revolutionary war - samuel bates

Samuel Bates, a 5th great-grandfather of mine, fought in the revolutionary war from 1775 until 1778. Samuel was from Weymouth and enlisted in Weymouth during these years. He states in his pension that he was not involved in any battles, but did a lot of marching to and from different parts of the country. He also spent the latter part of the war carrying goods as a teamster from city to city. The pension file also allowed me to find Samuel's parents names from his birth date listed on the pension, and gain some other personal information. Samuel spent almost three years helping his country, I am glad to have some record of it.

Samuel first enlisted in May of 1775, a month after the battles of Lexington and Concord. This term of service lasted until January of 1776 as a private in the Massachusetts Militia under the command of Capt. Jacob Gould in Col. Greaton’s regiment. During this term, Samuel "marched from Weymouth to Boston was stationed there through the vicinity the whole term: that he served at Cambridge with a portion of the regular troops; and Gen. Washington, General Heath, and General Putnam regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle." According to the Wikipedia article on the Massachusetts line, Greaton's regiment was part of the Seige of Boston, "The 21st Massachusetts Bay Provincial Regiment was commanded by Colonel William Heath, of Roxbury. Heath was made a Continental brigadier general on June 22, 1775, and command of the regiment passed to Lieutenant Colonel John Greaton. Greaton was promoted to the rank of colonel on July 1, 1775, and the regiment became Greaton’s Regiment. In August 1775, Greaton's Regiment was designated "The 36th Regiment of Foot." It served in the Siege of Boston until its disbandment." The reference given for wikipedia's information is the Historical Register of the Officers of the Continental Army..., which can be found on google books. There is also an article in Massachusetts Magazine on this regiment, referenced in my to do list below, which I will have to obtain.

Samuel's next term of service was from January 1776 to January 1777 as a private under the "command of Jacob Gould in Col. John Greaton’s Regiment. That he marched from Boston to
Cambridge, from thence to New London, from thence in Hartford and New York from thence to Ticonderoga and from thence to New Jersey: that he served at all these places with the regular troops; and General Heath and General Schuyler" Wikipedia's entry on this regiment is as follows, "The 24th Continental Regiment was formed by consolidating the remnant of Crafts' Company, Bond's Regiment, with the remnant of Greaton’s Regiment. Colonel John Greaton commanded this regiment throughout 1776. Greaton's regiment remained with the Main Army, moving to New York City in April. In the same month it was ordered to reinforce the American army in Canada. The regiment rejoined the Main Army in November, marching directly to Morristown." Wikipedia references The Historical Register, Wright's book, The Continental Army, and Carrington's Battles of the American Revolution.... Doing a search on Greaton in any of these books follows the regiment in the Revolutionary war. Greaton's regiment is stated to have gone to Canada, but Samuel does not mention this location in his pension. Samuel does mention General Schulyer and Ticonderoga and New Jersey, which does correspond to other activities of Greaton's regiment as discussed in the above books. Perhaps Samuel did go to Canada, but did not mention it on his pension.

I thought I would try to find some more information on Colonel John Greaton. Searching in Google books led me to the following excerpt in The memorial history of Boston: including Suffolk County, Massachusetts

This passage gives a little more detail as to what Greaton's regiment was involved in during the Seige of Boston. It also mentions the Invasion of Canada, which is not mentioned in Samuel's pension file. According to The Campaign of Trenton, 1776-1777, Greaton's regiment was told by Lee to march back to Morristown, NJ after arriving in Canada. Since Samuel mentions New Jersey after New York in his pension, it seems likely he was involved in the march to Canada also. The book also mentions Greaton's other activites in the Revolutionary War in 1777 and beyond. Samuel was not part of Greaton's regiment however after January of 1777.

It seems that Samuel took some time from the war after January of 1777, enlisting next in August of 1777 until March of 1778. His pension is difficult to read in some parts, but it states he was "under the command of Capt. Levett, that he was detached from the army and selected as a teamster and in that capacity under the whole term went from Boston to Philadelphia, from Boston to Duxbury, with hospital ? – from Boston to ? for the army – carried wood from Boston to Cambridge."

Samuel's pension did not just provide military information, but it also listed personal information; including his wife's name Selah, a daughter Lydia, and his birth date and some family information. His birth date of November 5, 1754 in Weymouth made it possible to find his parents, Samuel and Hannah Bates, as listed in the Weymouth town records. As there are a couple of Samuel Bates born around that time in Weymouth, I was not able to find which parents were my 5th great-granfather's until now. I had searched in the History of Weymout book on the Bates family, which noted that my Samuel Bates, who marries Selah, was the son of Jonathan and Deborah. I know now that this is not correct.

The other interesting bit of family information on Samuel's pension is his state of his family in 1820 when he applied for a pension. Samuel states the following:
"I am a farmer but in consequence of having lost my sight, and other infirmities am unable to labour. I have in my family a wife aged 66 years who has been a long time sick and ? ? and a daughter, whose health is declining and is unable to do any work. My wife's name is Selah, my daughter’s name is Lydia.
35 acres land – ½ part of an old house – 2 tons English hay – ½ house – 2 cows – iron pewter crockery ? ware – looking glass – 1 desk – 1 chest – 1 musket, 2 tables, 7 chairs –
… about 289.70$ to … …
Saml Bates
Sworn to and declared on the 14th day of August 1820"

I learned quite a bit about Samuel by finding his pension file on footnote.com. I am so happy to have this bit of knowledge into Samuel's life. It seemed by 1820 that he and his family were leading a difficult life in Weymouth with ill health. Lydia, Samuel's daughter did eventually marry in 1836, at the age of about 40. This was 4 years after her mother Selah died, and two years before her father Samuel died in 1838. Perhaps she married late due to her illness as mentioned in Samuel's pension, or maybe she stayed with her parents to take care of them. I have seen referenced in many places that Samuel and Selah are buried in Elmwood Cemetery in South Weymouth. I have not visited Elmwood Cemetery in a while, I will have to go back and find their stones.

to do list:

1. obtain this article : “Colonel William Heath’s and Colonel John Greaton’s Regiments. Colonel William Heath’s Regiment April 19, 1775. Colonel John Greaton’s Regiment April 19, 1775. Colonel William Heath’s 21st Regiment, 21st Regiment, Provincial Army, April-July, 1775. Colonel John Greaton’s 36th Regiment, Army of the United Colonies, July-December, 1775.”[The Massachusetts Magazine, January, 1912, 5:1, p. 15-28; April, 1912, p. 55-72].

2. look up Jacob Gould in Massachusetts Sailors and Soldiers in Revolutionary War - see if it mentions Canada.

3. look at pension rolls and activities on footnote.com for the 24th regiment in 1776 and the 21st Massachusetts Bay Provincial Regiment or the 36th regiment of foot for 1775; both were Greaton's regiments.

4. locate samuel and selah bates gravestones in elmwood cemetery.