was used by the people to block the king's representatives from acting on royal orders and against popular opinion. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. One of the more famous ones being the Culpeper, Virginia Minutemenwhich fought at the Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775. Some returned home, many were signed on in other units, and some were discharged with pensions due to wounds. while at Trenton Dec. 31, 1776, and Jan. 1, 1777; Also, Capt. Thomas was first lieutenant of Capt. During the Revolution, Fishkill New York was the site of a large supply depot. Fact #4: British General Thomas Gages goal was the military supplies in Concord, not John Hancock or Samuel Adams in Lexington. British sentries were also aware of the activity, but most apparently did not think it cause for alarm. Elijah Perry, Sergeant, Capt. It is difficult to determine the number of men that served as many reenlisted in the army once their terms were up. Richardsons co. of No. 14 Apr 1775 General Thomas Gage,received instructions fromSecretary of StateWilliam Legge, Earl of Dartmouth, to disarm the rebels, who were known to have hidden weapons in Concord, among other locations, and to imprison the rebellions leaders, especiallySamuel AdamsandJohn Hancock. According to town legend, the march to Cambridge was not only long but hot, and they stopped to quench their thirst at a tavern in the Billerica area, where they may have stayed for a few days. [1] Minutemen provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that enabled the colonies to respond immediately to military threats. By years end the enlistments of Captain Dows men ran out. His name appears on a receipt dated March 14, 1777, he being deceased., Asa Harriman (1742 in Newbury, Mass -1819 Raymond, New Hampshire)was a private in Capt. At theNorth Bridgein Concord, approximately 500 militiamen fought and defeated three companies of the Kings troops. TheBattles of Lexington and Concordwere the first military engagements of theAmerican Revolutionary War. Bill of Rights: Unratified Amendments to the United States Constitution, Bill of Rights Amendments to the US Constitution, US Constitution Text: The Most Famous of Historical Documents. 19 Apr 1775 Joseph was a Sergeant in Capt. Hence the minute-men became a body distinct from the rest of the militia, and, by being more devoted to military exercises, they acquired skill in the use of arms. In 1703, snowshoes were issued to militiamen and bounty hunters to make winter raids on the Indians more effective. Upon returning to Lexington, Smiths expedition was rescued by reinforcements underBrigadier GeneralHugh Percy. In May 1643, a joint council was formed. At a Meeting of the Alarm List and Training Band of the Foot company, in Topsfield, on the 5th of December, 1774 to choose officers for the said Company, (agreeable to the advice of the Provincial Congress), voted, Mr.Stephen Perkins, chairman; voted, Mr.Joseph Gould. The bullet, which was extracted, is still preserved; but the effects of the wound are said to have eventually caused or hastened his demise. TheBoston Red Soxhave traditionally been scheduled to play at home inFenway Parkon Patriots Day every year since 1959. Fighting ensued and one British soldier was wounded, the garrison surrendered and over the two days gunpowder, firearms and 16 cannon were captured. Six men from the Company were killed in the battle, including the 1st Sgt, and eight men were wounded. By noon the next day, almost 4,000 people were on the common in Cambridge. The second Company voted Mr. Stephen Perkins, Captain; Mr.Samuel Dodge, Lieutenant; Mr.David Perkins, Ensign;and all the other Officers by a great Majority. (Essex Gazette, Dec. 27, 1774.). Adams' and his like-minded friends were gaining more traction. Sergeant, Capt. By Rob Orrison , Emerging Revolutionary War Era. He also was a Captain in the Militia. 18 Mar 1777 Joseph was Lieutenant in Capt Caleb Kimballs company, Col. Gerriahs regiment receiving wages for 4 mos. Washington constantly complained of the failure to clear the Encampment of filth, which included rotting carcasses of horses. Their good natured hostess, in ready compliance with their request, took down from a shelf a wooden tray, containing some cold boiled salt pork, and also (it is believed) some cold boiled potatoes unpeeled, and brown bread; and upon this plain, course fare, they made a hearty meal. Militias mostly trained on a seasonal basis, but minutemen companies were established to provide more regular training (sometimes weekly) of the best men in the militia. Though most minutemen companies were formed in New England states, some similar groups popped up in other colonies. He had three sons, Daniel, Stephen and Evan. Later in the war at battles such as Bennington, Vermont, Kings Mountain, Cowpens, both in South Carolina and Guilford Courthouse, in North Carolina, the militia was crucial to American victories. Dows Company began as the Hollis, NH Militia Company. Warren was appointed a Major General by the Provincial Congress on June 14, 1775. The Minutemen always kept in touch with the political situation in Boston and their own towns. In Alan Moore's Watchmen graphic novel the first masked vigilantes assembled are titled the Minutemen. The plan decided on by the British command was to fortify both Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights. Washington relied on former British officers such as Charles Lee and Horatio Gates to assist him in organizing the army and begin training the soldiers. An illustration of minute-men engaged at the Battle of Lexington. Served in the Company commanded by Captain Christopher Woodbridge in the Massachusetts line: Fought and was wounded in the Battle of Bunker Hill: Applied for and received a pension in 1818; Widow Mercy applied and received pension in 1831; Edward HAZEN Jr.sgrandsonBenjamin Jewett (1724 Groton 1776 Ticonderoga, New York). Regiment detatched from militia of Suffolk and Essex counties to reinforce amry under Gen. Washington. Phelix Cuff, an African-American man from Waltham Timothy Danielson Isaac Davis Thomas Dawes William Dawes Prince Estabrook, an African-American from Lexington Christian Febiger Brigadier General Nathaniel Freeman Joseph Frye Thomas Gardner Toby Gilmore Baxter Hall John Hancock John Hannum III Lemuel Haynes George Robert Twelves Hewes Prescott and his men, using Gridleys outline, began digging a square fortification about 130 feet on a side with ditches and earthen walls. About 700British Armyregulars, underLieutenant ColonelFrancis Smith, were given secret orders to capture and destroy military supplies that were reportedly stored by the Massachusettsmilitiaat Concord. Swifts co., Col Freemans regiment. ; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 3 mos. The British officers were proven wrong. The bell at the North Parish Meeting House was rung to sound the alarm. He was first a private in Capt. Colonel William Prescott's Middlesex regiment had not yet split and had ten companies of militia and seven of minutemen. In the beginning, Congressional leaders believed a force of approximately 20,000 men in 26 battalions would be sufficient. The 1925 Lexington-Concord Sesquicentennial half dollar features a sculptural portrayal. In response to these tensions, the Massachusetts Provincial legislators found that the colony's militia resources were short just before the American Revolutionary War, on October 26, 1774, after observing the British military buildup. That same month, Parliament passed "An Act for the better regulating the Government of the Province of Massachusetts-Bay" and "An Act for the more impartial administration of justice in said Province," otherwise known as the Intolerable Acts, which were designed to remove power from the towns.[12]. Congress expected states to furnish levies as well to supplement the Continental ranks. Either they and never intended it, or else, being closely pursued from Concord by their exasperated and hourly increasing Yankee foes, they thought it best to take a prudent care for their own safety, rather than to digress in their march, into the neighboring towns, in pursuit of Hancock and Adams. The expedition took heavy losses: two towns were raided, and one 80-man company was killed entirely, including their commander. On June 15, the colonistsCommittee of Safetylearned of the British plans. He was engaged as a teamster in the Revolutionary War under the direction ofCommissaryGeneral Jeremiah Wadsworth. The British column moved on towards Concord, leaving the dead, wounded, and dying in their wake. He also made sure that every men in his company had a good musket, cartridge box, canteen, and bayonet. Francis house is now managed by theFrancis Wyman Association, but all thats left of his brothers is the cellar hole. His name appears on the Coat Rolls for December 26, 1775, and he was in the Continental Army in 1776. They were the first armed militia to arrive at or await a battle. The British had the advantage once they entered the redoubt, as their troops were equipped withbayonetson their muskets while most of the colonists were not. Congress. A muster Roll of Capt. The Convention required that all current militia officers resign; the motive being that ranking officers in the militia could be considered strong Loyalists. The third assault, concentrated on the redoubt, was successful, although the colonists again poured musket fire into the British ranks. regt. This was seen at the Battles of Hubbardton and Bennington in the north and at Camden and Cowpens in the south. [further explanation needed]. Mrs. Dow made an equal division of the blankets in her store room and her mess pork, one half going to the soldiers. George Washington saw the Continental Army as the best way to mold a new nation. John Marrett, John Hancock, Cuff Trot, Samuel Adams, and Hancocks fiance, Dorothy Quincy. A very overstated drawing of the Battle of Lexington from an 1815 German history book. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The British were rapidly outnumbered at Concord, with the arrival of the slower moving militia; they had not counted on a long fight, and so had not brought additional ammunition beyond the standard issue in the soldiers' cartridge boxes. In response, they sent instructions to General Ward to fortify Bunker Hill and the heights of Charlestown; he ordered ColonelWilliam Prescottto do so. Reuben Dow (1729 Salem NH 1811 Hollis, NH). At the first outbreak of the Revolution,he took an active and leading part in opposition to the oppressive measures of the British ministry. Captain. The collection also contains a list of the men killed and . Livelyopened fire, temporarily halting the colonists work. Moses Wilmarths 9th company, Col. John Daggetts 4th Bristol Regiment which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775 served 9 days. The rising sun also alerted Prescott to a significant problem with the location of the redoubt it could easily be flanked on either side. Davis Howletts Co., Col. Ashleys Regt., N. H. Militia, which marched from Keene to reinforce the Continental Army at Ticonderoga 3 to 11 July 1777. For example, the old 2nd Middlesex Regiment of Foot (a provincial unit that had seen action in the French and Indian Wars) had divided into a militia regiment under Colonel David Green and a Minuteman regiment Colonel Ebenezer Bridge. Change). ; this house stood on the south side of the Burlington Mall parking lot. This army would be under the direct control and pay of the Continental Congress, not the individual former colonies (whose control over the militias caused many issues during the war). Someone suddenly fired a shotit's uncertain which sideand a melee . Fact #10: The fighting on April 19, 1775, is one of the best documented battles of the American Revolution. There is still a debate as to whether it was a colonist or a British soldier who fired the first shot. Much like other militia units had shadowed other British Regular excursions (most notably at Salem, Massachusetts on February 26, 1775), the Lexington militia had no intention in getting into a firefight with the Regulars. It was 2pm when the troops were ready for the assault, roughly ten hours after theLivelyfirst opened fire. the company served in Rhode Island from May 14, 1777 to July 6, 1777. Nathaniel Hutchins, Col. Cilleys Regiment. A few days after the Lexington and Concord action the troops that stayed were enlisted into a Continental Army under the command of General Artemus Ward. Then, in the early predawn, around 4:00am, a sentry on boardHMSLivelyspotted the new fortification, and notified her captain. As the war progressed, both sides spent a lot less time getting testimonies from those involved in battles. Two years later he became governor of Massachusetts. Seth Smiths company from New Hartford, CT. Continental units continued to prove their mettle in battle throughout the war. was a private in Captain John Bricketts company which marched on the alarm on Apr 20, 1775 in response to the alarm of Apr 19 to Cambridge service 4 days. Francis BROWN IIsson Capt. 8 days. Aaron Jewetts Co., Col. Samuel Bullards Regiment, enlisted 15 Aug. 1777, discharged 29 Nov. 1777; this company marched to Saratoga. The Lexington Minuteman is a life-size bronze figure of a colonial farmer with musket by Boston sculptor Henry H. Kitson. Fact #8: Despite modern-day pop culture references, there is no evidence to suggest that General Gages wife, Margaret Kemble Gage, was a spy for the Sons of Liberty. Joseph Warren had given our ancestor Reuben Dow his commission. They eventually reached Cambridge where they camped overnight awaiting further instructions. Shortly thereafter, the H.M.S. The accumulated militias blockaded the narrow land accesses to Charlestown and Boston, starting theSiege of Boston. Fact #3:More than Paul Revere, dozens of colonial riders rodeout on April 18-19, 1775. Private, Capt. The frequent mustering of the minute companies also built unit cohesion and familiarity with live firing, which increased the minute companies' effectiveness. Robert CROSS grandson Nathaniel Cross (1747 Ipswich, Essex, Mass 1800 Exeter, Rockingham, New Hampshire) Private, Capt. [Gage, History of Rowley, p. Stand your ground. December 8, 1776 at Newport, Rhode Island Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, under orders from Gen. William Howe, who had found Clintons insistent advice aggrevating, sailed into Newport with 6,000 soldiers and took possession of Newport without any resistance. Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. On April 19, 1775 thousands of militia units responded to the alarm in Lexington and Concord from across New England. The rifling (grooves inside the barrel) gave it a much greater range than the smoothbore musket, although it took much longer to load. This was due mostly to the creation of a professional army for the new nation, now the militias would serve in asupport role to the Continental Army, rather than the main military force as it was in 1775. 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