HAMPTON MEN IN THE WAR -- PART I
In Congress at Exeter, Aug. 24, 1775:
"Voted -- That Coll Jonathan Moulton be colonel of the Third Regiment of Militia in this colony & Christopher Toppan Esq. his Lieutt Colol & John Lane Esq. his first Major." Colonel Toppan declined.
Males, under 16 years, ........................190
Males, from 16 to 50 yrs., not soldiers, 147
Males, over 50 years, ........................... 62
Males, in the army, ................................20
Females, .............................................440
Negroes & slaves for life, ........................3
Total, ..................................................862
Firearms, fit for use, ...........................192
Powder, priv., 943/4; pub. stock, 50, -- 1443/4lbs.
"After the battle of the 17th of June (1775), Col. Poor's regiment was ordered to the seat of war. Capt. Elkins' company -- the last to leave -- being on duty at Hampton was not ordered off until Aug. 1."
| Lieut. John Dearborn ... 2 days Lieut. Cotton Ward ... 2 days Abner Page ... 2 days Benjn. Page ... 2 days Robt. Drake ... 10 days Jethro Blake ... 2 days |
Noah Lane ... 2 days Moses Brown ... 2 days Jonath. Moulton ... 2 days Jacob Palmer ... 5 days John Dow ... 5 days Daniel Tilton ... 5 days |
mos. at Peekskill.
In 1775, "Joshua Wingate, of Stratham, was appointed Colonel of forces in the harbor" (Piscataqua), and "Jonathan Moulton, of Hampton, was appointed Colonel of the troops for guarding the seacoast."
In Colonel Wingate's regiment were Hampton officers: Henry Elkins, a captain; Thomas Leavitt and James Perkins, lieutenants; stationed at Pierce's Island.
March 23, 1776:
"Voted, to choose a committee to agree with Coll Toppan for the Purchase of Seven Cannon belonging to him, now at our Batterys at Piscataqua Harbour, not to Exceed Twenty pounds for each cannon, and that Mr. Sherburne and Coll Evans be the Committee for that purpose to make report to the Commtee of Safety."
In Committee of Safety, April 11, 1776:
"Ordered the Receiver General to pay Christopher Toppan Esqr one Hundred and Ninety Pounds for 8 six Pounders at £20 and for Two Ditto at £15."
A list of men that went to Ticonderoga in July, 1776:
| David Moulton John Moulton Samuel Lamprey, 5 mos. John M. Moulton John Murphy Josiah Moulton, 3rd Samuel Marston |
Micajah Morrel, Junr. Simon Philbrick Edmund Philbrick Jonathan Palmer Zaccheus Brown John Drake, Junr. James Hobbs |
In an account of the payment to these soldiers, there are also the names of Paul Long, Caesar Small and Bradbury Green. Jonathan Palmer died at Ticonderoga in 1776, after serving 5 months; 18 years old.
Additional at Ticonderoga:
Capt. John Moulton, 5 mos. & 15 days at Portsmouth.
Paid Coll. Toppan £3 12s.
Paid Daniel and Reuben Lamprey, £4 10s.
Paid John Shaw, £1 10s.
Paid Simon Sanborn £4 10s.
At Peekskill:
Sergt. John Drake, £1 16s. in 1776 "towards hiring to go to Peekskill the first time."
Abraham P. Towle, £1 16s. ditto.
James Leavitt, 3 months.
Sept. 13, 1776. "Lieut. Coll Abrahm Drake of Col. Moulton's Regt is appd to take the command of the Regt made up by detachments from Coll Wentworth, Col Moulton's & Coll Bartlett's."
In Colonel Drake's regiments, Nathaniel Batchelder was adjutant and Thomas Leavitt, quartermaster.
Sept. 25, 1776, a regiment was organized of the companies at Portsmsouth (then reenforced), and placed in command of Colonel Long. Hampton officers: Nathan Brown, captain; Benjamin Batchelder, ensign. This regiment was stationed at Newcastle; and in Nov., 1777, marched, under orders, to Ticonderoga.
In Sept. '76, to additional regiments were raised for the continental army in New York, in which Nathan Sanborn was a captain.
In Dec. '76, still another regiment for New York -- Josiah Dearborn, a lieutenant.
May 28, 1776. The Committee of Safety "ordered Coll Moulton to dismiss the Guard of four men placed at the Boars head."
Dec. 14, same year, "ordered the Receiver Genl to pay Coll Jona Moulton £23 12s. 8d. to discharge the Roll of a Guard kept on the Sea Coast."
The state paid the selectmen of Hampton £4 8s. 9d. in the year 1776, for the defense of the coast.
Benjamin Tuck, Jr., died in the army Oct. 20, 1776.
In a detachment of twenty-six men out of the 3d N. H. Regiment of militia, for service in New York, eight were from Hampton, as is shown by the muster and pay roll, signed by Col. Jonathan Moulton, muster-and-pay-master, and dated Dec. 18, 1776. Travel to New York is reckoned at £2 10s. for each man. One month's pay in advance, as follows:
| Josiah Dearborn, Lieut., £5 8s. Simon Sanborn, Sergt., £3 8s. Jonathan Leavitt, Sergt., £3 8s. Josiah Moulton, Fifer, £3 4s. |
Samuel Drake, £3 John Marston, £3 Thomas Woodman, £3 John Sanborn, £3 |
May 6, 1777. "Appointed Nathaniel Leavitt of Hampton, Ensign in Capt. Weare's company."
| [Committee of Safety.] |
June, 1777. -- Simon Marston was a captain, and Jonathan Leavitt, an ensign in Col. Senter's battalion, for the defense of Rhode Island.
In the summer of '78, Captain Marston and Lieutenant Leavitt were in Colonel Peabody's regiment in Rhode Island.
Served in Capt. Moses Leavitt's company from Sept. 8 to Dec. 16, 1777:
| Jeremiah Batchelder, 2nd Lieut. Daniel Philbrick |
John Taylor Jonathan Towle |
| Adju. Josiah Moulton, Jr. Capt. John Dearborn Lieut. John Taylor Clerk, Josiah Lane Sergt. John Sandborn Sergt. Moses Elkins Corpl. Abner Page Corpl. Joshua Towle Corpl. Nathan Brown Jonathan Philbrick Batchelder Brown Abner Sanborn Jona. Marston Samuel Marston |
Jabez Towle Benja. Page Samuel Drake Jacob Palmer Jacob Moulton Noah Lane John M. Moulton Jabez James Joseph Nay Josiah Mason James Lane Jonathan Godfree Jethro Blake, 2/3 time. Jereh. Ballard, 1/3 do. |
Jan. 22, 1778. "Ordered the Receiver General to pay the Roll of Col. Jona Moulton, for a guard at the beach, amounting to £53.
Also, to pay the Roll of sd Moulton for his company of Volunteers that marched to Saratoga to Reinforce Genl Gates last fall, amounting to £533 15s. 8d."
Aug. 6, 1778. Each of the following named men acknowledged the receipt of £10 lawful money from the town of Hampton, and engaged to go to Providence, under command of General Sullivan:
| Jona. Garland, Ens. John Garland Thomas Moore Josiah Dearborn Joseph Freese John Marston Jona. Marston, 3d James Sanborn Simon Ward |
Jabez James Josiah Towle John Drake Samuel Marston John Batchelder James Hobbs Eliphalet Towle Jeremiah Tuck Amos Garland |
May 29, 1779. -- £180 to the selectmen of Hampton for 18 volunteers in the Rhode Island Expedition in 1778.