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FIRST CONNECTICUT CAVALRY
In 1658, Major John Mason, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of
Connecticut Colony, organized a troop of horse of thirty-seven members:
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Capt. Richard Lord |
of Hartford |
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Lieut. Daniel Clark |
of Windsor |
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Cornet John Allyn |
Hartford |
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Nicholas Olmstead |
of Hartford |
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Corporals |
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Richard Treat |
of Wethersfield |
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Samuel Marshall |
of Windsor |
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Quartermaster Thomas Welles |
of Hartford |
Of Hartford
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Saml. Wyllis |
Jacob Mygatt |
Jonathan Gilbert |
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John Stedman |
James Steele |
Daniel Pratt |
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Andrew Warner |
William Edwards |
Richard Fellows |
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Robert Reeve |
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Of Windsor
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Thomas Allyn |
John Bissell |
George Phelps |
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Stephen Terry |
William Hayden |
John Hosford |
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John Williams |
Nathl. Loomis |
Thomas Loomis |
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Aaron Cooke |
David Milton |
Simon Wolcott |
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Thomas Strong |
John Moses |
John Porter |
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Of Wethersfield |
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John Latimer |
John Belden |
John Chester |
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Anthony Wright |
John Palmer |
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In 1672, this troop contained sixty members. The successive Captains of
this troop were:
Richard Lord commissioned 1658, Hartford.
Daniel Clarke commissioned 1664, Windsor.
Samuel Talcott commissioned 1681, Wethersfield.
James Richards, Lieut., 1664.
The office of Sergeant-Major was created in 1672, and Major John
Talcott was the first to hold that office and title in Connecticut. But
Major Edward Palmes seems to have succeeded to the authority of Major John
Mason, by vote of June 2d, 1672. In 1673, the year after Major Mason's
death, the Court appointed a Major and second officer over the militia of
each county, viz.: for Hartford, Major Talcott, and Capt. Benj. Newbery,
2d; New Haven, Major John Nash, and Capt. Treat, 2d; for Fairfield County,
Major Nathan Gold, and Capt. Wm. Curtice, 2d; New London, Major John
Winthrop, and Lieut. James Avery, 2d.
In each county the company of the shire town was considered the first
company, and under the immediate command of the Major. The Colonial
Records show that the several counties raised cavalry companies or
"troops," just before Philip's War. Of the New London troop,
Benjamin Brewster was the Lieutenant, and Daniel Mason (son of Major John)
was Quartermaster. They were commissioned in October, 1673.
August 14th, 1673, with the prospect of a war with the Dutch, the Court
ordered that the respective Troops in the colony, with "500 Dragoones,
be prepared and fitted for service forthwith." In case of sending a
force out of the country, the following officers were appointed: HARTFORD
County, Benj. Newbery, Capt.; Nich. Olmstead, Lieut.; John Wadsworth,
Ensign. NEW LONDON, James Avery, Capt.; Thos. Tracy, Lieut.; John Denison,
Ensign. NEW HAVEN, Robert Treat, Capt.; Thos. Munson, Lieut.; Saml.
Newton, Ensign. FAIRFIELD, Mr. Thos. Fitch, Capt.; Jehu Burr, Lieut.;
Matthew Sherwood, Ensign. The following November Major Talcott was
appointed Commander-in-chief of all the forces; Major Robert Treat, second
in command; Thos. Bull superseded Capt. Newbury; Wm. Curtice was appointed
instead of Mr. Fitch; Capt. Nash succeeded Major Treat; and Thos.
Trowbridge was made Commissary.
In 1675, the Captain of the New Haven Company was William Roswell, and
the Lieutenant, Thomas Trowbridge. In the militia, the quota of a full
company was sixty-four men, and entitled the company to a captain.
Thirty-two members gave right to a lieutenant, and twenty-four to
sergeant. A similar rule, perhaps, applied to a troop, with different
numbers.
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WINDSOR TROOPERS (1676).
In an old "Book of Rates," at Windsor, is found the following
list of troopers: |
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Capt. John Bissell. |
John Bissell jr |
Nathl. Bissell |
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Capt. Daniel Clark |
Edward Chapman |
Thomas Strong |
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John Horsford |
Anthony Hoskins |
Daniel Hayden |
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Joseph Loomis |
Nathl. Loomis John Terry |
Capt. Saml. Marshall |
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John Moses |
Thomas Moore |
Mr. John Porter |
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Mr. Henry Sanders |
Mr. Henry Wolcott |
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The militia officers in Connecticut, just previous to Philip's War,
were as follows, so far as records show: |
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FARMINGTON |
William Lewis, Capt.; John Standly, Lieut., 1674 |
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GUILFORD |
George Bartlet, Lieut.; Saml. Kitchel, Ensign, 1665; John Graves,
Ensign, 1667 |
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HARTFORD |
John Allyn, Capt.; Thomas Watts, Lieut.; Nathl. Standley, Ensign,
1673-5 |
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MILFORD |
Robert Treat, Capt.; William Fowler, Lieut., 1665-6 |
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NEW HAVEN |
John Nash, Capt.; Thomas Munson, Lieut., 1665; and John Miles, Ensign,
1673. Nathl. Merriman, Saml. Whitehead,
Roger Allyn, and James Bishop, Sergts |
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LYME |
William Waller, Lieut., 1671 |
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NORWICH |
Francis Griswold, Lieut.; Thos. Tracy, Ensign, 1665; John Mason,
Lieut.; Thomas Leffingwell, Ensign, 1672 |
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NORWALK |
John Olmsted, Ensign, 1674 |
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NEW LONDON |
Waitstill Winthrop, Capt.; James Avery, Lieut.;
Gabriel Harris, Ensign, 1665 |
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RYE |
Joseph Horton, Lieut., 1666 |
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SAYBROOK |
Robt. Chapman, Capt., 1675; Wm. Pratt, Lieut.; William Waller, Ensign,
1661 |
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STAMFORD |
Jona. Sellick, Capt., 1675 |
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STONINGTON |
Thomas Minor, Capt., 1665; Samuel Mason, Lieut., 1672 |
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STRATFORD |
William Curtis, Capt.; Joseph Judson, Lieut.; Stephen Barrett, Ensign,
1672 |
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WALLINGFORD |
Nathaniel Merriam, Lieut., 1672; Saml Munson, Ensign, 1675 |
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WETHERSFIELD |
Samuel Wells, Capt., 1670; John Chester, Lieut., 1672; William
Goodrich, Ensign, 1665 |
MASSACHUSETTS COLONY
GOVERNORS AND DEPUTY GOVERNORS
JOHN ENDICOTT, 1629, 1644, 1649, 1655-1665.
JOHN WINTHROP, 1630-1634, 1637-1640, 1642-1644, 1646-1649.
THOMAS DUDLEY, 1634, 1640, 1645, 1650.
JOHN HAYNES, 1635.
HENRY VANE, 1636.
RICHARD BELLINGHAM, 1641, 1654, 1665-1672.
JOHN LEVERETT (acting), 1672.
JOHN LEVERETT, 1673-1679.
SIMON BRADSTREET, 1679-1686.
DEPUTY GOVERNORS
THOMAS DUDLEY, 1629-'34, '37-'40, '46-'50, '51-'53.
ROGER LUDLOW, 1634.
RICHARD BELLINGHAM, 1635, '40, '53, '55-'65.
JOHN WINTHROP, 1636, '44-'46.
JOHN ENDICOTT, 1641-'44, '50, '54.
FRANCIS WILLOUGHBY, 1665-'71.
JOHN LEVERETT, 1671-'73.
SAMUEL SYMONDS, 1673-'78.
SIMON BRADSTREET, 1678-1686. |