| Milit-Beg | Apr 19, 1775 | Harvard, Worcester Co., MA, USA, Mass. Soldiers: "Houghton, Elisha (alias Elijah), Lancaster (also given Harvard). Private, Capt. Benjamin Houghton's co. of Minute-men, Col. John Whitcomb's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, to Cambridge; service, 13 1/2 days; also, Capt. Benjamin Hastings's co., Col. Asa Whitcomb's regt; return of men in need of cartridge boxes, dated Camp at Cambridge, June 18, 1775; also, Private, same co. and regt; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 27, 1775; service, 3 mos. 12 days; also, company receipt for wages for Aug., 1775, dated Camp at Prospect Hill; also, company return dated Oct. 6, 1775; also, petition dated Bolton, June --, 1776, signed by said Houghton, asking remuneration for loss of a gun taken from him while assisting wounded men from the field June 17, 1775; also, return of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Samuel Hill's co; residence, Harvard; engaged for town of Harvard; joined Capt. Joshua Brown's co., Col. Bigelow's regt; term, 3 years; also, Sergeant, Capt. Joshua Brown's co., Col. Timothy Bigelow's regt; Continental Army pay accounts for service from May 1, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; reported served 28 mos. 21 days as Sergeant, reduced and served 3 mos. 6 days as Private; also, same co. and regt; muster roll for Jan.-Aug., 1777, dated Van Schaick's Island; enlisted May 1, 1777; reported recruiting; also, same co. and regt; pay roll for Feb., 1779 sworn to at Providence; also (late) Capt. Joshua Brown's co., Col. Bigelow's regt; muster roll for March and April, 1779, sworn at Providence; also, Private, Colonel's co., Col Bigelow's regt; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to May 1, 1780."; DAR: MM MA; DFPA: private in Capt. Benj. Houghton's Company of Minute Men, Col. John Whitcomb's Regiment. Served in other regiments until May 1, 1780. He was Sergeant May 1, 1777, Capt. Joshua Brown's Regiment.
See Nourse, Hist. of Harvard, p. 184-192, 323
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line. and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and twice was busted back down to the ranks:
story about him in History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts
1732-1893 by Henry Steadman Nourse (p323):
"Coliney of the Massachusetts Bay.
To the Honnorabel General Coart seting at Watertown the Petion of Elisha Houghton a Solder under Comand of Captan Hastings in Conl
Whitcomb's Rigement in the year 1775 and I was in the fight on Bunkers hill So Called in Charlston on the 17 of June in the year 1775 as above
sd and on my Return I and others Lited on one Jacob Davis who was wounded who requested our help and in tacking Care of the sd Davis
Caused me your Petinor to take Mistick Road to convey the sd Davis to where he thought he could be tacken Care of and in so Doing 1 came
acros by Winter hill to go to head Quater at Cambridge and in Coming by the Gard of Connal Starks which was set on sd hill they took away
my Gun which I and others that Knew sd Gun Judged to be worth teen Dolers. I Endevuered to Recover my Gun again but was Denied the
Same which may be made Evident to this Coart by Reading the Paper acompining this Petition. 1 also Sertify this Coart that I have Never
Reseved my Gun since Nor any Consideration for the same. I therefore your Poor Petitioner Humbly Pray that this Coart would be Pleased to
take my Case into your Consideration and alow me Pay for my Gun and your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray. Bolton Jan. the —
1776 Elisha Houghton
This may Certify that Elisha Houghton of Col Whitcomb's Regiment in Capt. Hasting's Company was in the Action on Bunker's hill and
helping bringing the wounded men off to Cambridge went mistick Road over Winter hill and the Guard that was set on winter hill took away the Guns, and this sd Houghton's Gun was among the Rest, the next Day with 26 number of others sd Houghton went in order to Get his Gun with an officer with him, but could not find it and have Never heard of it since—as I know of.
Josiah Whitney, Lt. Col. of sd Rgmt.
Dorchester Camp Febury 29th. 1776" |
Elisha Houghton