Phillips Friday (continued from 9/04/2015)

While reading the information from Revolutionary Soldiers of Warren County, Pennsylvania, I spent some time looking up names of the officers who Esquire Phillips mentions in the report of his service. 

If you are a Revolutionary War buff or even just a good history student, you know who Col. Wm. Ledyard was.  If you are like me, you have forgotten if you ever knew.  Col. Wm. Ledyard was in command of Fort Trumbull and Fort Griswold in Connecticut when Fort Griswold was attacked and fell to the British under the command of Benedict Arnold. (Now, there is a name we all know). The Americans were far outnumbered according to American accounts of the battle. Ledyard and his poorly armed militia of 157 held off the British force of 800 for nearly an hour. According to one of the articles I read Ledyard ordered his men to cease firing and to lay down their arms after the British stormed Fort Griswold.  A Tory, Major Bromfield or Brownfield demanded to know who commanded the fort.  Ledyard replied "I did, sir, but you do now," and offered his sword.  The British officer took the sword and stabbed Ledyard to death. The date was September 6, 1781, in Groton. A massacre of the Americans followed, in which nearly 100 were killed or wounded   (Information found in Wikipedia) There is far more to this story, but I will let you do your own research if interested.

Esquire Phillips served under Col. Wm. Ledyard as his Waiter. Esquire writes, ".....served under Col. Ledyard at Fort Griswold 6 mos [sic].  I believe that Col. Ledyard commanded in the Fort across the river at New London and I was backwards and forward between the Forts, with Col. Ledyard frequently."

My guess gives me the estimate of spring of 1779 when Esquire was next discharged to go home. Later in 1779, he married Anna Gates. He says he was called back after the capture of Fort Griswold. He writes, "I helped at that time to take care of the sick and wounded also to bury the dead."

This Phillips line has certainly intrigued me. I have traveled in some of the areas where my husband's 4x Great Grandfather Esquire served in the Revolutionary War. If only I had known some of this information when my husband and I visited Groton, Connecticut a few years ago to see our son, the 5x great grandson of Esquire Phillips.  They both served their country in that location... just 200+ years apart.

Esquire Phillips- Revolutionary Soldier

 O.K., so let's go tree climbing or back in time whichever one helps you follow this linage. The maternal grandmother of my husband was Ina. She was Ina Marie Reeder Augustus daughter of Minerva Jane Marsh Reeder and Edward Maurice Reeder. This week's Wordless Wednesday shows Great Grandpa and Grandma Reeder standing in front of a house that still stands in Jefferson, Iowa. This was probably in the 40's.

Minerva Jane moved to Jefferson, Iowa from Illinois when she was a teenager around 1876. There she met and married Edward Reeder. She was the daughter of Celestia and Richard Marsh.

Both Celestia and Richard were from Pennsylvania where they were married and had their first four children, one being Minerva Jane. They moved to Illinois in 1860 when Minerva was a baby.

Celestia was the daughter of Elijah and Ellen Thompson Phillips. She was also their oldest child.

  Celestia's father, Elijah, was the eleventh son of Esquire Phillips who was born in Prescott, Connecticut on 3 Aug. 1760  (or possibly 1759) and died (age 87 years 7 months) in 1848 in Pine Grove Township in Warren County, Pennsylvania.

 

The book Revolutionary Soldiers of Warren County, Pennsylvania has a section on Esquire Phillips, 4x great grandfather of my husband.

Born: 3 Aug. 1759/1960

Entered service 1 November 1775 ( about age 15 or 16))

Served as waiter for Capt. James Averill

Capt. Averill commanded a company of Militia of the Regiment of Col. Douglass

They moved to Providence, R.I, to Greenwich to Newtown, to South Kingston and to North Kingston.  The British were in possession of Rhode Island at this time.

Discharged April 1776

Re-enlisted "the following spring" in the same company as Minute Men for the term of one year.

The following are Esquire's words:

     "Soon after the company was organized we were ordered to march to Stonington Point, where we joined Col. Gallap's Regt.  [sic] as Col. Douglass was made a General.  We remained at Stonington Point two mons [sic], and were frequently sent out with scouting parties.  The Corps to which I belonged was called the Rangers.  After two months we were ordered to march to Little White Plains on North River near New York.  We arrived there after the battle that was fought there.  We were sent out with a scouting party and fell in with a party of British and Tories at the Great Swamp a few miles distant.  We had a skirmish with the British and made prisoners of about 70 British and Tories, and got 150 head of cattle and sheep.  We marched with the prisoners to Norwich Town in Conn.  Were then ordered back to Little White Plains, which was our headquarters.  Was there two months.  We were then ordered to march to New London, and were stationed there the remainder of the year until we were discharged.  Our entire service was exceedingly hard and severe during the whole year."

 

Esquire's service ended only to start again.  He says in his pension papers that he returned home and remained for three days. He then went as a substitute for Elijah Phillips as a private soldier. Many years later, he had a son named Elijah (Remember, the father of Celestia) Maybe this son was named for an uncle or cousin. Maybe this is the Elijah Phillips for whom he was named.  This service period for Esquire was at Fort Griswold in the company commanded by Capt. Avery. The commander of Fort Griswold was Col. Wm. Ledyard.  After 3 months he was discharged and went home.  The day before he arrived at home his father, Jonathon, was drafted for a 3 months tour in the Militia. Esquire took his place and returned to Fort Griswold, served, and was discharged when the 3 months expired.

 

Now isn't it fascinating to read an ancestors actual words. It is too bad when we study American History, we can't do it through the eyes of our ancestors. Those patriots in the books are just names we learn and usually remember. But the patriots that shared their DNA with us, give a whole new perspective to the Rebellion and the sacrifices they made for us... their descendants.

 

But wait! The story of Esquire Phillips Revolutionary Service is not finished. The story will continue next Friday.  See you then.  I guess this has turned into Phillips Friday.

 

 

Excerpt from The Revolutionary Soldiers of Warren County, Pennsylvania