Daniel Hitchcock Daniel Hitchcock ( 15 February 1739 – 13 January 1777 ) was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Yale University . He moved to Providence , Rhode Island where he became an attorney and was suspected by the authorities of involvement in the Gaspee Incident . At the start of the American Revolutionary War he formed Hitchcock ' s Regiment of infantry in the Rhode Island Army of Observation . He was first appointed lieutenant colonel in command of the regiment when it marched to serve in the Siege of Boston in 1775 . His regiment was renamed the 11th Continental Regiment during 1776 . That year , he led his troops at Long Island , Harlem Heights , and White Plains . He was promoted to colonel in November 1776 . His regiment was renamed the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment at the start of 1777 . He led a small brigade of Rhode Island troops at Assunpink Creek and Princeton . At the latter action on 3 January 1777 , George Washington publicly thanked him for his efforts . He died ten days later of tuberculosis at Morristown , New Jersey . Early life . Not much is known of Daniel Hitchcock ' s early life . He was born on February 15 , 1739 in Springfield , Massachusetts . He was the youngest our 14 children from Lieutenant Ebenezer and Mary Hitchcock . In 1961 , Hitchcock graduated from Yale University , and he went on to practice law in Northampton , Massachusetts . Hitchcock moved to Providence , Rhode Island in 1771 . Hitchcock was thought by authorities to be affiliated with the " Gaspée Affair " , a sinking of a British ship and a lead up to the American Revolutionary War . Hitchcock , along with other lawyers , were forced to testify in front of the Rhode Island Court . Hitchcock , however , denied any involvement in the " Affair " . American Revolution . On June 1775 , Hitchcock authorized the Providence County Regiment , which was organized as eight companies of volunteers from Providence County of the colony of Rhode Island . The Regiment ' s first battle was the Siege of Boston , the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War . At the start of 1776 , the Regiment was renamed to the 11th Continental Regiment . The colonists were victorious on May 17 , 1776 , and the British were removed from the town of Boston , Massachusetts . Hitchcock ' s next battle was the Battle of Long Island . The British landed in Long Island on August 22 ready to attack American troops . Hitchcock ' s Regiment had 368 men . He and six other Regiments were sent to Long Island on August 25 , when it was clear that was the British target . The battle took place two days later , and the British won in a decisive victory . This battle was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence , the largest battle of the entire conflict , and the first battle in which an army of the United States engaged , having declared itself a nation only the month before . On September 15 , 1776 , the British moved part of their troops to Kip ' s Bay , Manhattan . The following day , the Battle of Harlem Heights happened . The British were losing , and started to retreat . George Washington sent various troops , including Hitchcock ' s Regiment , to pursue them . By the time the units got there , the British brought in more reinforcements . The British troops ran out of ammunition and were forced to retreat a second time . The Americans kept up a close pursuit until it was heard that British reserves were coming , and Washington , fearing a British trap , ordered a withdrawal , and the Americans won the battle . Hitchcock ' s next battle was the Battle of White Plains . Following the retreat of George Washington ' s Continental Army northward from New York City , British General William Howe landed troops in Westchester County , intending to cut off Washington ' s escape route . Alerted to this move , Washington retreated farther , establishing a position in the village of White Plains but failed to establish firm control over local high ground . Howe ' s troops drove Washington ' s troops from a hill near the village ; following this loss , Washington ordered the Americans to retreat farther north . Later British movements chased Washington across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania . Washington then crossed the Delaware and surprised a brigade of Hessian troops in the December 26 Battle of Trenton . Hitchcock led a Brigade of an estimated 822 men . He , along with several other units , stayed away from the Battle and were used at backups in case Washington needed them . The Americans won in a decisive victory , which proved to be great for American moral throughout the colonies . The American troops were expecting a counter - attack from the British , so the Army established a defensive position south of the Assunpink Creek . On December 31 , Washington learned that an army of 8 , 000 men under the command of General Charles Cornwallis was moving to attack him at Trenton . The Battle of the Assunpink Creek , which Hitchcock ' s Regiment fought in , took place on January 2 , 1777 . Cornwallis ' advance was significantly slowed due to defensive skirmishing by American riflemen under the command of Edward Hand , and the advance guard did not reach Trenton until twilight . After assaulting the American positions three times , and being repulsed each time , Cornwallis decided to wait and finish the battle the next day . Washington , attacked during the night , and the Battle of Princeton happened on January 3 , 1777 . Brigadier General Hugh Mercer of the Continental Army clashed with two regiments under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood of the British Army . Mercer and his troops were overrun and Washington sent some militia under Brigadier General John Cadwalader to help him . The militia , on seeing the flight of Mercer ' s men , also began to flee . Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia . He then led the attack on Mawhood ' s troops , driving them back . Mawhood gave the order to retreat and most of the troops tried to flee to Cornwallis in Trenton . Hitchcock was infected with dysentery during the battle , however , he commanded the " New England Brigade " , which helped the Americans win the battle . Washington personally thanked Hitchcock for his efforts during the War in front of the entire Continental Army . Hitchcock would die on January 13 , 1777 at a camp in Morristown , and he was buried January 14 .