Revolutionary War

Research and resources on Connecticut’s patriots of color

This list will be updated. Please check back for updates! “Cato Freedom,” 10 Million Names (https://10millionnames.org/stories/cato-freedom: accessed 2 February 2025). Jamie H. Eves, ““Faithfully to Serve”: Jesse & Job Leason, African American Soldiers in the Revolutionary War,” Windham Textile and History Museum (https://millmuseum.org/job-jesse-leason/: accessed 2 February 2025). Kaitlyn Oberndorfer, “Enslavement and Service: The Paradox ofContinueContinue reading “Research and resources on Connecticut’s patriots of color”

Resources for tracing patriots of color

This list is a work in progress and will continue to be updated! Rees, John U. ‘They were Good Soldiers’: African-Americans Serving in the Continental Army, 1775-1783. Warwick, England: Helion & Company, 2019. One of the best studies of patriots of color in recent years, the text bookends chapters on the soldiers from each stateContinueContinue reading “Resources for tracing patriots of color”

Why does my ancestor’s residence matter?

Most Revolutionary War companies were recruited locally. Although a regiment may have contained companies from multiple towns or counties, a company was generally organized from residents of one locale. This makes knowing your ancestor’s residence key… Why? If your ancestor didn’t reside in the county or town from which the company was recruited, it’s unlikelyContinueContinue reading “Why does my ancestor’s residence matter?”

What’s a whaleboat – and why does it matter to my Revolutionary War ancestors?

Used in whaling, a whale boat was a small vessel of about 30 ft with a crew of 6. The New Bedford Whaling Museum has an excellent description. During the American Revolution, they were used not for whaling but for raiding. The best know examples occurred between Connecticut and Long Island. Sometimes called the WhaleboatContinueContinue reading “What’s a whaleboat – and why does it matter to my Revolutionary War ancestors?”

What was the Loyalists Claims Commission?

The American Loyalists Claim Commission was a commission created by the British government to address claims of property damage by loyalists during the American Revolution. Established by act of parliament in July 1783, the commission paid out its final claims in 1789 ( Maya Jasanoff, Liberty’s Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World (Albert A.ContinueContinue reading “What was the Loyalists Claims Commission?”