Was he freeborn? Archive.org. The Muster Rolls are neatly typed pages tightly bound in oversized books which require the use of a special overhead copying process. uuid:97fc00cf-7f9f-47ec-8fe1-3e396fafbf5d NARA M804, page 13, via Fold3.com. It is likely that Freeman decided to stay in New York after his discharge. General Washington hurried his army forward to intercept the British withdrawal. 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. [22] If Freeman settled at camp with men who fought at Monmouth, he would have heard conversations about the battle. What about his parents or any siblings? They were prepared by the commanding officer of each Web250 Capt. When he returned to Massachusetts, he may have been able to finally claim freedom for himself. Previous engagements: Defense of Canada, Lake Champlain, Northern New Jersey, Defense of Philadelphia, Philadelphia-Monmouth. The 3rd then wintered near Danbury, Connecticut. NARA M853, page 64, via Fold3.com. 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 The Philadelphia Campaign, Volume II. 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. The British Army focused instead on a campaign in the southern colonies, with an army under General Cornwallis engaging Continental forces in the Carolinas. Theodore J. Crackel, "Longitudinal migration in America, 1780-1840: A study of Revolutionary War Pension Records," Historical Methods 14 (Summer 1981): 133-137. According to the surviving records, though, Fortune Conant served with Nixon's regiment in the late summer and fall of 1777. Complete: 100 % Content Source The National Archives Publication Number M246 Record Group 93 Published on Fold3 04 Apr 2007 Last Updated 23 Jul 2007 Description NARA M246. n3kGz=[==B0FX'+tG,}/Hh8mW2p[AiAN#8$X?AKHI{!7. His bounty payments would not have hit their full value so soon after his first discharge. There were Blacks servingin the reconstituted 1st and 2nd Virginia units that fought with General Nathanael Greene at the Battle of Guilford Court House. The American Revolution's success was hard-fought by a diverse group of people. 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. Even in Washingtons home ofVirginia, Blacksoldiers fought in Virginia units. At the time of his application, Freeman showed his dire need for financial help. From free and enslaved Blacks, to Native Americans, native born colonists, to foreign recruits, Washington's integrated army was a diverse and unique fighting force for a longand grueling eight-year war. NARA M246, page 150, via Fold3.com. Recruited throughout the spring of 1778, the regiment's companies comprised Black and white soldiers, along with Native Americans. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. of soldiers who served in Massachusetts companies and regiments during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. [26], Following the muster roll trail leads Conant to Bedford, New York. [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. The original records are located in The National Archives, Public Record Office, Kew. If Freeman declared or received his freedom during the war, he most likely did not have a home of his own to return to. [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 First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield. E Troop, 7th Cavalry Regiment, Muster Roll. In addition to the bonds not maturing, the Continental currency continued to devalue over the course of the war. 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 Royal Army - under the command of the Earl of 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 It is highly unlikely that Freeman saw action both at the battles of Brandywine and Saratoga: The battles took place hundreds of miles apart and only a few weeks separated them. 2 . Organized January-February 1776 at Chester from Chester, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties. endstream endobj 5 0 obj <> endobj 6 0 obj <> endobj 3 0 obj <> endobj 7 0 obj <> endobj 11 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Type/Page>> endobj 12 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 13 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 14 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 15 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Type/Page>> endobj 36 0 obj <>stream It is estimated that less than 200 African Americans served in the unit during the conflict. In his pension, Freeman stated his discharge in 1780, which lines up with Conant's discharge. A muster roll of 16 Creek Indians who arrived presumably in late 1850 or early 1851. Fortune Conant's name also does not appear in any land records.[11]. 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 [25] "The American Revolution Timeline," George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. In Fortune Freeman's testimony about his Revolutionary war service, he remembered enlisting under a Captain Elijah Danforth in 1776. With that tattered discharge note, we now can follow Fortune Freeman's paper trail, which begins in 1781 in Hingham, Massachusetts. 50, ed. [35] "From George Washington to Alexander Scammell, 17 May 1781," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-05812. NJDARM: Collection Guide - To oppose them, General George Washington marched his 12,000-man army from New Jersey. [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. By mid-December he had decided to encamp at Valley Forge. 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. In 1779, while the war slowed to a stalemate, conditions for the Maryland soldiers deteriorated. Perhaps he was, and he simply misremembered the battle. Later muster rolls state that Fortune Conant officially enlisted in the Continental Army a few weeks later on June 4, 1777. WebBattle of Monmouth, also called Battle of Monmouth Court House, (June 28, 1778), indecisive engagement in the American Revolution, fought at Monmouth, New Jersey. [43] "New York (State). The British surrender at Saratoga brought the French into the war as American allies in February 1778. He was the only officer, orginally The regiment would see action at the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. Throughout his pension testimony, Freeman only names one company captain that he served under Captain Danforth. From March to May of the same year, he appeared on muster rolls dated at King's Ferry, a major crossing point on the Hudson. WebThere is a Fifer Walter Maddox listed in the muster rolls of the 7th Maryland Regiment, Continental line. [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. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. NARA M804, pages 4 and 9, via Fold3.com. Their attack pushed the Americans out of the crossing. [21] "The American Revolution Timeline," George Washington Papers, Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/collections/george-washington-papers/articles-and-essays/timeline/the-american-revolution/. BT WebPension Rolls and Correspondence (1790-1846) RG 1800.066 Revolutionary War Records (3 boxes) Box 1 Revolutionary War Records, Accounts, 1776-1807 (23 folders) Many Blacks who fought and were enslaved fought for their freedom and independence as a person of color. For the British, they were prepared about once every 182 days. If Freeman is the same man "on command" with Scammell, he undoubtedly fought at Yorktown. Did he have any other family? Herkimer's militia, whichconsisted of 60-100 Native Americans from the Oneidatribe, were ambushed by the Seneca and Mohawk tribes in alliance with the Britishat the Battle of Oriskany. Children's Muster drill during the 236th anniversary Battle of Monmouth re-enactment. McGuire, Thomas J. There is no record of an African American serving higher than the rank of corporal in the main army. p. 736 pgs. 9 0 0 9 5 779 Tm /TT1 1 Tf Valley Forge was not the darkest hour of the Revolutionary War; it was a place where an already accomplished group of professionals stood their ground, honed their craft, and thwarted one of the major British offensives of the war. It is also entirely possible that Freeman felt that mentioning an injury would help his case for a pension, or someone encouraged him to embellish his story. : Stackpole Books. One of the men, Jonathan Overton, served in the North Carolina Continentals and lived to be 101, dying in 1849. [44] Freeman may have died in September, possibly between the ages of 64 and 77. By February 1822, nearly 12,000 veterans were back onabout 20,000 veterans took the pauper's oath and submitted to the means test; and all but 2,000 got the benefit." In the Continental Army, bound individuals yearning for liberty and wages served alongside freemen in search of a better life. Officers and men alike were badly supplied and unpaid. December 1775 to February 1776 - The battalion was mustered and organized at Burlington and Trenton to consist of eight companies from Gloucester, The Valley Forge Park Alliance maintains the Muster Roll Project and helps to inspire appreciation of and support for Valley Forge National Historical Park. (NJDARM: Collection Guide -)Tj See the Charles Rolls statue Founder of Rolls-Royce . 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. WebNOTE: The following information was transcribed from the original Muster Roll held at the National Archives and Records Aministration, College Park, MD. Furthermore, Danforth served on a committee chosen by the town of Billerica to call on "persons to inlist [sic] into the Continental service. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. The Valley Forge Muster Roll for December 1777 to June 1778 indicated that 20 to 30 members of Sheldons Regiment were still at Valley Forge at that time, His cause of death or later whereabouts remain unknown. While the soldiers who entered camp on December 19, 1777, were not well-supplied, they were not downtrodden. [24], At the end of May and beginning of June, the British returned to King's Ferry. WebMost unit muster rolls did not specify the race of soldiers. ( )Tj [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. endstream endobj 37 0 obj [/ICCBased 41 0 R] endobj 41 0 obj <>stream 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- NARA M853, page 64, via Fold3.com. [3] Jack D. Warren Jr., America's First Veterans (Washington, DC: American Revolution Institute of the Society of Cincinnati, Inc., 2020), 97. 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 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. When troubles threatened with the Colonies, the 38th was one of the first corps despatched from Ireland to America. [13] The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. The expected arrival of the French greatly altered British war plans and triggered their evacuation of Philadelphia in June. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. [Muster rolls, etc., 1743-1787] by Montgomery, Thomas Lynch, 1862- Publication date 1906 Topics Pennsylvania. uuid:3d7d0c57-d1b8-4aa6-b03e-56b0d8f90c70 Dunmore made several more attempts to gain a stronghold on the colony but in 32, Image 99, via FamilySearch.org. 2011-05-16T09:36:32-04:00 By June, Freeman arrived in West Point, New York and appeared on muster rolls for Haskell's company. While encamped at Valley Forge, General Washington asked for a delegation of Oneida and Tuscarora warriors sent to his army. Hannigan wrote that digging into muster rolls led him to "to believe that Fortune Freeman was originally a slave from Essex County, Massachusetts named Fortune Conant." Fortune Conant, a member of Thomas Nixon's Regiment, would have been at Saratoga, not Brandywine. 50, Image 668, via FamilySearch.org. [26] Muster roll of Lieut. In his pension application, Fortune Freeman asserted his presence at several well-known and significant battles during the Revolutionary War. EMC [12] Henry Allen Hazen, History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register (Boston: A Williams & Co, 1887), 25. [6] Warren Jr., America's First Veterans, 97. 2021 Valley Forge Legacy Muster Roll Project. 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. Transportation problems made large-scale winter operations infeasible. Phill Greenwalt is co-founder of Emerging Revolutionary War and is also a full-time contributor to Emerging Civil War. Military Officers Recorded in the Office of the Secretary of State, f 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. [5] John P. Resch. Historical and Military Criticism, with Topographical Illustration (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1876), 336. And that I have no other means of obtaining a subsistence, except the pension allowed by Congress, and do actually need the assistance of my country to prevent my being dependent on charity.[40]. nQt}MA0alSx k&^>0|>_',G! 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. In fact, there is no record of a "Fortune Freeman" in Danforth's company at all. There is, however, a "Fortune Conant" who enlisted in Elijah Danforth's company in 1777. Though we do not know Freeman's exact journey, he claimed to have fought next in the June 1778 Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey. 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]. He had served in Greenes third line of defense with the 2nd Maryland Regiment. A muster roll of 34 Creek Indians who arrived Jan. 27th, 1852. His family home being the Rolls Mansion built just outside of Monmouth at While Wayne wanted to press the attack, Washington demurred, believing that his men were beat out and with heat and fatigue.. (2007). By the end of 1818, the program cost nearly $2 million.[7]. [38] Fortune Freeman, Pension No. WebIn addition to these, that work contains rolls or lists of men engaged in defending the frontier in 1774. in history from Wheeling Jesuit University. Archive.org. S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. Despite the questions surrounding Freeman's life, it is certain that he dedicated years of his life in the fight for a new nation. WebThe Marylanders also fought at the Battle of Monmouth (June 1778). [6] Congress estimated wrong. "[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. Was there hope for financial independence following the war? Might this be the same Fortune Freeman who later reenlisted, and eventually filed for a pension? [15] Town records 1685-1779 Billerica, Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, Middlesex County, Image 598, via FamilySearch.org. Commanded the Grenadier Company of the Rangers from August 6, 1776 to October 24, 1778. 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. And then later, records show that a "Fortune Freeman" enlisted in 1781 into the 4th Massachusetts, serving until discharge in 1783. Journal of the Early Republic 8, no. Cuffee Wells is just one example. By 6:00 P.M., however, the British felt they had enough. [10], The Conant family name in Massachusetts turns up throughout the history of the state. [31] He served in Elnathan Haskell's company, William Shepard's regiment. In February 1781, the unit merged with the 2nd Rhode Island. Was he enticed by the hope for a new nation? When Fortune Freeman enlisted in 1781, it brought the guarantee of pay. The Catawba had taken part in an earlier raid against a British position with Sumter as well. With no other information provided, Mary's terms of service are unknown, and it is unclear what happened to her later in life. Mifflins Division|2nd Pennsylvania Brigade| 5th Pennsylvania Regiment. The integrated army in the Revolutionwasthe last integrated American army until the Korean Warnearly175 years later in 1950. NARA M881, page 5, via Fold3.com. endstream endobj 18 0 obj <> endobj 19 0 obj (~MLj5s) endobj 25 0 obj <> endobj 27 0 obj <> endobj 39 0 obj <> endobj 38 0 obj <> endobj 20 0 obj [/ICCBased 40 0 R] endobj 40 0 obj <>stream The tribes closest to the American settlements along the eastern seaboard sided with the Patriots. The successful conclusion of the Revolution marked only the beginning of the struggle for some individuals for personal liberty. But when Cornwallis marched his army toward the Chesapeake Bay, Washington saw an opportunity to strike. The battle on Bunker's Hill took place on June 17th, 1775 and was one of the crowning victories for the 38th and the whole of the British army. "[23] This possibly means that Conant served on a mission outside of camp raids and skirmishes frequently took place as both the Continental and British forces tested each other's defenses. It is also unknown what work he pursued. 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. Order of Battle. 2011-05-16T09:36:32-04:00 WebCountless hours were spent scouring muster rolls, hospital records, and other primary source documents in an effort to identify the soldiers. What would a desperately poor man claim to guarantee financial relief? The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Part one of this story follows Conant's paper trail and examines how it aligns with Fortune Freeman's own testimony. Every Scottish regiment present at the battle has been recorded and the following are detailed: Stewarts of Appin, Atholl Brigade, Bannerman of Elsick's, Cameron of Locheil's, Chisholm of 8.25 0 0 8.25 18 744.75 Tm For Washington to split his army and keep half in New York and half on the march, he had to assemble units quickly that could march with speed. In the spring of 1818, an old man named Fortune Freeman appeared before the Mayor's Court of New York City. Leavened by Pay Roll of Lt. Col. Daniel Whitings Company in the 6th Battalion of Mass Bay Forces Commanded by Col Tho Nixon for Nov 1779, Muster and payrolls 1777-1780, Muster/Payrolls and Various Papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol. Hull fought in the Battle of Cowpens, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the Siege of Ninety-Six, and the Battle of Eutaw Springs. The story of one of the most famous revolutionary women, Betsy Ross, is likely just that - a story. https://www.loc.gov/collections/george-washington-papers/articles-and-essays/timeline/the-american-revolution/. Where did he come from? 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. WebThe Battle of Brandywine was the largest single day engagement of the American Revolution where nearly 30,000 soldiers (not including civilians, teamsters, servants, and
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battle of monmouth muster rolls