I =
could not let April close without the story of Samuel =
Whittemore (July 27, =
1696 – February 2, 1793), an American =
farmer and soldier. He was 78 years of age in April 1775 when he became =
the oldest known colonial combatant in the American Revolutionary =
War (1775–83).
Whittemore was =
born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He served as a private in Col. =
Jeremiah Moulton’s Third Massachusetts Regiment, where he fought in King =
George’s War (1744–48). He was involved in the capture =
of the French stronghold, the Fortress of =
Louisbourg in 1745. He moved to Menotomy, Massachusetts =
(present-day Arlington). =
He also fought in the French and Indian =
War (1754–63) at the age of 64 as Captain of Dragoons, =
once again assisting in the capture of the Fortress of Louisbourg, and =
later in a military expedition against Chief Pontiac in 1763. =
On April 19, =
1775, British forces were returning to Boston from =
the Battles of Lexington and =
Concord, the opening engagements of the Revolutionary War. On =
their march, they were continually shot at by colonial =
militiamen.
Whittemore was =
in his fields when he spotted an approaching British relief brigade under =
General Earl Percy, =
sent to assist the retreat. Whittemore loaded his musket and =
shot at the British Grenadiers of the 47th Regiment of =
Foot from behind a nearby stone wall, killing one soldier. He =
then drew his dueling pistols, killed a second grenadier and =
mortally wounded a third.
By the time =
Whittemore had fired his third shot, a British detachment had reached =
his position; Whittemore drew his sword and attacked. He was =
subsequently shot in the face, bayoneted numerous times, and left for =
dead in a pool of blood.
He was found =
by colonial forces as he was struggling to load his musket to resume the =
fight, and taken to Dr. Cotton =
Tufts of Medford, who perceived no hope for his survival. =
Notwithstanding=
, Whittemore recovered and lived another 18 years until dying of natural =
causes at the age of 96.
~~
Dr Bob =
Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net =
"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"