As wintry weather approached, armies often withdrew to fixed camps. The encampment brought together men, women, and children of nearly all ages, from all walks of life, from different ethnic backgrounds, and from various religions. Not only were they serving in units from the northern colonies, but 58 African Americans had mustered into the North Carolina Line. 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. By November, Freeman transferred from his command post back to Haskell's company. f Despite the questions surrounding Freeman's life, it is certain that he dedicated years of his life in the fight for a new nation. One of the most notable contributions came from the Oneida, who sent aid and a contingent of warriors to Valley Forge. Six men are recorded as married and seven as single. [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. During the Battle of Brandywine, Washington attempted to prevent the British army from taking Philadelphia, the patriot capital. But his assertions complicate understanding if Fortune Freeman and Fortune Conant were same person. A muster roll of 61 Creek Indians and 3 slaves who arrived July 1848 under the charge of Ward Coachman. His cause of death or later whereabouts remain unknown. If he served as part of Nixon's regiment, it is much more likely that he fought in Saratoga. ET Charles Stewart Rolls was born in 1877 as the third son of John Rolls, 1st Baron Llangattock. Muster Roll dated August 24, 1780. WebNOTE: The following information was transcribed from the original Muster Roll held at the National Archives and Records Aministration, College Park, MD. Lafayette later recalled, in regards to Washingtons service at Monmouth that, "I thought then as now I had never beheld so superb a man." It is possible that Fortune Conant, a young man who enlisted either enslaved or perhaps recently freed, later changed his name. wG xR^[ochg`>b$*~ :Eb~,m,-,Y*6X[F=3Y~d tizf6~`{v.Ng#{}}jc1X6fm;'_9 r:8q:O:8uJqnv=MmR 4 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 . Old, destitute, and with little else to rely upon, Freeman sought financial assistance from the country he served for nearly six long years. Ross is often credited with sewing the first American flag, thirteen red and white stripes with thirteen stars in a field of blue in the corner. [39]"About 4,000 (22 percent) of the beneficiaries under the 1818 act chose not to submit to a means test. The warriors of these two tribes were among the last of Lafayettes forces to retreat across the Schuylkill River that day. The Black private joined thousands of other veterans in a post-war exodus from their home states. The Valley Forge Park Alliance maintains the Muster Roll Project and helps to inspire appreciation of and support for Valley Forge National Historical Park. Most of these records are duplications of the War of 1812 muster rolls found in Mf. 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. [38] Fortune Freeman, Pension No. When he returned to Massachusetts, he may have been able to finally claim freedom for himself. uuid:97fc00cf-7f9f-47ec-8fe1-3e396fafbf5d If the men are the same, Elijah Danforth is also the most solid connection we have to Billerica being Fortune Freeman's hometown. Peter Salem was a freed slave from Massachusetts who is known for mortally wounding British Major John Pitcairn during the fighting at Bunker Hill. 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. 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. In Fortune Freeman's testimony about his Revolutionary war service, he remembered enlisting under a Captain Elijah Danforth in 1776. Cuffee Wells is just one example. There were 35 warriors as part of the force, led by Generals New River, a Catwaba leader, and Billy Ayers along withMajor Jacob Ayers. When he needed financial assistance, he turned to the new country he served for help. 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. Colonel Company Peekskill, Muster/payrolls, and various papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 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. The story of one of the most famous revolutionary women, Betsy Ross, is likely just that - a story. Though we do not know why Freeman enlisted to fight, something persuaded him to join in the fight for independence and something kept him in the war for over six years. The 3rd then wintered near Danbury, Connecticut. WebFrom 1878 to 1898, all muster rolls and pay lists are in WO 16. They only needed a little more training to reach their full potential. Militia, United States -- History Revolution, S 43,572, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. Paintings courtesy of Don Troiani,www.historicalimagebank.com. He stated that he continued to serve in the same regiment until his honorable discharge in 1783. 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 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. [32] Through August and September, Freeman is described as "on command," meaning he likely traveled on small missions or duties outside of camp. The tribes closest to the American settlements along the eastern seaboard sided with the Patriots. 2011-05-16T09:36:32-04:00 2 (1988): 13958. Ask someone to think of Valley Forgeand they will nearly always envision an anonymous group of soldiers struggling against winters fury and clothed in nothing but rags. Also serving in various theaters of operations were Native American troops. [12] Henry Allen Hazen, History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register (Boston: A Williams & Co, 1887), 25. Arriving to the court with merely the clothes on his back, Freeman provided few details about his personal life in his statement. It is curious that of all the details to remember from six years of military service, his possible first captain is the only name that remained etched into Fortune Freeman's memory. [22] Fortune Conant, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War. "[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. The Catawba had taken part in an earlier raid against a British position with Sumter as well. The 15th Virginia Regiment was raised on December 28, 1775 in eastern, Virginia for service with the Continental Army. [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? 9 0 0 9 5 779 Tm [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. 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. ([5/16/2011 9:36:32 AM])Tj /CS0 cs 1 scn NARA M804. 50, Image 668, via FamilySearch.org. WebThe three major events were the Battle of the Brandywine on September 11, 1777; the Valley Forge Encampment from December 19, 1777 through June 19, 1778; and the And then later, records show that a "Fortune Freeman" enlisted in 1781 into the 4th Massachusetts, serving until discharge in 1783. 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. If Freeman was Conant, was he promised freedom to join or was he merely hopeful that freedom could be a possibility? Acrobat Web Capture 9.0 The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Rather than wait for deliverance, the army located supplies, built log cabins to stay in, constructed makeshift clothing and gear, and cooked subsistence meals of their own concoction. %PDF-1.6 % /TT0 1 Tf Thomas Gibson, a free man of color from Guilford County, enlisted for two years service in 1781 and defended his home county that March. Ceys, Danforth - Dean, Samuel, Muster rolls (index file cards) of the Revolutionary War, 1767-1833 [Massachusetts], Image 1193, via FamilySearch.org. 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. At the Battle of Saratoga, Continental forces succeeded in forcing British Lieutenant General John Burgoyne's surrender in a dramatic victory for the cause of American independence. 52, Part 2 (Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 1986), 184, via Haithi Trust. One of the casualties that day was Herkimer who was mortally wounded but kept command by being propped against a tree. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Promises of freedom motivated thousands of enslaved African Americans to join Continental and British forces. And sometimes, the paper trail ends without any conclusive findings. 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. 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. Contributed by Anjelica Oswald, Digital Public History Intern. 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. Where did he come from? Many recent European arrivals sought fortune and honor by enlisting in the regiments of the states they now called home. [44] United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, Vol. By providing evidence of his need, Freeman continued to receive his pension. APPENDIX 1 5 for the period Nov. 1779 through Feb. 1780 with the notation, Discharged Jan[uary] 19, 1780. 30 His paper trail then goes blank until 1783. Later muster rolls state that Fortune Conant officially enlisted in the Continental Army a few weeks later on June 4, 1777. ). If Freeman declared or received his freedom during the war, he most likely did not have a home of his own to return to. WebWhile the British had escaped, the Americans claimed victory in the Battle of Monmouth and Washington was lauded for his bravery. [Muster rolls, etc., 1743-1787] by Montgomery, Thomas Lynch, 1862- Publication date 1906 Topics Pennsylvania. [6] Congress estimated wrong. Did he have any other family? 50, ed. 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. 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. Many Blacks who fought and were enslaved fought for their freedom and independence as a person of color. The 38th served under various colonels' names until designated the 38th Regiment of Foot in 1751. Inflation and depreciation meant that these bounty payments were not worth their face value by the time soldiers were paid. 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 (2007). Records only give us a part of someones life, and sometimes they are misremembered, forgotten, or incomplete. 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. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Mary Stockwell, Ph.D. Notes: 1. Even in Washingtons home ofVirginia, Blacksoldiers fought in Virginia units. Perhaps in his old age, he believed he fought alongside those men, or maybe he embellished his service in the hopes of his pension application being accepted. WebThe muster rolls record the name, rank, military station and pay period of each soldier while they were with the regiment. However, recalling a wound at Brandywine, specifically, complicates understanding the story of Fortune Freeman. 1850. 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). "It required all claimants to submit documentation of their poverty to a court of record. Retrieved 29 May 2006. [3] 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. 1851. Muster rolls and officer commissions are recorded in: 1. /TT1 1 Tf 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 There is no pension file relating to Frederick because he was not married and did not have any minor children or aged parents dependant upon him for support. Children's Muster drill during the 236th anniversary Battle of Monmouth re-enactment. As for Mary, why was she bound out, and when did her service start? Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! In his pension, Freeman stated his discharge in 1780, which lines up with Conant's discharge. Was he enticed by the hope for a new nation? Join us online July 24-26! Part one of this story follows Conant's paper trail and examines how it aligns with Fortune Freeman's own testimony. The name Fortune Conant appears only in muster rolls. 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. [36] "Alexander Scammell," The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire, https://www.socnh.org/alexander-scammell/. A Return of officers of the Third Regiment of Light Dragoons with the dates of their With that tattered discharge note, we now can follow Fortune Freeman's paper trail, which begins in 1781 in Hingham, Massachusetts. Battle of Monmouth. The troops who came to camp included men from all thirteen of the original states. John Armstrong. [26], Following the muster roll trail leads Conant to Bedford, New York. [29] Discharged on June 4, 1780, completing his three-year enlistment, Fortune Conant does not appear in any further military records.[30].
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