It was a cold and wet day in the town of Riga, New York as volunteers came to place wreaths on veteran’s graves at Riga Cemetery. I had the honor of being asked to return to Riga and participate at the cemetery again. The mission of Wreaths Across America is to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and their families, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. The group that turned out today, certainly hit all the marks.
John Loser, Riga Cemetery Association and Erin Maysick, Harvey C Noone American Legion Auxiliary Post #954 prepared for the ceremony by making sure that all veteran’s graves had an American Flag placed on them for easy identification and had all of the wreaths close by and ready to go. For the ceremony, Betty Vinch led the Pledge of Allegiance, Betty is a member of the D.A.R. and is the Senior President, Ensign Robert Wilson Society, C.A.R. Macey Smith, C.A.R. played Taps when the ceremonial part of the ceremony was over.
We had a very nice crowd of patriotic citizens of all ages that participated. We were able to honor and remember those 92 men and women that served our country that have been laid to rest in this cemetery.
Betty and Macey at the Veteran’s section of the cemetery
The 12th Massachusetts Regiment was established on January 1, 1777. Many of the soldiers of the 18th Continental Regiment reenlisted into the 12th Massachusetts at the end of 1776. This roll of Capt. Silas Burbank’s Company, Col. Brewer’s 12 Massachusetts Regiment was taken on December 15, 1777. The roll covers the period from September to December of 1777. There are 65 Patriots listed in this roll. There are 32 Patriots on this roll that have pension records. This roll was taken as they were going into winter quarters at Valley Forge. There were 3 members of Burbank’s Co. that were killed between July and October: Corporal John Googins, Private Pelatiah Foss, and Private Abel Getchell. Let’s not forget them.
Corporal John Googins of Capt. Burbank’s Company was killed on July 7, 1777, during the Battle of Hubbardton.The 12th took part in the retreat from Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence on July 5, 1777. They were pursued by British General Fraser and German General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel. The 12th were part of the rear guard. They were attacked in the early morning of July 7, 1777. During this battle, there were 41–150 killed, 96–457 wounded and 230 captured soldiers were sent to Ticonderoga.
On October 5, 1777, Private Pelatiah Foss was reported dead. A search did not turn up the exact nature of his death. Did he die due to wounds at the Battle of Hubbardton, was he killed at the Battle of Hubbardton, was he captured by the British, or did he die while at Saratoga?
Private Abel Getchell was killed at the Second Battle of Saratoga. The 12th did not take part in the First Battle of Saratoga on September 19, 1777. However, during the Second Battle of Saratoga on October 7, 1777 the 12th took part in the attack on Breymann’s redoubt at Bemis Heights. Taking the redoubt exposed the British Camp which led to the surrender of the British. In Private Abel Getchell’s widow’s pension file, it is recorded that he was killed by grapeshot through the head as they were taking the redoubt.
“Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783,” database with images, Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/10116298 : accessed 11 August 2021), imaged muster roll for Captain Silas Burbank’s Company, Colonel Samuel Brewer’s 12th Massachusetts Regiment, December 15, 1777; citing “The National Archives” [https://www.archives.gov/]In this transcription the spelling of the names have been corrected based on the records found in the pension files for the 32 soldiers that have pensions.
I am a member of the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, Brigade of the American Revolution. I had the opportunity to participate in the largest reenactment in 2021 at Fort Niagara, New York. Below are a few photos and videos that I received from friends that came to the event.
I have been studying Col. Huntington’s Regiment, on account that I had an ancestor that served with them, Private Eliphalet Reynolds. In 1775, Colonel Huntingdon’s Regiment was at the Seige of Boston. They were engaged at Dorchester Heights and erected barracks there. On January 1st, 1776 Col. Huntington’s Regiment was reorganized as the 17th Continental Regiment. At the end of 1776, the regiment was reorganized again. Some members are found in the 1st Connecticut and some are found in the 8th Connecticut.
I am interested in recreating a uniform coat for the 17th, including the possibility of remaking the uniform button. I am looking for primary sources to guide me in recreating the coat.
Primary sources, like the one below, will help me with recreating the 17th Regimental coat. This page is found in the widows pension file numbered W13527 for Solomon Ingham. Solomon was in the 17th Continental Regiment and called his regiment the Black facings. The Black facings refer to the facings and cuffs that were on their regimental coats.
“I remember seeing Gen Lord Sterling and Gen Sullivan after their capture they were said to be on parole after the battle on Long Island our Regiment was much scattered + torn in pieces – they were called the Black facings and so many of them were killed + captivated there it was not again organized to my knowledge during my enlistment”
“A Muster Role of A Minute Company Belonging to Framingham Under the Command of Capt Simon Edgel in the County of Middlesex who marchd on the alarm on the 19th of April 1775 to Concord + Cambridge”
Lexington Alarm Rolls, Vol. XII , 84.
Enjoying a morning of research before the big game tonight. Specifically, I have been researching the family of Patriot Joseph Mixer. So, I am digging into his service when I have some free time. He was listed as Private Joseph Mixter on this muster roll.
April 19, 1775 must have been a long day for the company. Framingham is roughly 16 miles southwest of Concord. They continued on into Cambridge and served in the Siege of Boston.Of special note, Peter Salem was also a member of the company.
The bits of information found in the History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts and the information found on the Minute Man National Historic Park website helps to provide context and a better understanding of what happened to the Patriots on that day.
The following is from the History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
The Battle of Lexington and Concord – April 19, 1775. The news that the British troops were on the march for Lexington and Concord appears to have reached Framingham before eight o’clock in the morning. The bell was rung, and the alarm guns fired; and in about an hour a considerable part of the two companies of minute-men and one company of the militia were on the way to Concord, which place they reached about noon. Capt. Edgell went on foot the entire distance, carrying his gun. Those living at the extreme south and west sides of the town were a little behind the party from the centre and north side.
…
Our companies reached Concord, not in season to join in the fray at North Bridge, but in season to join in the pursuit of the flying British column. From the evidence preserved, it appears that a part of our men participated in the daring assault at Meriam’s Corner, and that all had arrived and were active in the more successful attacks in the Lincoln woods.
Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton). (1890). History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men. Philadelphia: J. W. Lewis & co., volume 3, page 624.
The Minute Man National Historical Park website has a map and description of where Captain Simon Edgell’s company joined in the assault on the British column.
So far there has been fighting at Lexington Green where the first colonists were killed, about 5:00 a.m., and at Concord’s North Bridge fight where the first British soldiers died, around 9:30 a.m. The situation was about to get much much worse as the British column moved out east from Concord center on the road back to Boston. They were attacked by newly arrived minute and companies from Reading, Chelmsford and Billerica at a road junction called Meriam’s Corner. The British had to pull their flank guard in to cross a brook. The colonists took advantage of this choke point and opened fire. This action is the start of what came to be known as the “Battle Road.” From there the fighting continued as the column pushed east from Concord into Lincoln. Learn more about the fight at Meriam’s Corner! Meriam’s Corner (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Companies from Framingham and Sudbury arrived from the south and engaged the British column on their right flank at a place called Brooks Hill. Companies from Concord, Lincoln, Bedford and Acton, who had fought at North Bridge earlier that morning ,were also in pursuit as were Reading, Chelmsford and Billerica. Meanwhile, 3 companies from the town of Woburn had just arrived and were soon to make their presence felt.
As I have gotten older, I fondly remember the year 1976. I was just a little boy, but I remember being dressed up with my cousins as a colonial boy and participating is a small hometown parade. This picture is iconic for me from that year. I am grateful that as citizens of the United States, these types of images can be found indexed at the Library of Congress.
Yankee doodle 1776 / A.M. Willard.
Print shows three patriots, two playing drums and one playing a fife, leading troops into battle. Based on the painting called the “Spirit of ’76.”[1]
[1] Clay, C. &. C., Willard, A. M. & Ryder, J. F. (ca. 1876) Yankee doodle/ A.M. Willard. United States, ca. 1876. Cleveland, Ohio: Pub. by J.F. Ryder. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2004673466/.
This past fall I decided to embark on the process of applying for membership to the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge. About 2018, when I lived in Cincinnati, I gave a presentation about this society and others to the Cincinnati Chapter, Ohio Society, Sons of the Revolution. I always wanted to become a member and with the slow down of events this year, I decided to get the paperwork done for myself.
Why did I want to be a member of this society? Well, the answer is fairly simple. First, I wanted to honor my ancestors that were at Valley Forge. Second, there were many very brave men and women that followed General Washington and believed in the Patriot cause. They should not be forgotten. I want my children to to know who these brave people were and understand the sacrifices that they made. They only way that happens is though organizations like this one.
Their website is located at https://www.valleyforgesociety.com/. You can find links to the membership application and social media accounts.
I have multiple ancestors that served in the Continental Army at Valley Forge. I have spent twenty years accumulating birth, marriage and death records for all of my patriot ancestry lines. This made the membership process for this society, very easy for me.
Ancestry.com, Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com), memorial page for David Jordan (1759–1847), Find A Grave Memorial no. 154,362,686, citing Elm Vale Cemetery, Waterford, Oxford County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by Brett Berry (contributor 47,299,191); gravestone photograph by Kit B (contributor 49,183,906)
I decided to enter my application with Private David Jordan. He was a member of the 15th Massachusetts Regiment. I will post more information about Private Jordan and his regiment in the future. The 15th Massachusetts Regiment was part of Brigadier General John Glover’s 2nd Massachusetts Brigade. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Timothy Bigelow. Private Jordan was in the Company commanded by Captain Paul Ellis. They entered Valley Forge in December 19, 1777.
I received a call from the Commander-in-Chief welcoming me to the society at the beginning of December and I received my certificate and other materials in the mail on December 28th.
Now on to supplemental applications!!
I had the opportunity to visit the park during the summer of 2019. The monument for Brigadier General John Glover’s 2nd Massachusetts Brigade is located on North Outer Line Drive. It is the last Brigade monument before the Memorial Arch.
Glover’s Brigade Monument at Valley Forge, photograph by Shaun SmithGlover’s Brigade Monument at Valley Forge, photograph by Shaun Smith
Shaun Smith at the grave of Joshua Clark on December 19th.
Here we are, closing in on the end of the year. It would have been easy for me to stay at home on December 19th. It was difficult to find places nearby this year to participate in anything patriotic. Finally, I found something patriotic to do with my daughters, Wreaths Across America. I wont say to much about the event here. Please read the attached article. I was fortunate to work with American Legion Harvey C Noone Post # 954 and the Children of the American Revolution, Ensign Robert Wilson Society to put a small program together to Honor the Veterans at Riga Cemetery in Monroe County, New York.
Please see the attached newspaper article, photos and video.
