Watson Family Military Service

Oliver Watson (1718-1804):

• Corporal, Capt. Ebenezer Mason's co. of Minute-men, Col. Jonathan Warner's
  regt., marched on alarm of 19 Apr 1775;
• also, Capt. Jonathan Carriel's co., Col. Josiah Whitney's regt.; at Point
  Shirley, 13 Jun 1776;
• also, Private, same co. and regt.; from 17 May to 1 Nov 1776, at Camp at
  Hull;
• also, Capt. Josiah White's co., Lieut. Col. Benjamin Flagg's division, Col.
  Samuel Denny's (Worcester Co.) regt.; from 21 Aug to 23 Aug 1777; marched
  to Hadley on an alarm at the Northward.

Oliver Watson II (1743-1826): Corporal, Capt. Ebeneezer Mason's co. of Minute-men, Col. Jonathan Warner's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service 14 days.

Robert Watson (1746-1806): Private, Capt. Ebeneezer Mason's co. of Minute-men, Col. Jonathan Warner's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service 14 days.

James Watson (1754-1823): Private, Capt. Ebeneezer Mason's co. of Minute-men, Col. Jonathan Warner's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service 37 days.

* The "alarm of April 19, 1775" refers to The Battles of Lexington and Concord, just 50 miles from Spencer, where Oliver Watson lived. Captain John Ferguson commanded these 36 men from Blandford and neighboring Chester. I can't find a record of when the alarm was received in Blandford, or when the men arrived at Lexington. Isaac Bissel was the post rider who carried the Lexington alarm issued at 10 am on 19 April in Watertown. He traveled along the Upper Post Road, passing through Worcester, 95 miles east, the same afternoon, perhaps arriving at Springfield after dark. The alarm reached Philadelphia 24 April at 5 pm. It's one thing for a post rider to travel a hundred miles in a day, but for men on foot, with their supplies, it must have taken several days.

Oliver Watson, a deacon of the Congregational Church in Leicester, a militia officer, town selectman, and father of 3 sons who served in the militia, was also elected to congress in 1776, 1777 and 1780, His nephew, John Watson of Blandford, was married to Israel Gibb's daughter Sarah.

Israel Gibbs was deacon in Blandford, and prominent enough to serve on the Committee of Inspection, Correspondence, and Safety in 1777. Gibbs was 12 years older than Watson, so too old for militia service during the revolution himself, but 3 of his sons served. One of them, John Gibbs, partnered with John Dirlam in 1780 to purchase the father's foreclosed property in Blandford in 1780.

Watson, William:

• 1st Lieutenant, Capt. Seth Washburn's co., Col. Ward's regt., marched on
  alarm of 19 Apr 1775 for 16 days;
• also, 2d Lieutenant, Capt. Samuel Green's (5th) co. (South co. in Leicester),
  Col. Samuel Denny's (1st Worcester Co.) regt. of Mass. militia; commissioned
  5 Apr 1776;
• also, Captain, 5th co., Col. Denny's (1st Worcester Co.) regt. of Mass.
  militia; commissioned 5 Mar 1779.

-from Massachusetts Commonwealth; Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution (17 vols); Wright and Potter Printing Co., (Boston, 1896)

My William Watson (1750-1844) is too young to be the brother of John Watson who was married to Sarah Gibbs. And Oliver Watson (1743-1826), their second cousin?


Capt. Seth Washburn: In 1749, Seth took part in the campaign against the Indians in New Hampshire. At the opening of the Revolutionary War, Seth, who was fifty-two years old, served as Captain of his company of Minute Men of Leicester. They marched on the alarm of 19 April, 1775 to Lexington. At Bunker Hill they fought along the ‘rail fence.’ His was was sent on patrol between Cambridge and ‘the Neck’ with other captains and 18 soldiers during the night. These men were made part of the regiment of General Artemas Ward. Washburn was promoted to Major during the war and became a Colonel of militia after it ended. He was the muster-master for Worcester County and was elected to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779. He was a founder of the Leicester Academy and a senator in the State Legislature.


CAPTAIN WILLIAM CANNON (1722, Blandford - Dec. 7, 1780, Blandford)

County Militia of Massachusetts Province 1776-1777

This is part of an effort to identify Massachusetts units that might have brought John O Dirlam to Blandford, or brought him to the attention of someone in the Snow, Gibbs or Watson families in Blandford, Becket or Leicester.

After Lexington and Concord in April 1775, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress raised 27 regiments. These regiments were adopted into the first establishment of the Continental Army in June 1775. Referred to by the names of their colonels, they were numbered one way by the state and another by the Continental Army. At the end of 1775 the army was reorganized, and again at the end of 1777.

All of these county militia regiments were disbanded in October or November of 1777, although some were called again later by the province.

Berkshire County Militia

Ashley's Regiment of Militia also known as the 1st Berkshire County Militia Regiment, was named after its commander, Col. John Ashley (1736-1799) of Sheffield. The regiment was called up in Berkshire County, Massachusetts in July 1777 and sent for a month to Fort Edward and on September 19, 1777 as reinforcements for the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. The regiment marched quickly to join the gathering forces of General Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. The regiment served in General Paterson's brigade. Burgoyne's Army surrendered on October 17, 1777 and the regiment disbanded the next day.

Browns' Regiment of Militia also known as the 2nd Berkshire County Regiment, also called Col. John Brown's Detachment of Berkshire County Militia, was named after its commander. Brown (1744-1780) lived in Pittsfield, and died in battle at Stone Arabia, New York (west of Albany).

Simonds' Regiment of Militia also known as the 3rd Berkshire County Regiment, was named after its commander, Col. Benjamin Simonds (1726-1807) of Williamstown. The regiment was raised in Berkshire County. The Regiment was at Fort Ticonderoga during the winter of 1776-1777. Simonds' Regiment was called up in the summer of 1777 during the Saratoga Campaign, fighting at the Battle of Bennington with General John Stark's Brigade of New Hampshire Militia. Many volunteers also joined the regiment at this time including William Easton, and the "Fighting Parson," Thomas Allen. Simonds' Regiment attacked Friedrich Baum's redoubt from the south during the battle as Stickney's (11th NH), Hale's (15th NH) and Hobart's (12th NH) attacked form the east and Nichols' (5th NH) attacked from the west. The regiment continued on to the Battle of Bemis Heights and the surrender of British General John Burgoyne's army. The regiment was also called up in response to Carleton's Raid and the Royalton Raid of 1780.

Hampshire County Militia

Woodbridge's Regiment of Militia / 1st Hampshire County, and Woodbridge's (25th) Regiment and The 25th Regiment of Foot, was named for its commander Col. Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge (1739–1819) of South Hadley. On April 20, 1775, the day after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the regiment was formed and marched to Cambridge, near Boston, and participated in the Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The regiment spent part of the summer and the fall of 1776 as part of the Fort Ticonderoga garrison. The regiment was called up at South Hadley on August 16, 1777 to reinforce the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. The regiment joined General Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. They served in General Warner's brigade. The regiment was disbanded October 18, 1777 after Burgoyne's surrender.

May's Regiment of Militia / 2nd Hampshire County was called up at Southampton on September 20, 1777 to reinforce the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. The regiment joined Gen. Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. They served in General Nixon's brigade. The regiment was disbanded October 18, 1777, after Burgoyne's surrender.

Wright's Regiment of Militia also known as the 5th Hampshire County Militia Regiment, was named after its commander, Col. Phineas Wright (1710-1795). The regiment was called up at Northfield on September 22, 1777 to reinforce the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. The regiment joined General Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. They served in General Nixion's brigade. The regiment was disbanded October 18, 1777 after Burgoyne's surrender.

Northfield is located in Franklin County, created from the northernmost third of Hampshire County in 1811.

Wells' Regiment of Militia also known as the 5th Hampshire County Militia Regiment was called up at Shelburne, Massachusetts on September 22, 1777 to reinforce the Continental Army during the Saratoga Campaign. They joined General Horatio Gates as he faced British General John Burgoyne in northern New York. They served in General Fellow's brigade. The regiment was disbanded October 18, 1777 after Burgoyne's surrender.

Shelburne is located in Franklin County, created from the northernmost third of Hampshire County in 1811.