Was he freeborn? Von Steubens hands-on training program helped the army become a more proficient marching machine. Militia, United States -- History Revolution, The women present at Valley Forge included hundreds of enlisted mens wives who followed the army year round, and some officers wives on extended visits. By 1820, Congress amended the 1818 Pension Act. Despite the questions surrounding Freeman's life, it is certain that he dedicated years of his life in the fight for a new nation. [14] Records of Military Operations and Service: Officers and Enlisted Men. V)gB0iW8#8w8_QQj@&A)/g>'K t;\ $FZUn(4T%)0C&Zi8bxEB;PAom?W= Organized January-February 1776 at Chester from Chester, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties. WebBattle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778 Wyoming Valley Massacre, July 3, 1778 Battle of Rhode Island, Aug. 29, 1778 Tryon's Attack upon New Haven, etc., July 5-10, 1779 Storming of Stony Point, July 15, 1779 Sullivan's Indian Raid, July-Aug., 1779 Battle of Springfield, N. J., June 23, 1780 Affair of Fort George, N. Y., Oct. 11, 1780 The Continental Army was primed and ready to move on to the next level just as a charismatic former Prussian army officer, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben, arrived in camp in February 1778. ( )Tj Political, religious, and personal ties, however, led some tribes to support the patriots. As the sound of combat grew fainter, the battle for individual rights began. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. 0 -2.182 TD [Muster rolls, etc., 1743-1787] by Montgomery, Thomas Lynch, 1862- Publication date 1906 Topics Pennsylvania. While his wartime declarations remained the same, he provided additional personal information in his restatement per the requirements and described his dire circumstances. He appeared on muster rolls for York Hutts, an encampment in New Jersey, from November 1781 to January 1782. 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. Muster Roll dated August 24, 1780. Perhaps he was, and he simply misremembered the battle. 27, Image 523, via FamilySearch.org. Additionally, no recorded Massachusetts regiments participated at Brandywine during the battle. After 1778, a stalemate set in around the New York area, with no major campaigns. WebFour muster masters were appointed to carry out the intent of the Provincial Congress. There is, however, a "Fortune Conant" who enlisted in Elijah Danforth's company in 1777. [32] Muster Roll of Capt. [34] "To George Washington from Alexander Scammell, 16 November 1780," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-03961. The Continental Army was integrated and included many patriots of African descent. [44] United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, Vol. Webex display range cookers; somerset county, pa magistrate reports; market segmentation disadvantages; saroj khan daughter death; two in the thoughts one in the prayers meme uuid:97fc00cf-7f9f-47ec-8fe1-3e396fafbf5d 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 Index card abstracts of accounts, muster and pay rolls, descriptive lists and accounts, etc. Yet, they were present at every engagement and shivered through every winter. Under the command of General George Washington and many other generals, the integrated army that served in the Revolution was a unique fighting force that catalyzed the formation of the Republic. He became one of 20,000 Revolutionary War veterans[3] who filed for a pension by the end of 1818 following the passage of a pension bill that same year. [30] Records of Military Operations and Service: Officers and Enlisted Men. Six men are recorded as married and seven as single. Each applicant had to disclose his age, occupation, health, and ability to support his household, and an inventory of his real and personal property."[39]. [11] Fortune is, however, included in a genealogical history of the Conant family, but the only information included says that he lived in Billerica and served three years in the Continental Army. Again, though no "Fortune Freeman" is listed with Nixon's men, Fortune Conant is documented on record at White Plains on September 9, 1778, with Danforth's company in Nixon's regiment, a few months after the Battle of Monmouth. : Stackpole Books. WebFrom 1878 to 1898, all muster rolls and pay lists are in WO 16. (NJDARM: Collection Guide -)Tj Captain Danforth and his family lived in Billerica for years, with Danforth even serving as a minute man in 1775. The Fortune Freeman who enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts and is discharged from the 4th Massachusetts, enlisted in March 1781 in Hingham, Massachusetts. 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. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. From this location, twenty miles northwest of Philadelphia, the army was close enough to maintain pressure on the British yet far enough away to prevent a surprise attack. At the time of his application, Freeman showed his dire need for financial help. While Wayne wanted to press the attack, Washington demurred, believing that his men were beat out and with heat and fatigue.. [34], In 1781, Washington ordered the formation of a light infantry regiment commanded by Scammell, "with a view of having a Corps ready to execute a project of the kind which I shall propose to you, which is to endeavour [sic] to strike, by surprise, [enemies establishing themselves at or near Fort Lee]. The Valley Forge Park Alliance maintains the Muster Roll Project and helps to inspire appreciation of and support for Valley Forge National Historical Park. [25] Following this attack, Nixon's regiment retreated to the "Highlands" in New Jersey on June 12, and Conant is still listed on pay rolls and clothing receipts through September. Their attack pushed the Americans out of the crossing. WebMuster Roll of Capt. 50, Image 664, via FamilySearch.org. Shortages of clothing did cause severe hardship for a number of men, but many soldiers had a full uniform, and the well-equipped units patrolled, foraged, and defended the camp. On the morning of June 27, having massing his forces at Bath, Feversham marched towards Monmouth's position with his advance units. [3] Jack D. Warren Jr., America's First Veterans (Washington, DC: American Revolution Institute of the Society of Cincinnati, Inc., 2020), 97. [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. /Artifact <>BDC WebFeversham learnt of Monmouth's march eastwards on the afternoon of June 26 and ordered all the Royal forces and militia to muster at Bath. It was natural to expect that they wished for more comfortable accommodations, after the hardships of a most severe campaign; but I could discover nothing like a sigh of discontent at their situation On the contrary, my ears were agreeably struck every evening, in riding through the camp, with a variety of military and patriotic songs and every countenance I saw, wore the appearance of cheerfulness or satisfaction.. In 1779 the 3rd Regiment was assigned to the Sullivan Expedition, and saw heated action at the Battle of Newtown, again evidenced by the toll shown in their muster rolls. The American Revolution's success was hard-fought by a diverse group of people. In his pension application, Fortune Freeman asserted his presence at several well-known and significant battles during the Revolutionary War. Not only were they serving in units from the northern colonies, but 58 African Americans had mustered into the North Carolina Line. Later muster rolls state that Fortune Conant officially enlisted in the Continental Army a few weeks later on June 4, 1777. He then said he reenlisted in Boston in 1780 into the same company and regiment. Hull fought in the Battle of Cowpens, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the Siege of Ninety-Six, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs. 2021 Valley Forge Legacy Muster Roll Project. [37] "From George Washington to William Heath, 29 October 1781," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-07314. To oppose them, General George Washington marched his 12,000-man army from New Jersey. By 6:00 P.M., however, the British felt they had enough. Although they lost two key battles, as well as Philadelphia, to the British, Washingtons soldiers emerged from these experiences with a renewed confidence in their fighting abilities. A muster roll of 16 Creek Indians who arrived presumably in late 1850 or early 1851. Recorded in the Monmouth Roll (the [22] Fortune Conant, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War. Fortune Conant, a member of Thomas Nixon's Regiment, would have been at Saratoga, not Brandywine. Included in their ranksof2,400were approximately 120 Black militiamen, including Peter Salem. [12] Henry Allen Hazen, History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register (Boston: A Williams & Co, 1887), 25. By mid-December he had decided to encamp at Valley Forge. Military Officers Recorded in the Office of the Secretary of State, The 38th was stationed at Fort Washington and Long Island during the war and was involved in the following conflicts: Muster Books and Pay Lists 12-5171-5172 Shelf List.pdf. 9 0 0 9 5 779 Tm The story of one of the most famous revolutionary women, Betsy Ross, is likely just that - a story. Fought in one day, on June 28, 1778, the Battle of Monmouth resulted in no clear victory for either Washington's troops or the British. In choosing a site for quarters, Washington had to balance the Continental Congresss wish for some type of winter campaign aimed at dislodging the British from the capital against the needs of his weary and poorly supplied army. This The British Army focused instead on a campaign in the southern colonies, with an army under General Cornwallis engaging Continental forces in the Carolinas. WebThe fighting see-sawed back and forth under the brutal June sun for several hours. Even in Washingtons home ofVirginia, Blacksoldiers fought in Virginia units. The troops who came to camp included men from all thirteen of the original states. Hingham, though much smaller than Boston, sat on the same vital harbor that brought in goods, and more importantly in the later war years, support from France in the form of troops, arms, and money. To accomplish this, the British commander in chief, Sir William Howe, landed nearly 17,000 of His Majestys finest troops at the head of Chesapeake Bay. [12] Though no definitive connection could be found between this William and Fortune, it does put the Conant family in the region at the time when Fortune joined the war. Mechanicsburg, Penn. [25] "The American Revolution Timeline," George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. In February 1781, the unit merged with the 2nd Rhode Island. APPENDIX 1 5 for the period Nov. 1779 through Feb. 1780 with the notation, Discharged Jan[uary] 19, 1780. 30 [43] "New York (State). S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. A unique historical record compiled from the rolls made by the Hanoverian army of the Duke of Cumberland after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. When Fortune Freeman enlisted in 1781, it brought the guarantee of pay. During the action at Barren Hill, Oneida soldiershelped delay the advancing British force. p. 736 pgs. The name Fortune Conant appears only in muster rolls. There were enough kids to make TWO companies! During the 1781 campaign against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis, there are five Black veteran pension records showing service under the Marquis de Lafayette in the Virginia Battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gaskin. "[42] Was Freeman previously married, and if so, did his wife die? [31] He served in Elnathan Haskell's company, William Shepard's 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 WebMuster Roll Search the online database of people who served at Valley Forge. NARA M804, page 13, via Fold3.com. 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. Mary Stockwell, Ph.D. Notes: 1. And then later, records show that a "Fortune Freeman" enlisted in 1781 into the 4th Massachusetts, serving until discharge in 1783. On May 6, 1778, the army joyously celebrated Frances alliance with and formal recognition of the United States as a sovereign power. This series of battles and Nixon's presence in New York starting in July further support the idea that Freeman served at Saratoga and not Brandywine and witnessed a pivotal turning point in the American Revolution. WebPension Rolls and Correspondence (1790-1846) RG 1800.066 Revolutionary War Records (3 boxes) Box 1 Revolutionary War Records, Accounts, 1776-1807 (23 folders) One of the most famous units was the1st Rhode Island Regiment. The experience of veteran soldiers such as Freeman would prove crucial in the fall of 1781. [20] After a series of October battles, Burgoyne found himself surrounded by Gates' men and surrendered on October 17. WebIn addition to these, that work contains rolls or lists of men engaged in defending the frontier in 1774. S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. In addition to the bonds not maturing, the Continental currency continued to devalue over the course of the war. Though monetary value depreciated as the war progressed, were bounty payments used to purchase his freedom? By summer, Washington could claim that the war effort was going well. To better understand and appreciate what happened at Valley Forge, it is helpful to know how the encampment fits into the context of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Freeman may have moved to Hingham to try and start a new life as maritime towns had generally more job opportunities than farming towns. Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts 1776-1777, Vol. One of the men, Jonathan Overton, served in the North Carolina Continentals and lived to be 101, dying in 1849. This is attested to by an anonymous observer who recounted his visit to Valley Forge in the New Jersey Gazette on December 25: I have just returned from spending a few days with the army. Bounty receipts: Suffolk, Essex, and Middlesex counties 1781-1782, Muster/Payrolls and Various Papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol. The largest conglomeration of tribes, the Iroquois Confederacy, split along regional lines. Thomas Gibson, a free man of color from Guilford County, enlisted for two years service in 1781 and defended his home county that March. 48, Image 88, via FamilySearch.org. 32, Image 104, via FamilySearch.org. Muster rolls of the participating companies of American militia and minute-men in the battle of April 19, 1775, mostly from the archives of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, but a few from other sources " 78 p Photocopy Addeddate 2008-01-24 16:23:44 Call number 2735985 Cuffee Wells is just one example. BT Landing in Boston in July 1774, the 38th found themselves involved in the first military engagement of the American war: Concord and Lexington, April 1775. While statistically most were of English descent, the ranks also included persons of African, American Indian, Austrian, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Polish, Portuguese, Prussian, Scottish, Spanish, and Swedish descent. If Freeman was Conant, was he promised freedom to join or was he merely hopeful that freedom could be a possibility? NARA M804, page 4, via Fold3.com. NARA M881, page 4, via Fold3.com. NARA M804, page 4, via Fold3.com. [1] Fortune Freeman, Pension No. 2011-05-16T09:36:31-04:00 n3kGz=[==B0FX'+tG,}/Hh8mW2p[AiAN#8$X?AKHI{!7. 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. Retrieved 29 May 2006. WebMuster Roll of Captain Richard Lloyd's Company, Colonel Hazen's Regiment, August, 1778. x- [ 0}y)7ta>jT7@t`q2&6ZL?_yxg)zLU*uSkSeO4?c. R -25 S>Vd`rn~Y&+`;A4 A9 =-tl`;~p Gp| [`L` "AYA+Cb(R, *T2B- WebThe New Jersey Historical Society stated that in 1760 the regiment was part of the final campaign against the French in Canada. WebThe Marylanders also fought at the Battle of Monmouth (June 1778). It is also worth noting that the dollars were paid in Continental dollars which were quickly depreciating in value. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, The American Revolution in Indian Country: Crisis and Diversity in Native American Communities (Studies in North American Indian History), Native Americans in the American Revolution: How the War Divided, Devastated, and Transformed the Early American Indian World, The Effects of Weather on 18th Century Warfare, Allies and Enemies: British and American Attitudes towards Native Americans during the Revolution, African Americans in the Armed Forces Timeline, 5 Surprising Places to Find Native American Influence in History. WebThere is a Fifer Walter Maddox listed in the muster rolls of the 7th Maryland Regiment, Continental line. WebMuster Rolls & other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution 1775-1783 ( (HTML)) (Reprint ed.). S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. Posted on September 17, 2014 by Sam Russell. Commanded the Grenadier Company of the Rangers from August 6, 1776 to October 24, 1778. [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. The American Revolution is marked with a varying cast of diverse soldiers who fought for their independence. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. wG xR^[ochg`>b$*~ :Eb~,m,-,Y*6X[F=3Y~d tizf6~`{v.Ng#{}}jc1X6fm;'_9 r:8q:O:8uJqnv=MmR 4 But the stories of these men are important to tell when we look back at our nations founding to see who served in the war that secured the independence of the United States. 1851. If the men are the same, Elijah Danforth is also the most solid connection we have to Billerica being Fortune Freeman's hometown. WebUnder Dearborn the 3rd regiment was at the Battle of Monmouth, where some of its most soldierly men participated. Was there hope for financial independence following the war? Furthermore, Danforth served on a committee chosen by the town of Billerica to call on "persons to inlist [sic] into the Continental service. Previous engagements: Defense of Canada, Lake Champlain, Northern New Jersey, Defense of Philadelphia, Philadelphia-Monmouth Field Officers Colonel Francis Johnston Just four days later, on May 19, 1778, Oneida Native Americans, joined with Daniel Morgans Virginia riflemen to spearhead the first movement of Washingtons army from Valley Forge. This process does not force the page flat, as in the usual While the soldiers who entered camp on December 19, 1777, were not well-supplied, they were not downtrodden. 0.298 scn Was he enslaved by the family? The troops also constructed miles of trenches, five earthen forts (redoubts), and a state-of-the-art bridge over the Schuylkill River. Throughout his pension testimony, Freeman only names one company captain that he served under Captain Danforth. In his pension, Freeman stated his discharge in 1780, which lines up with Conant's discharge. Civil War and Interregnum soldiers 1642-1660 9.1 General His paper trail then goes blank until 1783. Under the direction of military engineers, the men built a city of 2,000-odd huts laid out in parallel lines along planned military avenues. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Continental Army lost the battle and retreated, leaving Philadelphia in English hands, though most of Washington's troops survived. At some point, probably in 1778, Carr was promoted to lieutenant. His bounty payments would not have hit their full value so soon after his first discharge. HyTSwoc [5laQIBHADED2mtFOE.c}088GNg9w '0 Jb Payment records indicate payment through September 1824, but they end with no explanation. Washington rapidly set troops in motion to bring on a general engagement with the enemy. One of the casualties that day was Herkimer who was mortally wounded but kept command by being propped against a tree. [22] If Freeman settled at camp with men who fought at Monmouth, he would have heard conversations about the battle. Every purchase supports the mission. 32, Image 99, via FamilySearch.org. During the Battle of Brandywine, Washington attempted to prevent the British army from taking Philadelphia, the patriot capital. /Artifact <>BDC /TT0 1 Tf There were Blacks servingin the reconstituted 1st and 2nd Virginia units that fought with General Nathanael Greene at the Battle of Guilford Court House. Order of Battle. According to the surviving records, though, Fortune Conant served with Nixon's regiment in the late summer and fall of 1777. WebColonel Daniel Morgan was the commander of the 11th and 15th Virginia in 1778 when he wrote this letter to General George Washington during the Revolutionary WebThe muster rolls from the War of 1812 are a miscellaneous group of nine companies (mostly from East Tennessee) that served as volunteers or militia during the war. Disease, not cold or starvation, was the true scourge of the camp. Freemans story is just one of the thousands of patriots of color that we can attempt to unravel by searching existing pension records, though thousands more did not get recorded. A muster roll of 34 Creek Indians who arrived Jan. 27th, 1852. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. During 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, commanded by Brigadier General William Smallwood. And sometimes, the paper trail ends without any conclusive findings. 2 (1988): 13958. When troubles threatened with the Colonies, the 38th was one of the first corps despatched from Ireland to America. 2011-05-16T09:36:32-04:00 Charles Stewart Rolls was born in 1877 as the third son of John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock. By November, Freeman transferred from his command post back to Haskell's company. John Armstrong. 1 0 obj <> endobj 2 0 obj <>stream ", Born sometime between 1747 and 1760,[9] Fortune Freeman lived in Massachusetts until at least the start of the American Revolution. Standing shoulder to shoulder, anethnically diverse soldiery formed. The tribes closest to the American settlements along the eastern seaboard sided with the Patriots. Aaron Burr. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Royal Army - under the command of the Earl of Ten thousand more veterans applied the following year. Some enslaved men found freedom in fighting. They were prepared by the commanding officer of each Phill graduated from George Mason University with a M.A. There is no record, however, of any Fortune Freeman or Conant that served in Nixon's regiment after June 4, 1780. Without finding Fortune's name in any Conant family records, we are left with questions about his early life. Did he feel a sense of pride in the idea of independence? Journal of the Early Republic 8, no. Only one of these precious few records remained in his possession when he approached the court: a discharge paper from the 4th Massachusetts, issued to him at the close of the Revolutionary War in 1783. The 3rd then wintered near Danbury, Connecticut. When Congress first passed the law, they expected fewer than 2,000 eligible applicants[5] and estimated that it would cost $155,000. 50, Image 668, via FamilySearch.org. 1393, issued by the State of Massachusetts Bay, for the sum of 247 pounds and 10 pence, in favor of Fortune Conant: dated January 1, 1780: date for maturity: March 1, 1785. Hundreds of Indians enlisted in the Continental Army and many others, engaged as scouts in specialized units. With 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 Plains, New York, in August 1778. In some cases, the muster rolls are accompanied by payrolls and receipt rolls. f [9] Freeman is described as "seventy-one" in his 1818 pension but is "about sixty-five" in his 1820 record, but Hingham enlistment records describe him as 21 in 1781. [15] Freeman may have recalled Danforth easily as a familiar name to him in his younger days. But when Fortune Freeman applied for a pension, he included one tattered sheet of paper that confirmed a discharge in 1783 from the 4th Massachusetts Regiment, which does have a record of a Fortune Freeman, who enlisted in 1781 and served until the end of the war. %PDF-1.6 % Archive.org. Throughout the Revolution,the fightfor independencepermeated intoNative American tribes and alliances. Fortune Conant's name also does not appear in any land records.[11]. Capt. But his assertions complicate understanding if Fortune Freeman and Fortune Conant were same person. [14] If Fortune Freeman's memory is correct and he originally joined as Fortune Conant he came to Boston after accepting a bounty and passing muster in Middlesex County and enlisted for the term of three years. Washington's Officers at Valley Forge. ([5/16/2011 9:36:32 AM])Tj [26], Following the muster roll trail leads Conant to Bedford, New York. 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. Muster Roll of Captain Charles S. Ilsleys Troop E of the Seventh Regiment of Cavalry, Army of the United States, (Colonel James W. Forsyth,) from the 31st day of October, 1890 to the 31st day of December, 1890. If Freeman had bounty bonds from prior service as Fortune Conant, they would not mature until 1785. Their individual stories are recorded below: BROWNE Thomas Aged 33 and baptised at Chardstock in 1651. 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. [24] Judith L. Van Buskirk, Standing In Their Own Light: African American Patriots in the American Revolution (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017), 118. NARA M246, page 150, via Fold3.com. WebThis Revolutionary War Militia Arrangement provides a breakdown of the battalions and companies raised in each county and the names of the commanding officers.