USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Greenwich > Ye historie of ye town of Greenwich, county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, with genealogical notes on the Adams. > Part 8
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A petition was presented to Congress' on the fifth day of November, 1781, from the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in regard to the lands in dispute, and praying a hearing agreeably to the ninth article of the Confederation. In conformity therewith a Con- gressional Court was convened at Trenton, New Jersey, on the twelfth day of November, 1782, to hear and finally de-
I See Journals of Congress.
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Claim to Lands in Pennsylvania
termine all matters at issue between the two states, which decided "we are unanimously of opinion that the State of Connecticut has no right to the land in controversy, " and that said lands "do of right belong to the State of Penn- sylvania."
Under an act of the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, passed at the May Session, 1786, it ceded to the United States its claim to certain western lands, and a com- mittee was appointed and authorized to execute a deed therefor to the United States.
The school fund, which many supposed was obtained from the sale of western lands sometime after the Revolu- tion, was acquired prior to the year 1762. (See School Fund, ante.)
CHAPTER VIII.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS IN THE MILITIA DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD.
(From "Colonial Records of Connecticut.")
AUSTIN, JOB, May Session, 1760, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich. BANKS, JOSEPH, May Session, 1748, was commissioned ensign of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
BANKS, JOSEPH, May Session, 1750, was commissioned captain of the west or 2nd company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
BOWERS, JOHN, April Session, 1690, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the train band in the Town of Greenwich. BRIGGS, DANIEL, May Session, 1734, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
BRIGGS, DANIEL, May Session, 1738, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
BROWN, BEZALEEL, November Session, 1774, was commis- sioned lieutenant of the middle company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
BROWN, EDMUND, October Session, 1770, was commissioned ensign of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
BROWN, NEHEMIAH, May Session, 1767, was commissioned lieutenant of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
BROWN, ROGER, May Session, 1769, was commissioned en- sign of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
92
93
Officers in the Militia
BROWN, ROGER, May Session, 1770, was commissioned lieutenant of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
BRUSH, EDWARD, October Session, 1759, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
CLOSE, JONATHAN, May Session, 1745, was commissioned ensign of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
CLOSE, SOLOMON, May Session, 1738, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
CONKLIN, TIMOTHY, May Session, 1734, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
DIBBLE, GEORGE, May Session, 1734, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
DIBBLE, JONATHAN, May Session, 1743, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
DIBBLE, JONATHAN, May Session, 1747, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
FERRIS, JAMES, April Session, 1690, was commissioned en- sign of the train band in the Town of Greenwich.
FERRIS, JOHN, May Session, 1738, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
FERRIS, JOHN, October Session, 1742, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
FERRIS, JOSHUA, May Session, 1729, was commissioned en- sign of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
FERRIS, SAMUEL, May Session, 1731, was commissioned ensign of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
FERRIS, SAMUEL, May Session, 1752, was commissioned lieutenant of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
FINCH, SAMUEL, October Session, 1720, was commissioned lieutenant of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
GALPIN, JOSEPH, May Session, 1769, was commissioned captain of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
GREEN, REUBEN, October Session, 1749, was commissioned lieutenant of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
HOBBY, JOSEPH, May Session, 1754, was commissioned en- sign of the 2nd company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
HOBBY, JOSEPH, October Session, 1760, was commissioned captain of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
HOIT, DAVID, October Session, 1759, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
HOIT, DAVID, May Session, 1773, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich. HOLMES, ISAAC, May Session, 1745, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
HOLMES, ISAAC, October Session, 1767, was commissioned ensign of the new created company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
HOLMES, REUBEN, October Session, 1760, was commissioned ensign of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
HOLMES, REUBEN, October Session, 1770, was commissioned lieutenant of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
INGERSOLL, SIMON, May Session, 1773, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
KNAPP, CALEB, August Session, 1710, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
KNAPP, CALEB, May Session, 1719, was commissioned captain of the company or train band on the west side of the Mianus River in the Town of Greenwich.
KNAPP, ISRAEL, May Session, 1743, was commissioned captain of the east company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
KNAPP, JOHN, JR., May Session, 1774, was commissioned lieutenant of the new company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
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Officers in the Militia
KNAPP, NEHEMIAH, May Session, 1752, was commissioned ensign of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, DAVID, May Session, 1773, was commissioned lieutenant of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, DAVID, May Session, 1752, was commissioned captain of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, EZEKIEL, May Session, 1751, was commissioned ensign of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, JAMES, May Session, 1762, was commissioned ensign of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, JAMES, October Session, 1764, was commissioned lieutenant of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, JOSEPH, October Session, 1764, was commis- sioned ensign of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, SAMUEL, JR., October Session, 1771, was com- missioned ensign of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LOCKWOOD, TIMOTHY, May Session, 1761 was commissioned captain of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
LYON, JOHN, JR., May Session, 1719, was commis- sioned ensign of the company or train band on the west side of the Mianus River in the Town of Green- wich.
LYON, JOHN, May Session, 1728, was commissioned captain of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
LYON, JONATHAN, May Session, 1748, was commissioned captain of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, ABRAHAM, JR., May Session, 1774, was commissioned captain of the middle company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, BENJAMIN, JR., May Session, 1758, was commissioned ensign of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, BENJAMIN, JR., October Session, 1767, was commis-
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
sioned lieutenant of the new created company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, CALEB, May Session, 1745, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, EBENEZER, May Session, 1728, was commissioned lieutenant of the east company or train band at Horse- neck in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, EBENEZER, May Session, 1738, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, EBENEZER, JR., November Session, 1774, was com- missioned ensign of the middle company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, JABEZ, May Session, 1745, was commissioned captain of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, JOHN, October Session, 1735, was commissioned captain of the west company or train band in the west society of the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, JOHN, October Session, 1757, was commissioned lieutenant of the west company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, JOHN, October Session, 1767, was commissioned cap- tain of the new created company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, JOHN, November Session, 1774, was commissioned major in the 9th Regiment.
MEAD, MATTHEW, May Session, 1773, was commissioned captain of the new company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
MEAD, SAMUEL, May Session, 1728, was commissioned lieu- tenant of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
NEWMAN, JONATHAN, May Session, 1738, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
PALMER, MESSENGER, May Session, 1762, was commissioned lieutenant of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
PALMER, MESSENGER, October Session, 1764, was commis- sioned captain of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
PECK, NATHANIEL, May Session, 1730, was commissioned
97
Officers in the Militia
captain of the company or train band on the east side of the Mianus River in the Town of Greenwich.
PECK, NATHANIEL, JR., October Session 1757, was commis- sioned captain of the eastermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
PECK, SAMUEL, October Session, 1696, was commissioned lieutenant of the train band in the Town of Greenwich. PECK, SAMUEL, October Session, 1720, was commissioned captain of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, DAVID, October Session, 1720, was commissioned ensign of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, DAVID, May Session, 1729, was commissioned lieutenant of the east company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, JAMES, May Session, 1719, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band on the west side of the Mianus River in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, JAMES, May Session, 1728, was commissioned captain of the east company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, JAMES, JR., October Session, 1739, was commis- sioned ensign of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
(The officers of the 9th Regiment were also com- missioned at this session. The train bands in the Towns of Greenwich and Stamford were a part of this regiment.)
REYNOLDS, JONATHAN, May Session, 1728, was commis- sioned ensign of the east company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, JOSEPH, May Session, 1728, was commissioned ensign of the west company or train band at Horseneck in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, TIMOTHY, October Session, 1769, was commis- sioned ensign of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
REYNOLDS, TIMOTHY, October Session, 1771, was commis- sioned lieutenant of the Ist company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
RUNDLE, ELI, October Session, 1760, was commissioned lieutenant of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
7
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
RUNDLE, ELI, October Session, 1770, was commissioned cap- tain of the middlemost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
SHERWOOD, JABEZ, May Session, 1750, was commissioned ensign of the west or 2nd company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
SHERWOOD, JABEZ, May Session, 1751, was commissioned lieutenant of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
SHERWOOD, JABEZ, October Session, 1757, was commis- sioned captain of the west company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
SHERWOOD, JABEZ, JR., May Session, 1773, was commis- sioned ensign of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
SMITH, CHARLES, May Session, 1757, was commissioned : ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
SMITH, CHARLES, JR., October Session, 1773, was commis- sioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
SMITH, NATHAN, October Session, 1729, was commissioned ensign of the west company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
WEBB, BENJAMIN, May Session, 1747, was commissioned ensign of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
WHITE, STEPHEN, October Session, 1742, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
WHITE, STEPHEN, May Session, 1747, was commissioned captain of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
WILSON, JOSEPH, May Session, 1765, was commissioned captain of the westermost company or train band in the Town of Greenwich.
WILSON, SAMUEL, October Session, 1735, was commissioned lieutenant of the west company or train band in the west society of the Town of Greenwich.
WOOD, JOSEPH, October Session, 1755, was commissioned lieutenant of the company or train band in the Parish of Stanwich.
CHAPTER IX.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY-WASHING- TON CONTINENTAL GUARD-UNIFORMS OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.
IN this chapter the author requests the indulgence of the readers while he digresses from the subject and presents for their consideration an article on the "Organization of the Continental Army " heretofore written by him and published in The Connecticut Magazine in 1906.
The earliest colonial settlers in this country found it necessary to form and maintain military organizations for their protection from the Indians and other marauders, which were designated "train bands" and were called into active service at different times during the colonial period as the exigencies which confronted the colonists required.
In Virginia,' Captain John Smith commanded the mili- tary force for a number of years, and under his efficient leadership it proved indispensable to the preservation of that colony.
The military forces of the Plymouth Colony2 were commanded by Captain Miles Standish, who, in 1621, commanded a strong party of fourteen men against the Indians. On the twenty-ninth day of August, 1643, he was appointed captain by the General Court, and in 1649 he was commandant of the several military companies within the Plymouth Colony.
I History of Virginia, by Robert R. Howison.
2 Plymouth Colony Records.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
The Massachusetts Bay Colony 1 in 1631 ordered that "every man with a musket shall have ready one pound of powder, twenty bullets and two fathome of match, and that every captain shall traine [drill] his company on Saturday in every week. General training days once a month at one o'clock in the afternoon." In 1637, general training days were reduced to eight times in a year. In 1636, the General Court held at Boston ordered that the military companies be divided into three regiments; that all freemen be allowed to vote for officers of a train band; and in 1645 ordered that the chief commander of every company be authorized to appoint and make choice of thirty soldiers of their companies in every hundred, "who shall be ready at halfe an hour's warning upon any service they shall be put upon by their chief military officer." The organization of these emer- gency men was continued for generations, and later they became the famous minute-men of the Revolutionary War. In 1642, provisions were made for fines and punish- ments for disorderly soldiers, and in 1648 arrangements were made for regimental drills and a troop of horse was organized.
The Connecticut and New Haven Colonies 2 likewise organized military companies, or "train bands," as they were called, and in 1636 ordered "that every plantacon shall traine once in every month and if upon complaints of their military officer, it appears that there bee divers very unskillfull, the saide plantacon may appoint the officer to traine [drill] oftener the saide unskillfull. And that the saide military officer take view of their several arms whether they be serviceable or noe. And for default of every soul- diers absent the absent to paye five shillings for every tyme without lawful excuse within two days after tender to the commissioner, or one of them in the saide plantacon. And for every default in arms upon warnings to them by the saide officer to amend by the tyme appointed one shilling
I Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
2 Colonial Records of Connecticut.
IOI
Organization of the Continental Army
every tyme. And where arms are wholly wanting to be bounde over to answer it at the next corte."
Captain Mason, in 1637, was appointed a public mili- tary officer of the plantations of Connecticut to train "the military men thereof in each plantacon according to the days appointed and shall have £40 per annum to be paid oute of the Treasury quarterly. The pay to begine from the day of the date hereof, to traine the saide military men in every plantacon tenn days in every yeare, soe as it be not in July or August, giving a weekes warning beforehand." All persons to bear arms that are above the age of sixteen years, except those exempted. A magazine of powder and shot to be kept in every plantation for the supply of the military men, and every military man is to have continually in his house in readiness "halfe a pounde of good powder, two pounds of bullets sutable to his peece, one pounde of match, if his peece be a match-locke, and whosoever failes of his halfe pounde of powder and two pounds of bullets and match to pay five shillings for every tyme that is wanting." Later training days in the plantations of Connecticut were reduced to six times in the year, and the General Assembly enacted that "there shall be in each Plantation within this Jurisdic- tion, every year at least six Training days, or days of public military exercise to teach and instruct all the males above sixteen years of age in the comely handling, and ready use of their arms, in all postures of war, to understand and attend all words of command."
An extract from the report of the governor of Con- necticut to the home government, dated the fifteenth day of July, 1680, reads as follows :
"For the present we have but one troope settled, which consist of about sixty horse, yet we are upon raysing three troopes more, one in each county of about forty horses in each troope. Our other forces are Trained Bands. There is a major in each county, who commands the militia of that county under the governor for the time being, who is the General of all the forces within our Colony.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
The whole amount to 2507. The names of the several counties are:
Hartford County where are about 835 trained soldiers
New Haven
623
New London
509
Fairfield
540
66
2,507
"Our horsemen are armed with pistolls and carbines. The foot soldiers with musket and pike. For the present in our late warrs with the Indians, we found dragoones to be most usefull and therefore improved about three hundred of these in the service to good success. In 1689 our numbers were 2507."
Governor Trumbull's Report to His Majesty's Secretary of State, dated October, 1774, shows the number on the militia rolls to be 26,260, "all male persons from sixteen years of age to forty-five bear arms, the trained bands in each town attend four days in the year for instruction in military discipline. There are eighteen regiments with a troop of horse to each, and to some two troops; each regiment attends regimental exercise once in four years." In March, 1775, the number of regiments of foot in Connecticut were twenty- two, not including troop of horse, light dragoons, artillery, or. independent companies.
In Rhode Island practically the same military or- ganizations existed, and in 1640, training days were eight times in a year, and at the second beat of the drum all men allowed and assigned to bear arms were to make their per- sonal appearance completely armed to attend their colors by eight o'clock in the forenoon; also two general musters in each year were provided for in addition. Training days in 1745 were reduced to twice a year, 2 but the two general muster days in each year were continued, and later a review was had of each regiment or battalion twice a year and
I Colonial Records of Rhode Island.
2 Laws of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
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Organization of the Continental Army
a general muster and review of each brigade once in two years.
The first confederation of the New England Colonies took place as early as 1643, and at a meeting of its commis- sioners in 1653,1 who were at that time in session at Boston, after having "considered what number of souldiers might be Requisite, if God called the Collonies to make warr against the Dutch, concluded that five hundred men for the first expedition should bee the number out of the four juris- dictions," and apportioned that number to the several colonies, as follows:
Massachusetts Bay. 333
Plymouth 60
Connecticut. 65
New Haven 42
and Captain John Leverett of Boston was selected as commander-in-chief of the forces to be so raised.
A few years after this, in 1662, the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies were united under one government, and the Massachusetts Bay and the Plymouth Colonies united in 1692.
The militia in the City of New York2 in 1678 were formed into companies of one hundred men each, and although but indifferently provided with firearms, and those of all sizes and patterns, they were drilled and rendered excellent marksmen by continual practice in firing at a mark. In December, 1772, the governor of the Province of New York held a general review in the fields of seven independent companies of the militia formed into a battalion in the following order :
The grenadiers,
Two companies of the Governor's guard,
The rangers,
The Germans,
One of the companies of artillery, and
One company of the light infantry.
I Acts of the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England.
2 Memorial History of the City of New York.
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Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich
The review was witnessed by "a splendid assembly of the principal ladies and gentlemen." After the review the officers were entertained by the governor, who wrote to Lord Dartmouth, stating that "it was the most brilliant military review that ever was had within His Majesty's American dominions." In June, 1773, the governor of the Province of New York forwarded to the home government an abstract of the state of the militia in the Province of New York, by which it appears that there were twenty-six regiments of foot and eleven troop of light horse, of which one regiment and one troop were in New York County.
The Pennsylvania militia™ was organized and trained along the same lines as were the other colonies. In 1775, it was organized into battalions, and on the nineteenth day of August of that year consisted of fifty-three battalions, and in 1776 some of these battalions were composed of eight companies.
George Washington received his early military training in the Virginia militia. In 1751, at the age of nineteen years, he was appointed adjutant of the militia, and in 1753 he was made commander of the Northern Military District of Virginia, and in 1755 he was commissioned commander- in-chief of all the Virginia militia.
It will thus be seen that the training in arms and the preparation against surprise and attack have been trans- mitted from generation to generation, from the days of Captain John Smith and Captain Miles Standish, and that as the settlements increased and the population multiplied the military forces increased in equal ratio, which were under the immediate supervision of the various Colonial General Courts, the Legislature, or the governor of the colony. The company officers, who must be freemen, were elected by the freemen of the train band to which they belonged. Every freeman was compelled to serve in the militia, and their names presented to the General Court, or Legislature, and if such elections were confirmed commissions were issued
I Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd Series.
105
Organization of the Continental Army
signed by the governor and under the seal of the colony, and forwarded to the respective officers.
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