Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com On a web site about GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact. ---------------------------------- The original source of this information is in the public domain, however use of this text file, other than for personal use, is restricted without written permission from the transcriber (who has edited, compiled and added new copyrighted text to same). ======================================================== SOURCE: History of Merrimack NH, Vol. 1, Merrimack Historical Society, 1976; Higginson Book Company; page 187-192 REVOLUTIONARY WAR On July 4, 1774 a Provincial Congress was called in New Hampshire to form some kind of resistance to the English. The Congress met in Exeter and John Chamberlain represented Merrimack. It was decided to form Committees of Safety to handle the affairs of the colonies. On March 9, 1775 John Neal, William Arbuckle, Zacheus Walker, Captain Thomas Barnes, Samuel Spaulding, Simeon Cummings, and Henry Fields were chosen as the Committee of Safety for Merrimack. After the outbreak of the war in Massachusetts, Simeon Cummings was elected to enlist men from Merrimack and see that they were properly armed. The following fifteen men enlisted as "Minute Men." Those marked with * (asterisk) fought at Bunker Hill and all but Reuben Cummings fought at Bennington under the command of John Stark in 1777: Private William Arbuckle, Corporal Samuel Ayers*, Private Samuel Barron*, Lieutenant Benjamin Bowers, Private William Cowen*, Drummer Reuben Cummings*, Private Gideon Davis, Private Seth Emerson, Private Abel Haskell, Private Solomon Hutchinson*, Private John McClure, Private Thomas McClure*, Private Eleazer Usher*, and Private John Vickery. Reuben Cummings, a sixteen year old drummer, died Sept. 13, 1776. He was the only Merrimack soldier known to have died in the Revolutionary War. In March 1776, a protest against the abuses of England was circulated among the colonies. Those who would not sign were not allowed to have firearms or ammunition or to leave their hometowns. This protest became known as the Association Test: [and it usually was written as follows:]. We, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our power, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with arms, oppose the Hostile proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies, against the United States Colonies. In 1776 a new Committee of Safety was formed in Merrimack and Jonathan Blanchard, Esqr., John Neal, Thomas Barnes, Lieut. Henry Fields, Aaron Gage, William Arbuckle, and John Combs were chosen to serve at this time. The war was costly for many New Hampshire towns and Merrimack was no exception. There were time when finances were so low the soldiers had to be paid in Indian corn. Battles were fought in all of the thirteen colonies except New Hampshire. Still New Hampshire provided her share of men and arms. The men who served from Merrimack, their regiments and companies are as follows: COLONEL RICHARD GRIDLEY'S REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY WINTER HILL - September 1775 GILBRY (McGILVERY), William MORES, James CAPTAIN WILLIAM PRESCOTT'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN JOSEPH MOOR'S COMPANY October 6, 1775 COMBS, John COWIN, William HASKELL, Jason HILL, Ebenezer JACOB, John MACK, James McCLUER, Sargent William McCORMACK, Robert ROBY, Silas WALKER, 1st Lieut. Zachariah COLONEL HENRY JACKSON'S MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT May 1777 McCOLESTER, Private Benjamin McGILVERY, Private William ORR, Private John ORR, Private Samuel ORR, Private William STEWARD, Corporal Francis LIEUTENANT BOWERS COMPANY Marched from Merrimack for Ticonderoga June 30, 1777, went as far as Walpole and returned home July 4th. Marched to Fort Number 4 on July 5th. ARBUCKLE, Private William BOWERS, Lieutenant Benjamin COOMBS, Private William COWAN, Private Thomas CUMMINGS, Private Solomon DANFORTH, Private Solomon DAVIS, Corporal Gideon EMERSON, Private Seth GAGE, Sergent Aaron GIBSON, Private Samuel HAY, Private Thomas HAY, Private Thomas Jr. HILL, Private Stephen HUTCHINSON, Private Solomon McCLUER, Private John McCLUER, Private Thomas TAYLOR, Private James COLONEL JOSEPH CILLEY'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN WIET'S COMPANY VALLEY FORGE - January 10, 1778 ALLD, William Jr. COLONEL JOSEPH CILLEY'S REGIMENT ABSENTEES VALLEY FORGE - January 10, 1778 ALLD, William (deserted) COOK, William (sick) COWDRY, John (prisoner) CUNNINGHAM, Robert (sick) HILL, Ebenezer (sick) HILLS, Joseph (sick) COLONEL PEABODY'S STAFF 1778 TAYLOR, James - Quarter Master COLONEL HERCULES MOONEY'S COMPANY RHODE ISLAND 1779 DAVIS, Abel HUTCHINSON, Asa SPAULDING, Samuel Jr. RECRUITS FOR CONTINENTAL REGIMENT 6 month term - 1780 GOODWIN, Matthew HENRY, Samuel KING, William WHIDDEN, William COLONEL MOSES NICHOL'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN WILLIAM BARRON'S COMPANY WEST POINT - July 1780 BALDWIN, Private Nahum BARRON, Captain William BRADFORD, Private Andrew DAVIS, Private Abel JACOBS, Drummer John MELVIN, Private David NICHOLS, Joseph STEARNS, Corporal Benjamin TALBERT, Private William WALLACE, Fifer William COLONEL MOSES NICHOL'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN SCOTT'S COMPANY ALLD, Isaac COWDREE, John DAVIS, Thomas GOODWIN, Matthew HENRY, Samuel HILLS, Ebenezer HILLS, Joseph KING, William WHIDDEN, William COLONEL MOSES NICHOL'S REGIMENT - 1781 BARRON, Jonathan Vickery, Benjamin 1st NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT CAPTAIN ISAAC FARWELL'S COMPANY COWDREY, John 1st NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT COLONEL JOSEPH CILLEY'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN AMOS MORRILL'S COMPANY BARNES, Captain Caeser COOK, William DICKEY, James DICKEY, Nathaniel ORR, James WHIDDEN, Samuel 1st NEW HAMPSHIRE COLONEL MOSES NICHOLS COLONEL JOHN STARK'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN AMOS MORRILL'S COMPANY BARNES, Caeser DICKEY, James HAMMONDS, Thomas ORR, James WHIDDEN, Samuel COLONEL MOSES NICHOL'S REGIMENT 5th REGIMENT OF MILITIA NAME // REGIMENT // COMPANY ALLD, Benjamin / Col. Cilley's / -- ALLD, John / Enlisted for Hollis ALLD, Isaac / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's ALLD, William Jr. / -- / Lieut Bradford's BARNES, Eleazer / -- / Lieut. McCalley's COOK, William / -- / Lieut. McCalley's COOMBS, John / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's COWDREY, John / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's COWEN, William / enlisted for Hollis DAVIS, Thomas / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's DICKEY, James / -- / Lieut. McCalley's DICKEY, Nathaniel HILLS, Ebenezer / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's HILLS, Joseph / Col. Cilley's / Capt. Scott's HONEY, Joseph McGAW, Titus / Massachusetts / Capt. Nixon McGILVERY, William / Col. Cilley's ORR, James / Col. Cilley's ORR, John ORR, Samuel / Col. Cilley's ORR, William / Col. Cilley's STEWART, Francis / Col. Cilley's STEWART, William / Massachusetts WEARE, John / Col. Cilley's / Col. Jackson's COLONEL MOSES NICHOL'S REGIMENT COLONEL JOSEPH CILLEY'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN WAIT'S COMPANY ALLD, William Jr. COLONEL NIXON'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN AMOS MORRILL'S COMPANY McGAW, Titus WEST POINT - 1781 COWEN, William VICKERY, Benjamin COLONEL LOVEWELL'S RETURN 3 month term 1781 DAVIS, Abel DAVIS, Thomas WILKINS, Andrew COLONEL SCAMMELL'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN BENJAMIN ELLIS'S COMPANY February 1781 ORR, Private James CAPTAIN SIMON SARTWELL'S REGIMENT 6th Company - February 14, 1781 [book says 1871 an error] BARNES, Private Caesar COOK, Private William DICKEY, Private James DICKEY, Private Nathaniel CAPTAIN EBENEZER WEBSTER'S RANGERS - 1782 DAVIS, Abel COLONEL JONATHAN BURNHAM'S COMPANY BLANCHARD, Captain Augustus ALLD, David HAZELTINE, 2nd Lieut. John COLONEL HENRY JACKSON'S REGIMENT McALLISTER, Private Benjamin ORR, Private John ORR, Private Samuel ORR, Private William STEWARD, Private Francis 4th COMPANY McGILVERY, Private William BRIGADIER GENERAL HAYES' REGIMENT GATES, Ezra COLONEL BENJAMIN ARNOLD'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN HENRY DEARBORN'S COMPANY McCLUER, THomas WEIR (WEARE), JOHN COLONEL NAHUM BALDWIN'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN READ'S COMPANY - WHITE PLAINS SPAULDING, Lieut. Samuel COLONEL ISAAC WYMAN'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN WILLIAM BARRON'S COMPANY BALDWIN, Nahum BARRON, Captain William GILMORE, James GENERAL HAZEN'S REGIMENT DAVIS, Abel Sr. DAVIS, Abel Jr. COLONEL WILLIAM PRESCOTT'S REGIMENT CAPTAIN HUGH MAXFIELD'S COMpANY CUMMINGS, Reuben COLONEL THOMAS BARTLETT'S REGIMENT HOWE, Mark (Surgeon) COLONEL SCAMELL'S REGIMENT - MASSACHUSETTS HOWE, Mark (Surgeon) Many of the names show up more than once because the men signed up for short periods of time and then re-enlisted. (end)