My Military Ancestors

     This 4th of July I am thinking back about my ancestors that served the United States in times of conflict.  My ancestors fought in nearly ever major war, from the French and Indian War, through the Revolution and in to the 20th Century (the exceptions being World War I and the Mexican-American War).  Below is what I have been able to uncover so far about the military service of my ancestors.

French and Indian War

Battaile Harrison (1725-1776)

Lieutenant in VA Militia

Henry Francis (1734-1780)

Sergeant, 1st VA Regiment

John Hurlbut, Jr. (1732-1782)

Private, Connecticut Militia, Capt. Daniel Bradley's Company of Col.Andrew Burr's Regiment.

Kept a diary of his service at Fort Ticonderoga. More info.

Grave of Henry Francis, at the site of the Battle of Shallow Ford

Revolutionary War

Henry Francis (1734-1780)

Captain, VA Militia

Killed in action at Battle of Shallow Ford (NC), October 14, 1780. More info.

Battaile Harrison (1725-1776)

Lieutenant, MD & VA Rifle Regiment

Killed in action at Battle of Fort Washington (NY), November 16, 1776 More info.

Elisha Blackman

Elisha Blackman III (1760-1846)

Private, Pennsylvania Militia under Captain Bidlack.

Survivor of the Wyoming Massacre (PA) (July 3rd 1778) More info.

Henry Boas (1760-1834)

Private, Col. William Hay's Pennsylvania Regiment

Fought at Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Trenton. More info.

Reuben Harrison Sr. (1749-1824)

Ensign, Amherst Co., VA Militia

Hezekiah Stone (1752-1798)

Corporal, 6th VA Regiment (Lunenburg Co.) Commanded by Capt. Garland.

Present at Valley Forge, PA in January, 1778.

Joshua Ferguson (1753-1837)

Private, Fairfax Co. VA Militia under Col. Waggoner.

Met George Washington and defended Mount Vernon and Alexandria, VA. More info.

Isham Beasley (1760-1855)

Private, Enlisted November, 1779, North Carolina

John Knight (1760-1843)

Private, in Regiment Commanded by Col. Matthew Locke in North Carolina.

John Stewart (1730-1805)

Private, 3rd VA Regiment (Halifax Co.) Commanded by Col. Thomas Marshall.

 

War of 1812

Reuben Harrison Jr. (1782-1844)

Major, Kentucky Mounted Militia.

Samuel Shelton Sr. (1793-1868)

John Selby (1786-1851)

Private, Virginia Militia, Commanded by Capt. Baldwin

Civil War

Jacob Frank (1833-1909) (Union)

Private, 9th Cavalry Regiment, Missouri State Militia Vols, Co. D.

Patrolled Missouri, mostly in Franklin and Gasconade counties. Protected rail lines from saboteurs. Reenlisted 1863, Thomas’ Callaway County Volunteer Militia G.O. #3 (Callaway County Home Guard)

James L Crisp (1830-1887) (Union)

Private, Company C, 42 Regiment Enrolled Missouri Militia

Patrick Sullivan

Patrick Sullivan (1839-1888) (Union)

Private, Co. B, 7th Mo. Reg't Inv. Vols. under Captain Coffee.

Siege of Vicksburg, MS, May 18-July 4, 1863. Reenlisted as a veteran Dec 13, 1863 at Vicksburg, MS. Transferred to 11th Mo. Reg't Inf. Vols., Co. C under Captain Scott. Injured while on patrol in TN in 1865. More info.

George Gruenewald (1844-1917) (Union)

Private, 1st Missouri Vols., Co. C.

Jacob Gruenewald (1815-1869)(Union)

Private, 1st Regiment, Missouri State Militia Infantry, Co.K

Joseph Selby (1824-1874) (Union)

Private, 7th Regt Iowa Infantry, Co. E. Reenlisted as a veteran 1863 in Missouri

Jesse Beasley (1827-1904) (Confederate)

Private, 24th TN Inf., Co. H

Battle of Shiloh (TN, April 6-7, 1862)
Battle of Perryville (KY, October 8, 1862)
Battle of Murfreesboro(TN, December 31, 1862)
Battle of Chickamauga (TN, September 19-20, 1863)
Battle of Missionary Ridge (TN, November 25, 1863)
Atlanta Campaign (GA, May-July 1864)
Battle of Franklin (TN, November 30, 1864)

Forrest Frank Jr. and wife Ruth, Alabama, 1941

World War II

Forrest F. Frank, Jr.

Private, U.S. Army

Served in Pacific Theater, stationed at base in Philippines.

Selected Sources

Diary of John Hurlbut, Jr.

Describes his march from Connecticut to upstate New York and the capture of Fort Ticonderoga from the French in 1759.

Battaile Harrison Revolutionary War Land Bounty Application

Filed by his nephew.

Ancestor Spotlight Elisha Blackman III
My blog post recounting Elisha Blackman's experience during the Wyoming Massacre.

Revolutionary War Pension application of Henry Boas.

Details where he lived after the war.

Revolutionary War Pension application of Joshua Ferguson.     

In which he recalls his wartime activities in Fairfax County, Virginia, including meeting General George Washington. Transcript

Civil War Pension application of Hannah Sullivan, widow of Patrick Sullivan.

Includes testimony regarding his service and injury, as well as family birth and marriage records.