The Portland daily press., 1898-01-25
COL. SAMUEL BReWsR's REGIMENT
Gallant Maine Soldiers of the Revolution
What They Did for Independence.
NUMBER ONE.

Where glory hath the gain"
One of the fighting regiments of the
army of the Revolution, in which Maine
had many soldiers, was Colonel Samuel
Brewers 18th Mass. Regiment, the nucle-
us of which was over seventy five men,
who re-inlisted in November, 1776, from
Colonel Edmund Phinney's 13Sth Conti-
mental Regiment then with the Northern
army near Lake George. These men
were given bounty of twenty dollars,
promised complete suit of clothing, or
twenty dollars more in money, and at
the end of the war they were to have one
hundred acres of land. Samuel Brewer
was appointed the colonel to that time.
| The soldiers of the Northern army did
not show the zeal to continue in the SER
vice that was hoped they would, caused
no doubt by the hardships they had en-
dured in that army while about Lake
ChampIain. The three years regiments
were to enter the service Jan. l, l777,
but enlistments were slow, and part of
Col. Brewers Regiment did not rendez-
vous at Boston until April 17,1777, and
the thirtieth started on their march tow
ard Fort Ticonderoga, where they arrived
May 80. A portion of the regiment were
at Lake Champlain, when they arrived,
who. no doubt, were the men who had
joined from Phinney's regiment, and
perhaps some others.
| The records of this regiment ars less
complete than most of the others, with
which it served, but it was gallant body
of brave patriots, who suffered and
fought for the liberty and comfort of
| their posterity. Its history is not COM
plete, but enough is known to enable the
descendants of those soldiers to have an
idea of the service they performed in the
long and tedious war of the Revolution.
Maine is proud Of such sons, and record
ing their deeds is pleasure. The poster
| ity of those soldiers should preserve this
incomplete history in their scrap books
for the children that are now playing
about your floors. They will want to
know of the brave and heroic deeds of
their ancestors, and such knowledge will
make them better citizens and more Jeal-
GUS of their country's honor.
| Samuel Carleton was appointed Eeuten-
ant colonel of the regiment Nov. 6, 1776.
Who he was, OF from what town he came,
we are unable to state. but probably from
what is now the State of Massachusetts,.
| Other commissioned officers, who we are
unable to now locate, no doubt were not
Maine men. Lieut.. Colonel Ebenezer
Sprout succeeded Carleton, and COM
manded the regiment during the balance
| of it's service.
Tobias Fernald, of Kittery. was ap-
pointed Major, Nov. 6, 1776 and served
until March 6, 1779, when Thomas Barnes
of Salem took his place and served in
that capacity until Nov. z, 17S0. Major
Fernald was born at Kittery February 1,
1744; married in 1880, Dorcas McIntire.
of York, and had two daughters. He
died at Kittery, Aug. Is, 1884, aged 40
years. He was a captain in Colonel
James Scamman's Regiment, in 1775, in
| Colonel Phinney's 18th Continental Regi-
ment in l776, Major of the 18th Mass.
Regiment, March 6. 1779, when he was
transferred to Colonel Marshalls 10th
Mass Regiment, and retired from the
service Jan. /, 1888.
At White Plains, in 1779, Joseph Tuck
er was paymaster, William White adju-
tant, William McKendry quartermaster,
and Ezekiel Brown of Concord, Mass,
was surgeon. About that time and at
that place, committee made new ar
rangement of the army, and this regi-
ment was called the 9th Mass. Regiment.
In July of that year board of general
officers settled the organization of the
Massachusetts, Line, and this was again
designated the 18th Mass. Regiment.
This arrangement was transmitted to
the Congress Aug. 4, 1779. The captains
then reported were Silas Burbank OF
| Scarboro; Abraham and John Williams
and John Pray of Kittery; James Means
of Stroudwater; Luke Hitchcock of
Granville. Mass. and Henry Sewall OF
York. Moses Knapp was reported as be
ing the Major in l779, which must have
| 6een only temporarily, as the term OF
service of the other officers Got that rank
cover the service of the regiment. He
was born in Mansfield, Mass, and died
in Franklin.
A full biographical sketch of Captain
Silas Burbank of Scarboro, was published
in the history of Col. Phinney's 3lst
Regiment of Foot; that of Capt. James
Means of Stroudwater in the PRESS OF
Oct. z, 1897, and @. M. James MoKen.
dry, of Canton, Mass, in the same paper
Sept. 26, 1896; but no mention is made Of
the service in this regiment, which was
probably but for short period.
| Capt Abraham Williams was from
Sandwich, Mass. and was the son OF
Rev. Abraham and Anna (Buckminster)
Williams. He was born Feb. 10. 1854
and died at Sandwich in 1875. He was a
second lieutenant in Col. Asa Whit
combs Regiment in 1776; captain in
the 18th Mass. Regiment, Sept 20, ITS,
and a brigade major in 1888. He married
Jan, 4, 1855, Abigail Freeman Of Sand
wicb. and had three daughters.
Capt. John Williams was the son OF
John and elizabeth Cutter Williams,
and was born at Groton, Mass, July a.