However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. After President Abraham Lincoln 's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation , states were officially allowed to create all Black regiments. Excellent! You skipped the table of contents section. Vacants Brigade re-designated on February 16, 1776 as Fryes Brigade. Benjamin Lincoln Reassigned on November 26, 1776 from Patersons Brigade and assigned to St. Clairs Brigade, an element of the, consolidated on January 1, 1777 with 2 companies formed from the, Reassigned on February 9, 1777 from St. Clairs Brigade and assigned to the, It was assigned on June 12, 1777 to McDougalls Brigade, and element of the, Reassigned on June 15, 1777 from McDougalls Brigade and assigned to the 2d Connecticut Brigade, an element of the, Reassigned on July 10, 1777 from the 2nd Connecticut Brigade and assigned to the. Ms. Cheap: New "Library of Things" is a borrower's dream; Get your popcorn ready: Springfield couple announces plans to open drive-in theater in Coopertown Contains over 40,000 index cards with various pieces of biographical and service information on New England WWI soldiers. The Massachusetts Militia, and Its Exceptional Men. Boston 1775, 4 Aug. 2017, boston1775.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-massachusetts-militia-and-its.html Lee died of exposure from hiding in a cornfield, and the band of Marblehead fisherman looking to get . For the regiment in the American Civil War, see, 1st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, United States Army Center of Military History, Bibliography of the Continental Army in Massachusetts, Jackson's Additional Continental Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1st_Massachusetts_Regiment&oldid=1089065469, Massachusetts regiments of the Continental Army, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 May 2022, at 18:34. In the American Revolution, gaining freedom was the strongest motive for Black enslaved people who joined the Patriot or British armies. The Hartwellcollection contains numerous photographs of soldiers of the 44th & 55th regiments of the Massachusetts Infantry during the Civil War. On 20 November 1778, the brigade was reassigned to the Highland's Department and on 12 May 1779 was re-organized to nine companies. Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783 Records of regular soldiers, militia volunteers, Navy personnel and members of auxiliary. The records were acquired from the Massachusetts State Archives in Boston. A brief guide to the main resources for historical military research in the State Library and online. You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for, More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog at, An Account -Mass. 2, 1916, pp. The Committee voted to enlist 8,000 of those men and organize them into regiments subject to approval when the Provincial Congress reassembled. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Reorganized on May 12, 1779 to consist of 9 companies. In addition, six of the 21 Major-Generals chosen to command the American armies were from Massachusetts as were 10 of the 49 Brigadier-Generals. The National Archives holds records relating to military service during the Revolutionary War, including both Continental troops and state troops that served as Continental troops. https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/index.php?title=Massachusetts_Revolutionary_War_Index_Cards_to_Muster_Rolls_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records&oldid=5065814, FamilySearch Historical Records Published Collections, Massachusetts FamilySearch Historical Records, FamilySearch Historical Records Image Visibility Notice, FamilySearch Historical Records Browse Collection. On 3 November 1783 the entire infantry contingent of the Continental Army dropped to the 500 Massachusetts men of Jacksons Continental Regiment in garrison at West Point. Camps State War Records AL Revolutionary War Records at FamilySearch. It took part in the following major battles: The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Heaths Regiment. The site also includes non-military and international records. James Warren Thomson J. Skinner [1] The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Bridges Regiment. Reassigned on June 12, 1783 from the 1st Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the Highlands Department. The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. Organized in spring 1775 at Roxbury to consist of 11 companies from southern Hampshire County, Bristol and Worcester Counties, Massachusetts; and New London and Hartford Counties, Connecticut. Free shipping for many products! Minutemen were citizen soldiers and didnt have an official uniform so they instead wore regular clothing, which consisted of waistcoats, linen hunting shirts and breeches. Adopted on June 14, 1775 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Main Continental Army. Voses Brigade re-designated on December 18, 1776 as McDougalls Brigade. The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Sargents Regiment. Reassigned on November 14, 1776 from Pattersons Brigade. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is estimated that 20,000 African Americans joined the British cause, which promised freedom to enslaved people, as Black Loyalists. The collection is arranged by type of service, military unit, and jacket or folder number. The 54th Regiment became famous for its fighting prowess and for the great courage of its members. It consisted of Cumberland, Lincoln and York Counties. Re-designated on July 1, 1775 as Greatons Regiment. Peleg Wadsworth For more information on this topic, check out the following article What Type of Uniforms Did Revolutionary War Soldiers Wear? Reassigned on March 13, 1777 to from the Northern Department and assigned to the Highlands Department. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Monmouth.[1]. On 14 November 1779, the regiment was reassigned to the 3d Massachusetts Brigade in the Highland Department. Cato Prince of Marblehead Images of muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other personnel, pay, and supply records of the American Army during the Revolutionary War. Sources: 1 [Located inSpecial Collections Department, Room 55 State House]. The 1777 quota established by the Continental Congress dropped to fifteen regiments, mostly by consolidating and reorganizing existing units. The regiment saw action at the Battles of Saratoga, the Cherry Valley massacre (in which Colonel Alden was killed and Lt. Col. William Stacy was captured), and the Sullivan Expedition. Reorganized and re-designated on January 1, 1776 as the 16th Continental Regiment, to consist of 8 companies; an element of Vacants Brigade. Reorganized on September 25, 1778 to consist of 9 companies. Reassigned on January 1, 1781 from the 4th Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 3rd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the. On 13 August 1777, the regiment was assigned to 3d Massachusetts Brigade in the Northern Department. The 6th Middlesex County Regiment was organized in the fall of 1999, a recreation of a north Middlesex County regiment from the revolutionary war period. The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Thomas' Regiment. Job Shattuck Revolutionary War graves found between 1900 and 1987, which include the name of the patriot and the cemetery in which the headstone is found. It was assigned on July 22, 1775 to Greenes Brigade, an element of the, Reassigned on January 24, 1776 from Greenes Brigade and assigned to Thomas Brigade, an element of the, Reassigned on April 4, 1776 from Thomas Brigade and assigned to the, Consolidated (less 2 companies) 1 January 1777 with, It was assigned on June 12, 1777 to the 1st Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the, Reassigned on June 15, 1778 from the 1st Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the. When the army was reorganized at the end of 1775 the regiment was designated the 15th Continental Regiment, and in 1777 it was designated the 1st Massachusetts Regiment (but was also referred to as Vose's Regiment after its colonel, Joseph Vose). Secretary of the Commonwealth. Consolidated (less Mayhews, Woods, Bensons and Bradfords Companies) on January 1, 1776 with. The first was passed on January 26 and the second of November 14 which specifically exempted Negroes, Indians and mulattoes from military service in the Massachusetts militia. Personal returns of the 6th, 8th and 9th Massachusetts Regiments, 1779- 1782, Muster/payrolls, and various papers (1763-1808) of the Revolutionary War Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as John Brewers Regiment. Bunker Hill [ edit] During the battle of Bunker Hill the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, under the command of Colonel John Nixon, was positioned in the redoubt on Breeds Hill near Captain Jonathan Brewer and Captain William Prescott regiments. It was assigned on July 22, 1775 to Heaths Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. Blacks served in Minute companies, as well as the normal embodied militia. Massachusetts, Revolutionary War, Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783, Massachusetts Research Tips and Strategies, Revolutionary War Pension Records and Bounty Land Warrants, DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and SAR (Sons of the American Revolution), Revolutionary War Veterans' and Lineage Society Records, Battles of Lexington & Concord & Bunker Hill, Massachusetts Society of Genealogists,Inc, National Society Sons of the American Revolution, Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections, Massachusetts Revolutionary War Index Cards to Muster Rolls,1775-1783, Muster Rolls (Index File Cards) of the Revolutionary War, 1767-1833 [Massachusetts, Beginning Research in United States Military Records, Massachusetts. The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Pattersons Regiment. The Pros And Cons Of Boston 1777 During The Revolutionary War. Henleys, Henry Jacksons and Lees had trouble reaching full strength, forming only five, seven, and six companies respectively. The regiment reinforced General Philip Schuyler at Stillwater, New York in July 1777. 1845 antique HEROES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION revolutionary war patriots OLD (#195561891931) 7***j (79) - Feedback left by buyer 7 . In April 1775, war finally came to Massachusetts with the events at Lexington and Concord on April 19. Abigail Williams: The Mysterious Afflicted Girl. Baxter Hall Visitors can see the holes in the wall from the British musket fire. The abolitionist governor of Massachusetts, John . Reorganized on April 1, 1779 to consist of 9 companies. Alta's Place. Reassigned on January 1, 1781 from the 4th Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the. On 26 November 1776 the regiment was reassigned to St. Clair's Brigade of the main Continental Army. The BPL also has a large collection of newspapers on microfilmif you cant find what you need online. Russell Sturgis Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Revolutionary War Battles in 1776: January 1, 1776: Burning of Norfolk in Virginia February 27, 1776: Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina Result: Patriot victory March 2-3, 1776: Battle of the Rice Boats in Georgia Result: British victory March 3-4, 1776: Battle of Nassau in the West Indies Peter Salem at Bunker Hill, illustration published in The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution, circa 1855. Reassigned on November 14, 1779 from the New Hampshire Brigade an assigned to the 3rd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the, Reassigned on January 1, 1781 from the 3rd Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 1st Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the. the 4th Essex County Militia Regiment, Independent Company of Cadets, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, 1741 a.k.a. British commander Gen. William Howe landed 4,000 troops at Pelham near Pell's Point on October 18, intending to trap the American forces on Manhattan. Reeds Brigade re-designated on August 11, 1776 as Patersons Brigade. This brigade was reassigned from the Highland's Department to the Northern Department on 14 October 1781. Search the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files of Massachusetts Veterans from The National Archives: Massachusetts Units in the Revolutionary War, American Military Units in Revolutionary War. It was assigned on July 22, 1775 to Sullivans Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. Reassigned on February 9, 1777 from Nixons Brigade and assigned to the Northern Department. More than 1,000 men responded. Odle, Cliff. About Rebecca Beatrice Brooks. The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Learneds Regiment. consolidated (less Bents and Whitings Companies) on January 1, 1777 with the 25th Continental Regiment and consolidated unit re-designated as Greatons Regiment, to consist of 8 companies. 1, no. When you have located your ancestors record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. George Middleton The microfilm contains approximately 45 books, including orders for the Continental Army, most by Massachusetts regiments, state militias, and a few by the British army. Primus Jackall of Palmer A compiled list of online resources for those wanting to access Massachusetts military documents and published histories, from 1620-1972. Reassigned on April 15, 1776 from Fryes Brigade and assigned to the, It was assigned on July 20, 1776 to Reeds Brigade, an element of the. They believed in complete independence, inspired by locke and paine, and they provided the troops. Massachusetts, Revolutionary War, Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783 FamilySearch RecordsImagesFamily TreeGenealogiesCatalogBooksWiki Cite This Collection "Massachusetts, Revolutionary War, Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783." Database with images. Although the minutemen lost the Battle of Lexington, they won the Battle of Concord and drove the British troops back to Boston where the state militia blockaded the troops in Boston, in what later became known as the Siege of Boston. Organized in spring 1775 at Cambridge to consist of 10 companies from eastern Middlesex County, Essex and Lincoln Counties, Massachusetts, and Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Notable Massachusetts militiamen and minutemen in the Revolutionary War: Colonel John Allan It was assigned on July 22, 1775 to Vacants Brigade, an element of the. Lemuel Haynes Adopted on June 14, 1775 into the Continental Army and assigned to the Main Continental Army. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names, An ancestor could also have enlisted multiple times serving in more than one military unit, Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur. In 1780 the province became the District of Maine. In 1914 and 1915, under authority of an act of March 2, 1913 (37 Stat. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Ebeneezer Thayer The regiment was furloughed June 12, 1783, at West Point, New York and disbanded on November 3, 1783. On 13 August 1777, the regiment was assigned to 3d Massachusetts Brigade in the Northern Department. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. That unit went home on 20 June 1784. The Boston Evening Transcript (1851-1915), and the Boston Daily Evening Transcript (1866-1872) are freely accessible via the Google newspaper archive. Organized in spring 1775 at Cambridge to consist of ten companies from northeastern Middlesex County, Essex County and one company at large. Disbanded on January 1, 1781 at West Point, New York. Organized in spring 1777 at Boston to consist of 8 companies from Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable, Suffolk, Cumberland and Worcester Counties. Toby Gilmore If you need assistance, please contact the State Library of Massachusetts. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. compiled by the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution, Grave locations of Revolutionary soldiers and sailors of Maine and Massachusetts. Reassigned on January 1, 1781 from the 1st Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 3rd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the Highlands Department. Keep track of your research in a research log. Muster and Pay Rolls, When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct, Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times, Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit, If your ancestor used multiple names throughout their life, look for all their names, Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community, Look for variant spellings of the names. Mifflins Brigade re-designated on October 8, 1776 as Stirlings Brigade. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought during the Siege of Boston in the early stages of the Revolutionary War.. Reassigned on November 26, 1776 from Poors Brigade and assigned to the Voses Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. It was assigned on July 22, 1775 to Sullivans Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. If I was in 1777 during the war I would have been on the patriots side. If you need assistance, please contact the State Library of Massachusetts. Asa Pollard Reassigned on June 15, 1777 from the 2nd Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 1st Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the Highlands Department. of soldiers who served in Massachusetts companies and regiments during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. If you have any questions about our archival holdingsand how they can help you with your research, please contact our Special Collections Department at special.collections@mass.gov, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125. This article is about a regiment in the American Revolution. Massachusetts Revolutionary War Soldiers 1775-1783. Massachusetts Roots, Feb. 2002, www.ma-roots.org/military/revwar/ Some page levels are currently hidden. Massachusetts Military Records United States Military Online Genealogy Records Contents 1 Online Resources 2 Forts 3 Colonial Wars (1620-1763) 4 Revolutionary War (1775-1783) 5 War of 1812 (1812-1815) 6 Mexican War (1846-1848) 7 Civil War (1861-1865) 8 Spanish-American War (1898) 9 World War I (1917-1918) 10 World War II (1941-1945) Aaron Bancroft This United States military history article is a stub. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used. 2nd Massachusetts Brigade relieved on November 7, 1777 from the Northern Department and assigned to the Main Continental Army. Two months later, on 14 June, when the Continental Congress adopted the existing forces as the Continental army, the colony still was unable to give precise information on exactly what units existed and how many men they contained. The regiment was relieved from this brigade on 12 November 1781 and assigned to the Highland's Department. It was assigned on February 9, 1777 to the, 1st Massachusetts Brigade relieved on July 1, 1777 from the. When the Continental Army was first established in June of 1775, out of the 37,363 soldiers who enlisted in the first year, about 16,449 were from Massachusetts. It was assigned on July 20, 1776 to Arnolds Brigade, an element of the Northern Department. Seth Pomeroy Organized in spring 1777 at Boston to consist of 7 companies from Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, York, Cumberland, Hampshire, Lincoln, and Suffolk Counties, and Mayhews Company, 25th Continental Regiment. Organized in spring 1775 at Roxbury to consist of ten companies from southern Plymouth County. Around 9,000 African Americans became Black Patriots. Among these 68,720 Massachusetts soldiers, about 1,700 were African American and Native American men. This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org. Please do not include personal or contact information. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War: a Compilation from the Archives [1896], Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War [1931]. Simeon Wheelock Other New England colonies began to do the same. On 9 April 1779 Washington amalgamated the three units under Jackson. The 54th Massachusetts was one of the first United States military regiment comprised of African American soldiers in the Union during the Civil War. Stephen Bullock Consolidated (less Thompsons, and Egerys Companies) on January 1, 1776 with, First Bristol Regiment, 177680 Commanded by Col. Thomas Carpenter III 17761780, Regiment under Gen. Lincolns command Nov. 1776, Brig. $29.99. PPT. The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution. BENJAMIN WHITE, Weymouth 1747 - 1815 Archives Depreciation Rolls, Company Return - Coat Rolls Eight Months Service, Continental Army Pay Accounts - Continental Army Books, A Descriptive List - Mass. A June 1, 1777 muster roll of Captain Charles Coltons 2nd Company in Colonel John Greatons 3rd Massachusetts Regiment included the names of eleven African American men, most of who had enlisted prior to the January 27 act. Massachusetts colonists were the first to fight in the Revolutionary War and they also made up the majority of the soldiers in the war. Brigadier General Nathaniel Freeman consolidated on January 1, 1776 with Crafts Company, Gardners Regiment, and consolidated unit re-designated as the 24th Continental Regiment, an element of Heaths Brigade, to consist of 8 companies. Thank you for your website feedback! The New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island wore blue coats with white facings. The regiment was disbanded on November 3, 1783, at West Point, New York . Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge. Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872 from NARA microfilm publication T718. Colonel John Nixon - Commanded the . They formed the. Grundset, Eric G. African-Americans of Massachusetts in the Revolution. Massachusetts Society Sons of the American Revolution, 20 June. Re-designated on August 1, 1779 as the 14th Massachusetts Regiment. (Now named Arlington) Minuteman who reported when Paul Revere stopped here on the evening of his ride! Constituted on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as Aldens Regiment. The regiment was furloughed on 12 June 1783 at West Point, New York and disbanded on 15 November 1783. Deborah Sampson Gannett, also known as Deborah Samson or Deborah Sampson, was born on December 17, 1760 in Plympton, Massachusetts. . The brigade was reassigned to the Northern Department on 1 July 1777 and the regiment was relieved from the brigade on 31 March 1778. Reassigned on April 15, 1776 from Heaths Brigade and assigned to the Canadian Department. Some cards include newspaper clippings, such as obituaries. Phelix Cuff, an African-American man from Waltham These soldiers fought in the some of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War, such as Battle of Bunker Hill in June of 1775 where 150 African-American soldiers served. Summary of S.547 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the First Rhode Island Regiment, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War. This guide describes a microfilm edition of Revolutionary War orderly books taken from manuscript collections at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Historically, the 6th Middlesex Regiment was composed of militia companies from several northern Middlesex county towns. Redesignated on July 1, 1775 as Bailey's Regiment. The size of the Massachusetts Line varied from as many as 27 active regiments (at the outset of the war) to four (at its end). This Massachusetts-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. John Parker American Civil War - Major Battles - Eastern Theater - 1861-1865. by. Digitized multi-volume print sets owned by the State Librarythat contain brief biographical & service information on Massachusetts Revolutionaryand Civil War soldiers. African Americans and the End of Slavery in Massachusetts Revolutionary Participation. Massachusetts Historical Society, www.masshist.org/endofslavery/index.php?id=56 Adopted June 1775 into the Continental Army (see also 1776) J. Brewer's Massachusetts Regiment. The 7th Massachusetts Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Continental Army. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Peter Salem at Bunker Hill, illustration published in The . Colonel, in the first Crown Point expedition, and served in 1756, 1758 and 1760; Colonel of a Massachusetts Regiment, May to Dec., 1775; appointed Brigadier-General, Continental Army, June 5, 1776, which he declined. The 26th Continental Regiment (previously known as Gerrish's Regiment and later known as the 9th Massachusetts Regiment) was an infantry unit of the Massachusetts Line during the American Revolutionary War. Reassigned on April 24, 1776 from Thomas Brigade and assigned to Heaths Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army. Disbanded on January 1, 1783 at West Point, New York. On 24 July 1780 the state adopted Jacksons unit and it joined the line as the Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment. The first minutemen of the American Revolution were organized in Worcester county, Mass in September of 1774 when officials at the Worcester County Convention decided to weed out loyalists in the militia by requiring the resignation of all officers and then reconstituting the militia into seven regiments with new officers. Revolutionary War reenactments are a great way to learn about and experience history firsthand. I am a lover of history, and especially of the American Revolution. The brigade was reassigned to the main Continental Army on 27 October 1777. Authorized 27 Infantry regiments on 22 May 1775. We live several doors away from the Jason Russell House, site of the bloodiest battle of the first day of the American Revolution. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Organized in spring 1775 at Cambridge to consist of 10 companies from Worcester, Hampshire, Middlesex, Suffolk, Bristol, Berkshire, and Barnstable Counties. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. This didnt seem to stop Massachusetts African-Americans from enlisting though, according to the book Forgotten Patriots: African-American and American Indian Patriots in the Revolutionary War by Eric G. Grundset: It is evident that in spite of the resolutions passed in 1776, Massachusetts African Americans were already serving in the army. John Brown of Pittsfield It took part in the following major battles: The regiment would see action during the Siege of Boston (17751776), New York and New Jersey Campaign (1776-77), Saratoga Campaign (1777) and the Philadelphia Campaign 1777-78. Glover and the other regiments, a total of about 750 men, blocked Howe's way. Some Massachusetts African-Americans who served in the Continental Army were: Peter Salem of Framingham Reassigned on July 2, 1776 the Canadian Department and assigned to the Northern Department. Reassigned on June 15, 1777 from the 1st Massachusetts Brigade and assigned to the 2nd Massachusetts Brigade, an element of the Highlands Department. The finding aid to this collection is available online. Joseph Palmer Reassigned on March 31, 1778 from the 1st Massachusetts Brigade. Hartgrove, W. B. I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now? The Regiment was authorized on April 23, 1775 in the Massachusetts State Troops as Phinneys Regiment. Thomas Dawes He chose Robert Gould Shaw, the son of wealthy abolitionists, to serve as its colonel. The Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776 in the Continental Army as Bigelows Regiment. Caleb Rich Soon, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress adopted this organizational structure for all Massachusetts militia units in October that same year. Minutemen and militia had already set up siege lines around the port by the time that the Committee of Safety began to take charge, on 21 April 1775. This Massachusetts-related article is a stub.