Revolutionary War General And Staff Officers From Connecticut, 1776


MAJOR-GENERALS1

ISRAEL PUTNAM of Pomfret. Cont. from '75 as Maj.-Gen. Continental Army. Served through the siege of Boston; instructed by Washington to proceed to New York in March, '76, in advance of the troops and superintend the construction of works; fixed his Hd. Qrs. At No. 1 Broadway and commanded a division of two N. Y. brigades, under Gens. Clinton and Scott; ordered, Aug. 24, to relieve Gen. Sullivan of the command of the troops on the Brooklyn lines and present at battle of Long Island Aug. 27. One the retreat from N. Y., Sept. 15, he conducted the last regiments in the city safely to upper part of the Island; on Sept. 16, engaged in the successful "affair" of Harlem Heights; present at White Plains Oct. 28; joined in the retreat through New Jersey and on Dec. 9 was sent by Washington to arrange for the defence of Philadelphia. After the battle of Princeton, Jan. 3, '77, he took post, with militia from Penn. and N. J., at Princeton, Amboy and elsewhere while Washington occupied Morristown. -- Record cont. in '77, and c.

JOSEPH SPENCER of East Haddam. Cont. from '75 as Brig.-Gen. Continental Army. Served through the siege of Boston and accompanied the troops to New York. Prom. Maj.-Gen., Aug. 9, '76, and given command of a division composed of Parsons' and Wadsworth Conn. Brigades; present at L. I. at time of the battle, Aug. 27, half his division being engaged; present at White Plains Oct. 28; on Dec. 14 was ordered to the eastward and took command in R. I. -- Record. cont. in '77.


BRIGADIER-GENERALS

DAVID WOOSTER of New Haven. Cont. from '75 as Brig.-Gen. Continental Army. Remained at Montreal until April 1, when he set out to assume command of the small force still besieging Quebec. Upon the arrival of Maj.-Gen. Thomas, ordered to the chief command in Canada, a council of officers voted to retreat from that position. Wooster returned with the troops and soon after was directed by Washington to repair to New Haven. He had been charged with incapacity, but demanding from Congress an investigation into his management of affairs in Canada, was acquitted of blame by that body. Retaining his commission as Continental Brigadier he was also re-appt. Maj.-Gen. of Conn. militia Oct. 23, '76, and in the latter capacity took post with a small State force on the Westchester border during the winter '76-'77. -- Record cont. in '77, and c.

BENEDICT ARNOLD of New Haven. Soon after the defeat before Quebec, or on Jan. 10, '76, Congress promoted Col. Arnold Brig.-Gen. Continental Army.2 On the abandonment of Canada he repaired to New Haven and in the following summer again reported in the North. Dept. to Maj.-Gen. Gates who had succeeded Schuyler. Gates put Arnold in charge of naval matters on Lake Champlain and a fleet was built to meet that of the enemy who were then assuming the offensive in that quarter. On Oct. 11 an action took place off Valcour's Island resulting in defeat of the flotilla. -- Record cont. in '77, and c.

SAMUEL HOLDEN PARSONS of New London. As Col. of the 10th Cont. regt., Parsons marched with the army from Boston to New York in April, '76, and on Aug. 9 was prom. Brig.-Gen. Continental army. Commanded Spencer's old brigade of three Conn. and one Mass. regts. Ordered to the Brooklyn front on Aug. 24, he engaged in the battle of the 27th, being "field officer" for the day, and narrowly escaped capture. On the retreat from N. Y., Sept. 15, his brigade was swept along in the panic to Harlem Heights. After White Plains, he remained with the troops east of the Hudson. -- Record cont. in '77.


AIDS-DE-CAMP AND BRIGADE-MAJORS

SAMUEL B. WEBB of Wethersfield. Cont. from '75, with rank of Major, as Aid to Gen. Putnam and accompanied him to New York in March, '76. There he was appt. in Gen. Orders June 21, Aid to Washington with rank of Lieut.-Col., and filled the position through the year. Present during campaign around New York at battles of L. I., White Plains, retreat through N. J., Trenton and Princeton. -- Record cont. in '77 and c., as Continental Colonel.

DANIEL PUTNAM3 of Pomfret. First Lieut. in Durkee's Regt. Appt., A. D. C. to his father, Gen. Putnam, probably succeeding his brother, Maj. Israel Putnam, Jr. -- Record cont. in '77.


1For State and Militia Staff for '76, see Militia, and c.

2Item from Mss. mem: "The U. S. of A. to B. Arnold. To my pay as Colonel from 1st Sept. 1775 to 10 Jany. 1776 -- 4 3/4 months at £15 } £65. To my pay as Brigadier from 10 Jany. 1776 to Feby. 1777 -- 13 mo. and 9 days at £37.10 } £498.15."

3The exact date of Daniel Putnam's appointment as Aid does not appear. He held that position on Jan. 1, '77, and possibly through the greater part of '76. No record has been found of his brother Israel's service in '76. One or the other was on his father's staff during the year; the second Aid was Maj. Webb till June 21, when Aaron Burr was appointed.

CHARLES WHITING of Middletown. Adj. of Wyllys' regt.; appt. A. D. C. to Gen. Spencer, Aug. 17, '76. -- Record cont. as Capt. in '77.

WILLIAM PECK of Lyme. Adjt. of Huntington's regt; appt. Brig.-Maj. Spencer's Brig. June 23, '76; appt. A. D. C. to Maj.-Gen. Spencer, Aug. 17, and went with him to R. I. -- Record cont. in '77.

THOMAS DYER of Windham. Capt. in Durkee's regt.; appt. Brig.-Maj. Parsons' Brigade, Aug. 15, '76; prom. Maj. of his regt. See "Field and Staff," Durkee's.

EBENEZER GRAY of Windham. Lieut. in Durkee's regt.; appt. Brig.-Maj. Parsons' Brigade, Aug. 31, '76, and continued through the year. -- Record cont. as Maj. in '77.


ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S DEPT.

JOHN TRUMBULL of Lebanon. Brig.-Maj. Spencer's Brigade in '75-'76. Appt. by Gen. Gates, June 28, '76, Deputy-Adj.-Gen. for the Northern Dept. with rank of Col. -- Com'sn dated Sept. 12, '76. Resigned Apr. 19, '77.

EBENEZER HUNTINGTON of Norwich. Capt. in Wyllys' regt.; appt. Asst. Adj. Gen. Heath's Division, White Plains, Oct. 26, '76, and continued through the year. -- Record cont. as Maj., and c., in '77.


COMMISSARY-GENERAL

JOSEPH TRUMBULL of Lebanon. Cont. as Commissary-Gen. Continental army through the year. -- Record cont. in '77.


PAYMASTER-GENERAL'S DEPT

JONATHAN TRUMBULL, JR. of Lebanon. Cont. as Paymaster-General Northern Dept. through the year. -- Record cont. in '77.

JOHN PIERCE of Litchfield. Appt. by Congress, Feb. 10, '76, Asst. Paymaster-General Continental Army. -- Record cont. in '77.


SURGEON-GENERAL'S DEPT

PHILIP TURNER of Norwich. Appt. by Conn. Legislature at Oct. session, '76, "Physician and Surgeon for the Connecticut troops in the Continental service" and director of hospital stores. Appointment made on request of Dr. Morgan Surgeon-General Continental Army. Dr. Turner was occupied with the sick in hospitals at Stamford. -- Appt. renewed by Congress in '77. Record cont.

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