Books and Manuscripts

Manuscript pay table for an early American Revolution Massachusetts Regiment

(Massachusetts), ca. January, 1776. One sheet, 12 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (317 x 190 mm). Manuscript document, in an unknown hand, being an "Abstract of the 9th Regiment by Seperate Companyes (sic) with the Field & Staff officers for the month of December 1775. Shewing the Sums Due to Each Company & the Numbers In Each Rank the Money was Drawn for." Comprising a MS. chart in 11 columns, listing: "Names of the Captains," "Captains Sums Drawn," "Lt Sums Drawn," "Ensigns Sums Drawn," "Serjents (sic) Sums Drawn," Corporals--," "Drums & Fifes," "Privets," "Discharged or Dead," "Totals for December," and "Totals for November & December." Ten Captains are listed, including: (Homes) Walbridge, (Josiah) King, (Charles) Colton, (Jonathan) Danforth, (John) Packard, (Malcolm) Henry, (Jonathan) Bardwell, (Levi) Rounsevell, (John) Wright (2nd Lieutenant), and (Peter) Ingersoll. Creasing from contemporary folds, small separations along same; sheet unevenly toned. See Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution, April, 1775, to December, 1783 (Washington, D.C. 1893)

Jonathan Brewer's (1725-1784) regiment was one of 27 battalions of the Massachusetts Line, hastily organized immediately following the Lexington Alarm--one of several letters created by American colonists to "sound the alarm" and inform each other about the outbreak of war with Great Britain and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, on April 19, 1775. Brewer's regiment was formed a month after the alarm, on May 19, and provided a leading role during the Battle of Bunker Hill, on June 17. Brewer was wounded at Bunker Hill, and following his recovery was appointed Colonel of the Massachusetts State Regiment of Artificers, in 1776. In June 1775 Brewer's regiment was adopted in to the Continental Army. This is the final pay abstract of the regiment, as it was mustered out of service in December 1775. Uncommon.