During the eight years of this war a total of 375 Marlborough men were in service, amounting to 25% of the population of the Town. This is remarkable as the scenes of action shifted more and more to the south as the war progressed. These men, of course, were not in service all at the same time, but, when the war ended at least 75% of the male population were veterans. Fortunately, however, the casualties were small.
For more information see Massachusetts Colonial Militia in the Revolutionary War.
Battles of Lexington and Concord[]
Sometime near midnight of 18/19 April 1775, express riders arrived into Marlborough with news of a British column on the march inland. Their most likely errand would be to sieze weapon stores. The Massachusetts militia had two large weapon stores, one at Lexington and the other at Cambridge.
The Marlborough militiamen (some 190 from list of four companies below) assembled quickly and marched to Cambridge. This would have placed them on the route to intercept British soldiers on their long retreat back to Boston late in the day of 19 April 1775. It is reasonable to assume that many of this men here had saw some form of action that day.
- Battles of Lexington and Concord - Wikipedia
Additionally many of the men here probably stuck around to participate in the Siege of Boston which started immediately afterwards. (19 Apr 1775 - 17 Mar 1776)
- The Siege of Boston Wikipedia
The Massachusetts Line[]
Immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, many of these minutemen, plus a great deal more, immediately became involved with Siege of Boston (1775-1776). Many were recruited into Read's Regiment led by Colonel Joseph Read, it was first designated the 6th Massachusetts Regiment and then renamed as the 13th Continental Regiment.
After Boston, Colonel Read rushed this unit with Gen. Washington down to New York City (summer of 1776) to intercept the British invasion there and participated in the Famous Battles of Trenton and Princeton before disbanding at the end of 1776.
In 1777, many of these men would continue to serve the war effort in either the 4th Middlesex County Militia Regiment or the 6th Middlesex County Militia Regiment (led by Col Jonathan Reed) which participated in the Battle of Saratoga in upper New York.
Noteworthy Men in the Service[]
The following Marlborough men were in the service during the war:
- Barnes, Asa (1756-1812) - a private in Capt. Silas Gates' Co., Ward's regiment, 1775. He was born in Marlboro.
- Barnes, Daniel, Capt (1736-1813) - Capt of company of Minute men who marched 19 Apr 1775, but arrived after skirmish was over. Commissioned Captain 25 May 1775, served in 15th regiment.
- Barnes, John (1763-1834) - was placed on the pension roll of Orange Co., Vt., 1818, for service of private # Brigham, Henry (1752-1829) - turned out as sergeant on the 1775 Lexington Alarm in Capt. William Brigham's company, Colonel Ward's regiment. He was born in Marlboro; He died in Barre.
- Brigham, Uriah, Lt. (1727-1782) -
- Brigham, William, Capt (1735-1793) - Captain William Brigham was the commanding officer of one of four companies listed in the Marlborough 1775 Minuteman Roster that marched on the alarm of 19 April 1775.
- Rice, Jabez (1728-1809) was a minute man from Marlboro at the Lexington Alarm under Capt. Daniel Barnes. Later was a private in Capt. Robert's company, 15th Massachusetts battalion under Col. Timothy Bigelow. He was born in Shrewsbury; died in Marlboro, Mass.
- Ward, Artemas, Gen. (1727-1800) - The Continental Army at Boston was under command of General Artemus Ward of Shrewsbury MA (and the same of Marlborough parents), until July 3, 1775 when he was succeeded, by order of the Continental Congress, by George Washington (1732-1799). On July 2nd, Washington stopped at the Williams Tavern in Marlborough, being escorted by an honor guard of prominent citizens of this and adjoining towns, and he then proceeded through Marlborough along the Post Road, accompanied by a military delegation from the Boston battle front to Cambridge where he took over Gen. Ward’s command. The 1775 minuteman companies are frequently listed as part of Ward's Regiment.
- Aaron Ames (1759-1824)
- Joel Babbett
- Silas Baker
- Benjamin Bartlett
- Abraham Beaman
- Joel Beaman
- Richard Bradford
- George Brigham (1730-1808)
- Alexander Church
- Jonathan Crosby
- John Dexter (1735-1800)
- Zerubbabel Eager
- Samuel Gates
- William Goodall
- Pomeroy Grove
- Joel Hager
- Robert Horn
- Abraham Howe
- Luke Howe
- Samuel Hudson
- David Hunter
- Samuel Kelley
- Edward Knapp
- Jonathan Lamb
- William Loring
- Samuel McNale
- Francis Mensurve
- Francis Morse
- Joseph Newton
- Aaron Nurse
- Roger Phelps (1760-1832)
- Joseph Pulling
- Ashbel Rice
- Gershom Rice
- Joseph Robbins
- John Stow
- David Sale
- William Shield
- Robert Scott
- Samuel Spofford
- Peter Stevenson
- Quartus Stow (1755-1798)
- David Walt
- Samuel Ward
- Joseph Waters - a Scotch Highlander in the English Service, was captured by the Americans, came to Marlborough and then enlisted into the American Service and served in many campaigns of the war. He later settled in Marlborough and lived to an old age.
- Alexander Watson
- William Weeks (1762-1810)
- Fortunatus Wheeler
- Asa Witt
- John Wiggins
- Joseph Williams
- Morse Williams
- Thomas Williams
- John Wyman (1745-1813)
- Jonathan Wyman
- Samuel Wyman
- Samuel Willard
Marlborough 1775 Minuteman Rosters[]
From the book History of Middlesex County - Vol III, page 822-823 by Duane Hamilton Hurd: On 19 April 1775, news reached Marlborough that the British Army had left Boston and were marching to sieze rebel arms at Concord. Within a few hours, four companies of Marlborough men, consisting of 190 men, were marching to battle.
In 1774, three companies of “Minutemen” were organized in Marlborough under Captain Cyprian Howe, William Brigham and Daniel Barnes, representing (roughly) the east, west and central parts of the To9wn respectively, and each, seemingly, based on a separate tavern. At the first intelligence of bloodshed at Lexington and Concord as of the morning of April 19, 1775, these companies assembled and marched for the scene of action, probably to Watertown MA to prevent any of the English army moving out on the Post Road.
According to the army payrolls some of these men were away but a few days and some for as long as forty days, in their original companies. They then were reorganized and many served throughout the siege of Boston which was lifted March 16, 1776, and which ended British occupation in Massachusetts.
Roll of Captain Howe's Company[]
They marched to Cambridge on 19 April 1775, absent from home 16 days.
- Cyprian Howe (1726-1790), Captain
- Amasa Cranston, Lieutenant, later led expedition to Claverack, in 1780. But other records show he died in 1777?
- Uriah Eager (1700-1780), Ensign
- Solomon Bowers, Sergeant
- Robert Hunter, Sergeant
- William Hager
- Matthias Moseman
- Josiah Wilkins (1717-1783)
- Jeduthan Alexander
- John Baker
- Joseph Baker
- Joel Barnard (1732-1775)
- Asa Barnes (1756-1812)
- Silas Barnes
- Joel Brigham (1714-1797)
- William Brown
- James Bruce
- Nathaniel Bruce
- Timothy Bruce
- Jabez Bush
- Timothy Darling
- Abner Dunton
- Aaron Eager
- Ebenezer Eames
- Abner Goodale (1755-1823)
- Thomas Goodale
- Luke Hager
- Nebediah Howe
- Peter Howe (1756-1842) - later settled in Vermont, then Ohio.
- David Hunter
- Frances James
- Ephraim Maynard (1745-1826)
- Simon Maynard
- Joseph Miller
- Alpheus Morse
- Adonijah Newton
- James Priest
- Jacob Priest (1757-1824)
- Jabez Rice (1728-1809) - ??? Documented for Barnes Company only.
- Thaddeus Shattuck
- William Speakman
- Hiram Stow
- Jonathan Temple (1735-1813)
- Frederick Walcott
- Amos Walt
- Forunatus Wheeler
- Abraham Whitney
Roll of Captain Brigham's Company[]
They marched to Cambridge on 19 April 1775, saw service of 10-30 days.
- William Brigham (1735-1793), Captain
- Silas Gates (1727-1793), 1st Lieutenant
- Ithamar Brigham, 2nd Lieutenant
- Brigham, Henry (1752-1829) - turned out as sergeant on the 1775 Lexington Alarm in Capt. William Brigham's company, Colonel Ward's regiment. He was born in Marlboro; He died in Barre.
- Noah Beaman, Sergeant
- Joseph Brigham, Sergeant
- Lewis Brigham (1756-1803), Corporal
- Ichabod Jones, Corporal
- Josiah Priest, Corporal
- Thomas Rice (1747-1840), Corporal
- Ephraim Ward, Corporal
- James Ball (1754-1834)
- John Bagley
- Timothy Baker
- Jonathan Barnes, Jr
- Abraham Beaman
- Jabez Bent
- Abraham Brigham
- George Brigham (1730-1808)
- Gershom Brigham (1749-1817)
- Lovewell Brigham
- Silas Carly
- Alexander Church
- Samuel Eames
- Ezekiel Gilsby
- Ithamar Goodnow
- Frederick Goodsew
- Oliver Hale
- Robert Horn
- Ephraim Howe
- Luke Howe
- Phineas Howe (1739-1832) - Served until 1777 in Reed's Regiment
- Reuben Howe
- Samuel Howe (1756-1842)
- Simon Howe (1722-1806)
- Thomas Joslie
- William Loring
- Isaac Morse
- Jonah Newton
- Abijah Perry
- Gershom Rice, Jr
- Jabez Rice (1728-1809) - ??? Documented for Barnes Company only.
- Willard Rice
- Redist Stewart
- Samuel Ward, Jr
- Ephraim Wilder
- Moses Williams, Jr
- Reuben Wyman
Roll of Captain Barne's Company[]
They marched to Cambridge on 19 April 1775, saw service 10-40 days.
- Daniel Barnes (1736-1813) - Capt of company of Minute men who marched 19 Apr 1775, but arrived after skirmish was over. Commissioned Captain 25 May 1775, served in 15th regiment.
- William Morse (1738-1802) - first lieutenant
- Paul Brigham (1732-1777) ??? - second lieutenant
- Ephraim Baker - sergeant
- John Loring - sergeant
- Antipas Brigham (1740-1791) - corporal
- Jedediah Taister - corporal
- Robert Ames (1738-1821)
- John Baker
- Nathan Baker
- Moses Barnes (1740-1781)
- Obadiah Barre
- Ivory Bigelow (1741-1804) -
- James Bowers
- Benjamin Boyd
- Jonathan Brigham (1754-1848)
- Peter Bent (1702-1798) ???
- Jonas Darling
- Levi Fay
- Stephen Felton (1752-1827)
- Abraham Gould
- Dudley Hardy
- John Harrington (1743-1824)
- Klizer Holyoke
- Benjamin Howe
- Thaddeus Howe
- John Lamb
- Elihu Maynard
- Hezekiah Maynard (1742-1824)
- Francis Morse
- Nahum Newton
- Isaac Sherman
- Stephen Phelps
- Daniel Rice
- Jabez Rice (1728-1809) - Later was a private in Capt. Robert's company, 15th Massachusetts battalion under Col. Timothy Bigelow. He was born in Shrewsbury; died in Marlboro, Mass.
- John Rice
- John Rice Jr
- William Rice (1755-1815)
- Daniel Robbins
- Moses Roberts
- Nathaniel Prentice Russell (1744-1812)
- Oliver Russell (1753-1820)
- Robert Saintclair
- Benjamin Stevens
- Daniel Stevens (1727-)
- Ephriam Stow
- Heman Stow
- Francis Walkup (1754-1831)
- Jonathan Weeks
- Aaron Wheeler
- William Williams
- Asa Witt
- John Woods
- David Wyman
Roll of Capt Silas Gates' Company[]
Called out on the Lexington Alarm, 19 April 1775:
- Silas Gates (1727-1793) - Captain
- Aaron Ames (1759-1824) - private
- Asa Barnes (1756-1812) - a private in Capt. Silas Gates' Co., Ward's regiment, 1775. He was born in Marlboro.
- Elisha Barnes
- Benjamin Bartlett
- Abraham Bearman
- Joel Brewer
- George Brigham (1730-1808)
- Henry Brigham (1752-1829) - sergeant
- Usiah Brigham
- Alexander Church
- John Dexter (1735-1800)
- Matthias Felton
- Samuel Gates
- Abner Goodale (1755-1823)
- William Goodale
- Joel Hager
- Robert Horn
- Aaron Howe
- Abraham Howe
- Luke Howe
- David Hunter
- John Kelly
- Joshua Lamb
- William Loring
- Joseph Maynard (1750-1785)
- Francis Morse
- Ashbel Rice
- Gershom Rice
- Quartus Stow (1755-1798)
- Samuel Ward
- Joseph Williams
- Moses Williams
- Thomas Williams
- Jelothan Wyman
1775 Additional Service[]
Military Rolls of men who enrolled for eight months extended service- 8 month's men.
- Edward Barnes (1744-1803) - Lt Col
- Paul Brigham (1732-1777) - Capt
- Daniel Barnes (1736-1813) - Capt
- Amasa Cranston - Capt
- Silas Gates - Capt
- Moses Barnes (1740-1781) - Lieutenant
- Obadiah Bruce - Lieutenant
- William Morse (1738-1802) - Lieutenant
- Simon Adams (1748-1825)
- Jeduthun Alexander - killed at Bunker Hill where a portion of the Marlborough men were engaged under the command of Lt Col Jonathan Ward and Maj Edward Barnes of Marlborough.
- Stephen Allen
- James Ball (1754-1834)
- John Baker
- Ephraim Barber (1748-1817)
- George Bender
- Peter Bent (1707-1798)
- James Bowers
- William Boyd (1735-1817)
- Abraham Brigham
- Artemas Brigham
- Jonathan Brigham (1754-1848)
- Jonas Darling
- Robert Eames (1733-1821)
- Frederick Goodnow
- Abraham Gould
- Elizur Holyoke
- Nehemiah Howe (1720-1777) ???
- Obadiah Johnson
- John Kidder
- Elihu Maynard
- Hezekiah Maynard (1742-1824)
- Joseph Miller
- Paul Newton
- Daniel Rice
- John Rice
- John Rice, Jr
- William Rice (1755-1815)
- Daniel Robbins
- Moses Robbins
- Oliver Russell (1753-1820)
- John Sawin
- Ephraim Simonde
- Francis Walkup (1754-1831)
- David Wyman
- Asa Witt
- John Woods
- John Wright
- Reuben Wyman
Draft Registers[]
1777 Draft List[]
- John Barnes (1763-1834)
- James Bruce
- Stephen Baker
- John Gott Brigham
- Lovewell Brigham
- Jonas Darling
- Robert Eames (1733-1821
- Matthias Felton
- James Hunter
- Ebenezer Howe
- Samual Hunting
- John Fay
- Eli Goodnow
- Theophilus Hardy
- Jason Harrington
- John Harrington (1743-1824)
- Elizur Holyoke
- Josiah Newton
- Jacob Priest (1757-1824)
- Reuben Priest
- Ashbel Rice
- Phinehas Rice
- John Sawin
- Jonas Smith (1754-1845)
- Joseph Williams
- Zelates Whitcomb (1759-1863)
- Jonathan Wyman
1778 Draft List[]
In the service three months.
- Jonathan Weeks - Lieutenant
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- Abner Dunton
- Samuel Howe (1756-1842)
- David Hunter
- Aaron Eager
- Nathaniel Prentice Russell (1744-1812)
- John Woods
White Plains Battle 1778[]
- Amasa Cranston - Captain
- Daniel Barnes (1736-1813)
- Silas Barnes
- Abner Goodale (1755-1823)
- James Gleason
- Robert Hunter
- Edward Wilkins
- Josiah Wilkins (1717-1783)
1778 nine months[]
Saaw nine months service in 1778
- Silas Baker
- Joseph Johnson
- Phinehas Moore
- Josiah Priest
- Reuben Priest
- Timothy Rand
- Abner Ward
1779 Service[]
May to July 1779, Capt Moses Barnes (1740-1781) was in service for two months with the following Marlborough men under him:
- Aaron Beaman
- David Brigham (1745-1824)
- Phineas Brigham (1757-1813)
- William Gates
- Nathan Rice
- Quartus Stow (1755-1798)
1779 Six Months Men[]
- Joshua Bailey
- Stephen Baker
- Aaron Beaman
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- David Brigham (1745-1824)
- Paul Brigham (1737-1777)
- Zerubbabel Eager
- Samuel Gates
- David Holloway
- Joseph Johnson
- Elihu Maynard
- Joseph Newton
- Roger Phelps (1760-1832)
- Joseph Robbins
- David Sale
- Abraham Stow
- John Stow
- Joseph Waters
- Asa Witt
- David Wait
- Alexander Watson
- William Weeks (1762-1810)
1779 Rhode Island Service[]
- Jotham Bayley
- Aaron Beaman
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- Daniel Brigham (1760-1818)
- Lovewell Brigham (1754-1824)
- Paul Brigham (1737-1777)
- Samuel Brigham (1756-1830)
- Stephen Brigham
- Israel Brown
- Jacob Brown
- Morris Clary
- William Dawson
- Aaron Eager
- Stephen Eager
- Uriah Eager
- Moses Eames
- John Gates (1764-1839)
- Samuel Gates
- Silas Gates (1727-1793)
- William Gates
- Jonathan Goodnow
- Tolman Howe
- Elihu Maynard
- David Greenleaf
- Israel Greenleaf
- David Holloway
- Joseph Robbins
- William Rice (1755-1815)
- Putnam Phelps
- Roger Phelps (1760-1832)
- Abraham Priest
- Abraham Show
- Winslow Stow
- David Wait
- Joseph Waters
- Alexander Watson
- William Weeks (1762-1810)
- Jonas Wilkins
- Moses Williams
- Thomas Williams
- Silas Wilson
- Asa Witt
1780 Claverack Expedition[]
- Amasa Cranston - Captain
- Silas Baker
- Noah Beaman, Jr
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- John Dunn (1761-1832)
- Ephraim Jewell
- Nathan Rice
- Samuel Dunton
- William Goodale
- Alexander Watson
1780 Three Month's Men[]
- Elisha Auetia
- John Baker
- Noah Beaman
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- Nathaniel Brown
- William Cory
- John Dunn (1761-1832)
- Samuel Dunton
- Samuel Gates
- Adam Harrington
- Daniel Harrington (1707-1795)
- Eli Howe
- Gardner Howe
- Luke Howe
- Solomon Howe
- Charles Hudson - Killed by Friendly fire when returning at night from a mission scouting enemy lines.
- Stephen Hudson (-1827)
- John Jennison
- Timothy Johnson
- Francis Jones
- Eber Keyes
- Joseph Johnson
- Peter Little
- John Maccanella
- Jedediah Maynard
- William Mercer
- Elias Morse
- Phinehas Morse
- Dana Newton
- Caleb Parker
- Stephen Phelps
- Isaac Proctor
- William Rice (1755-1815)
- Samuel Ruse
- David Sale
- Stephen Smith
- Francis Soames
- Silas Stow
- Joseph Temple
- Joseph Weeks
- James Whitney
- Jonathan Wiggins
- Ephraim Wilder
- Reuben Wilder
- Moses Williams
- Elias Witt
- William Woods
- David Wyman
Three Years' Men[]
- Silas Baker
- Thomas Baker
- John Barnes (1763-1834)
- William Bigelow (1764-1807)
- Aaron Brigham (1762-1831)
- John Cain
- Alexander Crawford
- Jonathan Crosby
- John Dexter (1735-1800)
- Jonathan Dexter
- John Dunn (1761-1832)
- Zerubbabel Eager
- William Foedick
- Jacob Groun
- David Harris
- David Hill
- Enoch Kidder
- Samuel Little
- James Mahew
- Joseph Miller
- John Newton
- Jonah Newton
- Joseph Newton
- Jonathan Pollard
- Nathan Pratt
- Josiah Priest
- Reuben Priest
- John Rice
- Stephen Russell
- Silas Sawin
- Abner Smith
- Levi Fletcher
- Job Spaulding
- Samuel Ditson
- Thomas Ditson
- Thomas Ridgeway
- Josiah Bailey
- Thomas Greenough
- James Ely
- John Gilliard
- Silas Hawthorn
- William Messer
- Thomas Ridgeway
- James Parker
- Andrew Kettle
- Patrick Mahony
- Peter Willard
- Joseph Dawson
- Robert Mansfield
- William Rice
- John Johnson
- Samuel French
- John Ansel
- Charles Benjean
- John Denmark
- Jonathan Newton
- John Torrey
- Samuel Fletcher
- Benjamin Roberts
- Nathaniel Prentice Russell (1744-1812)
- William Goodale
- Ephraim Newton
- Joseph Waters
- Peter Sieverance
- Samuel Spofford
- Israel Greenleaf
- Benjamin Gould
- Richard Wyman
- Abel Ray
- Job Spaulding
- John Rice
- Joel Bartlett
- Francis Menford
- John Gates
- Samuel McNair
- Edward Knapp
- Thomas Joslis
- John Newton
- Stephen Phelps
- Robert Scott
- William Shield
- William Walker
- Joseph Waters
- Samuel Willard
- Dean Wyman
- Reuben Wyman
- Samuel Wyman
References[]
- History of Marlborough MA
- D.A.R. Records - Marlborough Soldiers listed in the Daughters of American Revolution database.