Histories: The Revolutionary War: Genealogy at Pitard.net

This page collects the people on this site who served in the Revolutionary War. Some are militia; some served in the Line troops. It includes both loyalists and patriots. There may well be others on the tree who should be included. Some could use more secure evidence: genealogical histories often say that someone "fought in the Revolution," but this can be family legend rather than fact.

Sources are cited under each person's page. War and Pension records can be found on line at the National Archives. Genealogies can be ordered from the DAR and the SAR, but their lists only include those whom people have used to join, not all veterans.

Louisiana

Le Vengeur

Louis François Pitard fought in the French navy, manning a cannon on the 64-gun French warship Le Vengeur. The SAR has accepted him as a Revolutionary War ancestor.

Maine

Sgt. Joseph Coombs served as a sergeant in the 1779 Bagaduce (or Penobscot) expedition, under Capt. Philip M. Ulmer in Col. Samuel McCobb's regiment.
William Abraham Decker filed a pension claim (which needs to be researched!).
Thomas McLellan served in Washburn's Guards in Maine. His brother William McLellan is said to have died on a British prison ship.

Maryland

One key source, Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution, is on line at the Archives of Maryland Online and at the Internet Archive.

Oliver Cromwell (yes, really) fought at the Battles of White Plains and Trenton.
Capt. Marsh Mareen Duvall was a Captain of militia in Prince George's County.
William Hall served in Prince George's County.

Colonel John Eager Howard

Capt. Thomas Harwood served in the Maryland Line early in the War. His daughter Lucy's (second) husband Col. Richard Harwood was active in the Maryland Militia throughout the Revolution.

John Eager Howard rose the rank of Colonel after serving in several campaigns during the war, and had his potrait painted by John Wilson Peale.

Eli Hyatt apparently enlisted in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1776.
Maj. Thomas Lancaster Lansdale served as a commander in the "Flying Camp" and was at Valley Forge.
Charles Lansdale was a dispatch rider during the Revolution.
Gen. Jonathan Sellman fought in the Maryland Line.

Dr. Thomas Noble Stockett was a surgeon in the Maryland Line. Family history says that the winter at Valley Forge "so impaired his health that he had to return to his home. After that, for the residue of the War, he was employed in the Recruiting Camp," and that "his early death was caused by exposure and overwork" (S992, p. 30)
Dr. Richard Waters was also a surgeon during the War.
Gassaway Watkins served as a Captain in the Maryland Line.
John Welsh III served in Anne Arundel Co.
Brothers Thomas, Basil, Lilburn, Elisha, and Osborn Williams all enlisted in the Maryland militia between 1776 and 1778.
There are also several Tory, or Loyalist, families in the tree who were from Maryland. The best known is perhaps Joseph Galloway who was from West River, Maryland. Walter Dulany was a Major from a Tory family. Philip Barton Key (Francis Scott's uncle) served in James Chalmers's regiment, known as the Maryland Loyalists. The unit fought in New York and in Florida, where he was captured.

New Jersey

James Hixson served in New Jersey, apparently, under the name "William." He was a private in the cavalry in Captain Darrow's company, and was awarded a pension 3 Oct. 1832 in Loudoun Co., Virginia.
Col. Philip van Horne commanded militia from New Jersey and New York.

Pennsylvania

See the Pennsylvania State Archives—Revolutionary War Records Overview for an overview and links to records.

James Davidson enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment. He settled in Anne Arundel county. Davidsonville is named after his son the Rev. Thomas Davidson.
John Gregg served in the Pennsylvania militia (after serving in the Virginia militia).

John Hamilton Sr. fought in the Pennsylvania Line under Captain Isaac Seeley, 5th Pennsylvania Regiment, commanded by Col. Francis Johnston. His son John Hamilton Jr. fought as well. John Sr. was born in Maryland, moved to Pennsylvania, and after the war, in 1797, moved his family down the Ohio to Bracken Co., Kentucky.
Brig. Gen. William Irvine was an aide to General Washington.
John Ish was born in Pennsylvania, where he presumably served, but is buried in Blount Co., Tennessee. After the war he was killed in Blount Co. in an Indian raid on his homestead.
Col. Stephen Moylan was an aide-de-campe to George Washington and a Quartermaster in the Revolutionary Army.
Commodore Thomas Truxton began in the Royal Navy, became a privateer and later a Captain during the Revolution, worked with Benjamin Franklin on science experiments, navigated around Africa to China, and in 1794 published the first important American treatise on navigation.
General Anthony Wayne fought for Washington's army in an array of engagements too long to mention.
Caleb Yarnall, born a Quaker, served as a private in the Chester County Militia during the war.

South Carolina

Dr. Peter Fayssoux fought at the Battle of Savannah, was appointed Physician General for the Southern Department of the Continental Army, was captured in 1780, exchanged, and then served under Gen. Nathanael Greene.
John McDonald was a private who served in battles in Pennsylvania.

Virginia

Peter Demoss served as a private in the Virginia line for most of the War, fought in the Battle of Monmouth, and later lived as a pensioner in Pendleton Co., Kentucky. His brother John Demoss also served in the Virginia Line. Confusingly, these two had a first cousin, also named Peter DeMoss, from Hampshire Co., Virginia who "furnished supplies to the Army." This second Peter had a brother named Andrew Demoss who also may have served in the Virginia line.
John Gregg served first in the Virginia militia and later in the Pennsylvania militia.
Moses Gulick was apparently a Major in the Revolution.