Andover in the Revolutionary War

"Voted, that the enlisted soldiers be furnished with bayonets at the expense of the town.

Voted, that a committee be chosen to collect the bayonets now in the hands of individuals in this Town and provide such a number of new ones as will be sufficiency to supply the minute men.

Voted, that the committee chosen at the last meeting procure bayonets collect as many as they can of those belonging to the Province by next Wednesday, two o'clock, P.M., that they procure one hundred more to be made as soon as possible and supply those firelocks that are effective which belong to the minute men with good bayonets as soon as may be."

Last Tuesday at 2 o'clock P.M., the town foot companies of the 4th regiment of Militia in the County of Essex, Inhabitants of the North Parish in Andover, being mustered (after attending prayers for the direction of the God of armies), Col. Samuel JOHNSON, lately chosen first officer of said regiment, addressed himself to the companie and with great zeal recommended to them the necessity of enlisting themselves in to the serve of the province and in a short time fifty able bodied efficient men, being one quarter part of said companies - more than a third part of whom are heads of families and men of substance and Probity, willingly offered themselves : they were then escorted to an Inn, where they made choice of Captain, Thomas POOR, junr., for their captain, Ensign Benjamin FARNUM first lieutenant, and Samuel JOHNSON, junr. for second lieutenant. They then subscribed a covenant obliging them to conform to the Resolves of the former or any future Congress or General Assembly of the Province that hath or may have Relation to their Duty, and by said Convent subjected themselves to martial discipline for the term of one year from the time of their enlisting. And this day at two o'clock afternoon, when after attending prayers for direction, Col. JOHNSON enlisted forty-five able-bodied men as aforesaid and companies last mentioned, who immediately proceeded to make choice of Capt. Benjamin AMES for their captain, Lieut David CHANDLER first lieutenant and Isaac ABBOT for second lieutenant, and subscribed the convenient aforesaid. All being performed with great unanimity, seriousness and decorum, and the soldiers seeming rather to be animated than disheartened by the late disagreeable news contained in the king's speech."

There were four militia companies at Andover, containing in all four hundred men. The companies commanded by Captain Poor and Captain Ames, appear in the muster rolls of the "Lexington Alarm", in the regiment of Col. James FRYE. The rolls are listed below, and were enlisted by Col. Samuel Johnson.

Muster Roll of the Minute Men under the Command of Captain Thomas Poor of Andover in Colonel James Frye's Regiment from the Nineteenth of April, 1775, to the 25th of sd Month

Thomas Poor, Capt.	Benjamin Parker, do	William Gordon
Benjamin Farnum, Lieut	Nehemiah Abbot, Private	Joshua Johnson
Samuel Johnson, 2 do.	John Barker, junr	Phineas Johnson
John Chickering, Sergt	John Barker, 3d	Isaiah Ingalls
Cyrus Marble, do	Jacob Barnard	Peter Johnson
Philips Farrington, do	John Clark	Abiel Lovejoy
Joshua Frye, drummer	Zechariah Chickering	Ephraim Lasey
Joshua Long, fifer	Thomas Clark	John Nichols
John Parker, corporal	Stephen Farrington	Timothy Noyes, jr
Peter Farnum, do	John Farrington	Asa Osgood
John Johnson, do	Jonathan Gardner	Abraham Poor
Michael Parker	Jonathan Robertson	John Tyler
Stephen Poor	Jonathan Stevens	Simon Wardwell
Timothy Poor, jr	David Stevens	James Wiley
Enoch Parker	Darius Sessions	John Wilson
David Poor, jr	Amos Stevens	Samuel Carlton
Peter Poor, jr	James Stevens	Timothy Carlton
John Parker, jr

"Each of the above named persons equipt themselves with fire arms and all accoutrements. THOMAS POOR, Captain.

Benjamin Ames, Capt	Jonathan Commins	Josiah Jones
David Chandler, Lieut	Nathan Chandler	Nathan Lovejoy
Isaac Abbot, Lieut	William Chamberlain	David Lovejoy
Benjamin More, Sergt	Joseph Chandler	Obadiah Lovejoy
Joshua Lovejoy, Sergt	William Dane	William Lovejoy
William Chandler, Sergt	Joseph Dane	Samuel Martain
Thomas Boynton, Sergt	Amos Durant	Perley McIntire
David Blunt, corporal	Abiel Faulkner	Phineas Osgood
Bixbe Abbot, corp.	Theophilus Frye	Joseph Parker
Eben'r Holbrook, corp.	George Holt	Carlton Parker
Moses Boynton, corp.	William Haggit	John Stevens
Joshua More, drummer	Joshua Holt	Nathaniel Toy
Caleb Abbot, rank and file	Jesse Holt	James Turner
Humphrey Holt	Jeremiah Wardwell-Pembroke	Nathaniel Abbot
John Herrick	Samuel Blanchard	Ephraim Johnson
Ezekiel Wardwell	Jonathan Boynton	Josiah Johnson
James Johnson	Peter Chandler

For muster rolls of each regiment which marched from Andover to Cambridge on April 19, 1775 answering the alarms, see Historical Sketches of Andover, pages 302-304.

"The companies which went from Andover to Lexington marches through Tewksbury and Billerica toward the scene of action, but, learning of the fight w\and the retreat of the regulars, they turned and took the road in pursuit,. They did not, however, overtake the enemy."

Journal entries of Bimsley Stevens, Samuel Osgood, Thomas Boynton, James Stevens, are outlined and recited from on pages 304-313 of Historical Sketches of Andover

This return was made October 6, 1775, for the purpose of showing the men who had been eight months in service, and were, therefore, each to receive a coat as bounty. They enlisted February 1775. From Coat Rolls of Col. James Fry's Regiment, page 10.

Benjamin Ames, Capt	Timothy Chandler	Ephraim Johnson
David Chandler, Lieut	Jonathan Cummings	Josiah Jones, Londonderry
Isaac Abbot, Lieut	Nathan Chandler	Nathan Lovejoy
Benjamin More, Sergt	William Chamberlain	Obadiah Lovejoy
Joshua Lovejoy, Sergt	Joseph Chandler, killed in battle, June 17th	David Lovejoy
Thomas Boynton, Sergt	William Chandler, Sergt	Stephen Chandler
William Lovejoy	David Blunt, corp.	William Dane
Samuel Martain	Bixbe Abbot, corp.	Joseph Dane
Peter Martain	Ebenezer Holbrook, corp.	Israel Herrick, Lewiston
Perley Mackintire	Amos Durant	Christopher Osgood, Blue Hill, ME
Moses Boynton, corp	Simeon Dresser	Joseph Parker
Abiel Faulkner	Joshua More, drummer	Theophilus Frye
Carlton Parker	James Chandler, do	George Holt
Salem Poor *see below	Caleb Abbot	William Haggit, killed in battle, June 17th
John Stevens	Nathaniel Abbot, discharged August 20th	Joshua Holt
Nathaniel Toy	Solomon Ames	Israel Holt
James Turner	Philip Abbot, killed in battle, June 17th	Jesse Holt, died June 21st
Jeremiah Wardwell, Pembroke	Humphrey Holt	Samuel Blanchard
William Holt	Ezekiel Wardwell	Jonathan Boynton
John Herrick	Israel Herrick, Lewiston	Peter Chandler
James Johnson

The following names are pulled from the muster roll of Company under the command of Captain Charles Furbush in Col. Bridges Regiment, to the first of August, 1775. These are the names of soldiers from Andover.

Charles Furbush, Capt.	John Baldwin, private	Jeremiah Blanchard, Lieut
William Bailey	Jeremiah Blanchard	London Cittizen
Jeremiah Morrel, Corp	Jacob Amas, Corp	Charles Furbush, jr
Thomas Smith, Corp	Simeon Furbush, drummer	Cuff Blanchard
Cesar Porter	Daniel Longren	Thomas Hagget
Samuel Bealy, killed June 17th	John Broughton

Additional muster rolls, in varying format and content can be found in Historical Sketches of Andover.

State Records confirm that Salem Poor, a slave owned by Mr. John POOR, shot Lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie. The record in the archives states the following:

To the Honl General Court of the Massachusetts Bay, The subscribers begg leave to Report to your Honble House, which we do in justice to the Caracter of so Brave a man that came under out observation. We declare that a Negro Man called Salem Poor, of Col. Frye's Regiment, Capt. Ames' company, in the late battle at Charlestown, behaved like an experienced officer as well as an excellent soldier; to set forth Perticluars of his conduct would be tedious. Wee would only begg leave to say, in the Person of this sd. Negro centres a Brave & Gallant soldier. the Reward due to so great and Distinguished a Caracter wee submit to the Congress.

"It is sometimes supposed by persons unacquainted with the facts that accurate and careful records are on file in the State Archives in regard to the soldiers who fought in the battles of the Revolution; that the names of the killed and wounded in any battle are readily to be found. But such is by no means the case, as every one knows who has had occasion to make search. The rolls were returned mainly for the purpose of obtaining the pay due the soldiers, and they are often deficient in particulars of residence and in other respects, and moreover, they do not cover the entire service, but are fragmentary and imperfect, and, to a great extent, without chronological arrangement.

The only roll found which shows the losses sustained of the men at Bunker Hill is one of the company of Captain Ames, containing a list of names, and "guns that is lost", "coats that is lost", "Blankets that is lost"," great coats that is lost", "Knapsacks that is lost". This indicates the panic and haste in which the fleeing men dropped whatever impeded their retreat."

Boynton's journal says :"We lost William Haggot, Joseph Chandler, and Philip Abbot. Wounded, Lieut. Isaac Abbot, Sergt. Joshua Lovejoy, James Turner, Jeremiah Wardwell, Stephen Chandler, and Israel Holt, of our company."

Andover was chosen as one of the places to safely store the library of Harvard College. It was originally decided to send the whole library to Andover, but was later changed to store it in several locations.

The following are bills which were found for the expenses of removal of the books:

Colony of Massachusetts Bay to the following persons, viz. To Joshua Blanchard, jr.

To carting one load of Books belonging to Harvard College from Menotomy to Mr. Samuel Osgood's in Andover, 20 miles, L1.0 0 DR.

To carting one load of Books from Menotomy to the house of George Abbot, Esq., in Andover, 17 miles, L0. 17. Dr.

There are also bills of Benjamin Ames, jr and Philemon Dane, for carting books the same distance, and the books were brought to the house of Mr. Samuel Osgood, the receipt is from MR. Phillips, in the amount of three pounds, seventeen shillings, paid in full.

Journal entries written by James Stevens can be found in Historical Sketches of Andover from pages 335 to 338.

Rank of companies	Towns	Captains	1st Lieutenants	2nd Lieutenants
1	Andover	John Peabody	Samuel Johnson	Cyrus Marble
2	Haverhill	Nathaniel Marsh	Israel Bartlett	Ebenezer Gage
3	Bradford	Nathaniel Gage	Daniel Kimball	Joseph Mulliken
4	Boxford	Jacob Gould	John Dorman	Jedediah Stickney
5	Methuen	John Bodwell	John Huse	Samuel Cross
6	Andover	John Abbot, jr	Moses Abbot	Samuel Jenkins
7	Haverhill	Samuel Merrill	Stephen Webster	Samuel Crowel
8	Bradford	John Savory	Thomas Stickney	Moses Herriman
9	Andover	Nathaniel Lovejoy	John Adams	John Frye
10	Haverhill	Timothy Johnson	Ephraim Eliot	John Page
11	Andover	Joshua Holt	William Dean	Jonathan Abbot
12	Methuen	James Jones	Nathaniel Messer	Stephen Webster
13	Boxford	John Cushing	Samuel Runnels	Asa Merril
14	Haverhill	Joseph Eaton	Isaac Snow	Samuel Hazeltine
15	Methuen	David Whitier	James Mallon	John Parker, jr

Samuel Johnson, John Whittier, Samuel Bodwell, field officers, Andover, March 26, 1776.

An exact account for all the men enlisted to serve in the continental army for the term of nine months agreeable to a resolve of the General Court of the 26th of April, who belong to the Fourth Regiment of Militia in the County of Essex, of which Samuel Johnson, of Andover, is Colonel. Andover, June 2nd, 1778.

Name	Age	complexion	height	company captain	regiment	town
Frederick Ballard	16	dark	5.0	Lovejoy	Johnson	Andover
Daniel Young	30	do	5.10	do	do	do
William Wilson	40	do	5.6	do	do	do
John McCoy	17	Olive	5.5	do	do	do
Aaron Readington	16	sandy	5.5	do	do	do
Samuel Stickney	43	light	5.8	Holt	do	do
Timothy Chandler	40	do	5.10	do	do	do
John Macoy	20	do	5.8	do	do	do
Aaron Parker	19	dark	5.6	do	do	do
John Montgomery	40	do	5.8	Johnson	do	do
Alexander Montgomery	17	do	5.3	do	do	do
Aaron Wood	16	Light	5.3	do	do	do
Nathaniel Frye	18	dark	5.3	do	do	do
James Parker	18	dark	5.3	do	do	do
Simeon Dresser	19	light	5.9	Holt	do	do
Ephraim Abbot	19	do	5.7	do	do	do
Elijah Knight	19	dark	5.8	do	do	do
Robert Gray, jr	17	dark	5.9	do	do	do
Carlton Parker	24	do	5.10	do	do	do
Dudley Pettengel	25		5.11	Bodwell	do	Methuen

A return of those Men Enlisted into the Continental Service for the term of Three Years or during the War and Returned for the Second Foot Company in the Town of Andover.

Benjamin Wild	Jacob Russel	Isaac Lovejoy
Silus Blunt	Isaac Russel	James Turner
James Turner, jr	Mark Winter	Benjamin Eaton
Thomas Day	George Blunt	John Knights
Palfrey Downing	Cesar Cogswell	Jonathan Hutchinson
Benjamin Webb	Cato Foster	Caleb Abbot
Daniel Holt, jr	John Crosby, Boston	James Parker
Edward Herrick	John Quin, Boston

"In 1777, he commanded a regiment detached from the county of Essex, and led them to victory and glory in the memorable action on the 7th of October, where his firmness and courage was particularly distinguished. His regiment was a part of that respectable yeomantry whom General Burgoyne honored as the owners of the soil, men determined to conquer or die. This was the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment which Col. Johnson commanded through the war, and with promptness and punctuality answered the requisitions of Government in a manner highly satisfactory to the several corps which composed the regiment.

Brigadier general Joseph Frye	Captain Benjamin Ames	Captain Joshua Holt
Colonel James Frye	Captain Henry Abbot	Captain Samuel Johnson
Colonel Samuel Johnson	Captain John Abbot	Captain John Peabody
Colonel Thomas Poor	Captain John Adams	Surgeon of 1st Regiment, Dr. Thomas Kittredge
Major Samuel Osgood	Captain Benjamin Farnum	Adjutant general Bimsley Stevens
Captain Charles Furbush

Year	Name
1771	Samuel Phillips, Esq.
1772	Samuel Phillips, Esq.
1773	Mr. Moody Bridges
1774	Capt. Moody Bridges (2)
1775	Mr. Samuel Phillips, jr. (3)
1776	Mr. Samuel Phillips, Capt. Joshua Holt, Samuel Osgood, Esq., Mr. Nehemiah Abbot
1777	Colonel Samuel Johnson
1778	Colonel Samuel Johnson, Mr. Samuel Phillips
1779	Mr. Samuel Phillips, jr., Samuel Osgood, Esq.
1780	Colonel Samuel Johnson, Capt.. Joshua Holt
1781	Capt.. Peter Osgood, Capt. Joshua Holt
1782	Capt. Joshua Holt
1783	Joshua Holt, Esq
1784	Hon. Samuel Osgood, Esq.
1785	Joshua Holt, Esq
1786	Joshua Holt, Esq.
1787	Mr. Peter Osgood, jr
1788	Capt. Peter Osgood
1789	Capt Peter Osgood
1790	Capt. Peter Osgood
1791	Capt.. Peter Osgood
1792	Capt. Peter Osgood
1793 to 1800	Joshua Holt, Esq.

All records were abstracted from Historical Sketches of Andover by Sarah Loring Bailey. Please refer to the book for a great deal more information regarding Andover during this period. The muster rolls, records and other data here are only a select few.