USA > Maine > Sagadahoc County > Bath > History of Bath and environs, Sagadahoc County, Maine. 1607-1894 > Part 5
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Preparations for the War. - The Provincial Congress of Massachusetts was in session at Watertown in May, 1775, in a
54
HISTORY OF BATH.
meeting-house, and of which John Hancock was president. It issued an appeal to the patriotism of the men of this Province, and to adopt measures to aid the cause of liberty, resolving that "the preservation of our country depends, under God, on an effectual execution of continental and provincial measures for that purpose." This vigorous action of Congress was immediately transmitted by letter to all the towns and parishes of the Province.
Upon receiving a copy, the Second Parish, comprising Bath, immediately assembled at the meeting-house to take the subject into consideration, and in the simple but strong language of the times, it was unanimously " voted to abide by the resolves of Congress now before us."
They forthwith divided the parish into two wards and elected military officers: for the west ward, Benjamin Lemont, Captain, Stephen Coombs, Lieutenant, and Jesse Holbrook, Ensign; for the east ward, Dummer Sewall, Captain, John Berry, Lieutenant, and John Wood, Ensign. They also chose a committee to unite with Woolwich and Bowdoinham to elect a member to represent these three precincts in the Provincial Congress. The committee of the parish were John Lemont, Jonathan Mitchel, John Wood, Henry Sewall, William Swanton, and Dummer Sewall. At the same meeting a committee of safety, consisting of Philip Higgins, Zodack Lincoln, William Swanton, James Lemont, and David Ring, was chosen. The two militia companies were immediately organized and armed for service. They assembled every week for drill and discipline, and as often as a draft was required for the continental army or a detachment ordered for guard duty, the detailed men were marched to the point required. The coast was soon infested with the cruisers and privateers of the enemy, but the British troops did not land on the coast at any place near the Kennebec. Occasional depredations, however, were committed on the property of the inhabitants by crews of privateers, which required guard duty from the soldiery.
Samuel McCobb was chosen delegate to the Provincial Congress from Arrowsic, and Dummer Sewall from Bath. They traveled to Watertown on horseback with saddle bags for their baggage, and in
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HISTORY OF BATH.
six days reached their destination. They had no stated pay for either travel or attendance, but subsequently the parishes provided for their compensation (vide Groton).
A Detachment Sent to the Army. - News of the battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775, reached Bath in eight days, and immediate steps were taken to raise a volunteer company to proceed to the scene of hostilities. In this movement Samuel McCobb of Georgetown took the lead, aided by the "committee of safety." Seventy men from Long Reach, Georgetown, Newcastle, Winthrop, Pownalboro, Haverhill, Hallowell, Bristol, Pleasant Point, St. Georges, and Winslow were speedily obtained. Without commission McCobb led them by forced marches to Cambridge, arriving there, it is said, in six days, the route then being very circuitous to what it is now.
A petition was forwarded to the Provincial Congress, then in ses- sion at Watertown, to commission officers of the company, and Samuel McCobb of Georgetown was commissioned captain May 17, 1775; Benjamin Pattee of Georgetown and John Riggs of Falmouth, lieutenants, May 19, 1775. These names and dates are taken from the original pay-roll of the company in the Massachusetts archives. The date of the enlistment of the rank and file was commenced June 1. They were eight months' men.
The company was assigned to Colonel John Nixon's Vermont regiment, of General Putnam's Brigade, and was in the battle of Bunker Hill at the rail fence. After this they were encamped during the summer on Winter Hill, which is north of Bunker Hill. The pay-roll of this company is made up from May to August 1, 1775, allowing the captain two months and nineteen days service, and the men a few days less.
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A List of Capt. Samuel McCobb's Company in the 5th Regiment of Foot, Commanded by Col. John Nixon, belonging to the Army of the United Colonies of North America.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
SERGEANTS.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
CORPORALS.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
DRUMMER, Jeremiah Butler, Pownalboroug.
Samuel McCobb, Capt. Benj. Patten, Ist Lieut. John Riggs, 2d
Georgetown
Falmouth
Samuel Wattles John Tagot Elipalet Foster Abner Wade
Witchcapit Cabececouly Winthrop Woolwich
Billey Foster James Fleming Wm. Butler James Works
Winthrop Georgetown Withrop Pownalborough
FIFER,
Wm. Baker, Haverhill.
PRIVATES.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
PRIVATES.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE
PRIVATES.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
Samuel Boyd
Winthrop
Andrew Gleadon
Witchcapit
Samuel Plummer Benj. Rolings
Geo. Boulton
Enos Greenleaf
Eliab Shaw
Wm. Bishop Josiah Bayley
Woolwich
Ebeneza Hilton
Georgetown Woolwich
Stephen Stuart
John Ball
Peter Heal
John Taylor
Jacobus Bailey
..
Joseph Hilton
Woolwich
Thomas Tolman
Wm. Usher
Joseph Chandler Rodger Chase Seth Delino
Winthrop
James Jonson Wm. Lancy Enos Moffat
Cabececouly
Samuel Walker Abel Whittier Lemuel Williams
Woolwich
Nath'l Fairbank
Winthrop
Ebeneza Place Reuben Page
David Foster Timothy Ferington
Timothy Plummer
Woolwich
Pownalborough
Thos. Foot
Georgetown
John Pumroy Wm. Puling
Winthrop
Samuel Young Joseph Jordan
Cabececouly
I Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 4 Sergeants,
3 Corporals ; 44 Privates gone to Canada.
Privates present in camp.
* Now Gardiner.
Camp on Winter Hill, October 7, 1775.
I Corporal, I Drummer, I Fifer and 3
Joseph Farley
John McKnight
*
Daniel Wyman
Winthrop
Cabececouly
Witchcapit
Christopher Woodbridge Solomon Whittier
Nath'l Webb
Woolwich
Wm. Gileriace
Martin Hall
Georgetown
George Smith
Witchcapit Woolwich
James Buck
James Gordon
5 2.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
Arnold's Quebec Expedition. - Captain McCobb's company was detailed to join Arnold's expedition to Quebec, which left early in September. As each company detailed on that expedition was to be constituted of sixty-four men, Capt. McCobb must have raised the additional number of twenty men at Georgetown, for it was known for a certainty that when the transports passed up the Ken- nebec Capt. McCobb joined the fleet with a company of soldiers (vide Col. Andrew Reed ). As he was in Col. Enos' command he returned to Cambridge with that officer, arriving prior to Oct. 30, as at that date it is recorded that steps were taken for the. payment of these troops ( Mass. Archives ).
Militia Join General Washington. - The troops of Long Reach were attached to a regiment of the brigade commanded by Brigadier General Charles Cushing of Pownalboro. One regiment was detached from this brigade with orders to join the American army then under General Washington at Cambridge. The regiment was commanded by Col. Samuel McCobb, Lieut. Col. Dummer Sew- all of Bath, and Major George White of Topsham, commissioned Feb. 14, 1776, and arrived at the headquarters of the commander- in-chief in 1776, and was immediately ordered to Rhode Island, where Lieut. Col. Sewall was appointed muster master for the province of Maine, returned to perform the duties of that appoint- ment, and was engaged in this service during the remainder of the war.
The regiment operated with the army during the campaign, and when the time of service of the detachment expired many enlisted in the Continental army. Of the officers, Capt. Benjamin Lemont and Capt. John Lemont of Bath were among those who remained.
Of the soldiers who re-enlisted and were living in Bath in 1833 were: William Brown, John Sampson, John Farrin, Joseph White, Thomas Crawford, John Holbrook, Philip Higgins, David Lemont, David Clifford, James M. Mitchell, and Thomas Lemont (vide Gen. Sewall).
Attached to this regiment was an artillery company commanded by Jordan Parker, Phipsburg, Captain; James Pattee, Arrowsic, Ist
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HISTORY OF BATH.
Lieut .; Theophilus Batchelder, Phipsburg, 2d Lieut .; . commissioned Aug. 21, 1777. There was a total enrollment in the regiment of 701 men and officers, of which 129 were in the Continental army in active service together with one major, three captains, and three subalterns; there were two of the men in the navy and twenty-one in private vessels serving as Lettres of Marque. On Aug. 1, 1777, 420 men are borne on the train-band left in Georgetown.
Regimental Muster Roll, Georgetown, Nov. 19, 1778.
Colonel, Samuel McCobb, Lieut. Colonel, Dummer Sewall, First Major, John Hews, Second Major, James Hunter,
Ist Co., Captain, John White,
Ist Lieut., John Potter,
2d Lt., Jas. Drummond,
2d Co., Captain, Jas. Mustard,
יי Ist Lieut., David Reed, 2d Lieut., Robert Hunter,
.6
..
..
Georgetown.
3d Co., Captain, John Perry, Ist Lieut. (vacancy).
2d Lieut., Hetherly Foster "
66
.6
66
.6
.6
66
Woolwich.
Ist Lieut., Nath'l Tibbets, "
66 2d Lieut., Elemuel Trot,
66
66
66
6th Co., Captain (vacancy).
Ist Lt., Gab'l Hambleton, "
66
66
Pownalboro.
2d Lieut., John Hilton,
66
7th Co., Captain (vacancy).
Ist Lt., Thos. McFadden, "
66
66
Georgetown.
2d Lieut., Seth Tarr, 66
66
..
66
66
.6
Pownalboro. Topsham.
66
.. July 1, 66 Georgetown.
66
66
66 6.
16
Topsham. 66
4th Co., Captain, James McCobb, " Ist Lieut., Wm. Sprague, 2d Lieut., Wm. Lee, 66
5th Co., Captain, Elijah Grant, 66
66
First Regiment Militia, County of Lincoln, August, 1771. Colonel, William Lithgow; Lieut. Colonel, Charles Cushing; Major, Samuel Goodwin. First Company, Georgetown, Captain, John Parker; Lieut., Thomas Williams; Ensign, George Rogers. Second Company, Captain, Thomas Moulton; Lieut., Samuel McCobb; Ensign, John White.
com'd Feb. 14, 1776, Georgetown.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
8th Co., Captain, Actor Patten, com'd July 1, 1776, Topsham.
Ist Lieut., Jas. Purington, "
66 2d Lieut., Sam'l Tibbets,
66
66
66
9th Co., Captain, Benj. Lemont, 66
66
Georgetown.
66
66 66
66
.6
66
66 66 Sept. 17, 1776, Woolwich.
66
66 .. 66
Pownalboro. 66
2d Lt., Theophilus Batchelder,
66
66
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS OF COL. SAM'L MCCOBB'S REGIMENT. GEN. LOVELL'S BRIGADE, Sept. 17, 1779.
Lieut. Col., William Howard, Adjutant, William Stinson,
Ist Major, James Hunter, Quartermaster, Arthur Lithgow.
2d Major, Ezekiel Pattee, Surgeon, Zacheus Flitner. (vide Mass. Archives.)
At Siege of Castine. - In June, 1779, an expedition was ordered by the General Court of Massachusetts to dislodge the enemy from Castine, or as it was then called " Biguyduce." In this campaign we again find Col. Samuel McCobb at the head of his regiment, from which were detached for the attack on Biguyduce one hundred and twenty men, who were to rendezvous at Townsend and join the army under Gen. Lovell, the transports having been ordered to touch there to receive the Kennebec forces. The balance of men to fill up the regiment were raised at towns east of the Kennebec while the troops were on their way to Castine. Of Col. McCobb's detachment there were killed in the attack Capt. John Hinkley of Georgetown and Miller Hinkley of Bath. The troops detailed from the Kennebec for this expedition were transported by Capt. Benjamin Donnel in his own vessel from Bath to Boothbay.
66
66
66 Ist Lieut., Benj. Ham, 66
66 2d Lieut., John Mereen, roth Co., Captain, Robert Patten, Ist Lieut., Geo. Thomas, 2d Lieut., Alex. Potter, TIth Co., Captain, Solomon
66 66
66 Bowdoinham.
66 Ist Lieut., Moses Hilton, 2d Lt., Sam'l Sylvester, יו
66 ،، Capt., Jordan Parker, of Artillery Staff, Aug. 21, 1777, Georgetown. Ist Lieut., James Pettee, 66
66
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HISTORY OF BATH.
It is well known by historians that the siege of Castine proved a failure from obvious causes :- the commodore of the fleet acting in conjunction with the land forces did not promptly co-operate, and the delay enabled a reinforcement from Halifax of armed vessels of the enemy to arrive in sufficient force to destroy our transports and break up the siege.
At an early stage of the siege if the general in command had demanded surrender of the enemy's fort, it would have been accepted, according to a statement made by the British commander subsequent to the battle.
Upon the breaking up of the siege the soldiers had to find their way home the best they could, through forests and swamps and across rivers, because their transports were. in the hands of the enemy.
While at his own home at Thomaston, after the retreat of his forces, General Wadsworth was surprised, while in bed in the night, and captured by a party of the enemy after valiantly defending himself with his sword, musket, and other weapons until wounded. Subsequently, Col. Samuel McCobb was appointed in his place Brigadier General for the Eastern Division of the District of Maine.
Subsequent to the return of the army from Castine, a court mar- tial was held upon the conduct of Col. Paul Revere in the attack upon the fort at Biguyduce, and the testimony at the trial given by Col. Samuel McCobb is of sufficient interest to print it in full as below, as Bath officers and men took part in the expedition.
A true relation of facts concerning the Penobscot expedition : July 23, 1779, by order of Gen. Lovell, I embarked my regiment on board the transport detailed to convey us to Penobscot, and the next morning set sail for that place.
July 24. Arrived at Fox Islands in the bay of Penobscot, where we remained that night without any particular annoyances.
July 25. Arrived off Majabagaduce ; attempted to land, but the wind blowing hard it could not be effected.
July 26. The marines took a battery on Banks Island and landed two eighteen pound cannon, which caused the enemy's ships to move farther up the river.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
July 28. We landed early in the morning in opposition to a severe firing of musketry from the enemy, where some were killed , and wounded on both sides. The remainder of the day was spent in throwing up a breastwork and getting up cannon.
July 29. This day was passed in fortifying and reconnoitering.
July 30. This day opened a battery of two eighteen pounders, one twelve, also one howitz.
July 31. Continued cannonading all this day.
Aug. I. At three o'clock in the morning stormed a battery, bunting three six pounders on the left of the enemy's main fort, bordering on Majabagaduce River, supposed to have had fifty men in it; found five of the enemy dead and took fourteen prisoners. This was effected by a detachment of militia and marines under command of Gen. Wadsworth.
Aug. 2. Nothing remarkable.
Aug. 3. This day began a battery on the main to annoy the enemy's shipping. Next day opened said battery, but to no great purpose, being too great a distance.
Aug. 5. A party was ordered on the left of the enemy's main fort in order to draw them out; at the same time a party lay in ambush to cut them off from their fort, which took, agreeable to the general expectation, but the party ambushed not pushing with vigor failed in the attempt.
Aug. 6. A council of war held to inquire if it would be expedi- ent to storm the enemy's main fort, the result of which lays before the court.
Aug. 7. Held a council of war with the officers of the navy, the result of which is also before the council.
Aug. 8, 9, 10. Frequent skirmishing in order to bring the enemy to general action, which they carefully avoided.
Aug. 11. Two hundred men under the command of Majors Brown and Branville were ordered to take post on the enemy's left, near the battery we had stormed Aug. 1, there to remain until a signal for retreat was made; said order was punctually obeyed, a
1
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HISTORY OF BATH.
party of the enemy lying concealed behind a barn, not daring to appear until our troops were on their retreat, then rushing into the battery began a smart fire which caused our troops to retreat in some confusion, notwithstanding the activity of the officers to keep them in good order.
Aug. 12. A council of war was held, the purport of which is before the court.
Aug. 13. The General declared that this day he would take post in rear of the enemy and endeavor to bring them to a general action, for that he would rather die in the attempt than raise the siege or leave the Commodore any further excuse not to co-operate with him, for which purpose he drew up his troops, and after taking necessary measures he marched off at the head of two hundred men and took the rear of the enemy's main fort. Capt. Burke then being with him, he requested him to go on board of the Commodore and inform him that he had taken post in the rear of the enemy, and also to request him to come up the river and destroy or take the enemy's shipping. This desire of the General to Capt. Burke he told me of soon after he was gone off the ground. Immediately after a signal appeared on board the Commodore for the shipping to get under way, which being complied with gave us to hope the Commodore intended to comply with the General's request; but the enemy's fleet appearing in sight at the same time prevented any- thing being done. At about sunset the General marched in with his troops. At 12 o'clock at night the General sent for 'ine and gave me orders to have my regiment in readiness to leave the post at a minute's warning. At three in the morning I marched down to the water side with my regiment, carrying all the shot and every other article with us that then remained on the ground. At five the whole of the troops were embarked on board the transports, which immediately began to tow off from the shore, it being eight when I went on board the General's sloop and received orders to go up the river, for there he intended to erect a fort to cover the shipping. A small breeze of wind springing up, the transports got under way and stood up the river till the ebb tide met them opposite Fort .
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1
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HISTORY OF BATH.
Point, when the whole of them came to anchor. Our ships at this time lay below in a line of battle, waiting for the enemy to come up. About one o'clock I saw to my great surprise the whole of our ships bear away before the wind and stand up the river, the enemy's ships following them. A small breeze springing up to the southward, the whole of the transports were ordered under way and proceeded up river. But before our transports got up the river as far as the ledge, so called, a very rapid place of tide, some of the armed ves- sels began to pass them, hailing to the transports as they came up with them to clear the way and let them pass, by which means many of the transports were run ashore, and the whole of the armed vessels got past. Finding ourselves in this situation with the enemy's ships within shot, we began to land our troops about 6 P.M., and at 7 had the whole of them on shore, the enemy's ships at this time being within reach of us with grape shot. While we were in this scene of confusion, I saw a sloop not far from me with some men on board her very busy cutting off her sails and heaving them into a flat-bottomed boat. At the same time two sloops who lay nearest the enemy had on board two companies of men each, and no boat to either of them, the men crying out for assistance. I hailed the sloop and ordered them to send the boat off or I would fire on them, but they paid no regard to it until they got off their sails. By inquiry for the master of her, I found that one Drink- water commanded her, and Col. Mitchell was aboard, but gave no order to the master of the sloop to send off the boat to the assist- ance of the troops, though exposed to the enemy's shot.
SAMUEL MCCOBB, Colonel.
Question. Whether there was any general order given at the time of retreat, and what place to retreat to ?
Answer. I saw no general orders, but received a verbal order to repair to the General's tent, where he gave me verbal order to get my men ready to march at a minute's warning, and afterward to embark and go up the river, where he said he intended to fortify and secure the ships. Accordingly I proceeded up the river till the enemy came within point blank shot before I landed my men.
SAMUEL MCCOBB, Colonel.
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HISTORY OF BATH.
The above deposition with the answers to the above questions sworn to in court Sept. 28, 1779.
Attest, O. PEABODY, Clerk.
I remember receiving the order I issued on the 30th of July, contained in the adjutant general's copy before the court, in which Col. Revere and his corps are particularly ordered to encamp on shore.
SAMUEL MCCOBB, Colonel.
Sworn to as above,
O. PEABODY, Clerk.
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS OF EASTERN DEPARTMENT.
DISCHARGED DEC. 1, 1781.
Colonel, Samuel McCobb, Adjutant, George Ulmer,
Surgeon, Samuel Duncan, Quartermaster, George White.
Surgeonjs Mate, Moses Wing, Colonel's Clerk, Joseph Beath.
Deprivations During the War. - During the continuance of the Revolutionary war, the people were compelled to sacrifice not only ordinary comforts, but often the necessities of life. This was done cheerfuly and hopefully. Multitudes of people who had lived in affluence were at times destitute of bread, and many of them would flock from a distance of twenty miles to the clam banks of the sea coast to obtain food for their families. So large a number of the able bodied men were in the army, that farms could be culti- vated only to a limited extent. Their absence bore heavily upon
the women at home. These sacrifices were borne with cheerful- ness. Their patriotism never wavered; they encouraged their hus- bands, sons, and brothers to answer to the calls of their country, fitted them out with necessary clothing, helped them "run bullets," and filled their knapsacks with provisions for their march to the front. All through the long war, the American soldier felt that he had this powerful backing. In fine the women were the power behind the patriot cause.
At the time of the Revolutionary war, and for a quarter of a century after, " cocked hats " were worn to some extent by civilians as well as soldiers. The idea of the shape was to have three side flaps to turn up and tied together at the apex to turn down to protect
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HISTORY OF BATH.
the neck and shoulders in rainy weather. The military chapeaus of officers of the militia were similar in shape, with two turned up flaps and ornamented with a round feather of considerable height; usually for the infantry feather of white tipped with red, and artillery black; the flaps not to let down. The "independent " company officers had a different style of hat, such as suited the taste of those wearing them.
The soldier of the militia companies wore on duty his ordinary clothing, of dark jacket and trousers, and the independent compa- nies had each their own showy style of dress uniform.
The uniforms and trappings of the horses of field officers, espec- ially of the generals and their staffs, were very much more showy and glittering than is the style of this day.
With light colored buckskin breeches, shiny red top boots, gold laced coat, glittering epaulets, white buckskin gloves, gold enamelled sword, handle and sheath, red sash around the waist, and a magni- ficent beaver chapeau with a flowing feather waving in the air, mounted on a richly caparisoned and spirited charger with gilded bits, the general officer was a conspicuous figure on dress parade and review with his equally gay staff behind him - riding down the front of the line, chapeau in hand, returning in its rear, taking positions on a rise of ground at the front and center of the line, while the regiment or brigade marched in column of platoons before him and his staff. The muster field was in those days the scene of magnificent display, greatly enjoyed by a crowd of lookers on. The grounds were invariably surrounded by booths and tents furnishing refreshment supplies for the multitude.
The pay the soldiers and officers received for yearly military duties was a half dollar on muster day to buy his dinner, the money furnished by the treasurer of the towns to which each com- pany belonged.
Bath Men Active in the Revolution. - Francis Winter, Dummer Sewall, Capt. Nath'l Springer, John Weeks, John Lemont, Joseph White, David Trufant, Nath'l Donnell, Capt. Jacob Low, Simeon Turner, Capt. J. M. Mitchell, Luke Lambert, Sr., Capt.
0
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HISTORY OF BATH.
Joseph Stockbridge, Capt. Benjamin Lemont, Joseph Lambert, Capt. James Lemont, Dummer Sewall, Jr., Capt. John Wood, George Philbrook, Major E. H. Page, Elisha Shaw, Major Joshua Shaw, John Sanford, Capt. Wm. Swanton, Samuel Bean, Isaiah Crocker, Sr., John D. Sewall, Hatherly Foster, Wm. Brown, Joshua Philbrook, John Farrier, Patrick Grace, John Holbrook, Thos. Crawford, Philip Higgins, Jesse Osgood, David Clifford, David Lemont, David Ring, Samuel Lemont (first man killed at Saratoga), Joshua Raynes, Jesse Holbrook, Thos. Lemont, John Berry, Mr. Jones, Jonathan Sargent, ( vide Lemont.)
Among the citizens of the town who served in the war of the Revolution at different periods were William Swanton, Joshua Shaw, Isaiah Crocker, Jr., Luke Lambert, Patrick Grace, Joshua Raynes, Edward H. Page, Nathaniel Springer, Joseph Stockbridge, John Holbrook. Joseph Stockbridge was at the siege of Yorktown and served as sergeant in the corps of light infantry, under General La Fayette.
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