What can Wigand Dirlam tell us about John O Dirlam?

Wigand Dirlam and his brother Konrad, from Otrau (south of Kassel) served in Knyphausen's Hessen-Cassel Regiment during the War for Independence. Their service is documented in HETRINA. Konrad died in New York, injured within a few weeks of his arrival there in 1776. But Wigand survived the war and returned home.

Added paragraph 2025:

Our John Dirlam was a von Scheither recruit into the British Army. According to Roger Atwood's book The Hessians, von Scheiter recruited in the Bishopric of Fulda, Solms, Solms-Braunfels, Frankfurt, and Lippe. The largest of these is Fulda, ruled by Heinrich von Bibra, Prince-Bishop and then Prince-Abbot from 1759 to 1788. As part his role as Prince-Abbot, he was also Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empress. Fulda the city, is about 30 southeast of Otrau, where the Dirlam brothers were born. Fulda, the bishopric laid to the south of Hesse-Cassel. The bishopric is also the largest of the five territories where von Scheither recruited.** 

HETRINA doesn't reveal the relationship of Wigand and Konrad, but Ancestry does -- as sons of Johannes Dirlam and Martha Elisabeth Krey. And another brother's son, Jacob Dirlam, settled in Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the 1850s. These Dirlams used the name Johannes every generation, going back into the 17th century. The use of a Saint's name, here it's John the Baptist, was common, and often became a family tradition. That was usually combined with another name like Johann Peter, Johann Jost or Johann Heinrich, and at home the child was called Peter, Jost or Heinrich. But all the sons could have the same Saint's name. And their cousins could too! Which one is our John O. Dirlam?!!??!! 

Wigand's military service is also documented in two volumes of the Journal of The Johannes Schwalm Historical Assocation, Inc. According to volume 3, number 1, he was taken prisoner at Trenton, New Jersey 26 December 1776 and appears on a list made by the Germans on 27 February 1777. Nearly nine hundred Hessians were captured, and Dirlam was part of a group marched 100 miles west to Lancaster. Most of these prisoners were exchanged between June and August 1778, when Dirlam returned to his regiment, then occupying Philadelphia. 

After the British surrendered an army at Saratoga, their overall strategy changed. 18 June 1778 they abandoned Philadelphia, and the Knyphausen Regiment returned to New York. After France entered the war, the British, never really trusting the loyalty of Quebeckers, sent Knyphausen's Regiment to prevent rebellion among the French-speaking inhabitants. Anyway, 8 September 1779 the regiment sailed north aboard 3 ships, part of a much larger fleet. Two ships, Molly and Triton, were damaged by a storm and captured by privateers. Wigand Dirlam was part of this group, sent to Philadelphia's New Gaol. These prisoners were exchanged and allowed to travel to their post in Quebec.

The regiment was later transferred to New York, arriving 28 Oct 1781, just three days before Cornwallis' surrender. They remained in New York for the duration of the treaty negotiations, finally returning to their garrison at Ziegenhain 16 Oct 1783.

According to JJSHA, volume 2, number 1, Wigand Dirlam's captivity (from his capture 26 Sep 1779 to his release 13 Oct 1779) at The New Gaol is recorded in the Bradford papers, summarized as:

• an undated list of 91 POWs signed by Capt. Wiederhold. 
• a list of 92 POWs signed by Feldwebel (1st Sgt.) Johannes Meinguth, dated 10 Oct 1779, including notations about Wigand's 2 week hospitalization 
•  a list made by the Americans of POWs held during 1781 and 1782, Wigand appears in section F 
• a list of POWs who worked for Jacob Faesch, Iron Master in 1782 
• a list of 122 German POWs made 5 Feb 1782 

It's a wild story. Wigand was

• captured at Trenton, PA 26 December 1776
• marched to 65 miles to Lancaster, PA 2 January 1777
• released March 1777
• part of occupation of Philadelphia 26 Sep 1777?
• left Philadelphia 18 Jun 1778
• wintered in New York
• set sail for Quebec 8 September 1779
• captured at sea 26 September 1779
• held briefly in Philadelphia Gaol 10 October 1779
• released 13 Oct 1779
• surrendered at Yorktown 19 October 1781
• marched to Rockaway, NJ to work 

More research is required to confirm what's actually on these lists. Schwalm lists file no. 59 of the Bradford Papers (held by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania) as belonging to Wigand Dirlam, Regt. Knyphausen, Company 3.

For those of us interested in his presumed-cousin, John O Dirlam, the most tantalizing item here is one about POWs working to make iron in an American foundry. An article by Lion G. Miles follows the list, and it says:

Sometimes this use of captured enemy soldiers was done on a quasi-legal basis, depending on government policy at the time, but always it was done in an attempt to alleviate the acute labor shortage that prevailed in colonial America. Hessians and other Germans were used in the various Pennsylvania ironworks of York, Lancaster, Berks, and Bucks Counties. Others worked on the construction of government buildings, some were used as shoemakers, and many more employed as farm hands.

I added the emphasis on shoemakers, because John O Dirlam was a shoemaker. The significance is nicely summarized by George Washington, writing 21 April 1778 at Valley Forge:

To see the men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lie upon, without shoes...without a house or hut to cover them until those could be built, and submitting without a murmur, is a proof of patience and obedience which, in my opinion, can scarcely be paralleled.

 An article in this same volume 3 of JJSHA by Kenneth S. Jones describes orders to transfer POWs from the overcrowded Worcester jail to Newbury Port 2 June 1777. And to move POWs  from Boston's Workinghouse to Worcester jail or into work arrangements with Worcester families 31 July 1777. These records are in the Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 167 -1-2a. Volume 167 are Revolution Council Papers from 1777, when the Council acted as sole executive. The volume primarily relates to requests to leave the state, prisoners of war, and commissions for the commanders of privateers. The papers are viewable at The Massachusetts Archives Reading Room, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston MA 02125.

**FOR POTENTIAL RESEARCH - 

Staatsarchiv Hannover

Hannover 47, II, Numbers 113 - 16, Col. v. Scheither

Men who brought John O Dirlam to Becket, Massachusetts

Because of the evidence in the muster rolls I possess, I believe John O Dirlam was injured in the mud flats near Philadelphia in the winter 1777-1778. How and why did he travel nearly 230 miles from Philadelphia to Becket? Becket in the 1770s was only accessible by foot paths, and too remote and poor to be known by a most  Americans and certainly by a stranger from Germany. It's likely one person or small group took him under their wing. I believe these to be likely candidates. They have the right combination of local power and proximity to Dirlam. 

I propose five men as responsible for this journey

1. Private Amos Brewster (1735-1777), serving in Nathaniel Webb's Company, Col. Durkee's Regiment of Connecticut Troops. After his death in November 1777, Brewster was described on a muster roll as, in the hospital with a wound he received in the mud flats at Fort Mifflin. The British laid siege to the fort September 26 to November 16.  Brewster was wounded in September and died in November. I estimate this to be the same action where Dirlam was also wounded. Amos lived in Canterbury, Connecticut. 
2. Doctor Oliver Brewster (1760-1812), paternal cousin of Amos, listed above. He lived in Peru, Massachusetts, about 10 miles north of Becket, where he moved at the end of the war. Did he buy property at the same auction as Dirlam and Gibbs? He served in Col. John Brown's Third Berkshire Regiment. 
3. Sylvanus Snow, serving in  Capt. Nathaniel Webb's Company, Col. Durkee's Fourth Regiment, Continental Line. A detachment of the regiment continued the brave defense of Ft. Mifflin in September and October 1777, on the Delaware, with several men killed and wounded. Dirlam married Snow's daughter in September 1781. 
4. Col. John Brown who commanded a Berkshire regiment, where Oliver Brewster was surgeon. Later the 3rd Massachusetts Regiment, then re-designated as the 3rd Continental Regiment. Did he do military service in 1777?? Brown was a lawyer, county judge, and served on the Pittsfield Committee of Correspondence. 
5. John Gibbs who served on the local Committee of Inspection, Correspondence, and Safety, and later bought property in Becket in partnership with Dirlam at a Sheriff's sale in 1780 according to Ulster Scots and Blandford Scouts, and the Registry of Deeds in Springfield. Gibbs was a tanner and Dirlam a leather craftsman. 

Israel Gibbs and his Massachusetts Captains

The purpose of this post is to look for clues among the militia and army officers John Gibbs served during the Revolution. My thinking is that Gibbs might have looked to such a person to help him bring Dirlam to Blandford. Or that such a leader might have suggested bringing Dirlam to Blandford to Gibbs.

Why Gibbs? Because Gibbs and Dirlam together bought a farm lot in Blandford in 1780 at a tax collectors sale. Gibbs bought several properties including the one he bought with Dirlam, farm lot 34. Altogether they spent almost £300. I think Dirlam's share might have been £50. I'm assuming Gibbs bankrolled Dirlam who had been taken prisoner just 2 years earlier. So Gibbs must have been, for Blandford, a wealthy man. Incidentally, the properties could have been recovered by the previous owners up to 3 years later, by paying the taxes and penalties.

The three names I found:

1) Captain William Knox(1722, Hopkinton MA - 1802, Blandford MA). William Knox came to Blandford with his parents and siblings, when the town was first settled in 1735. Knox served in the town militia during the French & Indian War [1754-1763]. 

In 1774 parliament annulled the colony's charter, and the royal governor dissolved the provincial assembly. The members of the assembly met anyway. The governor, a military commander, tooks steps to secure the situation. And in April 1775, Knox led Blandford's militia to defend Lexington, taking his eldest son, a 15 year-old. Later that year, the town sent him as a delegate to a Congress of Delegates from the several Towns and Districts in the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay.

 
He was made captain of the 6th company of Massachusetts Provincial Militia when they were sent to Ticonderoga in October and November 1776. This was part of an effort to dissuade the British from trying to retake the fort. Two of Knox's brothers served in his company. Wikipedia's article, Second Saratoga order of battle, includes 4 Massachusetts regiments, but not the 6th, confirming that the Knox's didn't see combat there in 1777.

So far, I haven't found individual service records for 1777 and 1778. But the unit seems to have been transferred back and forth between the Highland's Department, formed around the defenses on the Hudson River north of New York City, where the Army had it's biggest materiel and hospital operation; and the Northern Department, farther north toward Albany.

When war in the north didn't produce the conclusive victories the British sought, they moved south, far from Massachusetts; at the end of 1779, the Continental Army planned another reorganization; and Knox resigned his commission, saying "he had served for a considerable time as a Captain of a militia company in Col. John Moseley's (Hampshire Co.) regt., and asking permission to resign is commission on account of age, lameness, and infirmity." He would have been 59 years old, and lived another 23 years.

William Knox was licensed as a retailer (of liquor?) in Blandford in 1784, 1785 and 1787.* William's brother, John Knox, owned a tavern on the road, now MA23, east to Westfield (a suburb of Springfield). He was reimbursed for caring for soldiers who stopped there; there was no hospital.

Knox was elected twice to the Massachusetts General Court in 1799 and 1801. He and his wife, Isabel Ferguson, are buried in the Old Burying Ground in Blandford.

2) Captain William Cooley (17 Mar 1736, Springfield - 14 Apr 1825, Granville). Cooley and his wife, Sarah Mather, are buried in Granville at Main Road Cemetery.

3) Captain William Cannon (1722, Blandford - Dec. 7, 1780, Blandford).

Here are service records for John Gibbs and his brothers:
GIBBS, Israel [1738-1818]. Private, in a detachment from Capt. William Knox's co., Col. John Moseley's regt.; service, 28 days; detachment marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robison (Robinson) to reinforce Continental Army. Roll sworn to at Blandford. [Gibb's father served the same company. ]

GIBBS, Israel. 2d Sergeant, Capt. William Cooley's co., Col. John Mosley's regt.; engaged Sept. 22, 1776; discharged Nov. 12, 1776; service, 2 mos. 3 days, travel included. Roll dated North Castle [NY, near White Plains]. [Mosley's was the 3rd Hampshire County Regiment]

GIBBS, Israel. Fifer, Capt. William Cannon's co., Col. David Leonard's regt.; service, 70 days; company drafted and marched to Ticonderoga May 6, 1777, and returned home July 14, 1777; roll sworn to at Blandford; also, Capt. Solomon Brown's co., Col. Elisha Porter's (Hampshire Co.) regt.; engaged July 31, 1779; discharged Sept. 1, 1779; service, 1 mo. 6 days, travel included, at New London, Conn.  [Cannon's is the Blandford Company and Leonard succeeded Mosley to command the regiment]
GIBBS, Isaac [1744-1823].  Private, in a detachment from Capt. William Knox's co., Col. John Mosley's regt.; service, 28 days; detachment marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robison (Robinson) to reinforce Continental Army. Roll sworn to at Blandford. 
GIBBS, John [1730-1816].  Private, in a detachment from Capt. William Knox's co., Col. John Mosley's regt.; service, 28 days; detachment marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robison (Robinson) to reinforce Continental Army. Roll sworn to at Blandford.
- all from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of The Revolutionary War, Volume 6, page 382 & 385


Now the service records of the captains:

Knox, William [1722-1802]. Sergeant, Capt. William Cannon's detachment, Col. John Mosley's regt.; service, 28 days; mileage out and home (320 miles) allowed; detachment marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson to reinforce Continental Army.

Knox, William. Private, Capt. William Cooley's co., Col. John Mosley's regt.; engaged Sept. 22, 1776; discharged Nov. 16, 1776; service, 2 mos 3 days, including 8 days (160 miles) travel home. Roll dated North Castle.

Knox, William. Captain, 6th co., Col. John Mosely's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt. of Mass. militia; list of officers chosen in said regiment, endorsed “April 26, 1776;” reported commissioned April 26, 1776; also, Captain, Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson's detachment from 3d Hampshire Co. regt., which marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, by order of Gen. Skyler (Schuyler) to reinforce army at that place; [service not given]; also, petition dated Blandford, Jan. 5, 1779, signed by said Knox, stating that he had served for a considerable time as Captain of a militia company in Col. John Moseley's (Hampshire Co.) regt., and asking permission to resign his commission on account of age, lameness, and infirmity.

Knox, William, 2d [1750-1815]. 2d Lieutenant, Capt. Samuel Sloper's (12th) co., Col. David Mosley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; entered service June 12, 1782; discharged June 17, 1782; service, 6 days; company marched to Northampton June 12, 1782, in support of the government, and was allowed horse rations. 

- all from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of The Revolutionary War, Volume 9, page 426


COOLEY, William, [1736-1825] Captain. Mass. Militia; wounded at White Plains Oct. 28, 1776; died 1825.
- from Hist. Reg. of Officers of the Continental Army

COOLEY, William, Captain. 9th and 5th Co., Col. John Moseley's (3rd Hampshire Co.) Regt. (In May 1776 a return was made of a military company in Granville, belonging to the 5th Regt. of Mass. Militia, of which Moseley of Westfield was Colonel. This company was commanded by Capt. William Cooley, Edmund Barlow was first Lieutenant, Samuel Bancroft, Jr., second Lieutenant, Richard Dickinson, Josel Strong and Samuel Williams, Sergeants; Joel Bancroft, John Cooley, Thomas Gilbert and James Coe, Corporals. The company numbered 73 men with 73 guns, 2 bayonets, 4 swords, 680 flints, and 5 1/2 lbs of powder. The strength and flower of the town were under enlistment. (quoted from Vol. II, page 62, Hist. of Western Mass., by Josiah Holland). List of Officers of Mass. Militia. Ordered in Council Apr. 26, 1776, that commission be issued; reported commissioned same day. Captain of detachment from 3rd Hampshire Regt. commanded by Lt. Col. Timothy Richardson; marched Oct.21, 1776, by order Gen. Schuyler, to reinforce army at Ticonderoga; also Col. John Moseley's Regt., engaged Sept. 23, 1776, disch. Nov. 16, 1776; same regt., July 9-Oct. 12, 1777, when company marched towards Bennington on an alarm; roll sworn to at Granville.

- from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of The Revolutionary War, Volume 2, page 382


COOLEY, William, Captain. A description of his Detachment for 2 mos. 3 days, return of, in which a number of his men were from Blandford.
- from Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolution from Blandford, Massachusetts.

(V) Captain William son of Daniel (3) and Frances (McKintree) Cooley, was born March 17, 1736; died April 14, 1825. He settled in Granville, Massachusetts where he organized a military company for service in the revolutionary war. His commission as captain, issued April 26, 1776, signed by Perez Morton, secretary, assigns him to the Fifth Company, Third Regiment, Hampshire county militia, John Moseley, colonel. November 27, 1759, he married Sarah Mather, born November 26, 1734, died December 2, 1822, daughter of Timothy Mather, of Windsor, Connecticut, and a descendant of Rev. Richard Mather (see forward). The children of this union were: I. Sarah, born 1762; 2 William, 1763; 3 Abigail, May 3,1765; 4 Triphena, May 8, 1767; 5 Dorothy, April 22, 1768; 6 Timothy Mather DD; 7 Alexander, May 2, l775; 8 James, December 2, 1779.
- from Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to The Families of the State of New York, Volume 4, edited by William Richard Cutter, William Frederick Adams, page 2182


Cannon, William (Mass) Captain Massachusetts Militia, 1777.
- from Hist. Reg. of Officers of the Continental Army

Cannon, William. Captain, 12th co., Col. John Moseley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; list of officers of Mass. militia; commissioned April 26, 1776; also, same regt.; company marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson to reinforce Continental Army; service, 28 days; also, petition dated Blandford, Sept. 30, 1778, signed by said Cannon, asking for a discharge from his commission as Captain of the 12th (Blandford) co. in Col. Moseley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; allowed in Council, Oct. 6, 1778.

Cannon, William. Sergeant, Capt. Samuel Sloper's (12th) co., Col. David Mosley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; enlisted June 12, 1782; discharged June 17, 1782; service, 6 days; company marched to Northampton in support of the government June 12, 1782.
- from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of The Revolutionary War, Volume 3, page 72

This family name was sometimes spelled Carnachen or Carnahan.

* The Taverns and Turnpikes of Blandford, 1733-1833, by Sumner Gilbert Wood. 

The Philadelphia Campaign / Connecticut Regiments

Connecticut Regiments That Served Philadelphia's Defense and Afterwards Wintered At Valley Forge

This is looking to see if there is an obvious personal link between any Continental officers of likely regiments and John Dirlam, or anyone else I recognize from Becket or Blandford. Dirlam married a daughter of Sylvanus Snow, in 1781. Snow served throughout the war, first in Ashford militia, and then in Capt. Nathaniel Webb's Company of Durkee's Regiment, also called the 4th Connecticut Regiment. They camped at Peekskill, were involved in the defense of Philadelphia (including at Fort Mifflin) and wintered at Valley Forge in 1777-1778.

Deaths reported in Webb's Company: Sgt. Silas Frink, Joseph Bond, Charles Brandon, Amos Brewster, Eliphalet Coburn, Ephraim Durfy, George Mitchell, Charles Ripley, Isaiah Rogers, John Shaw, and James Wharf. Of 41 privates, 10 died and 4 deserted.

Most of Becket's early settlers came from Ashford, ninety miles away.

Below are the field officers, company commanders and surgeons serving Connecticut regiments at Valley Forge. Every one of these regiments also served in the defense of Philadelphia, according to either https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Line or ValleyForgeMusterroll.org.

Prentice's Regiment / Huntington's Regiment / 1st Connecticut
Colonel Josiah Starr
Major David Still
Major Christopher Darrow
Captains William Belcher, Christopher Darrow, James Aldridge, Eliphalet Holmes, William Richards, John Shumway, Benjamin Throop, Christopher Ely
Surgeon Albigence Waldo
Surgeon’s Mate Samuel Brown

Webb's Regiment / 2nd Connecticut
Colonel Charles Webb
Lt. Colonel Isaac Sherman
Major Hezekiah Holdridge
Captains Stephen Bett, James Beebee, Ichabod Hinckley, William Manning, John Mills, Jonathan Parker, David Parson, Amos Walbridge, Samuel Granger
Surgeon Noah Coleman
Surgeon’s Mate Isaac Day

Durkee's Regiment / 4th Connecticut
Colonel John Durkee
Lt. Colonel Giles Russell
Major John Summer
Company Commanders
Captains Abner Bacon, Beriah Bill, Andrew Fitch, John Harmon, Robert Wallam, Elisha Lee, Nathaniel Webb, Robert Durkee, John McGriegier, Simon Spaulding
Surgeon Samuel Lee
Surgeon’s Mate Jonathan Knight

Bradley's Regiment / 5th Connecticut
Colonel Philip Bradley
Lt. Colonel Mathew Mead
Major Jonathan Johnson
Company Commanders
Captains Josiah Child, Eli Catlin, Samuel Hait, Josiah Lacey, Abner Prior, Ezekiel Sanford, Soloman Strong, Joseph A Wright
Surgeon Benjamin Putman
Surgeon’s Mate Jabez Smith

Swift's Regiment / 7th Connecticut
Colonel Heman Swift
Lt. Colonel Josiah Starr
Major John Sedwick
Captains Phineas Beardsley, Aaron Steevens, Ebenezer Hills, Titus Watson, Theodore Woodbridge, Albert Chapman, Stephen Hall, Thomas Converse
Surgeon Lancalot Jockques
Surgeon’s Mate Jonathan Todd

Chandler's Regiment / 8th Connecticut
Colonel John Chandler
Lt. Colonel Thomas Dyer
Major Joseph Hait
Captains Paul Brigham, Samual Mattocks, Theophils Monson, David Smith, Silvanus Brown, Samuel Comstock, Nehemiah Rice, Samuel Sanford
Surgeon David Holmes
Surgeon’s Mate Solomon Howe

The Philadelphia Campaign / Massachusetts Regiments

Massachusetts Regiments That Served Philadelphia's Defense and Afterwards Wintered At Valley Forge

This is looking to see if there is an obvious personal link between any Continental officers of likely regiments and John Dirlam, or anyone else I recognize from Becket/Blandford. Sadly, I don't see one. But it would have been a shame to have missed such an obvious link, just for not looking. Below are the field officers, company commanders and surgeons serving Massachusetts regiments at Valley Forge. Every one of these regiments also served in the defense of Philadelphia, according to either https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Line or ValleyForgeMusterroll.org.

The most interesting name here is Col. William Shephard. His son, also called William Shepard, went to Washington County, New York around the time of the exodus from Becket/Blandford, 1795-1800, like John Dirlam. And 10 years later moved further west to Canandaigua, like Dirlam's sons.

Vose's Regiment / Paterson's Regiment / 1st Massachusetts / 15th Continental:

• Colonel Joseph Vose
• Lt. Colonel Elijah Vose
• Major Thomas Cogswell
• Captains Moses Ashley, Nathaniel Cushing, Robert Davis, Abraham Hunt, Jeremiah Miller, George Smith, Orringh Stoddard, Abraham Tuckerman
• Surgeon John Crain
• Surgeon’s Mate Joseph Fisk

Bailey's Regiment / Thomas' Regiment / 2nd Massachusetts / 23rd Continental:

• Colonel John Bailey
• Lt. Colonel John Bailey
• Major Andrew Peters
• Captains Judah Alden, Ephraim Burr, Samuel Darby, George Dunham, Hugh Maxwell, Isaac Warren, Seth Drew
• 1st Lieutenant Jacob Allen
• Surgeon John Hart
• Surgeon’s Mate Timothy Smith

Learned's Regiment / 4th Massachusetts / 3rd Continental:

• Colonel William Shephard
• Lt. Colonel Ebenezer Sprout
• Major Warham Parks
• Major Jonathan Allen
• Captains Job Alvord, Labbous Ball, Seth Bannister, Thomas Fish, Caleb Keep, Moses Knapp, Simon Learned, Isaac Pope, Reuben Slayton, George Webb
• Surgeon Jonathan King
• Surgeon Josiah Harvey
• Surgeon’s Mate Josiah Waterhouse
• Surgeon’s Mate Daniel Bartlet

Sargent's Regiment / 8th Massachusetts / 16th Continental:

• Colonel Michael Jackson
• Lt. Colonel John Brooks
• Major William Hull
• Captain James Bancroft, John Burnham, Ebenezer Cleaveland, Ephraim Cleaveland, James Keith, James Varnum, John Wiley, Benjamin Brown
• Surgeon Walter Hastings
• Surgeon’s Mate Calvin Scott

Wesson's Regiment / Gerrish's Regiment / 9th Massachusetts / 26th Continental Regiment:

• Colonel James Wesson
• Lt. Colonel James Mellen
• Captains Samuel Bartlett, John Blanchard, Samuel Carr, Abraham Childs, Amos Cogswell, Nathan Dix, Joseph Pettingill, Nahum Ward
• Surgeon John Thomas
• Surgeon’s Mate Henry Adams

Marshal's Regiment / 10th Massachusetts:

• Colonel Thomas Marshall
• Lt. Colonel Joseph Thompson
• Major Nathaniel Winslow
• Captains Benjamin Walcott, Amasa Soper, Josiah Smith, William Warner, Philip Thomas, Samuel King, Christopher Marshall, Jacob Wales
• Surgeon John Jones
• Surgeon James Parker
• Surgeon’s Mate Daniel Bartlet
• Surgeon’s Mate Elisha Skinner

Frances' Regiment / 11th Massachusetts:

• Colonel Benjamin Tupper
• Lt. Colonel Noah M. Littlefield
• Major William Lithgow
• Captains Daniel Wheelwright, Moses Greenleaf, Richard Mayberry, Samuel Page, John Skillings, George White
• Lieutenant William Burley

Phinney's Regiment /12th Massachusetts / 18th Continental Regiment:

• Colonel Samuel Brewer
• Lt. Colonel Samuel Carlton
• Major Tobias Fernald
• Captains Nathan Watkins, Elisha Brewer, Daniel Merrill, Silas Burbank, James Donnell, John Chadwick, Joseph Jenkins, Enos Stone
• Surgeon Paletiah Warren
• Surgeon’s Mate Josiah Waterbuse
• Surgeon’s Mate Joseph Gardner

Brewer's Regiment / 13th Massachusetts / 6th Continental:

• Colonel Edward Wigglesworth
• Lt. Colonel Dudley Coleman
• Major John Porter
• Captains Arron Haynes, Nathaniel Alexander, Noah Allen, Nicholas Blasdall, Israel Davis, Matthew Fairfield, Daniel Pillsbury, Thomas Wettington
• Surgeon John Wingate
• Surgeon’s Mate Joshia Chase

Bradford's Regiment / 14th Massachusetts:

• Colonel Gamaliel Bradford
• Lt. Colonel Barakieh Bassett
• Major Samuel Tubbs
• Captains Zebedee Redding, Joseph Wadsworth, Thomas Turner, James Cooper, Elinathan Haskell, Joshua Eddy, John Lamonts, Josiah Stetson, John Russell
• Surgeon Samuel Finley
• Surgeon John Wingate
• Surgeon’s Mate George Fairbanks
• Surgeon’s Mate Jonathan Clark

Patterson's Regiment / 15th Massachusetts:

• Colonel Timothy Bigelow
• Lt. Colonel Henry Haskell
• Major Hugh Maxwell
• Major David Bradish
• Captains Daniel Barnes, Joshua Brown, Paul Ellis, William Gates, Joseph Hodgkins, Adam Martin, Edmund Munro, Silvanus Smith
• Surgeon James E.B. Finley
• Surgeon’s Mate William S. Little

The surgeons were:

• Surgeon John Crain
• Surgeon’s Mate Joseph Fisk
• Surgeon John Hart
• Surgeon’s Mate Timothy Smith
• Surgeon Jonathan King
• Surgeon Josiah Harvey
• Surgeon’s Mate Josiah Waterhouse
• Surgeon’s Mate Daniel Bartlet
• Surgeon Walter Hastings
• Surgeon’s Mate Calvin Scott
• Surgeon John Thomas
• Surgeon’s Mate Henry Adams
• Surgeon John Jones
• Surgeon James Parker
• Surgeon’s Mate Daniel Bartlet
• Surgeon’s Mate Elisha Skinner
• Surgeon Paletiah Warren
• Surgeon’s Mate Josiah Waterbuse
• Surgeon’s Mate Joseph Gardner
• Surgeon John Wingate
• Surgeon’s Mate Joshia Chase
• Surgeon Samuel Finley
• Surgeon John Wingate
• Surgeon’s Mate George Fairbanks
• Surgeon’s Mate Jonathan Clark
• Surgeon James E.B. Finley
• Surgeon’s Mate William S. Little

State & County Troops Sent to Reinforce the Continentals

Colonel John Moseley's Regiment (3rd Hampshire County) - served 9 months at Fishkill in 1778

Colonel Thomas Nixon's Regiment (6th Massachusetts) - 1777 to 1780

Nixon's orderly books are preserved at the New-York Historical Society. Here's a resource for many many many orderly books - http://www.revwar75.com/

The Philadelphia Campaign Part 1

British Grenadiers

John Dirlam served in Blakeney company of the 23rd Foot Regiment. Companys were named after their commanders, in this case Major William Blakeney (later Colonel), injured twice during the Seven Years War, and again at Bunker Hill.

Blakeney's was a grenadier company. Grenadiers were a 17th century invention, originally trained to use grenades, hence the name. They were specialized assault troops, useful in siege warfare, and common to European armies. Technological improvements to guns, cannons, and gunpowder made those weapons vastly more lethal than bombs and grenades. But the value of specially trained assault troops continued to be popular into the 19th century, and they were widely deployed by the British against fortifications during the Revolutionary War.

Ideally, Grenadiers were picked from the most experienced and toughest soldiers, but were sometimes just the tallest and strongest. They wore tall bearskin caps to add to their towering appearance. Think of the Grenadier Guards at Buckingham Palace. The soldiers were proud of the bearskins -- regular infantry wore tri-cornered 'cocked hats' and were called 'hatmen'.

I suspect John Dirlam was selected for his height, since he was assigned to Blakeney Company on his arrival in New York City, before his skills could have been known; and also since there's some height among his descendants today. To quote from the orderly book for the 4th Grenadier Battalion, “…the Grenadier Company is to be constantly kept compleat, from the best and tallest Men in the Regiment…, and have such Men only in it, as are perfect masters of their business… as experience proves that Grenadier Company which covers most ground when under Arms, to be much superior in point of Marching, and every sort of fatigue…”

This from http://www.revwar75.com/library/pace/4th-Brit-Gren-Bn-OB-1776.pdf

A typical British infantry regiment consisted of ten companies; eight center companies, and two flank companies: a grenadier company on the right flank, and a light infantry company on the left. But these are parade ground positions. Because of their toughness, grenadier companies from different regiments were often combined into battalions, larger assault teams. In early 1776, after the British realized they needed to prepare for war, their grenadier companies were detached from the parent regiments and grouped into composite grenadier battalions. This included Blakeney company, which was assigned to a 1st Battalion of Grenadiers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel [William] Meadows [55th Regt.].

This summary is taken from "British Grenadier Companies at Monmouth" on Yahoo Group: Revlist (sorry for the amount of detail).

Head Quarters Halifax 14th May 1776... The Commander in Chief is pleased to form the Grenadier and Light Infantry Companies into four Battalions.

1st Battalion of Grenadiers, composed of the following Companies, To be Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel [William] Meadows [55th Regt.] and Major [Edward] Mitchell [5th Regt.], Viz.: 4th, 5th, 10th, 17th, 22d, 23d, 27th, 35th, 38th, 40th.

2d Battalion of Grenadiers composed of the following Companies, To be Commanded by Lieut.-Col. [Hon. Henry] Monckton [45th Regt.] and Major [Hon. Charles] Stuart [43rd Regt.], viz.: 43d., 44th, 45th, 46th, 49th, 52d, 55th, 63d, 64th, 1st. and 2d. Marines.

Source: Gen. Sir William Howe's Orders, 1776, in "The Kemble Papers, Vol. I, 1773-1789" in Collections of the New-York Historical Society for the Year 1883, Publication Fund Series, Printed for the Society, New York, 1884, Google Books, pp. 352-353.

General Order to Disband the 3rd British Grenadier Bn. and Assign the 42nd Grenadier Co. to the 2nd British Grenadier Bn., Mar. 23, 1777

Source: "Orderly Book of General Sir William Howe, Kept By Major Stephen Kemble, Deputy Adjutant General, 29 January 1777 - 20 June 1777" in New York State Library Manuscripts and History Library, Accession Number 6744.

General Order to Disband the British Flank Battalion and Return the Grenadier and Light Infantry Companies to Their Regiments, July 5, 1778

Source: "The Kemble Papers, Vol. I, 1773-1789" in Collections of the New-York Historical Society for the Year 1883, Publication Fund Series, Printed for the Society, New York, 1884, Google Books. This order was issued following the departure from Philadelphia and the battle of Monmouth Courthouse, New Jersey on June 28, 1778. The officers of the grenadiers and light infantry, took this order to disband as an insult to the elite status of their battalions and it was soon reversed.

General Order to Reestablish the British Flank Battalions, July 31, 1778

Source: "Captured British Army Orderly Book, January 29-August 9, 1778" in the George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799: Series 6. Military Papers. 1755-1798

Saturday 11th Septr 1779 ...found the Battalion divided as follows 1st [Lt. Col. Henry] Hopes consisting of 7th, 17th, 23d, 33d, 37th, 38th, 42d, & 43d. 2nd [Lt Col. John] York's, the 22d, 54th, 57th, 63d, 64th, 70th, & 74th...

The 1st Battalion, and thus Blakney company, saw action repeatedly near Philadelphia in late 1777, so it's likely this is where John Dirlam was injured. Gen. Howe was replaced in May 1778, and the British army was marched back to New York City, but without Dirlam, who less than two years later was buying land in western Massachusetts.

Timeline (preliminary)

1735	Blandford first settled
1740	Oliver Watson (1718-1782) bought 2000 acre lot #2 in Leicester
1740	Becket first settled
1741	Town of Blandford incorporated
27 Jan 1754	John Gibbs purchased 60 acre Blandford home lot #34 from his father for £56 13s.
1750s	Chester first settled
1765	Towns of Chester and Becket incorporated
1768	John Watson (1747-1823) bought Blandford home lot #9 and established a tannery
1772	Oliver Snow Jr. moved to Becket
10 Jun 1773	23rd Foot arrived in New York Harbor from England
16 Dec 1773	Boston Tea Party
1773	Town of Otis incorporated (as Loudon)
1774	Oliver Snow Jr. married at Becket
20 May 1774	Parliament passed the Massachusetts Government Act (Intolerable Acts)
Spring 1774	23rd Foot ordered to Boston
16 Aug 1774	A mob closed the Berkshire county courthouse
6 Sep 1774	Militia seized the Worcester county courthouse
18 Sep 1774	Governor Gates ordered seizure of militia supplies at Concord
19 Apr 1775	Battles of Lexington and Concord (including 23rd Foot's flank companies)
13 May-19 Jul 1775	Oliver Watson attended provincial Congress at Watertown, MA
16 Jun 1775	Battle of Bunker Hill  (Grenadiers of 23rd Foot led 3 charges, Sylvanus Snow injured)
3 Mar 1776	Knyphausen Regiment left Ziegenhain (Konrad + Wigand Dirlam?)
17 Mar 1776	British evacuated Boston
17 Apr 1776	4 companies of Knyphausen Regiment left Bremerlehe
6 May 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #1a, 85 ships left Portsmouth
14 May 1776	Some von Scheither recruits left Stade (John Dirlam?)
14 May 1776	Blakeney Company assigned to 1st Grenadier Battalion
18 May 1776	Minnegrode Company of Knyphausen Regiment left Bremerlehe (K+W Dirlam?)
26 May 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #1b, 25 ships left Portsmouth (K+W Dirlam?)
9 Jun 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #2 left Ritzebuttel (John Dirlam?)
28 Jun 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #2 left Portsmouth (John Dirlam?)
7 July 1776	Second Continental Congress adopted Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia
12 July 1776	Fleet of 150 British ships arrived in New York Harbor
14-15 Aug 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #1a and 1b disembark on Staten Island (K+W Dirlam?)
27 Aug 1776	Battle of Brooklyn Heights, NY (incl. 23rd Foot)
16 Sep 1776	Battle of Harlem Heights, NY (incl. 23rd Foot)
18 Oct 1776	British/Hessian troop convoy #2 arrived at NY harbor
18 Oct 1776	John Dirlam, 3 other Hessians joined 23rd Foot in NYC (Blakeney Company)
28 Oct 1776	Battle of White Plains, NY (incl. 23rd Foot + Knyphausen)
Nov 1776	Nathan Snow's Ashford militia guarded Providence, RI for 3 months
16 Nov 1776	British captured Fort Washington, NY (incl. 23rd Foot + Knyphausen)
17 Nov 1776	23rd Foot garrisoned in New York City
8 Dec 1776	British captured Newport, RI
26 Dec 1776	Battle of Trenton, NJ (Wigand Dirlam captured)
2 Jan 1777	Battle of Assunpink Creek, NJ
3 Jan 1777	Battle of Princeton, NJ
8 Jan 1777	John Dirlam mustered for Blakeney Company
13 Apr 1777	Battle of Bound Brook, NJ
26 Apr 1777	Asa Snow and Oliver Jr's** Becket militia marched to Saratoga, NY
26 Apr 1777	Burning of Danbury, CT (23rd Foot in rearguard)
27 Apr 1777	Battle of Ridgefield, CT
23 May 1777	Battle of Sag Harbor, NY
26 Jun 1777	Battle of Metuchen Meeting House, NJ
6 Jul 1777	Fort Ticonderoga, NY surrendered to the British
18 Jul 1777	Oliver Snow Jr**, Amos Kingsley* Becket militia called 5 days to Manchester, VT
14 Aug 1777	Jonathan Wadsworth**, Amos Kingley* Becket militia called 9 days to Bennington, VT
16 Aug 1777	Battle of Bennington, NY
1 Sep 1777	Nathan Snow** and Sylvanus Snow's Ashford militia marched to Stillwater, NY
11 Sep 1777	Battle of Brandywine, PA (incl. 23rd Foot)
19 Sep 1777	First Battle of Saratoga, NY
21 Sep 1777	Battle of Battle of Paoli Tavern at Malvern, PA
26 Sep 1777	Capture of Philadelphia, PA (incl. 23rd Foot)
26 Sep 1777	23rd Foot moved to Germantown, PA
3 Oct 1777	23rd Foot sent to guard Middle Ferry and Chester Road at Philadelphia
4 Oct 1777	Battle of Germantown, PA (not incl. 23rd Foot)
7 Oct 1777	Second Battle of Saratoga, NY
8 Oct 1777	Nathan Snow** and Sylvanus Snow's Ashford militia marched to Albany,NY
10 Oct 1777	Battery on Carpenter's Isl. (behind Redbank) surrendered 300+ men by British (mostly grenadiers, incl. of 23rd Foot)
15 Oct 1777	Fort Mifflin, PA (opposite Redbank) evacuated by Continentals
19-26 Oct 1777	Middletown, CT militia escorted prisoners from Ticonderoga and Bennington through Connecticut and delivered them to the sheriff in Hartford, CT
22 Oct 1777	Battle of Redbank, NJ for Fort Mercer (incl. 23rd Foot)
Nov 1777	Burgoyne's Convention Army marched to stockade in Cambridge, MA
12 Nov 1777	Sylvanus Snow's youngest child born in Ashford, CT
11-12 Dec '77	British forage in force from Philadelphia to Radnor, PA (incl. 23rd Foot) 15 mi
Jan 1778	Timothy Levi and Nathan Snow Ashford militia guarded Providence, RI for 2 months
16 Feb 1778	The Treaty of Alliance with France signed in Paris
18 Feb 1778	Loyalist raid on Jenk's Fulling Mill, Newton, PA (25 mi to Philadelphia)
20 Feb 1778	Raid near Frankford, PA (8 mi to Philadelphia)
24-25 Feb '78	Raid near Skippack, PA ( 65 mi to Philadelphia)
24 Feb 1778	John O Dirlam reported 'captured by rebels' (by 23rd Foot)
Apr 1778	Levi Snow's* Ashford militia served at Greenwich, Hartford and New Haven, CT
1 May 1778	Silas Snow's** Ashford militia in West Point, NY and New London, CT for 1 year
18 Jun 1778	British evacuated Philadelphia, PA (incl. 23rd Foot)
28 Jun 1778	Battle of Monmouth, NJ (incl. 23rd Foot: grenadier company lost 1/3 of it's men)
Jun-Sep 1778	Wigand Dirlam freed/returned to Knyphausen regiment in Philadelphia or NYC
Jul 1778	Levi Snow's* Ashford militia served at White Plains and West Point, NY
5 Jul 1778	Blakeney Company returned to 23rd Foot from 1st Grenadier Battalion
1 Aug 1778	John Gibbs purchased 18 acres of Blandford lot #14 from sheriff for 17s. 3p.
Sep 1778	Nathan** and Bilarcah*** Snow's Ashford guarded New London, built Ft. Trumbull
Nov 1778	Levi Snow's* Ashford militia served at New London, CT
Feb 1779	Nathan Snow** moved from Ashford to Becket
May 1779	British captured the King's Ferry Forts (incl. 23rd Foot)
Jun 1779	Silas Snow's** Ashford militia served 3 months, guarded Groton, CT lighthouse
30 Jun 1779	British raided Fairport, New Haven and Norwalk, CT (incl. 23rd Foot)
Jul 1779	Nathan Snow's** Becket militia guarded New Haven, CT
5 Jul 1779	British raided New Haven, CT
9 Jul 1779	British burned Fairfield and Green Farms, CT
11 Jul 1779	British burned Norwalk, CT
8 Sep 1779	Knyphausen Regiment sailed for Quebec (3 ships inc. Wigand Dirlam captured)
7 Mar 1780	John Gibbs bought 405 acres on Blandford lots 4 and 14 from sheriff for £190 5s.
7 Mar 1780	John Gibbs and John Durlam bought 456 acres on lot 34 from sheriff for £107 s3 d6
Jul 1780	Silas Snow's** Ashford militia served 3 months at West Point, NY
21 Jul 1780	Asa Snow** enlisted for 6 months in Continental Army unit from Becket
16 Oct 1780	British raided Royalton, VT (Asa Snow present?)
25 Oct 1780	Asa Snow** mustered at Camp Totoway, NJ
15 Mar 1781	Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC (incl. 23rd Foot, except grenadiers at NYC)
Jul 1781	Silas Snow's** Ashford militia served 3 months at Mohegan, CT
18 Sep 1781	John Dirlam married Sarah Snow at Becket
16 Oct 1779	Captured soldiers rejoin Knyphausen Regiment in NYC (inc. Wigand Dirlam)
19 Oct 1781	British surrender at Yorktown, VA
29 Oct 1781	Royal Welch Fusiliers marched to stockade in Winchester, VA
12 Jan 1782	Royal Welch Fusiliers marched to stockade in Lancaster, PA
5 Mar 1783	Oldest Dirlam son born
May 1783	Royal Welch Fusiliers marched to Staten Island, NY to rejoin the Army
24 Jun 1783	Royal Welch Fusiliers at Herricks, NY recorded John Dirlam as 'deserted'
Jan 1784	Royal Welch Fusiliers embarked for England
24 Sep 1788	John Dirlam land purchase in Becket recorded
10 Oct 1788	Sylvanus Snow land purchase in Becket recorded
20 Aug 1800	John Gibbs relinquished claim to 484 acres, farm lot 34

* Sylvanus Snow's sons, Levi, Timothy and son-in-law, Amos Kingsle
** Oliver Snow's sons Asa, Nathan, Silas, Oliver Jr. and son-in-law Jonathan Wadsworth
*** Samuel Snow's son, Bilarchy

Updated from November 2010 version.

Documents List Re: Hessians

These are War Office documents I believe pertain to the von Scheither Hessians, held at the National Archives in Kew:

First, there is the Correspondence of the Secretary-at-War.

1. WO 4/96, pp. 257, 389, 462 (Secretary-at-War, general letters, January to April, 1776) **
2. WO 4/98, p. 439-440 (Secretary-at-War, general letters, July 1776 to January 1777)
3. WO 4/99, page 198 (Secretary-at-War, general letters, January to May 1777)**
4. WO 43/405, (Colonel G.H.A. de Scheither of Hanover recruits 4,000 Germans for British army service. Details of transport of soldiers and their families to Dover and other ports. Letters from Lord North, Viscount Barrington, Deputy Adjutant General, Colonel W. Faucitt.)

William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington, served as Secretary at War, so this is his correspondence. Much of it with Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, the Prime Minister; George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville, Secretary of State for the Colonies;  and General William Howe, later 5th Viscount Howe, who commanded the British Armies in North America until 1781. My sources are "Forty German Recruits" by Don Hagist on REVWAR75 (http://www.revwar75.com/library/hagist/FORTYGERMANRECRUITS.htm#10) and page 16 of what seems to be an unpublished book on Oxford University Press (http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.com/pdf/13/9780198206590.pdf).

Then there are Muster Rolls for the 23rd Foot at WO 12/3960 for the period 1774-1785.

1. New York, 8 Jan 1777 
2. Philadelphia, 24 Feb 1778 
3. Camp at New York Island 23 July 1778 
4. New York, 20 Dec 1778 
5. Staten Island, 16 Sept 1779 
6. Herricks, Long Island, 13 Mar 1783 
7. Herricks, Long Island, 3 July 1783

In the Public Records Office there are also the Headquarters Papers of Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, who served as Commander-in-Chief after the surrender and thus collected the documents of earlier royal officials. PRO 30/55 p. 200 is an "Embarkation Return of 402 German Recruits". It may include a duplicate of a list contained in WO 43/405 mentioned above.

The Carleton Papers are available in a 58 volume work, Report on American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain. Volume 1, Correspondence between Sir Wm. Howe, Lord Barrington, Sir Geo. Osborne and Capt. Mackenzie, American War, 1775 to 1777 contains:

Lord Barrington to General Howe 1776, May 28. War Office - A body of German recruits being directed to embark for North America to be incorporated into the regiments, he sends copy of distribution of the same. Sergeants and corporals are to continue to do duty and receive pay and clothing as sergeants and corporals according to the rank in which they have been sent over. And the difference of pay and clothing between non-commissioned officers and privates is to be made a charge in the contingent bill of the regiment to which they belong. Duplicate signed letter. Vol. 1. No. 33. 3 folios.

Enclosure: - Distribution of the German recruits for the forces with General Howe. Shewing forty or forty one recruits each for the 4th, 5th, 10th, 15th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 35th and 38th Regiments. Vol. 1. No. 33. 1 page.

And Volume 2, Correspondence between Sir Wm. Howe and the Treasury Office, 1775 to 1777 contains:

German Recruits. 1776, June 1. Portsmouth - Embarkation return of 402 recruits for the regiments of foot in America. Vol. 2.  Number 74. 1 Page. Enclosed by Lord Germain to Gen. Howe, 21 June.

I reviewed references to the regiment by folio number in the index, the following are not relevant to our search: 23rd Foot, 42, 161, 163, 169, 217, 231, 439; Welsh Fusiliers [23rd regiment], 97. I also reviewed references to Major Blakeney without success. I might be able to locate potential lists by a careful review of this index. (http://www.archive.org/stream/reportonamerican12greauoft)

There are negative photocopies of these 30,000 manuscript pages in 44 boxes at the New York City Public Library, with a 4 volume index, called British Headquarters Papers, 1775-1783. The index volumes cover these dates:

1. 1747-July 1779
2. Aug. 1779-June 1782
3. July 1782-Mar. 1783
4. Apr.-Dec. 1783

There is a Royal Welch Fusiliers Regimental Museum in The Queen's Tower at The Castle of Caernarfon, Wales. Its old records have been transferred to the National Archives. What does that mean? How old? It's between curators so I can't inquire whether there are relevant records of service, diaries, or orders.

I reviewed microfilm of individual soldier's records through the local Family History Center. The records, part of WO 97/427, are described as Soldiers documents: service documents of soldiers, containing particulars of age, birthplace and trade or occupation on enlistment, a record of service, including any decorations and the reason for discharge to pension, 1760-1872. But the roll I reviewed, v. 427 23rd Rgmnt. of Foot: Cherry-Fellow 1760-1854, didn't include anything from the eighteenth century.

And what's in the Frederick MacKenzie Papers, at the William L. Clements Library of the University of Michigan?  There are a number of seven bound volumes of which Volume B contains approximately 95 pages of regulations and orders concerning the Royal Welch Fusiliers for the years 1755-1764. It conveys policies concerning military rank, provisions, prices of commissions, the compiling of returns, and other administrative matters. Also included are marching orders for the 23rd Regiment, information on their summer cantonment for the year 1768, and lists of necessary camp supplies.

Clements Library also holds German Auxiliaries Muster Rolls, 1776-1786 including for Knyphausen Regiment 1780 and 1781, in Box 1, folders 36 and 37.

And another possible source is the David Library of the American Revolution in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. They hold microfilm called "Recruitments by Lieutenant Colonel von Scheither and others for the English Crown; permission of places for recruitment as only residence in the electorate of Hannover and transportation of the foreign recruits: Hann. 41 V Nr. 4 [microform]."And they may have another copy of the British Headerquarters Papers, 1775-1783.

What Ship?

The 23rd Regiment Royal Welch Fusiliers arrived in New York City in June of 1773. The following spring they were sent to Boston, and flank companies of the 23rd were part of the force sent to seize militia supplies at Concord in the spring of 1775. After their return to Boston, local militia began a siege of the city, and the 23rd were part of the British attack on militia positions on hills overlooking the city. "Bunker Hill" was a victory for the British. But their army was now seen as undermanned.

Blakeney's Company was brought up to a strength of 41 men with these additions:

1.	transfers from other regiments, late 1775	3
2.	new British recruits, Spring 1776	8
3.	von Scheither recruits, October 18th, 1776 (including John O Dirlam)	4
	total	15

By September 1776 the British had received 1738 Hessians from von Scheither, although he was able to scrape together an additional 129 by March 1777 (WO 04/99 folio 198, Barrington to John Robinson, 3 Mar., 1777). What record is there of the individual von Scheither recruits? Perhaps in the papers of William Howe, commander of all British forces in America from September 1775 to May 1778. Perhaps some lists of recruits went home with him?

The British plan to put a huge army in North America required hundreds of transport and war ships, loaded with tens of thousands of men. The work was spread over a period of months, because the job was too big for the harbors. Three fleets conveyed troops from Hessen-Kassel. The first is described in a letter to the "London Chronicle" dated May 10th, 1776 from Plymouth: "Yesterday passed by this place all the fleet, amounting to upwards of 120 sail, with the Hessian troops and guards, and train of artillery on board, bound for America." A shortage of ships in May led to a second, smaller convoy May 26th. But the two convoys arrived together at Sandy Hook below New York Harbor on the morning of August 12th. A third convoy left June 1st and arrived October 20th.

Curiously, Dirlam and his fellow Hessian recruits, Lampman, Murstedt and Burchers all joined the regiment on October 18th. Is that when they arrived in New York harbor? Unfortunately I know of only one list, made June 1st, 1776 in Portsmouth: "Embarkation return of 402 recruits for the regiments of foot in America." I'm told Dirlam's name does not appear. Are there other lists accounting for the remaining 1336 Hessians??

For comparison: the Hessen-Kassel Regiment von Knyphausen was assembled and trained at Ziegenhain and Wolfhagen. They spent most of May marching to ports at Bremerlehe (on the Weser River) and Ritzebüttel (on the Elbe River near Cuxhaven). They embarked onto chartered transport ships and sailed for Spithead Roads (a sheltered place outside Portsmouth Harbor where ships can lie at anchor). From there they traveled in a convoy escorted by warships to New York. They left Spithead on June 28th and arrived at New York on October 18th. A month's marching followed by sixteen weeks aboard ships! Anyway, it's the same date Dirlam and his fellow Hessian recruits joined Blakeney Company's muster.

Altogether, the British Army fielded about 86,000 men, including 30,000 in the Hessian units. How many of them arrived in New York that Fall? On August 12th, there were 300 warships and 400 transport ships in and around the harbor and nearly 32,000 troops. The city had a native population around 30,000. What a scene of chaos that must have been!

Dirlam Immigrants

I believe all Dirlams in the US can trace their ancestry back to one of four immigrants:

1. Caspar and Andrew Dirlam, brothers born in 1829 and 1832 in Baden-Achim, Hannover, who came to Brooklyn, New York. 
2. Jacob Dirlam, born in Esselborn, Hesse Darmstadt, in 1808; and died in Cherry Ridge, Pennsylvania in 1884. 
3. My ancester John O. Dirlam, possibly born in Kestrich, Hesse Darmstadt, about 1750; and died in Blandford, Massachusetts in 1836. 
4. William Dirlam, born in Dirlammen, Hesse Darmstadt in 1820; and died in 1887 in Penn, Iowa. 
5. Georg Dirlam, born in Reuters, Hesse Darmstadt in 1808; and died in Seadrift, Texas in 1851. His descendants spell their name Dierlam.
6. Johann Peter and Justus August, who came to Huron County, Ontario. 

The last four were from what was Hesse-Darmstadt (until 1806), afterwards the Grandduchy of Hessen, then the German Empire (after 1871). Perhaps we're all cousins.

Did Marianne Weller (daughter of Anna Christina Dirlam Weller, granddaughter of Johann Georg Dirlam of Vadenrod) really became the third wife of Jacob Dirlam (of Esselborn) in Cherry Ridge? I can't find any blood relationship.

Did I miss any Dirlam families? I'd love to hear. Let me know by email. 

Soldiers Who Served with John O. Dirlam

COMMON ORIGINS?
I have copies of three muster rolls from Blakeney's Company of the Royal Welch Fusiliers. The first, dated January 8, 1777, is the earliest record of John Dirlam in America. The second, dated February 24, 1776, documents Dirlam's capture. The third is a final head count taken before the British Army's return to England in 1783. Rereading them for clues I found these Hessians "Joined 18th Oct'r, 76":

1. John Dirlam
2. George Lampman
3. Nicholas Murstedt
4. John Burchers

We know Dirlam's fate: he stayed in the US. After the surrender in 1781, the British army camped in New York until they sailed home in 1783. A final muster was made, and any man like Dirlam who was listed as captured, who had not returned to his unit, was then listed as a deserter. Our ancestor!

We also know Lampman's fate. Listed on the first roll as sick, the second roll records his death.
Murstedt is missing from the final roll, so I guess his death is probably recorded on a roll I don't have. Burchers survived and the final roll lists him "on command." So Burchers probably sailed back to Germany. 

Anyway, I wonder if research into these three names might yield clues about Dirlam's origins. My researcher for the War Department records told me that Dirlam didn't appear on the roll made at Portsmouth Harbor, when the British inventoried the Hessians before shipping them to America. But were the other three men listed there, or not? Does the record show what towns they were from?

FELLOW TRAVELERS?
The muster roll for Blakeney Company that's dated February 24th, 1778 lists Dirlam as captured, and several others also:

1. James Lowen
2. James Grime
3. Edmond Hill
4. Daniel Brylie

What became of these men? When that final muster was made in 1783, Hill was listed as sick. And Lowen, Grime and Brylie are not listed. What happened to them?

A James Grimes is listed in Canadaigua, New York on the 1800 and 1810 censuses. It's interesting, since Dirlam's son Sylvanus lived there in 1810. But the soldier Grime would have been too old. There was also a cordwainer with the same name in New York City in 1815.That's interesting since John Dirlam was a cordwainer.

John O. Dirlam's Route to Blandford

John Dirlam was reported at Philadelphia in February 1778 by the 23rd Foot to have been "captured by the rebels". We don't know exactly where and when he was captured, because records were made so infrequently. But it was certainly a long way from the the remote towns in western Massachusetts, where he bought land in 1780, and was married in 1781. How would he have even known it existed? Once he got there, how did he find a place to live and work?

RELEASING A PRISONER OF WAR
It seems likely that after he was captured Dirlam was sent to Albany or Valley Forge or Fishkill with other prisoners. From there he may have been paroled: British and Hessian prisoners were often given into the custody of American farmers, if they promised not to rejoin the army. Farmers liked the arrangement because the war had created a labor shortage. And since the militias and Continental Army were operated on a shoestring, they had no POW camps and avoided as much as possible paying for captive enemy soldier's rations - hence parole. And the parolees received a point of entry into a beautiful country rich with opportunity.

Since it was desirable for former enemy soldiers to be held far from the field of battle, and far from the coast, the hill country of western Massachusetts may have seemed ideal. But somebody from Brandford, or a town very nearby, must have arranged it. I'm not suggesting Dirlam would have objected to settling in a remote place, since he certainly came from one. And since there are risks with going over to the other side, I think it probably seemed safer to be far far away from military action.

After Dirlam's capture in February 1778, one of two things might have happened. He might have been released upon swearing an oath. In 1776 Congress had adopted a report designed to encourage Hessians and other foreigners to quit the British service by extending protection to any who would settle here. Sometimes they were also offered money and land in exchange for their promise "not in any wise to forward or assist the subjects or allies of the King of Great Britain in their operations against the United States of America neither to correspond or have any connection with them during the present war." Alternatively, he might have been paroled into the custody of some trusted citizen.

Either way, he needed help since he was a foreigner in an unfamiliar place without resources. It would need to be someone who traveled, since Philadelphia and Blandford are so far apart. It could have happened through an intermediate location such as Valley Forge or Fishkill. So it might have been a militiaman charged with managing or transferring prisoners, or someone supplying shoes (or leather for shoes) to the army, or someone on a Committee of Correspondence.

TRAVELING TO BLANDFORD
I don't think Dirlam traveled on his own. How would he have known about Blandford? How would he have known there was a place for him there? The distance from Philadelphia is about 240 miles. Fishkill, New York, is halfway between them. The Continental Army had a major supply depot, manufacturing center and hospital there. A prisoner who was injured, and family lore has Dirlam injured, could have been moved there from Philadelphia, which was then in British hands. Shoes were a major problem for Continental troops and a shoemaker like Dirlam might have found a role after his recovery. Fishkill is also close enough to Westfield that a leather dealer like John Gibbs' uncle might have traveled there. Certainly, as small as Blandford was, Gibbs knew all the soldiers it sent to serve in Capt. Abel Holden's unit at Fishkill.

MOVING INTO A NEW ENGLAND VILLAGE
By comparison, we live in extremely open communities today. Three factors would have made the unassisted route to property ownership and marriage in eighteenth century Blandford difficult for Dirlam: the poor laws, the established church, and the sheltered position of women.

The Province's poor law put the financial responsibility for paupers on the towns. So, towns as big as Boston, and as small as Blandford and Becket, were "warning out" indigents. Town registers record many of these warnings, carried out and certified by the sheriff.

Massachusetts retained an establishment of religion until 1833, requiring every man to belong to a church, and pay taxes towards it. An earlier requirement to belong to a specifically Puritan church was eliminated in 1691. But Church trials for refusal to be governed by one's congregation on matters of belief and behavior could result in excommunication, and resulted in the harassment and eventual exodus of the entire Scots-Irish population of Hopkinton and the settling of Blandford in the 1730s. By the 1780s most towns like Becket had Congregational Churches, but Blandford, with its Scots-Irish immigrants, had a Presbyterian Church. When hymns led by a singing master beating time came into Presbyterian churches, Blandford residents were shocked, and their church affiliated 1800 to the more conservative Congregational Church. The ledgers of these narrow-minded little churches are filled with accounts of church trials over drunkenness, telling lies about other church members, failures to attend church, and accusations of heresy.

BECOMING A PROPERTY OWNER
The transformation from prisoner to married property owner happened rather quickly. John Gibbs bought property in Blandford at a tax auction in partnership with John Durlam, according to Ulster Scots and Blandford Scouts, and the Registry of Deeds in Springfield documents that purchase from the sheriff in 1780.

Curiously, Gibbs' son (1763-1840) is described in a 1785 deed as "Samuel Crooks Gibbs, Cordwainer" and John Dirlam is described the same way in a 1789 deed. A cordwainer was a skilled craftsman who made soft leather goods. Did Samuel Crooks Gibbs learn his trade from John Dirlam? Traditionally a boy would be apprenticed for three years, usually ending at age 17. Masters usually supplied room, board, clothing, and taught the arithmetic used in commerce (fractions, percentages, etc.), in addition to the skills of the trade. And they were paid by the parents. Did Gibbs trade Dirlam land for the apprenticeship?

Another person of interest is John Watson, brother-in-law to John Gibbs. He had a large farm and tannery in Blandford and was accustomed to traveling to Boston and Albany. And Watson's father and brother operated a large tannery in Leicester. As cordwainers, Dirlam and Gibbs' son would have had skills of use to the Watsons, or perhaps been customers. Watson's uncle served on the Committee of Correspondence for nearby Spencer, and represented it at the Provincial Congress called in response to the killings at Lexington and Concord. These were people who traveled, who might have seen the opportunity in a paroled John Dirlam. Now all I need is some proof.

EXPECTATIONS OF MARRIAGE
Although mutual consent and love before marriage were routine in eighteenth century New England, courtship was not only a matter of personal choice. Rev. John Gill (1697-1771) expressed this clearly, in a discussion of Adam and Eve, saying it "affords a rule and example to be followed by parents and children, the one to dispose of their children in marriage, and the other to have the consent of their parents in it." And by John Wesley (1703-1791), in a letter to a fellow minister, "I was much concerned yesterday when I heard you were likely to marry a woman against the consent of your parents. I have never in an observation of fifty years known such a marriage attended with a blessing. I know not how it should be, since it is flatly contrary to the fifth commandment."

In this time before contraception, children were inevitable in marriage. So it was common to have a large family, and for the family to grow its own food and to make it's own clothes. To make this subsistence agriculture possible, conventionally a man brought land to marriage, and a woman a dowry of about half of its value. Dirlam would have needed to own property before he could court a woman. So, it would have been impossible for an penniless unemployed stranger, if that's what Dirlam was, to meet the marriageable Sarah Snow, daughter of a war veteran, somewhere far away from her father's home. He would need to have been established in Blandford first. In fact, from the land records, it looks like Dirlam had a place in Blandford before his future father-in-law had a place in nearby Becket. By the way, there would have been pressure on Dirlam to marry - single men were mistrusted in these regulated communities.

This post is substantially rewritten from an earlier post. 

Nine-Months Men at Fishkill 2

HUBBARD, Samuel, Palmer.

• Receipt dated Blandford, May 11, 1778, for bounty paid said Hubbard by the Selectmen for enlisting into the Continental Army for the term of 9 months; 
• also, list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill; residence, Palmer; 
• arrived at Fishkill June 9, 1778;  
• also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778. 

JUDD, Arunah, Blandford.

• Corporal, Capt. Samuel Walcott's co., Col. John Ashley's (Berkshire Co.) regt.; entered service Sept. 19, 1777; discharged Oct. 18, 1777; service, 30 days, under Brig. Gen. John Fellows; company ordered out by Gen. Gates to reinforce Northern army;  
• also, receipt dated May 11, 1778, for bounties paid said Judd and Samuel Hubbard by the Selectmen of Blandford to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months, agreeable to resolve of April 20, 1778;  
• also, descriptive list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill; Capt. Cannon's co., Col. Moresley's (Moseley's) regt.; age, 29 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 8 in.; complexion, light; hair, brown; residence, Blandford; 
• arrived at Fishkill June 16, 1778;  
• also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778.

KIBBY, Stephen, Blandford.

• List of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve of April 20, 1778, returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam July 20, 1778 ; residence, Blandford ; engaged for town of Blandford ; 
• arrived at Fishkill June 22, 1778.

KNOX, David, Blandford.

• Descriptive list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve of April 20, 1778; 
• Capt. Knox's co., Col. Moresley's (Mosely's) regt.; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 6 in.; complexion, light; hair, brown; residence, Blandford; 
• engaged for town of Blandford; arrived at Fishkill June 16, 1778;
• also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778;
• also, Private, Capt. J. Holden's (4th) co., Col. Nixon's (6th) regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Nov. 2, 1779, to Dec. 31, 1779;
• also, Capt. Abel Holden's co., Col. Thomas Nixon's regt.; pay rolls for Aug.-Oct., 1779;
• also, Capt. John Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec., 1779;
• also, descriptive list of men belonging to 6th Mass. regt. who enlisted for the war subsequent to Sept. 30, 1779, as returned by Col. Thomas Nixon, dated Highlands; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 5 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Blandford;
• also, Capt. A. Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780;
• also, (late) Capt. John Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay roll for Jan.-June, 1780; reported transferred to Capt. Abel Holden's (Light Infantry) co. Feb. 4, 1780;
• also, Light Infantry co., 6th Mass. regt.; return of men in need of clothing, dated Peekskill, July 31, 1780;
• also, Capt. Abel Holden's (Light Infantry) co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay abstracts for July-Dec., 1780;
• also, descriptive list dated West Point, Jan. 29, 1781; Capt. Holden's co., Col. Thomas Nixon's (6th) regt. commanded by Lieut. Col. Smith; rank, Private; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 5 in.; complexion, light; hair, dark; occupation, farmer; enlisted Nov. 2, 1779, by Lieut. Frost; enlistment, during war; also, Capt. Peter Clayes's (Light Infantry) co., commanded by Capt. John K. Smith until May 1, 1781, Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's (6th) regt.; returns for wages; wages allowed said Knox for Jan., 1781-Dec., 1782, 24 mos.;
• also, list dated Boston, Feb. 18, 1804, returned by John Avery, Secretary, and J. Jackson, Treasurer, of men who furnished satisfactory evidence of their service as soldiers and were entitled to gratuities under resolves of March 4, 1801, and June 19, 1801; 5th Mass. regt.

SMITH, Peter, Blandford.

• Descriptive list of men raised in Hampshire Co. to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months; Capt. Knox's co., Col. Moseley's regt.; age, 17 yrs.; stature, 5ft. 6in.; complexion,light; hair, light; residence, Blandford; engaged for town of Blandford; 
• arrived at Fishkill June 16, 1778; 
• also, list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve of April 20,1778, returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam July 20, 1778.

- from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors

Nine-Months Men at Fishkill 1

The State of Massachusetts-Bay, in the House of Representatives, on April 20, 1778 passed a "Resolve for filling up and compleating the fifteen battalions of Continental troops, directed to be raised in the state of Massachusetts-Bay." According to Blandford Soldiers and Sailors, seven men were "enlisted to Serve in the Continental Army for the term of Nine Months" and started arriving at Fishkill in mid-June 1778. Their enlistments would have expired mid-March 1779. I'm posting on each of these men.

The Nine-Month's men:

• Samuel Hubbard
• Arunah Judd (1747-1836)
• Stephen Kibby
• David Knox (1758-1852)
• Peter Smith(1751- ? )
• William Kennedy
• James Morton

Kennedy and Morton were never actually required to fulfill this duty. Hubbard and Judd were taken from Capt. William Cannon's company, when Cannon retired in 1778. Kibby, Knox and Smith were taken from Capt. William Knox's company. Of these seven men, only David Knox is mentioned (and it's a brief mention) in Ulster Scots and Blandford Scouts.

Here's what I've learned about Abel Holden, captain of the company posted at Fishkill to which our nine months Blandford recruits were assigned. I'm also including the two older captains whose companies contributed these soldiers.

Capt. Abel Holden (1752-1818), of Sudbury.

• Sergeant, Capt. John Nixon's co. of Minute-men, Col. Abijah Pierce's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service 5 days;
• also, Adjutant; list of officers of Col. John Nixon's regt.; resolved in Committee of Safety at Cambridge June 5, 1775, that said officers be approved and recommended to Congress for commissions;
• ordered in Provincial Congress June 5, 1775, that commissions be delivered said officers; also, Adjutant Col. John Nixon's regt.; engaged April 24, 1775; service to Aug. 1, 1775, 3 mos. 15 days; roll dated Camp at Winter Hill;
• also, Col. Nixon's (5th) regt.; list of field and staff officers appearing on a return of Capt. Joseph Butler's (1st) co., dated Winter Hill, Sept. 30, 1775;
• also, receipt given to Benjamin Heywood, Paymaster, 4th regt., dated Camp Mt. Washington,  Sept. 27, 1776, signed by said Holden, Adjutant, and others, for money for enlisting recruits;
• also, 2d Lieutenant, Capt. Micajah Gleason's (3d) co., Lieut. Col. Thomas Nixon's (4th) regt., regimental return dated North Castle, Nov. 9, 1776; reported acting as Adjutant;
• also, Lieutenant and Adjutant, 4th regt.; receipts given to Benjamin Heywood, Paymaster, for wages for Sept.-Dec., 1776;
• also, Captain, Col. Thomas Nixon's regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1777 to Dec. 31, 1779;
• also, Captain, 7th co., Col. Nixon's (4th) regt.; muster roll of field, staff, and commissioned officers dated Van Schaick's Island, Sept. 2, 1777, and sworn to in Camp near Stillwater; appointed Jan. 1, 1777; reported recruiting;
• also, same co. and regt.; muster roll of field, staff, and commissioned officers for Nov. and Dec., 1777, dated Albany;
• also, same regt.; abstract for rations allowed between July 1, 1777, and Jan. 1, 1778, certified at Albany; said Holden credited with 113 days allowance;
• also, same regt.; return of officers for clothing, dated Boston, April 30, 1778;
• also, 7th co., Col. Nixon's regt.; muster roll of field, staff, and commissioned officers made up from Jan. 3, 1778, to May 4, 1778; reported furloughed by Maj. Thompson for 40 days from March 10, 1778;
• also, same regt.; return of officers, dated Boston, Nov. 24, 1778, and who had not been absent subsequently except on furlough, certified in Camp at Peekskill, Feb. 16, 1779;
• also, Col. Nixon's (5th) regt.; muster roll for May, 1779, dated Highlands;
• also, Captain, 6th Mass. regt.; list of settlements of rank of Continental officers dated West Point, made by a Board held for the purpose and confirmed by Congress Sept. 6, 1779; commissioned Jan. 1, 1777;
• also, Captain, Light Infantry co., Col. Nixon's 96th) regt; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780;
• also Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's (6th) regt.; return for wages; wages allowed said Holden for Jan.-April, 1781, 4 mos.; reported discharged May 1, 1781, and succeeded by Capt. Mason Wottles;
• also, order on Benjamin Heywood, payable to Lieut. Levi Holden, dated Marlborough, Feb. 21, 1784, signed by said Holden, for wages and subsistence for service in (late) 6th Mass. regt.

The alarm mentioned April 19, 1775 we know as the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Mount Washington is in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Stillwater is a town on the Hudson river, north of Albany. Highlands refers to the Hudson Highlands, between Fishkill and Peekskill. Van Schaick Island, at the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, was the camp from which Learned's brigade, under the command of Benedict Arnold, went to the aid of Colonel Peter Gansevoort at Fort Schuyler (Stanwick) at what is now Rome, NY. All of these locations, except Mount Washington, are located along the Hudson river. From which I conclude that this unit was protecting the north-south corridor leading to Albany.

Capt. William Knox (1722-1802), of Blandford

• Captain, 6th co., Col. John Mosely's (3rd Hampshire Co.) regt. of Mass. militia; list of officers chosen in said regiment, endorsed "April 26, 1776;" reported commissioned April 26, 1776; 
• also Captain, Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson's detachment from 3rd Hampshire Co. regt., which marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, by order of Gen. Skyler (Schuyler) to reinforce army at that place; (service not given); 
• also petition dated Blandford, Jan 5, 1779, signed by said Knox, stating that he had served for a considerable time as a Captain of a militia company in Col. John Moseley's (Hampshire Co.) regt., and asking permission to resign his commission on account of age, lameness, and infirmity.

Capt. William Cannon ( ? - 1786), of Blandford

• Captain, 12th co., Col. John Moseley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; list of officers of Mass. militia; commissioned April 26, 1776;
• also, same regt.; company marched to Ticonderoga Oct. 21, 1776, under command of Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson to reinforce Continental Army; service, 28 days;
• also, petition dated Blandford, Sept. 30, 1778, signed by said Cannon, asking for a discharge from his commission as Captain of the 12th (Blandford) co. in Col. Moseley's (3d Hampshire Co.) regt.; allowed in Council, Oct. 6, 1778. 

This William Knox was father to David Knox of our seven Nine-Month's Men, and himself a veteran of the French and Indian War. Knox quickly volunteered again in May 1776, after the Massachusetts General Assembly declared independence in the name of "The Government and People of the Massachusetts Bay in New England" -- anticipating the Second Continental Congress' more famous declaration by two months. 

Prisoners Taken near Philadelphia

While they held Philadelphia in the winter of 1777-1778, it became necessary for the British to open the Delaware River to their shipping. Over a period of weeks the large army garrisoned there became increasingly desperate for resupply. And so they set to work taking the mutually reinforcing fortifications on the river held by the Americans: Fort Mifflin (also called Mud Island, on the west bank) and Fort Mercer (also called Red Banks, on the east bank).

They laid siege to Fort Mifflin, beginning in early October. They built a large artillery battery on nearby Providence Island and launched an enormous bombardment November 10 that ended 5 days later when the Americans evacuated the fort.

Meanwhile, on October 10 they attempted to put a gun battery on Carpenter's Island, also nearby but closer, and easily fired on from Fort Mifflin and from the part of the river protected by the fort's guns. The British force charged with defending the new battery was quickly trapped, and forced to surrender the next morning. The captives were grenadiers from the 1st, 10th, 17th, 23rd, 27th, and 28th Regiments, and 4 men from the Royal Artillery: 300 to 400 men became prisoners. Including John O Dirlam?? Some prisoners were sent to Trenton.

At any rate, they surrendered to Lieut. Col. Samuel Smith of the 4th Maryland Regiment. The regiment fought at Brandywine in September, and Germantown in October 1777, and assigned to the 2nd Maryland Bridgade. Capt. Samuel Smith (1752-1839) had been promoted to major, Dec. 10, 1776; lieutenant colonel, Feb. 22, 1777; was wounded at Fort Mifflin on the Delaware River, Oct. 22, 1777 and presented with a sword by Congress, Nov. 4, 1777, for his gallant defense at that fort; resigned in May, 1779. He served in the Maryland State Legislature, 1790-1792; US House of Representatives, 1793-1803 and 1815-1822; US Senate, 1803-1815 and 1822-1833. He became a major general of Maryland Militia in the War of 1812, and served as mayor of Baltimore from 1835 to 1838.

Meanwhile, the British sent a largely Hessian force to attack Fort Mercer on October 22, 1777, and that attack failed badly. However, after Fort Mifflin was lost and 5000 British troops were sent to take Fort Mercer, the Americans abandoned it.

Providence Island and Carpenter Island both consisted of marshy land somewhat dried by dikes. They lay along the west bank of the Delaware River, south of the mouth of the Schuykill River. Hog Island and Mud Island lay in the river just to the east. All were eventually absorbed by Hog Island, and eventually by Philadelphia International Airport.

Peter Smith, private

Smith, Peter, Blandford.

• Descriptive list of men raised in Hampshire Co. to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 9 months; 
• Capt. Knox's co., Col. Moseley's regt.; age, 17 yrs.; stature, 5ft. 6in.; complexion,light; hair, light; residence, Blandford; engaged for town of Blandford; 
• arrived at Fishkill June 16, 1778; 
• also, list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve of April 20,1778, returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam July 20, 1778.

William Shepard, colonel

William Lyman Shepard, of Westfield (1737 - 1817), was commander of the Massachusetts 3rd and 4th regiments. After the war he was commander of the state militia, and it was his order that cannons be fired into the crowd at the Springfield Armory during Shays' Rebellion of 1786. He also served in the state and United States Houses of Representatives, and as a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council. Here's his revolutionary war record:

• Lieutenant Colonel, Col. Timothy Danielson's regt. of Minute-men engaged April 20, 1775, service 4 days on the alarm of April 19, 1775;
• also Lieutenant Colonel general return of Col. Timothy Danielson's regt. in camp at Roxbury May 27, 1775; ordered in Provincial Congress May 27, 1775 that officers of said regiment be commissioned;
• also Lieutenant Colonel, Col. Timothy Danielson's regt. engaged April 24, 1775 service to Aug. 1, 1775; 3 mos. 2 weeks;
• also Colonel 4th;
• also given 3d Mass. regt. Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1777 to Dec, 31. 1779;
• also letter dated Camp Valley Forge May 1. 1778 signed by officers of said Shepard's regt requesting that application be made to the President of the Board of War for clothing granted them by resolve of March 13, 1778 certificate attached signed by said Shepard Colonel certifies that said officers belonged to his regiment;
• also Colonel and Captain 3d Mass. regt. muster roll of field staff and commissioned officers for March and April 1779, dated Providence appointed Oct, 2. 1776;
• also Colonel 4th Mass. regt. return of officers for clothing dated Salem Aug. 28, 1779;
• also Colonel 4th Mass. regt. list of settlements of rank of Continental officers dated West Point made by a Board held for the purpose and confirmed by Congress Sept. 6, 1779 commissioned May 4, 1776;
• also Colonel 4th Mass. regt. Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan 1, 1780 to Dec. 31, 1780;
• also return for rations of wagon department 2d Mass brigade dated Feb. 18, 1780 approved by said Shepard Colonel Commandant;
• also Colonel 4th Mass. regt, muster rolls of field staff and commissioned officers for June, July, and Aug 1781 reported on command at Springfield;
• also Colonel 4th Mass. regt. Brig. Gen. John Glover's 1st brigade return of effectives dated Sept 15 1781;
• also return of effectives dated Sept. 28, 1781 reported on command at Springfield;
• also muster rolls of field staff and commissioned officers for Oct, 1781, Jan, 1782 dated York Hutts;
• reported on command at Springfield in Oct. and Nov. 1781 commanding 1st Mass. brigade in Dec. 1781 and Jan. 1782;
• also returns of effectives between Feb. 8, 1782 and May, 24 1782 dated Hutts 1st Brigade and Cantonment 1st Mass. Brigade;
• reported on furlough at West Point from May 20, 1782 by leave of the Commander in Chief.

- from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors

This record mentions West Point and nearby York Huts, also Valley Forge, but doesn't specifically mention Fishkill at all.

David Knox, private

Knox, David, Blandford.

• Descriptive list of men raised in Hampshire Co. for the term of 9 months from the time of their arrival at Fishkill, agreeable to resolve of April 20, 1778; 
• Capt. Knox's co., Col. Moresley's (Mosely's) regt.; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 6 in.; complexion, light; hair, brown; residence, Blandford; 
• engaged for town of Blandford; arrived at Fishkill June 16, 1778;
• also, list of men returned as received of Jonathan Warner, Commissioner, by Col. R. Putnam, July 20, 1778;
• also, Private, Capt. J. Holden's (4th) co., Col. Nixon's (6th) regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Nov. 2, 1779, to Dec. 31, 1779;
• also, Capt. Abel Holden's co., Col. Thomas Nixon's regt.; pay rolls for Aug.-Oct., 1779;
• also, Capt. John Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay rolls for Nov. and Dec., 1779;
• also, descriptive list of men belonging to 6th Mass. regt. who enlisted for the war subsequent to Sept. 30, 1779, as returned by Col. Thomas Nixon, dated Highlands; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 5 in.; complexion, light; engaged for town of Blandford;
• also, Capt. A. Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780;
• also, (late) Capt. John Holden's co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay roll for Jan.-June, 1780; reported transferred to Capt. Abel Holden's (Light Infantry) co. Feb. 4, 1780;
• also, Light Infantry co., 6th Mass. regt.; return of men in need of clothing, dated Peekskill, July 31, 1780;
• also, Capt. Abel Holden's (Light Infantry) co., Col. Nixon's regt.; pay abstracts for July-Dec., 1780;
• also, descriptive list dated West Point, Jan. 29, 1781; Capt. Holden's co., Col. Thomas Nixon's (6th) regt. commanded by Lieut. Col. Smith; rank, Private; age, 20 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 5 in.; complexion, light; hair, dark; occupation, farmer; enlisted Nov. 2, 1779, by Lieut. Frost; enlistment, during war; also, Capt. Peter Clayes's (Light Infantry) co., commanded by Capt. John K. Smith until May 1, 1781, Lieut. Col. Calvin Smith's (6th) regt.; returns for wages; wages allowed said Knox for Jan., 1781-Dec., 1782, 24 mos.;
• also, list dated Boston, Feb. 18, 1804, returned by John Avery, Secretary, and J. Jackson, Treasurer, of men who furnished satisfactory evidence of their service as soldiers and were entitled to gratuities under resolves of March 4, 1801, and June 19, 1801; 5th Mass. regt.

- from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors

Knox served at Fishkill, New York from June 1778 to March 1779.

Leather and Shoe Supply to The Continental Army

No article of clothing was more important to the soldier than shoes. Two pairs were included in the clothing bounty offered in the fall of 1776. While the troops lay at Boston the problem of supply did not become acute, but thereafter long marches over rough terrain wore out shoes faster than they could be supplied. On the retreat from New York in November 1776, Sgt. John Smith recorded that "our soldiers had no shoes to wair; was obliged to lace on their feet the hide of the cattle we had kill'd the day before." The shortage of shoes first received attention in the Northern Army. Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler, then commanding that army, suggested in September 1776 that Congress appoint agents to erect and operate a tanyard wherever materials for tanning could be most readily procured and where hides-from cattle slaughtered to feed both the Northern Army and the main army-could be most easily conveyed. This method, he thought, would be the cheapest way of supplying the Continental Army with leather for shoes. Congress referred his proposal to the Board of War for consideration, but his suggestion apparently produced no results.

A congressional committee was sent to the Northern Department in the fall of 1776 to confer about the problems of the Northern Army. The disposition of the hides of cattle killed during the 1776 campaign was an aspect of operations that interested the committee. Its members soon discovered that agents of the Commissary Department at Ticonderoga, Albany, and elsewhere in the Northern Department had been disposing of hides at prices far below their real value because they would have spoiled during the summer. The committee halted any further sales and directed Commissary General Joseph Trumbull to have all hides dried and transported to Albany, where they could be sold or shipped elsewhere as Congress directed. Information on these low prices also reached the New York delegates in Congress through William Duer. Late in November Congress took action to prevent waste. It directed the commissaries in each military department to employ proper persons to take charge of the hides, cure them to prevent spoilage, and store them for the use of the Continental Army, subject to the orders of Congress. Congress, however, took no steps specifically to provide a better supply of shoes until the summer of 1777. By then shortages were so great, Washington informed Clothier General Mease, who was responsible for shoe procurement, that some corps were "almost entirely incapable of doing duty" for lack of shoes. Such shoes as Mease had supplied were too small and consequently of little use. Imported shoes were "thin french pumps" that tore to pieces whenever they got wet. He urged Mease to procure as many shoes as he could, adding that 50,000 pairs would not be too many.

In June Congress resolved to establish a Hide Department under the direction of a commissary who would receive all rawhides belonging to the United States and exchange them either for tanned leather or for shoes at the customary rate of exchange. He would then deliver the shoes to the Clothier General, who would distribute them to the troops. If such exchanges could not be made on reasonable terms, Congress authorized the Commissary of Hides either to provide tanyards, materials, and workmen himself, or to contract with proper persons for converting the hides into tanned leather. Congress placed the Hide Department under the supervision of the Board of War. At the latter's direction, the Commissary of Hides also made deliveries of leather to the Commissary General of Military Stores for making accouterments. Congress elected Peter Phillips to the office, which carried a monthly salary of 80 dollars. When he declined the post, Congress appointed George Ewing.

Only the exchange of hides for shoes, Washington later informed the Board of War, saved soldiers from being "rendered totally unfit for Service." No immediate improvement in shoe supply was apparent, and three months after Ewing's appointment, Washington demanded to know on what terms he was disposing of hides. If the hides of all cattle consumed by the Continental Army were returned in leather, "they would much more than shoe the soldiers." Commissary Ewing reported that he had received 144,376 pounds of hides since 2 September 1777. He was in the process of exchanging them for leather at the rate of five pounds for one pound of sole leather, and eight pounds per one pound of upper leather. Despite his efforts, the tanned leather was coming in slowly. The poor quality of the shoes procured, including those imported from France, and the continuing shortages led Washington to direct commanding officers to select their most suitable men and set them to work making moccasins for their corps. On the basis of returns by the officers, he directed commissaries to issue them hides. At one point the Commander in Chief offered 10 dollars to any person who produced the "best substitute for shoes, made of raw hides."

Ewing was beset by difficulties in managing the Hide Department. He needed wagons to haul hides but found it impossible to obtain them from the Quartermaster General. To enable him to operate more effectively, Congress authorized the Commissary of Hides or his deputy at any military department to hire or impress one or more wagons for the use of the Hide Department. These wagons were not to be subject to any further impressment by officers of the Continental Army for any other service. Moreover, commanding officers of military departments, posts, or detachments were to supply guards for the wagons at the request of the Commissary of Hides. Since hides were a valuable asset in the market and since the method of exchanging them for tanned leather or shoes was susceptible of much abuse by dishonest agents, Congress soon found it necessary to direct the Board of War to draft regulations for the guidance of the Hide Department. It also gave the board authority to appoint and dismiss personnel in the department.

- from SUPPLYING WASHINGTON'S ARMY, by Erna Risch

 George Ewing, mentioned above, bought supplies on the expectation of reimbursement by the army. After the war he was forced to sell all his real property to pay this debt. Ewing served as Commissary of Hides from August 5, 1777 to April 20, 1779. After his resignation, The Board of War appointed five regional commissioners to replace him, including Robert Lamb for Massachusetts.