Benjamin Hinman Benjamin Hinman ( 1719 – 1810 ) was a Surveyor , Soldier and Legislator . He participated in the Colonial and Revolutionary Wars and took part in the Constitutional convention of 1788 . Notably , he was present at Bernetz Brook where General Lord Howe was killed in 1758 . He was also one of the first American officers of the revolutionary war and led a regiment into the field to secure the Hudson corridor from the British a year before the declaration of independence . In later life , he was involved in the exploration and surveying of portions of Vermont . In modern times , he is known for his , often misrepresented , confrontations with Benedict Arnold and New York General Phillip Schuyler . Biography . Hinman was born in the town of Woodbury , Connecticut . His family was among the original settlers of that community in the 1670s . His parents were Benjamin Hinman II ( b . 1692 ) and Sarah Sherman . His grandfather , Captain John Sherman , served in the Connecticut legislature and was Speaker of the House of Representatives . Col Hinman ’ s parents perished of sickness in 1727 leaving the young Benjamin and his sibling ’ s orphans . The children were taken in by relatives and were raised in the family of Judge Noah Hinman . Col . Hinman rose to prominence as a military officer during the era of the French and Indian wars ; first serving as quartermaster in a contingent of Connecticut horse in 1745 . In 1751 , he served in a troop under General Roger Wolcott in the invasion of Canada . Then in 1753 , he received a commission as cornet ( a cavalry second lieutenant ) in the 13th Connecticut Regiment of foot and horse . Next , he was promoted to Captain of the 6th company of foot and assigned to the regiment of Colonel Elizur Goodrich in 1755 . This unit was involved in defending Crown Point , Lake Champlain and the surrounding area from the French army . Hinman ’ s company took part in the battle between the forces of Sir William Johnson and Baron Dieskau in September of that year . Promoted to Major of the 4th regiment in 1756 , he participated in the invasion of Canada in Col . Whiting ’ s Regiment . In 1757 , he was in the field by commission of Governor Fitch and involved in the campaigns around lakes George and Champlain . He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the third regiment of Foot by Governor Pitken in 1758 . The famous Israel Putnam was assigned as a Major under him . Hinman was present in the action at Bernitz Brook when Lord Howe was killed : and his unit took part in the abortive battle at Ticonderoga under General James Abercrombie shortly thereafter . A great many losses were sustained by the British and Provincial Army at this time and most of the soldiers from Woodbury never returned home again . In 1759 , Col . Hinman was again in service in the successful campaign that all but ended the war in North America . In that year , he fought at Ft . Ticonderoga , Crown point and Quebec . As hostilities declined , Colonel Hinman was elected to serve as a representative ( deputy ) in the Connecticut Colonial Legislature serving in sessions from 1760 - 1762 and again in 1767 – 1768 . From 1767 - 1771 he held a commission as Lt . Colonel of a regiment of Horse and Foot . He became Colonel of the same regiment ( the 13th ) in 1771 and held this commission through the beginning of the revolutionary war . Revolutionary war . An ardent patriot , Colonel Hinman was a member of the committee of correspondence for Woodbury in 1774 . Immediately following the battles of Concord and Lexington in April of 1775 , he was drawn from the existing militia officers to command one of the 6 regiments raised for the “ special defense ” of the colony ( s ) . Now , as Colonel of the 4th Connecticut Regiment , he was ordered with four companies to Greenwich and had one company at Boston . In May , he was ordered by Connecticut Governor Trumbull to March with 10 companies ( 1000 men ) to reinforce the small garrison at Fort Ticonderoga ( Ty ) New York . There , Hinman was to “ Command the forces of Crown Point and Ticonderoga ” ; and secure the area from counterattack of the British and their allies . When he arrived , Hinman became a witness to the first and least known of Benedict Arnold ’ s acts of treason toward the budding democracy . Arnold , who joined Ethan Allen ’ s expedition against Ticonderoga shortly before the fort was taken , was in the area of crown point aboard a captured Sloop when Hinman arrived at Ty in June . However , unlike Colonels Ethan Allen and Seth Warner who relinquished their commands to Hinman upon his arrival , Benedict Arnold was tenacious of his authority . A Connecticut Captain , just two months prior , Arnold was now brandishing a Massachusetts colonelcy and styling himself as “ Commander - n - chief ” of Crown Point . He had perhaps 250 men , the command of two ships , and absolutely no desire to relinquish any authority whatsoever . In his attempt to keep it , Arnold rapidly became a bottle neck to the preparations for war . He interfered with the command of the fort and refused access to it by the Connecticut soldiers except upon condition ; and his behavior got progressively worse . Over the next few days , Arnold caused the attempted robbery , abduction and “ firing on ” of the committee sent by the Massachusetts Congress to investigate into his ( Arnolds ) activities . Further , the menace of mutiny soon prevailed among his men and a threat was made that the two ships under Arnold ’ s command would be sailed to the British post at Saint John ’ s and surrendered to them . This act , if completed , may have had fatal consequences to the revolutionary cause at that early stage of the conflict . Hinman had been patient with Arnold and respectful of the interest of the three colonies represented at Ticonderoga to this point ; however , upon hearing of the treacherous threat , he immediately sent a detachment to procure the ships and enlist all those of Arnold ’ s men that were willing . The rest were disbanded . Thus , Hinman ended the 7 day dispute over who was in command at Crown Point by taking the last of Arnold ’ s authority from him . The head of the Massachusetts committee , Walter Spooner , commented on the actions of Col Hinman in this difficult situation with the statement that “ from the polite , generous , and manly disposition of Colonel Hinman , we may gather the most happy prospects of a campaign at the Northward replete with honor and interest to the Colonies ” . Col . Hinman continued in the northward , but , he was soon hampered by the lack of supplies tents and gunpowder for his troops ; all items that the colony of New York had agreed to furnish but failed to provide . They did , however , send one of their leading citizens , Philip Schuyler , to take command of the Connecticut Troops . In late June , the Second Continental Congress had favored New York with the appointment of Schuyler as a Major General and assigned him to the command of the northward . Unfortunately , the displaced and disgruntled Benedict Arnold was aware of this and soon appeared before Schuyler to complain about his treatment . After their meeting , the sympathetic Schuyler traveled to Ty , but he did not take significant troops or supplies with him . He did , however , immediately begin attacking the work and character of the New England troops . He also began agitating for the replacement of the existing key officers with substitutes from New York . A situation that prompted Hinman to comment in August that the province of New York abounds with officers , but he had yet to have his curiosity gratified by the sight of one private . Schuyler ’ s habits and decisions soon created a general distrust of his motives among the New England troops and rumors that Schuyler was actually in league with the British abounded . These sentiments continued among the officers and men in the Northern Army until Schuyler was removed by Congress in 1777 . Col Hinman continued in the northward into mid December 1775 . Although ravaged by sickness , his regiment was the nucleus of the army led to Canada by General Montgomery and was present at the battle of St . Johns , the reduction of Montreal , and siege of Quebec . They were adopted by the Continental Congress in July and officially became members of the newly formed Continental Army in October of that year . Col . Hinman was again in the field in 1776 , and was present with the 13th regiment when Long island New York was invaded by the British . Thereafter , as a Colonel of state troops , he was stationed in the Westchester area at Horse neck and the long island sound to support the main army in the late fall and early winter of 76 / 77 . He was subsequently involved in repelling General Tyron ’ s invasion of Danbury Connecticut and took part in the battle at Ridgefield in April , 1777 . British military and news papers reported that he had been killed in this action . Hospital records indicate that he may indeed have been wounded at that time . Later in the same year , Col Hinman was at the head of a company of rangers scouting at Bennington and Saratoga . He was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga in mid October 1777 . Also in October of that year , Col . Hinman was again elected to a seat in the legislature of Connecticut and continued to serve there in sessions through 1780 and again from 1785 - 1788 . He was a member of the Connecticut Convention that adopted the U . S . Constitution in 1788 . Here he voted to formally make Connecticut what it had always been - one of the original 13 states of the union . In his later years , he was involved with his family in the settlement and exploration of lands in the vicinity of Derby Vermont . He died in Southbury , New Haven County , Connecticut in 1810 . Family . He was married to Mary Stiles and they had 5 children . His son Joel was wounded at Danbury in 1777 . His nephew was Yale graduate Royal Ralph Hinman who served as Connecticut Secretary of State . His grandson Joel Hinman served with distinction on the Connecticut Supreme Court for many years . His cousin , Capt . David Hinman served with him throughout many of his adventures . Notably , he was at Ticonderoga , Danbury , and was a member of the company of rangers mentioned at Bennington and Saratoga . References . 1 . Directory of American Biographies by Francis Samuel Drake 2 . Colonial Records of the Colony of Connecticut 3 . lt . Benjamin Ruggles disposition / Connecticut Colonial records 1756 4 . History of ancient Woodbury Connecticut from the first Indian deed in 1659 to 1854 pg 169 - By William Cothren publ . Bronsen brothers 1854 5 . 200 years , An Historical account of The Second Company Governors Foot Guard from 1775 to 1975 compiled by William J Pendergrass http : / / www . footguard . org / 6 . General Richard Montgomery and the American Revolution : From Redcoat to Rebel By Hal Shelton pg . 66 7 . A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut pg 144 By Royal Ralph Hinman 8 . Arnolds memorandum book June 16 , 1775 9 . Letter from Spooner to Trumbul July 5 , 1775 . “ the Committee order me to say , that from the polite , generous , and manly disposition of Colonel Hinman , and the officers in the Connecticut Forces under him , we may gather the most happy prospects of a campaign at the Northward replete with honor and interest to the Colonies ” . 10 . Journals of Cong , 1775 pg . 111 11 . Report of the Crown Point Committee to the Massachusetts Congress July 6 , 1775 12 Edward Mott to Gov Trumbull July 6 , 1775 13 . The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service During the revolution - By John Ed . Johnston , publ Connecticut Historical Society 14 . A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut pg 846 15 . The Vermont historical gazetteer Vol 3 , pg 183 , 186 a history of each town , Orleans and Rutland counties , Claremont manufacturing co . 1877 16 . Letter from Benedict Arnold to Captain Noah Lee 5 - 23 - 1775 Forces American archives S4 - V2 - pg 841 17 . The bicentennial history of the county of Albany ny . 1669 - 1896 , Part 1 . pg 394 - 398 – Howell and Tenny publ by W . W . Munsell 1886 18 . HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY , CONNECTICUT FROM THE FIRST INDIAN DEED IN 1659 to 1854 pg 161 - 163 By WILLIAM COTHREN published by Bronsen Brothers 1854 19 . A Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut 20 . The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service During the revolutionary war . . . By John Johnston , Connecticut Historical Society 21 . Proceedings of he Vermont Historical Society - October 8 , 1872 , pg 38 - Montpelier , 1872 22 . American Archives Series 4 , Volume 2 , Page 0411 23 . American Archives Series 4 , Volume 2 , Page 0571 24 . The life of Gouverneur Morris Vol 1 , pg 58 . by Jared Sparks . Publ by Grey and Bowen , Boston1832 25 . Letter from E . Phelps to Ny congress July 6 , 1775 , American Archives Series 4 , Volume 2 , Page 1605 26 . Post script in the letter from COL Hinman to GEN Schuylar . July 7 , 1775 , American Archives Series 4 , Volume 2 , Page 1605 P . S . I wait , Sir , with impatience for your arrival , as I find myself very unable to steer in this stormy situation . Sometimes we have no flour , and a constant cry for rum , and want of molasses for beer , which was engaged to our people ; the failure of those who provide give great uneasiness to the men ; hope for better times on your arrival . 27 . Sherman genealogy including families of Essex , Suffolk and Norfolk , England pg . 134 . By Thomas Townsend Sherman 28 . A Catalogue of the Names of the Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut pg 847 By Royal Ralph Hinman 29 . Letter from General Schuyler to the President of the Continental Congress 7 / 11 / 75 American Archives Series 4 , Volume 2 , Page 1645 30 . Letter from Colonel Hinman to Governour Trumbull . His Regiment is very sickly , and a great number unfit for duty , the Province of New - York abounds with officers , but he has not yet seen one private . American Archives Series 4 , Volume 3 , Page 0135 31 . The Record of Connecticut Men in the Military and Naval Service During the revolutionary war page 36 . By John Ed . Johnston , Connecticut Historical Society 32 . Letter from Colonel Hinman to Governour Trumbull : Of his Regiment , called out to reinforce General Washington , several Companies have gone , and tomorrow the whole will be off . American Archives Series 5 , Volume 1 , Page 0957 33 . Letter from Governour Trumbull to General Washington : The Connecticut Battalions are raising with all possible diligence , and will soon march . American Archives Series 5 , Volume 1 , Page 0045 34 . Hinman to NY . Congress , July 3 , 1775 , Force p . v2 . 1538 35 . Edward Mott to Gov Trumbull 7 / 6 / 1775 . 36 . William How to Lord Germaine , Ny , May 22 , 1777 , The Rembrencer or Imperial Repository of Public Events for 1777 , pg 151 - printed for J Almon , Piccadilly London 1778 37 . Affidavit from the revolutionary war Pension Application of John Coe 39 . London Gazette of June 21 , 1777 pg 2 . 40 . Ticonderoga 1758 : Montcalm ’ s victory against all odds pg . 29 , 37 Rene Chartrand 41 . Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans VOL V , - ROSSITER JOHNSON 1904