%eadnotat; ]> amrev1776.xml American Revolution Collection American Revolution Collection of the Connecticut Historical Society Compiled by NHPRC Project Staff EAD conversion sponsored by grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Grant # 98-101 Connecticut Historical Society
1 Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105

Copyright 1999, Connecticut Historical Society

March, 1999 Collection Overview Connecticut Historical Society American Revolution Collection 1776-1786 Connecticut Historical Society Collection consists of records of the Council of Safety, whose function it was to handle the day to day affairs of Connecticut's wartime government; records of the Commissary department which was responsible for providing food and equipment for the soldiers; records of the Committee of Paytable which paid for supplies and services; payroll records of Col. Sheldon's Light Dragoons; the commissary and paymaster records of the Third Regiment, Connecticut Line; orderly books, journals and correspondence describing activities of Connecticut persons during the Revolution. 11 boxes; 204 folders; 2191 items Manuscript Stacks Related Material

An index of catalog cards is available to access related material in other collections at the item level. Access is through writer, recipient and date. The card catalog is located in the library reading room.

 Scope and Content

Collection consists of records of the Council of Safety, the Commissary, the Committee of Paytable, Sheldon's Light Dragoons, the Third Regiment, Connecticut Line and journals, orderly books and correspondence describing activities of Connecticut persons during the Revolution.

Organization

The records have been organized into nine series:

Records of the Council of Safety: 1774-1783 Commissary Records: 1774-1783 Pay Table Records: 1774-1783 Colonel Sheldon's Light Dragoons: 1770-1783 Third Regiment, Connecticut Line: 1779-1780 ccount Books: 1775-1783 Naval Affairs: 1773-1789 Correspondence: 1774-1853 History

American colonists in the mid eighteenth century felt that the economic policies of Great Britain were unfair and that they did not have a sufficient voice in making decisions regarding these policies. Colonial boycotts of British goods did sufficient damage to force the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766 and the Townshend Acts in 1770. When Parliament punished Massachusetts for destroying thousands of pounds of tea in Boston Harbor, the organized groups that had introduced these boycotts rebelled. The colonists had not intended to wage a war and were totally unprepared to provide soldiers with the weapons, training, clothing and food needed.

 John Burgoyne Connecticut Militia. 10th Regiment. Oliver Cromwell (ship). Saratoga Campaign, 1777. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Registers, lists, etc. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Supplies. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Finance, commerce, confiscations, etc. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Claims. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Hospitals, charities, etc. United States History Revolution, 1775-1789 Economic aspects. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Sources. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Regimental histories. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Personal narratives. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Naval operations. United States History Revolution, 1775-1783 Prisoners and prisons. Holographs; holographs, signed; printed forms completed in manuscript. Sanford Billings Benjamin Boardman Obadiah Brown Zebulon Butler Samuel Chapman William Chapman John Chester Elihu Clark David Culver Giles Curtis John Douglass John Hart Timothy Hart John Hempsted Andrew Hillyer Roger Hooker Elijah Janes Joseph Morgan Calvin Pease John Pierce Elijah Porter Samuel Richards Ashbel Riley Thomas Shaw William Stanton Isaac Sherman David Smith Joel Smith Joseph Spencer William Tracy Daniel Ware Charles Webb Samuel Wyllys Series 1: Records of the Council of Safety Series 1: Records of the Council of Safety [1774 - 1783?] 1 box; 135 items US/CTH/AMREV/1776 - I Series consists of muster rolls, returns, exemptions, substitutes, deserters, prisoners and soldiers missing in action. Folder 0 Archives control file Folder IA Muster Roll of Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs. (1 item) 1779 Folder 1B Muster Rolls of Captain Abel Pettibone. (3 items) 1774 Folder 1C Muster Rolls (18 items) 1775 - 1781 Folder 1D Muster Rolls: Transcripts and photocopies. (7 items) 1777-1782 Folder 1E Military Exemptions. (35 items) 1771-1777 Folder 1F Substitutes (6 items) 1777-1781 Folder 1G Deserters (1 item) 1781 Folder 1H List of Men Killed at Fort Groton. (1 item) 1781 Folder 1I Miscellaneous (7 items) 1774-1781 Folder 1J Returns for 1775. (1 item) 1775 Folder 1K Returns for 1776. (1 item) 1776 Folder 1L Returns: Prisoners and Soldiers Missing in Action. (2 items) 1777 Folder 1M Returns: Rhode Island Expedition. (1 item) 1777 Folder 1N Returns for 1777. (8 items) 1777 Folder 1O Returns: 4th Brigade Militia. (1 item) 1778 Folder 1P Returns for 1778. (8 items) 1778 Folder 1Q Returns: Resolution by the General Assembly. (1 item) 1779 Folder 1R Returns: 21st Regiment of Militia. (1 item) 1779 Folder 1S Returns for 1779. (3 items) 1779 Folder 1T Returns for 1780. (5 items) 1780 Folder 1U Returns: Recruits for the Continental Army, as reported by James Hyde, 1781. (5 items) 1781 Folder 1V Returns: 1781 and undated. (16 items) [177? - 178?] Folder 1W Returns: Transcripts and Photocopies. (1 item) 1781 Series 2: Commissary Records Series 2: Commissary Records 1774 - 1783 14 folders US/CTH/AMREV/1776/I-II Series consists of records relating to the organization and deployment of supplies and ordnance for the military. Folder 1X Clothing. (42 items) 1775-1782 Folder 1Y Forage. (4 items) 1777-1779 Folder 1Z General Hospital, Hartford. (6 items) 1778-1779 Folder 1AA Ordnance. (25 items) 1775-1782 Folder 1BB Ordnance : Receipts for lead. (10 items) 1777 Folder 1CC Provision Returns from Robert Blair. (1 item) 1782 Folder 1DD Provision Returns from Elijah Hubbard. (6 items) 1779-1781 Folder 1EE Provision Returns from Elijah Lewis. (1 item) 1776-1777 Folder 1FF Provision Returns from James Robinson. (21 items) 1781 Folder 1GG Provision Returns from Asa Waterman. (51 items) 1777 Folder 2A Return of Provisions Destroyed in a British Raid (3 items) 1777 Folder 2B Provision Returns: Flour (31 items) 1775-1776 Folder 2C Provision Returns: Survey of Grain Supply. (18 items) 1779 Folder 2D Provision Returns and Receipts (including records for the French Army). (61 items) 1773-1787 Series 3: Pay Table Records Series 3: Pay Table Records 1774-1783 1 box; 347 items US/CTH/AMREV/1776/II The Committee of the Pay Table was set up to authorize disbursements and examine and settle accounts for supplies and services needed for the revolutionary war. It was succeeded by the office of the Comptroller in 1786. The series consists of accounts, returns and receipts concerning the payment of soldiers. Folder 2E Training Accounts. (6 items) 1774 - 1776 Folder 2F Lexington Alarm (Includes statement of soldier who returned on foot). (57 items) 1775-1777 Folder 2G Lexington Alarm,(continued). (45 items) 1775 Folder 2H Lexington Alarm: Accounts of Captain James Clark (10 items) 1775 Folder 2I Ticonderoga, 1777. (2 items) 1777 Folder 2J Bounties. (5 items) 1777-1782 Folder 2K Mileage Rolls. (4 items) 1776-1777 Folder 2L Pay rolls: Captain Elijah Babcock's Company (2 items) 1775-1776 Folder 2M Pay rolls: Colonel Charles Burral's Regiment (6 items) 1776 Folder 2N Pay rolls: Colonel John Douglas' Regiment (15 items) 1776-1777 Folder 2O Pay rolls: Colonel J. Dugan's Regiment (7 items) 1776-1777 Folder 2P Pay rolls: Colonel Samuel Elmore's Regiment (6 items) 1776 Folder 2Q Pay rolls: Colonel John Ely's Regiment (1 item) 1776 Folder 2R Pay rolls: Colonel James Livingston's Regiment (3 items) 1776-1777 Folder 2S Pay rolls: Colonel Samuel McClellan's Regiment (2 items) 1777-1778 Folder 2T Pay rolls: horse teams: conductors Broadhurst - Garvin (9 items) 1782 Folder 2U Pay rolls: horse teams: conductors Holmes - McDonald (17 items) 1775-1782 Folder 2V Pay rolls: horse teams: conductors Milton - Moore (12 items) 1782 Folder 2W Pay rolls: horse teams: conductors Nichols - Pannill (6 items) 1782 Folder 2X Pay rolls: horse teams: conductors Ray - Smith (9 items) Folder 2Y Pay rolls: General (19 items) 1776 Folder 3A Confiscated estates (includes statement that Continental Army soldiers were paid from the proceeds). (9 items) 1781-1792 Folder 3B Accounts and Receipts (includes two from African -American soldiers). (43 items) 1775-1792 Folder 3C Records: Monies Due. (5 items) 1773-1784 Folder 3D Comptrollers: Disability Certificates. (2 items) 1783-1789 Folder 3E Comptrollers: Claims and Settlements for Military Service (32 items) 1792-1852 Folder 3F Troops Furnished by Each State and Claims Therefor. (7 items) 1776-1783 Folder 3G Selectman's Reports on Quotas and Soldiers' Families. (6 items) 1775-1783 Series 4: Colonel Sheldon's Light Dragoons Series 4: Colonel Sheldon's Light Dragoons 1779 - 1822 12 folders US/CTH/AMREV/1776/1V Series consists of payroll records of this cavalry regiment. Folder 4A Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (49 items) Feb. 1779 - Apr. 9, 1783 Folder 4B Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (54 items) Apr. 10 - Jun. 5, 1783 Folder 4C Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (71 items) Jun. 6 - Jun. 12, 1783 Folder 4D Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (52 items) Jun. 13 - Aug. 5, 1783 Folder 4E Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (56 items) Aug. 6 - Sep. 30, 1783 Folder 4F Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (62 items) Oct. - Dec., 1783 Folder 4G Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (57 items) Jan. - Mar., 1784 Folder 4H Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (52 items) Apr. 1784 - Jul. 5, 1786 Folder 4I Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (52 items) Jul. 5, 1786 - Jul. 30, 1787 Folder 4J Records of Paymasters E. Janes and W. Stanton. (30 items) Aug., 1787 - 1822 & undated Folder 4K Payroll. (1 item) 1780-1783 Folder 4L Other General Records (16 items) Series 5: Third Regiment, Connecticut Line Series 5: Third Regiment, Connecticut Line 1779 - 1822 17 folders US/CTH/AMREV/1776/V Series consists of payroll and commissary records of the regiment. Folder 5A Muster rolls: 1779 - 1780. (18 items) 1779-1780 Folder 5B Pay Master's record book: 1779 - 1780. (1 item) 1779-1780 Folder 5C Pay Master's records (includes information on sick, deceased and deserted). (42 items) 1779-1780 Folder 5D Pay Master's records. (11 items) 1779-1780 Folder 5E Pay Master's records: substitutes. (1 item) 1779 Folder 5F Commissary records: arms. (4 items) 1777-1779 Folder 5G Commissary records: clothing. (9 items) 1777 Folder 5H Commissary records: clothing. (33 items) 1778 Folder 5I Commissary records: clothing. (14 items) 1778 Folder 5J Commissary records: clothing. (18 items) 1779 Folder 5K Commissary records: clothing. (20 items) 1779 Folder 5L Commissary records: clothing. (21 items) 1779 Folder 5M Commissary records: clothing. (48 items) 1779 Folder 5N Commissary records: clothing. (43 items) 1780 Folder 5O Commissary records: clothing. (57 items) 1780 Folder 5P Commissary records: provisions. (75 items) 1779-1780 Folder 5Q Commission to Joshua king. (1 item) 1779 Series 6: Journals and Orderly Books Series 6: Journals and Orderly Books 1775 - 1782 50 volumes US/CTH/AMREV/1776/VI-IX Series consists of journals and orderly books arranged alphabetically by name. They describe the siege of Boston in 1775, the expedition against Canada in 1775, the campaign around New York in 1776 and 1777 and the Burgoyne campaign in 1777. Volume 6A Sanford Billings: journal. 1776 Volume 6B Benjamin Boardman: journal. 1775 Volume 6C Oliver Boardman: journal. 1777 Volume 6D Obadiah Brown: journal (photoprinted copy). 1776 Volume 6E Zebulon Butler: orderly book. 1782 Volume 6F Zebulon Butler: orderly book. 1782 Volume 6G Samuel Chapman: orderly book. 1782 Volume 6H William Chapman: journal. 1775 Volume 6I John Chester: orderly book. 1776 Volume 6J Elihu Clark: journal. 1775 Volume 6K Continental Regiments: orderly book. 1775 Volume 6L Continental Regiments: orderly book.1776 Volume 6M David Culver: orderly book.1778 Volume 6N Giles Curtis: orderly book.1782 Volume 60 John Douglass: orderly book.1776 Volume 6P Moses Fargo: orderly book (transcription).1775 Volume 6Q Christopher French: orderly book. 1776 Volume 6R John Hart: orderly book. 178l Volume 6S Timothy Hart: orderly book. 1780 Volume 7A John Hempsted: orderly book.1776 Volume 7B Andrew Hillyer: orderly book (typed transcription).1775 Volume 7C Roger Hooker: orderly book (typed transcription).1775 Volume 7D Roger Hooker: orderly book (photostat)1775 Volume 7E Simeon Lyman: journal (manuscript excerpt)1775 Volume 7F Joseph Morgan: orderly book.1782 Volume 7G Nathaniel Morgan: journal.1775 Volume 7H Calvin Pease: journal.1775 Volume 7I John Pierce, Jr.: orderly book.1777 Volume 7J Elijah Porter: journal (transcription).1780 Volume 7K Samuel Richards: orderly book.1780 Volume 7L Ashbel Riley: orderly book.1780 Volume 8A Isaac Sherman: orderly book.1778 Volume 8B David Smith: orderly book.1778 Volume 8C David Smith: orderly book.1779 Volume 8D David Smith: orderly book.1779 Volume 8E David Smith: orderly book.1779-1780 Volume 8F David Smith: Orderly book.1780 Volume 8G Joel Smith: orderly book.1779 Volume 8H Joel Smith: orderly book.1779-1780 Volume 8I Joseph Spencer: orderly book (bound with printed copy).1775 Volume 8J William Tracy: orderly book (photostat).1777 Volume 9A Benjamin Trumbull: journals.1775-1777 Volume 9B John Trumbull: orderly book.1776 Volume 9C J. Waller: orderly book.1776-1777 Volume 9D J. Waller: orderly book.[177?] Volume 9E Daniel Ware: orderly book.1777 Volume 9F Charles Webb: orderly book (typescript).1775-1776 Volume 9G Bayze Wells, orderly book.1775-1777 Volume 9H Samuel Wyllys: orderly book1775-1776 Volume 9I Orders Series 7: Account Books Series 7: Account Books 1775 - 1783 17 volumes US/CTH/AMREV/1776/Account Books: Continental Army Series consists of commissary and paymaster account books Volume 9.1 Account Book. 1777-1779 Volume 9.2 Assistant Commissary of Issues to General Glover's Brigade. 1778-1783 Volume 9.3 Commissary. 1779-1781 Volume 9.4 Commissary cash book. 1775-1780 Volume 9.5 Commissary cash books, nos. 4-11. 1776-1777 Volume 9.6 Commissary receipt book. 1782 Volume 9.7 Commissary record book. 1777 Volume 9.8 Commissary record book. 1782 Volume 9.9 Commissary record book. 1783 Volume 9.10 Commissary record book: deliveries 1783 Volume 9.11 Paymaster General records, part I. 1775-1778 Volume 9.12 Paymaster General records, part II. 1775-1778 Volume 9.13 Paymaster General records, part III. 1775-1778 Volume 9.14 Paymaster General records, parts IV-V. 1775-1778 Volume 9.15 Paymaster General: receipt books, parts I-III. 1775-1776 Volume 9.16 Paymaster General: receipt books 1776-1777 Volume 9.17 Paymaster General: receipt books, parts I-III. 1777-1778 Series 8: Naval Affairs Series 8: Naval Affairs 1773 - 1789 16 folders US/CTH/AMREV/1776/X Series consists of correspondence of Timothy Parker, commander of the frigate "Oliver Cromwell", Nathaniel Shaw, naval agent for Connecticut, John Deshon, agent and commissary at New London, Connecticut and records dealing with the conversion of merchant vessels to ships of war. Folder 10A Correspondence of Timothy Parker. 1773-1781 Folder 10B Letters from Curtis Reed to his wife Sibbil Reed. 1779 Folder 10C Correspondence of Nathaniel Shaw. 1777 - Feb., 1779 Folder 10D Correspondence of Nathaniel Shaw. March - April, 1779 Folder 10E Correspondence of Nathaniel Shaw. May - June, 1779 Folder 10F Correspondence of Nathaniel Shaw and Thomas Leaming. 1779 Folder 10G Correspondence of Thomas Shaw and John Deshon. 1779 Folder 10H Letters to Thomas Shaw, Commissioner of Prisoners. 1779 Folder 10I Letters to Governor Jonathan Trumbull. 1781-1782 Folder 10J Letter from Joseph Trumbull. 1778 Folder 10K Records re Conversion of Merchant Vessels to Ships of War. 1780-1783 Folder 10L Records of the Armed Ship Oliver Cromwell. 1776-1778 and undated Folder 10M Letters (Transcripts, extracts, photocopies). 1775- Folder 10N Letters (Transcripts, extracts, photocopies). 1775- Folder 10O Letter of Marque against the Dutch. 1781 Folder 10P Records. 1774-1789 and undated Series 9: Correspondence Series 9: Correspondence 1774 - 1853 26 folders US/CTH/AMREV/1776/X-XI Series consists of correspondence of Asa Waterman, commissary of purchases for the Continental Army, of Peter Colt, deputy quarter master general of the Eastern department and letters of other Connecticut persons describing their activities during the American Revolution. Folder 10Q Correspondence of Royal Flint. 1778-1779 Folder 10R Letter from Matthew Graves to George Washington. 1776 Folder 10S Letter from John Hancock to Nathaniel Shaw. 1776 Folder 10T Letter (transcription) from Joshua King re. Major Andre. 1817 Folder 10U Correspondence of John Sullivan. 1778-1779 Folder 10V Correspondence of Asa Waterman. 1777-1778 Folder 10W Letters from Peter Colt to Asa Waterman. 1778 Folder 10X Letters from Thomas Lloyd Halsey to Asa Waterman. 1778 Folder 11A Letters (Originals). 1774 Folder 11B Letters (Originals). 1775 Folder 11C Letters (Originals). 1776 Folder 11D Letters (Originals). 1777 Folder 11E Letters (Originals). 1778-1779 Folder 11F Letters (Originals). 1780-1781 Folder 11G Letters (Originals). 1782-1790 Folder 11H Letters (Originals). 1791-1824 Folder 11I Letters (Originals). 1825-1852 Folder 11J Letters (transcriptions) from Roger Welles. 1780-1783 Folder 11K Abstracts of letters. 1775-1778 Folder 11L Maps. Folder 11M Documents. 1765-1853 Folder 11N Documents: Call for Relief of Boston 1774 Folder 11O Documents undated Folder 11P Documents: (Transcripts, extracts, photocopies) Folder 11Q Miscellaneous. Folder 11R Publications based on collection. Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

 Use Restrictions

Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Library Regulations.

 Preferred Citation

Item, The American Revolution Collection (US/CTH/AMREV/1776 - box #. Folder #), at the Connecticut Historical Society.

Processing Details

Collection was processed by Ruth Blair in October, 1998.

EAD instance was converted from a finding aid created by Ruth Blair in October 1998.

 Accruals

The collection is closed; additional material is not expected.