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The French & Indian War Rosters for Greenwich compiled by Spencer P. Mead, L.L.B. Connecticut was largely drawn upon
for troops. Young men were pressed into the service, and
as Greenwich, during the early part of the war, had no volunteer
company, several of the inhabitants were pressed. James
Green used to relate that while a company of young people,
himself included among the number, were quietly enjoying
themselves at the tavern, then kept by Henry Mead, they
were surprised by a press-gang and several of them forced
into the service, while he with a few others escaped through
a window. Soon after this a volunteer company was raised
and commanded by Captain Thomas Hobby, who was afterwards
a colonel in the Continental Army. This company rendered
active service in the campaigns of 1755, 1758, 1759, 1760,
1761, and 1762.
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| "The General Assembly in
March, 1755, ordered the raising of one thousand men,
to be divided into two regiments of six companies each, and
empowered the governor to take measures for the raising of
five hundred additional men, if it should become necessary.
This additional force was raised about the end of August,
1755, in consequence of letters received from General
Johnson, Commander-in-Chief of the colonial forces during
the campaign of 1755. These companies were added to the two
regiments already in the filed, probably three companies
to each regiment. At about the same time the Assembly authorized
the raising of two additional regiments, each to consist
of seven hundred and fifty men, divided into nine companies.
The Connecticut troops wee under the command of Major-General Phineas
Lyman of Suffield. At the battle of Lake George on the
eighth day of September, 1755, the Lieutenant-General and
Commander-in-Chief, Sir William Johnson of Warrensburgh, New
York, was wounded, and the chief command thereupon devolved
upon General Lyman. The Greenwich Company, under the command of Captain Thomas Hobby, was included in the two latter regiments and was mustered into service during the month of September, 1755, and continued therein until the first week of December of the same year. The addresses of the men are not given on the printed roll, which contains the following names:" |
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Sergeants
Privates
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The General
Assembly in February 1756, resolved to raise two
thousand and five hundred men, officers included, for
the coming campaign, the forces to be divided into four
regiments of eight companies each. In October, 1756,
in consequence of a letter from the Earl of Loudon, the
Assembly resolved to raise eight additional companies,
to be added to the four regiments already in the field
as the ninth and tenth companies. It is probable that
these companies were not raised owing to the lateness
of the session. Half-pay from the seventeenth day of
December, 1755, to the date of re-enlistment was allowed
to the officers and soldiers who had served in the previous
campaign, and a gratuity of one month's pay was granted
to the officers and soldiers who had served in garrison
during the winter. During the campaign of 1756, the Connecticut
forces continued under the command of Major-General
Phineas Lyman, and the expedition was against Canada. There was no company from Greenwich mustered into the service during this campaign, but many of those who served in Captain Hobby's Company the previous year re-enlisted in Captain David Waterbury's Company of Stamford. The printed roll contains the following names: |
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Sergeants
Clerks
Corporals
Privates
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| The General Assembly in February
1757, resolved to raise one thousand and four hundred
menfor the next campaign, to be formed into one regiment
of fourteen companies, to act in conjunction with the regular
troops under the command of the Earl of Loudon. In
October, 1757, the Assembly ordered the enlisting of three
companies of ninety-four-men each, including officers, out
of the troops already in the service, to remain in serve
through the winter. The Connecticut forces continued under
command of Phineas Lyman, whose military title for
this campaign was Colonel. An alarm in August, at the time
of the capture of Fort William Henry, called out many of
the militia, which included Captain White's Company of
Stanwich 9th Regiment. The company marched to the relief
of Fort William Henry and the parts adjacent thereto and
it was in service during the month of August, 1757. The printed
roll contains the following names: |
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Sergeants
Corporals
Privates
Thirty-seven of the above named rode horses from Greenwich,
Old Town. The following were detailed to return the horses.
It shall be borne in mind that the militia companies were only called out to re-enforce the troops already in the field. Greenwich had, at the commencement of this campaign, furnished her quota of men, who were now in the service as Captain Waterbury's Company of Stamford. The printed roll contains the following names: 6TH COMPANY, 1ST REGIMENT
Sergeants
Corporals.
Privates.
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| The General Assembly in March,
1758, resolved to raise five thousand men, officers,
included for the coming campaign, the forces to be divided
into four regiments of twelve companies each. These troops
were to act in conjunction with those of the other New England
Colonies under Major-General Abercromby, Commander-in-Chief
of his Majesty's forces in North America. The Connecticut
forces continued under the command of Major-General Phineas
Lyman, and expedition was against Crown Point and Fort
Ticonderoga. The Greenwich Company, under the command of Captain Thomas Hobby was mustered into the 4th Regiment early in the spring of 1758. |
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This company apparently consisted of seventy-two men
in addition to the officers. The roll does not
appear in the printed records. |
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The General
Assembly in March, 1759, resolved to raise three
thousand and six hundred men, including officers for
the coming campaign, and gave further encouragement for
four hundred more to enlist, the forces to be divided
into four regiments of ten companies each. In May, 1759,
the Assembly gave encouragement for enlisting one thousand
additional men to be added to the four regiments, three
companies each to the first and second, and two companies
each to the first and second, and tow companies to the
third and fourth. The Connecticut forces continued under
the command of Major-General Phineas Lyman, and
the expedition was against Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga. The Greenwich Company, under the command of Captain Thomas Hobby, was mustered into the 3rd Regiment early in the spring of 1759. The printed roll contains the following names: |
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4TH COMPANY Sergeants
Corporals
Privates
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The General
Assembly in March, 1760, resolved to raise five thousand
men, officers included, for the coming campaign, to serve
under the supreme command of his Majesty's Commander-in-Chief
in America, the forces to be divided into four regiments
of twelve companies each. The Connecticut forces continued
under the command of Major-General Phineas Lyman, and
the expedition was against Montreal. The Greenwich Company,
under the command of Captain Thomas Hobby, was
mustered into the 3rd Regiment.
5TH COMPANY, 3RD REGIMENT
This company consisted of five sergeants, six corporals,
and fifty privates who had served in some previous campaign,
and sixteen new solders, probably in addition to the
four commissioned officers. The roll does not appear
in the printed records. |
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The General
Assembly in March 1761, resolved to raise two thousand
and three hundred men, officers included, for the coming
campaign, the forces to be divided into two regiments
of twelve companies each. These troops were to be under
the supreme command of his Majesty's Commander-in Chief
in America. In October, 1761, the Assembly resolved to
give proper encouragement for new enlisting from the
troops then in service of two hundred and twenty-six
men, including offices, to serve during the coming winter
and if necessary until the first day of July, 1762. The
Connecticut forces continued under the command of Major-General
Phineas Lyman, and the expedition was against the
Indians. The Greenwich Company, under the command of Captain Thomas Hobby, was mustered into the 2nd Regiment early in the spring of 1761. The printed roll contains the following names: |
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Sergeants
Drummers
Corporals
Privates
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| The General Assembly in March,
1762, resolved to raise two thousand and three hundred men, officers,
included for the coming campaign to march to such place or places
in North America as his Majesty's Commander-in-Chief shall appoint.;
the forces to be divided into two regiments of twelve companies
each. The first regiment, excepting the tenth company, took part
in the expedition against Havana. The second Regiment and the
tenth company of the first regiment served in the northern campaign.
Encouragement was also given for the enlistment of five hundred
and seventy-five men to aid in making the complement of the regular
regiments serving in America. In October, 1762, the Assembly
gave proper encouragement for new enlisting, from the troops
then in service, of two hundred twenty-six men, including officers,
to serve during the coming winter and if necessary, until the
first day of July, 1763. The Connecticut forces continued under
the command of Major-General-Phineas Lyman. The Greenwich company, under the command of Thomas Hobby, was mustered into the 2nd Regiment early in the spring of 1762. The printed roll contains the following names: |
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Hobby, Thomas, Captain, of Greenwich Sergeants
Drummers
Corporals
Privates
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| During the war, a part of the regular
troops were quartered at Stamford, Connecticut and at a town
meeting held in 1757, the Town of Stamford voted, that if the Earl
of Loudon shall send regulars into this town, the town will
bear the charge of accommodating them with what shall be necessary
for them. The committee appointed to care for the troops made
the following report: These may certify your Honors, that the Highland soldiers ordered to be quartered in the Town of Stamford arrived at said town November 30, 1757, and were quartered there until March 30, 1758. The number of soldiers, officers included, were 250. There were also belonging to them, 17 women and 9 children. They were at the cost of the town provided with houseroom, bedding, firewood, candles, & c., &c. Their officers insisted upon their being kept in a small compass, which exposed us to much more trouble and cost than otherwise would have been necessary. Stamford, April 28, 1757. Jona. Hoyt } Abr. Davenport } Committee to take care of Highlanders Jno. Holly } In 1758, troops were again quartered in Stamford, and in December of that year, a committee was appointed to supply his Majesty's regular forces now quartered in this town with firewood for their guard room and hospital and what bedding they shall think proper to provide them with, to be paid for out of the town treasury. The Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut, at their meeting in New Haven, on the second Thursday of October, 1758, ordered the colony treasurer to pay the Town of Stamford £369, 13s and 4d to reimburse the town for the cost of keeping a part of Colonel Fraser's Highland Battalion the last winter. Source: Mead, S. P. Ye Historie of Ye Town of Greenwich, County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut. New York, New York: Knickerbocker (1911) Reprint, Camden Maine: Picton Press, 1992. Says Mead, Although the Colony of Connecticut furnished
more than her actual quota of men for active service
in the various colonial wars: King William's War, 1689-1697;
Queen Anne's War, 1702-1713; and King George's War, 1744-1748;
still the author has been unable to find any record of
any company, detachment or squad of men having enlisted
from the Town of Greenwich, except such as has been obtained
from Hoadley's Colonial Records of Connecticut, and from
the Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society.
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| Find out more: Service records of the French-Indian
War veterans have more historical than genealogical information.
These records consist primarily of rosters, rolls, and lists
that have managed to survive the ravages of time, subsequent
wars and fires. Most of these rosters and rolls have been published
and can be found in genealogical and historical libraries throughout
the country. In addition to the sources available at the National Archives and archival sources at the Connecticut State Library, the following may be checked: Andrews, Frank DeWette. Connecticut Soldiers in the French and Indian War: Vineland, N.J.: the compiler, 1923. Jacobus, Donald Lines. List of Officials Civil, Military, and Ecclestiatical of Connecticut Colony From March 1635 Through 11 October 1677 and of the New Haven Colony Throughout Its Separate Existence Also Soldiers in the Pequot War Who Then or Subsequently Resided Within the Present Bounds of Connecticut. Baltimore: Clearfield Co., 1989. Shepard, James. Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French
and Indian War, 1755-1762. Vol. IX and X. Hartford,
Conn.: Connecticut Historical Society, 1903-05. Links: |
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If you have questions, comments or contributions to this collective effort,
please E-mail M. Mead.
©Copyright 1996 to 2011. Created 20 May 2000. Updated
1/9/03
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