He was the only officer, orginally "[18] But he also said he witnessed the surrender of General John Burgoyne following combat at the Battle of Saratoga, which took place in October 1777 in upstate New York. [38] The 4th Massachusetts disbanded in West Point, New York in November of 1783. [20] After a series of October battles, Burgoyne found himself surrounded by Gates' men and surrendered on October 17. Officers and men alike were badly supplied and unpaid. Phill Greenwalt is co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and is also a full-time contributor to Emerging Civil War. An integrated military force representing the colonies was not exclusive to Washingtons main army. Webbefore the battle of Sedgemoor. 68, Image 673, via FamilySearch.org. Muster Rolls & other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution 1775-1783 ((HTML)) (Reprint ed. If Freeman declared or received his freedom during the war, he most likely did not have a home of his own to return to. Order of Battle. And sometimes, the paper trail ends without any conclusive findings. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Women followed the army to be with their husbands and contributed actively to the cause. Freeman may have moved to Hingham to try and start a new life as maritime towns had generally more job opportunities than farming towns. Throughout his pension testimony, Freeman only names one company captain that he served under Captain Danforth. The name Fortune Conant appears only in muster rolls. Journal of the Early Republic 8, no. WebBattles of the American Revolution Series: Volume V. At Monmouth Courthouse in east-central New Jersey, General Washington's Continental Army came of age. [32] Muster Roll of Capt. Theodore J. Crackel, "Longitudinal migration in America, 1780-1840: A study of Revolutionary War Pension Records," Historical Methods 14 (Summer 1981): 133-137. Previous engagements: Defense of Canada, Lake Champlain, Northern New Jersey, Defense of Philadelphia, Philadelphia-Monmouth. The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Major General Charles Lee commanded 12,000 men of the Continental Army under the leadership of General George Washington. For the British, General Sir Henry Clinton commanded 11,000 men under the leadership of Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Another Native American tribe, the Catawba, assisted South Carolina militia commander, Colonel Thomas Sumter during the Second Battle of Hanging Rock on August 6, 1780. [Names in bold are believed . Additionally, no recorded Massachusetts regiments participated at Brandywine during the battle. [17] The committee in Billerica voted for an additional bounty of 24 to "such persons as will now Inlist into the Continental Army" but they needed to figure out how the money would be raised for the additional bounty. The main military force, which coalesced under General George Washington as the Continental Army, was not an integrated army until 1776. in the service of the United States Commanded by William Shepard for the Month of September 1781, Muster/payrolls, and various papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 2 (1988): 13958. Elnathan Haskell's Company in the 4th Massachusetts Regt. N')].uJr Motivation for enlistment varied, but many who joined in the fight sought to secure their own blessings of liberty while they fought to gain their countrys independence from Britain. in history from Wheeling Jesuit University. [27] By December, he appears once again in an account of soldiers receiving clothing at camp in Peekskill. [2] A preliminary study of pension records from 1981 found that of 13,500 Revolutionary War veterans, more than half (54 percent) had moved from their home state after the war. It appears that Freeman, presumably because of his lengthy combat and campaign experience, is listed as "on command" with a Colonel Alexander Scammel, who led a New Hampshire regiment. They were prepared by the commanding officer of each Inflation and depreciation meant that these bounty payments were not worth their face value by the time soldiers were paid. Army returns reveal that two-thirds of the nearly 2,000 men who perished died during the warmer months of March, April, and May, when supplies were more abundant. BT When Congress first passed the law, they expected fewer than 2,000 eligible applicants[5] and estimated that it would cost $155,000. The defenders were a motley collection of colonists, from various New England colonies. During the larger Saratoga Campaign, when British and their Native American allies were besieging Fort Stanwixin upper New York State, a pro-patriot militia columnunder the command of Nicholas Herkimer marched to the patriot'srelief. WebWith the return of the Continental army to the outskirts of New York City following the Battle of Monmouth Court House in June, muster rolls of the army were taken in White Web250 Capt. If the men are the same, Elijah Danforth is also the most solid connection we have to Billerica being Fortune Freeman's hometown. By the end of 1818, the program cost nearly $2 million.[7]. Wells was a surgeon in the Continental Army and after his service in the Revolution, he paid his enlistment bounty to his former master and lived the rest of his life as a free man in Lebanon, Connecticut. /TT1 1 Tf Elnathan Haskell's Company in the 4th Massachusetts Regt. [28] An Account of Clothing Delivered Lt. Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. endstream endobj 37 0 obj [/ICCBased 41 0 R] endobj 41 0 obj <>stream Yet, they were present at every engagement and shivered through every winter. Perhaps he was, and he simply misremembered the battle. See the Charles Rolls statue Founder of Rolls-Royce . You can browse these by regiment. For those covering the date of the Battle of Waterloo you can also search by an individuals name. From 1816 to 1856, the musters are principally of the Royal Corps of Sappers and Miners, and list only NCOs and other ranks. The two merged in 1856, as the Royal Engineers In the Continental Army, bound individuals yearning for liberty and wages served alongside freemen in search of a better life. [18] Fortune Freeman, Pension No. Payment records indicate payment through September 1824, but they end with no explanation. 2011-05-16T09:36:32-04:00 [10], The Conant family name in Massachusetts turns up throughout the history of the state. In 1779, while the war slowed to a stalemate, conditions for the Maryland soldiers deteriorated. His paper trail then goes blank until 1783. He died of typhoid fever at North Mountain, Virginia, June 3, 1863. These included the companies of: Captain Daniel Smiths Company Robert Doacks Company of Militia Men in Michael Woods Muster District Men in Thomas Burks Muster District Garrisons at Elk Garden Fort Garrisons at the Glade Hollow Fort While Wayne wanted to press the attack, Washington demurred, believing that his men were beat out and with heat and fatigue.. NARA M853, page 64, via Fold3.com. 1852. Towards the end of March 1778, Nixon's regiment moved to the Highland's department, overseeing the defenses of the Hudson River near New York City. His name appears on a roll dated Sept. 8, 1778, for Col. Thomas Clarks com- His name also appears on a muster roll of Tatums company . WebThe fighting see-sawed back and forth under the brutal June sun for several hours. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. By summer, Washington could claim that the war effort was going well. What would a desperately poor man claim to guarantee financial relief? During the action at Barren Hill, Oneida soldiershelped delay the advancing British force. [8] Might a man named Fortune Conant, possibly enslaved, who may have been freed during service, changed his name, stating for all of posterity his status of being a "free man" prior to reenlisting in 1781? In his pension application, Freeman claimed to have first enlisted in Boston in 1776 in Captain Elijah Danforth's company, Colonel Thomas Nixon's regiment, later designated the 6th Massachusetts Regiment in 1779. 69, Image 144, via FamilySearch.org. Muster rolls and officer commissions are recorded in: 1. Military Officers Recorded in the Office of the Secretary of State, "[35] Composed of men from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, the regiment marched South to Yorktown, engaging in skirmishes along the way, and served as part of the 2nd brigade of The Light Infantry Division during the Siege of Yorktown.[36]. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Where did he come from? WebFour muster masters were appointed to carry out the intent of the Provincial Congress. 32, Image 99, via FamilySearch.org. ([5/16/2011 9:36:32 AM])Tj Mifflins Division|2nd Pennsylvania Brigade| 5th Pennsylvania Regiment. He had served in Greenes third line of defense with the 2nd Maryland Regiment. "F$H:R!zFQd?r9\A&GrQhE]a4zBgE#H *B=0HIpp0MxJ$D1D, VKYdE"EI2EBGt4MzNr!YK ?%_&#(0J:EAiQ(()WT6U@P+!~mDe!hh/']B/?a0nhF!X8kc&5S6lIa2cKMA!E#dV(kel }}Cq9 Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! The troops also constructed miles of trenches, five earthen forts (redoubts), and a state-of-the-art bridge over the Schuylkill River. %PDF-1.6 % Perhaps the most important outcome of the encampment was the armys maturation into a more professional force. in the service of the United States Commanded by William Shepard for the Month of May 1781, Muster/payrolls, and various papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol. [13] Fortune Conant is listed as joining Elijah Danforth's company the same company Fortune Freeman remembered joining over 40 years later when he applied for his pension in New York City. It is not always that the eulogies or epitaphs of persons, in much more exalted positions than his, contain much truth as does this brief tribute to the humble and patriotic negro.". 8.25 0 0 8.25 18 744.75 Tm And then later, records show that a "Fortune Freeman" enlisted in 1781 into the 4th Massachusetts, serving until discharge in 1783. ET Arriving to the court with merely the clothes on his back, Freeman provided few details about his personal life in his statement. f Historical and Military Criticism, with Topographical Illustration (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1876), 336. The Philadelphia Campaign, Volume II. At some point, probably in 1778, Carr was promoted to lieutenant. WebOn December 9, 1775, three companies from the First joined the 2nd Virginia Regiment in defeating Dunmore's troops at the Battle of Great Bridge near Norfolk. Samuel Carhart's men, Monmouth County, 1780 and 1781 388 9-months men, Monmouth County 1778; Col. Forman's return, Fourth Regiment [no date]; and 9 [5] John P. Resch. According to military records, Conant stayed with his company in Nixon's regiment throughout 1779, moving to various positions to keep British forces contained within New York City. "Forten" Conant first appears on a list of men mustered by Colonel James Barrett, muster master of Middlesex County, on May 16, 1777. In his pension, Freeman stated his discharge in 1780, which lines up with Conant's discharge. John Hannigan, "The Many Lives of Fortune Freeman," Rethinking the Age of Revolution, Blogs @ Brandeis, 10 December 2013, https://blogs.brandeis.edu/revolutions/2013/12/10/the-many-lives-of-fortune-freeman/. NARA M804, page 4, via Fold3.com. WebMuster Roll of Capt. Archive.org. With the American colonists' Declaration of Independence, General Howe affected the landing of his troops on Long Island which included the 38th and attacked Washington's army successfully before Brooklyn Heights. 50, ed. The British soon tested the Continental Armys newfound discipline at the Battle of Monmouth, which took place in central New Jersey on June 28, 1778. The Valley Forge Park Alliance maintains the Muster Roll Project and helps to inspire appreciation of and support for Valley Forge National Historical Park. Webthe muster rolls in E 101; protections for war service and appointment of attorneys in the Treaty Rolls in C 76; the Gascon Rolls in C 61 (for intended military service in Gascony) the Scotch Rolls in C 71, (for intended military service in Scotland) 9. The final event Freeman explicitly mentioned in his pension application is the capture of Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis and his army, after the Siege of Yorktown, which lasted three weeks. In some cases, the muster rolls are accompanied by payrolls and receipt rolls. WebThere is a Fifer Walter Maddox listed in the muster rolls of the 7th Maryland Regiment, Continental line. 48, Image 88, via FamilySearch.org. )U!$5X3/9 ($5j%V*'&*r" (,!!0b;C2( I8/ [15] Freeman may have recalled Danforth easily as a familiar name to him in his younger days. When the French army of General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau headed toward Yorktown in the summer of 1781, one of the commanding officers aides, Baron von Closen left the following observation: A quarter of them [the Continental Army] are Negroes, merry, confident, and sturdy. These African Americansreceived the same pay as their fellow white soldiers but did not see the type of military promotions as their counterparts. NJDARM: Collection Guide - 52, Part 2 (Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 1986), 184, via Haithi Trust. Monmouth has many notable connections but one of its most famous is the connection to the Rolls Family. Fortune Freeman, Pension No. What follows are two stories presented as part of a possible whole: one of a man named Fortune Conant, who served for three years from 1777-1780, and disappeared after his discharge, and another about a man named Fortune Freeman, who claimed to have served the entirety of the war, struggled to live a life in the new nation in New York City, and ultimately died in poverty. When Fortune Freeman enlisted in 1781, it brought the guarantee of pay. WebCountless hours were spent scouring muster rolls, hospital records, and other primary source documents in an effort to identify the soldiers. It is also worth noting that the dollars were paid in Continental dollars which were quickly depreciating in value. The new British commander, Lieutenant General Henry Clinton, received orders to People often picture the Continental Army of 1777 as a ragtag bunch of inexperienced fighters, but Washingtons men fought with skill and were often on the offensive while campaigning against superior numbers of professional soldiers. On May 6, 1778, the army joyously celebrated Frances alliance with and formal recognition of the United States as a sovereign power. There were Blacks servingin the reconstituted 1st and 2nd Virginia units that fought with General Nathanael Greene at the Battle of Guilford Court House. Washington rapidly set troops in motion to bring on a general engagement with the enemy. Children's Muster drill during the 236th anniversary Battle of Monmouth re-enactment. "[41] He also said that he had no family aside from an 18-year-old daughter named Mary and revealed her status as "bound out to service. 32, Image 104, via FamilySearch.org. Though a few probate records indicate some Conant family members enslaved people of African descent, Fortune's name does not appear in any of these surviving records. General Washington hurried his army forward to intercept the British withdrawal. Charles Stewart Rolls was born in 1877 as the third son of John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock. Download the official NPS app before your next visit, https://blogs.brandeis.edu/revolutions/2013/12/10/the-many-lives-of-fortune-freeman/, https://revolutionarywar.us/continental-army/massachusetts/, https://www.loc.gov/collections/george-washington-papers/articles-and-essays/timeline/the-american-revolution/, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-03961, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-05812, https://www.socnh.org/alexander-scammell/, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-07314, https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6129qv4. John Cadwalader. He stated that he continued to serve in the same regiment until his honorable discharge in 1783. WebNOTE: The following information was transcribed from the original Muster Roll held at the National Archives and Records Aministration, College Park, MD. With that tattered discharge note, we now can follow Fortune Freeman's paper trail, which begins in 1781 in Hingham, Massachusetts. They only needed a little more training to reach their full potential. John P. Resch. In the spring of 1818, an old man named Fortune Freeman appeared before the Mayor's Court of New York City. WebThe abstracts were so carefully prepared that it is rarely necessary to consult the original muster rolls and other records from which they were made. Posted on September 17, 2014 by Sam Russell. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts 1776-1777, Vol. 1851. These stories, whether of the same man or not, are examples of how little information exists about soldiers, particularly those of color, who played a critical role in the founding of the United States. [24], At the end of May and beginning of June, the British returned to King's Ferry. By June, Freeman arrived in West Point, New York and appeared on muster rolls for Haskell's company. Throughout the Revolution,the fightfor independencepermeated intoNative American tribes and alliances. Provisions, though never abundant in the early months of the encampment, were available. However, when looking through muster rolls, there is no record of a "Fortune Freeman" enlisting in 1776 in Danforths company. Acrobat Web Capture 9.0 The Continental Army was integrated and included many patriots of African descent. Did he have any other family? : Stackpole Books. Without finding Fortune's name in any Conant family records, we are left with questions about his early life. NARA M804, page 4, via Fold3.com. The law promised pensions to veterans "in reduced circumstances"[4] who had served at least nine months in the Continental Army. Dunmore made several more attempts to gain a stronghold on the colony but in "[16] Perhaps these recruitment efforts helped Fortune Freeman remember Danforth's name so many decades later. The 3rd then wintered near Danbury, Connecticut. The 38th served under various colonels' names until designated the 38th Regiment of Foot in 1751. S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. WebDuring the battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778, it was part of the Main Armys Right Wing, commanded by Major General Nathanael Greene, and in the 1st Maryland Brigade, [31] Muster/payrolls, and various papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol.
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