The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-16
Capt. Winthrop Baston and His Company.


| When the plans for the seige of Boston in
! l776, had been made it was found that moro
men were needed for successful termina-
| tion of the operations, and General Wash
| ington appeaIe ed before the General Court
| of Massachusetts and recommended the
raising of temporary reinforcelnents for the
army. of two months men their time to X
| pie April LIST. The General Court decided
| to raise the men and William Cutter. OF
North Yarmouth and Joshua Faybian. of
Scarborough were appointed to raise two
| companies in Cumberland County. and the
| following letter will show how we'll William
Cutter attended to his duties. This letter
was made part of the records February
| 10th. l7T6.
s'Io the whole Court
81 would inform your Hono1s as Joshua
Fayhian and myself were appointed 10 raise
two companies in the County of Cumber-
| land. We nave attended to that service and
BY agreement with Esq. Faybian, engaged
to raise company in the easte1ly part Of
the county. | would acquiant your Honors
that have enlisted company in North
Yarmouth. Brunswick. Harpswell. New
Gloucester. New Boston and Windham, con-
| The aforesaid company met this day and
| chose for their captainMr. Winthrop Baston,
Messrs. Nathan Merrill and Robert Dunning
Lieutena mis- and Mr.. Thomas Adams En-
sign. Then Immediately marched for Cam.
bridge where l hope they will soon arrive
81 am with great respect
Your Humble Servant
William Cutter.''
ro;c q Il I,,,t
the roll has but eigbty-nine mems names.
The following is Il copy of Capt.. Baston's'
commission.
Seal.
Colony of the Massachusetts Bay.
The Major part of the Council of the Massa-
chusetis Bay in New England.
ITO Winthrop Baston Gentleman Getting
You being appointed Captain of q COM
pany raised by this Colony as temporary
rein orcenlent to the American Army until
the first of April next in the regiment
whereof Jacob French is Colonel by virtue
of the power vested in US we do. by these
presents, reposing special trust and conf
dence in your loyalty, courage. and good
conduct. commission you accordingly You
are therefore carefully and diligently to
discharge the duty of Captain in leadin q
ordering, and exercising said company in
arms both inferior officers and soldiers and
10 keep them in good order and discipline.
And tl.ey are hereby commanded to obey
you as their Captain and you are yourself
to observe and follow such orders and in
structions as you shall from time to time
receive from your superior officers.
Given under our hands and seal OF the
said Colony at Watertown the fifth day of
February in the sixteenth year of his Males
ty, King George the Third. Ammo Domini |
1776.''
By the command of the Major part of the
Council.
Perez Norton
Secretary.
n On tine side of this commission are signed |
the names of William Neven. W Spooner, |
j. Cushing. J. Winthrop, Jedi. Fowler. |
John whitcomb. Eldad Taylor. Charles
Charming, Michael Farley, S. Holten, B.
Lincoln. Moses Gill, John Taylor. and B, |
White.
Captain Baston's company after arriving
at Cambridge encamped at Winter Hill and |
during their service, worked on the fortif- |
cations and guarded the powder.
After the evacuation of Boston by the
British, the American army was transferred
toNewYorkand vicinity and operations abou
Boston were at an emu, then this com Jany
was marched home and disc harged Some
of these men the next year, enlisted and
took part in the Saratoga Campaign. Capt. |
Winthrop Baston sometimes written Bos- |
tom was a shipwright and lived at North
Yarmouth. He married, first. August 26,
1862. Hannah Weare, and second. June %, |
1893. Hannah Ludden, of North YaImo nth. |
He served as Sergeant at Falmouth in
1775. then as Captain of this company at
the siege of Boston in 1776. and afterward
as Lieutenant, i've months. under Cap t. |
John Wentworth. in Col. Aaron Wizards |
regiment. He was taken sick in the army, |
and was always an invalid until his death, |
which occurred June rs, 1917.
Roll OF Capt. Winthrop Baston's Company, |
in Col. Jacob Frenchs regiment, raised in |
the towns of North Yarmol th, brunswick, |
Harpswell, New Gloucester. New Boston, |
and Windham, for two months service at |
the siege OF Boston. 1776.
Date of
IA a.,