By David A. Welker, a 7th generation great grandson of Samuel Butterfield
Samuel Butterfield7 (William6, Samuel5, Nathaniel4, Benjamin3, Thomas2, Benjamin1) was born on December 26, 1746 to William Butterfield and Rebecca Parker Butterfield, in Londonderry, New Hampshire. In 1771 Samuel had moved with his parents to Francestown, NH. [A] On December 24, 1772 he married Enice Hinksman Butterfield in Westford, New Hampshire. [1]
1776
Sometime before July 22nd, 1776, twenty nine-year-old Samuel was recruited into the New Hampshire Militia for “one third of a turn”—a portion of the full term of enlistment, which was a “full turn”—by Lieutenant Jonas Kidder (in whose company he would serve in 1780) and had been mustered into Colonel Daniel Moore’s Regiment of New Hampshire Militia. Moore’s Regiment had apparently spent the war’s earliest days deployed in protecting the New Hamshire coast, although it remains uncertain if Samuel took part in this. [2]
On July 3, 1776, the New Hampshire legislature voted to raise 1,500 men to reinforce the Northern Army—which had just returned from Canada, after Generals Montgomery and Arnold’s defeat at the Siege of Quebec—by encouraging men to transfer from existing New Hamshire Militia companies. Each company was assigned a quota to reach and the men were offered bounties and lodging money as an incentive to enlist. [3]
Private Samuel Butterfield was one of the 30 men—along with his younger brother Robert Butterfield—who on July 22, 1776 was mustered into (essentially voluntarily transferred) to Barron’s Company, in Wingate’s Regiment, along with other men “raised for Canada out of Colonel Daniel Moore’s Regiment.” The muster roll noted that he “belonged to Lyndeboro” (Lyndeborough, NH) and for his three month’s service was paid £9, 18 shillings. He was allotted an additional £5 to cover billeting. [4]
Samuel and his Militia comrades were attached to the 2nd New Hampshire Militia Regiment, commanded by Col. Joshua Wingate, which had been raised to reinforce the Northern Army in expectation of repelling any British advance from Canada that might take advantage of Arnold’s ongoing retreat. Samuel and Barron’s Company of Wingate’s Regiment marched initially to the rendezvous point, the fort at Number 4, NH—near Charlestown, NH—where they were joined by Col. Wyman’s Regiment of New Hampshire Militia. From there the two regiments marched to Fort Ticonderoga, to which the Northern Army had retreated by August 1776. Samuel and his comrades were posted to nearby Mt. Independence, Vermont, securing the North (Hudson) River’s eastern bank. Although it’s unclear if Samuel remained here the entire time—his enlistment might have already expired—the regiment remained here until November 9th, When General Horatio Gates dismissed them, writing:
Gentlemen – I return you, and the officers & soldiers of the Regiments under your command, my sincere thanks for the Spirit and Expedition both you & they have shewn in marching upon the first alarm, upwards of one hundred & fifty miles, to the support of this important pass, when threatened with an immediate attack from the Enemy’s Army. I now dismiss you with the Honor you have so well deserved… “ [B] [5]
Samuel Butterfield’s journey with Capt. Barron’s Company to the fort at Number 4, after mustering in (transferring) from Col. Daniel Moore’s Regiment on July 22, 1776 [6]
The fort at Number Four, where Samuel Butterfield and Barron’s Company of Wingate’s Regiment met Wyman’s Regiment, before marching on to Ft. Ticonderoga.
The approximate route Samuel Butterfield and Wingate’s Regiment marched to Mt. Independence, Vermont, across the North River from Ft. Ticonderoga, NY
1780
Samuel Butterfield enlisted in the New Hampshire Militia again on July 4, 1780—once more along with his younger brother Robert Butterfield—to join Captain Jonas Kidder’s Company, in Col. Moses Nichols’ Regiment (also known as the 5th New Hampshire Militia Regiment). He enlisted for a term of three months and 20 days, for pay of £134 a month (totaling £491, 6 shillings). He also received £76, 10 shillings for his travel to reach West Point, which was recorded as a distance of 255 miles from his home of Francestown, NH. [7]
These troops were raised because the military situation in summer 1780 was tense and unsettled. The British Army and Fleet held New York City and the surrounding area, American forces held the North (Hudson) River and its surrounding area, while the French Fleet and 6,000 French solders on July 11 arrived in Newport, RI. Washington was rightly concerned that before French forces could take any action, the British would try seizing the initiative by attacking the critical West Point area, to gain control of the river and split the new American nation in two. For this reason Washington needed more troops at West Point.
Although it remains uncertain when Samuel arrived, by September 27, 1780 he’s listed on a muster roll of men in Capt. Kidder’s Company, posted to the Hudson Highlands, near West Point. His brother Robert’s pension application states “he was stationed a short time at West Point, then across the river, inland at Robinson’s Farm, till after Arnold left West Point, then returned to West Point & remained there till dismissed.” Because Samuel was in the same company as his brother, it is likely he too spent time posted near Arnold’s Robinson House headquarters. Samuel remained there until he was discharged on October 23, 1780, after which he returned to New Hampshire.
Although Samuel witnessed no fighting during this second turn with the Militia, there was considerable excitement of a very different nature. On September 23, 1780 American General Benedict Arnold’s plan to hand over West Point to the British was exposed when British Major John Andre was captured. Given Robert Butterfield’s pension application statement that he was stationed near Beverly Robinson’s house, the location of Benedict Arnold’s headquarters as commander of West Point, he probably was nearby when Arnold’s treason was discovered by General Washington, who visited there on September 25, 1780. Moreover, Arnold had promised British General Clinton that not only would he hand over the vital West Point fortifications, but many American troops as well. Because Samuel Butterfield was part of the army camped in the Hudson Highlands, had Arnold’s scheme succeeded he would have then become a British prisoner of war. Instead, Samuel Butterfield mustered out of service with Wingate’s Regiment on October 23, 1780.
Post-War Life
Samuel returned to live in Francestown, New Hamshire as a farmer. He and Enice had their first child in 1781 and together would have 11 children. Samuel Butterfield died on May 9, 1838 and is buried in one of Francestown, New Hampshire’s three numbered cemeteries, where other members of his family are buried. [8]
Order of Service
- Colonel Daniel Moore’s Regiment – 1775 or early 1776 to July 22, 1776
- Captain William Barron’s Company of Col. Joshua Wingate’s Regiment (2nd New Hampshire Militia Regiment) – July 22, 1776 – ~ Nov. 1776
- Captain Jonas Kidder’s Company, in Col. Moses Nichols’ Regiment (5th New Hampshire Militia Regiment) – July 4, 1780 – October 23, 1780
[A] Because local boundaries were shifting as new surveys were conducted and large tracts split up by sale, Samuel is listed as variously living in Francestown, Lyndeborough, and Greenfield, NH. In any case, Francestown and Lyndeborough are just seven miles apart. See Certain Early Ancestors by Cora Elizabeth Hahn Smith, pp. 16-18, for details of this uncertainty.
[B] On Aug 24, 1775, Joshua Wingate was appointed major of the 2nd NH Regt. On Sept 1 of that year, 13 regiments were consolidated into 4 and he was made colonel of the 1st Regiment. He was appointed on Nov. 2, 1775 to command 500 men raised for the defense of forts on the Piscataqua. In 1776 he was appointed colonel of the 2nd Regt., then being raised in NH to reinforce the Northern Army in repelling any enemy coming from Canada. Col. Wingate marched to Ticonderoga and was stationed at Mt. Independence in the summer of that year.
[1] Smith, Cora Elizabeth Han Certain Early Ancestors (Edwards Brothers: Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1944), pp. 16-20.
[2] Donovan, Rev, D. and Jacob A. Woodward, The History of the Town of Lyndeborough, New Hampshire, 1735-1905 (The Tufts College Press, 1906), p. 161.
[3] Donovan, The History of the Town of Lyndeborough, pp. 161, 176; Griffin, S. G., A History of the Town of Keene: From 1732 when the Township was Granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, when it became a City (Keene, NH; Sentinel Printing Co., 1904), pp. 207-208.
[4] US, New Hampshire, Revolutionary War Records, 1675-1835, National Archives;
Muster rolls and petitions, 1710-1778; Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, National Archives, RG 93.
[5] Griffin, A History of the Town of Keene, p. 211.
[6] Griffin, A History of the Town of Keene, p. 207.
[7] Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, National Archives, RG 93; US, New Hampshire, Revolutionary War Records, 1675-1835, National Archives;
Muster rolls and petitions, 1778-1787.
[8] Smith, Certain Early Ancestors, pp. 16-20.