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Capt Samuel Houston

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Capt Samuel Houston

Birth
Londonderry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, USA
Death
9 Jan 1835 (aged 81)
Belfast, Waldo County, Maine, USA
Burial
Searsport, Waldo County, Maine, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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"Notes for SAMUEL HOUSTON:

Samuel Houston's identity established by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR Patriot Index).

In a petition dated 9 February 1785, Samuel Houston of Londonderry, NH, stated that your petitioner was draughted from Colonel Stark's regiment into his Excellency General Washington's foot-guard in February 1776; and on the first day of January 1777, your petitioner engaged in the 3rd Regiment of Light Dragoons, for the term of three years; which full term your petitioner completed in said service and was honorably discharged. He also stated he had received no pay from the State of New Hampshire (New Hampshire Provincial & State Papers, 12:464).

[Compiler's note: Much of the petition of Samuel Houston is confirmed in a work entitled The Commander-in-Chief's Guard and in his National Archives Pension record]

The Guard was organized on 12 March 1776 in accordance with a general order issued by General George Washington. 'Headquarters, Cambridge, 11 March 1776. The General is desirous of selecting a particular number of men as a guard for himself and baggage. Each of the established regiments will furnish him with four men. His excellency depends upon the colonels for good men, such as they can recommend for their sobriety, honesty and good behavior. He wishes them to be from five feet eight inches to five feet ten inches, handsomely and well made, and, as there is nothing in his eyes more desirable than cleanliness in a soldier, he desires that particular attention may be made in the choice of such men as are clean and spruce. The General does not desire any man to be sent to him that is not perfectly willing or desirous of being of this Guard - they should be drilled men' (Carlos E. Godfrey. The Commander-in-Chief's Guard [Washington, DC : Stevenson-Smith Co., 1904], pp. 19-20).

On 14 December 1776, General Washington gave discharges to some men upon the condition that they re-enlist for three years in the troop of cavalry then being raised by Lieutenant George Lewis (ibid, p. 37).

Lieutenant Lewis raised a troop of fifty men and was commissioned captain in the Third Regiment, Continental Dragoons. His rank was to date from 1 January 1777 (ibid, p. 39).

Assigning cavalry to the Guard was an innovation, and the cavalry members were doubtless carried on their regimental muster lists (ibid, p. 39).

The uniform of the Cavalry Guard consisted of a round black felt hat with a strip of red cloth. The white cloth coat was collared, faced, cuffed and lined with light blue with silver buttons on the cuffs and breast. The waistbelt was white with a silver buckle. The breeches of yellow leather. The men wore black riding boots reaching their knees (ibid, p. 40).

Samuel Huston: Enlisted 1 January 1777 for three years, private, Captain George Lewis's Troop, 3rd Regiment, Continental Dragoons, commanded by Colonel George Baylor; assigned to the Cavalry of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, commanded by Captain George Lewis, 1 May 1977; on rolls to 1 Aug 1777, without further remarks (ibid, p. 192).

In the Pension files of Samuel Houston, there is a copy of a letter written 27 February 1923 by some official identified as Commissioner, Revolutionary War Section. The letter was written to U.S. Senator Harry S. New who apparently had made an inquiry. Highlights from the letter: In June 1775 Samuel Houston enlisted and served as a Private until 1 March 1776 in Captain George Reid's Company, Colonel John Stark's Regiment, New Hampshire Troops. (Nat'l Archives Microfilm M-804, Roll 1338, frames 120-121).

On 1 March 1776 he enlisted and served in Captain Gibbs' Company in General George Washington's Life Guard until January 1777. he again enlisted and served from January 1777 to 13 December 1779 as a Corporal in Captain George Lewis' Company, Colonels Baylor and William Washington's Third Regiment of Light Dragoons (ibid).

(Nat'l Archives Microfilm M-804, Roll 1338, Revolutionary War Pension & Bounty-Land Application Files) Samuel Houston received a Revolutionary War Pension in 1819 at the rate of $8 per month, but was later removed due to excess property in his possession. He reapplied in 1832 and was granted $10 per month. His widow as allowed $10 per month pension in 1838.

(Charlene Knox Farris. Searsport's Sam Houston [Belfast, Maine : Plowshares Press, 1987]) Samuel Houston lived in that part of Belfast that later became Searsport. This booklet summarizes quite well Samuel Houston's role in the Revolutionary War, his duty in The Commander-in-Chief's guard, his ancestry and his life after the war; also enumerated are some interesting mementos held by his descendants.

Charlene Knox Farris is involved with an effort to give Samuel Houston greater recognition. Hopefully, a permanent exhibit with his memorabilia will be open to the public some day at the Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport.

"Notes for SAMUEL HOUSTON:

Samuel Houston's identity established by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR Patriot Index).

In a petition dated 9 February 1785, Samuel Houston of Londonderry, NH, stated that your petitioner was draughted from Colonel Stark's regiment into his Excellency General Washington's foot-guard in February 1776; and on the first day of January 1777, your petitioner engaged in the 3rd Regiment of Light Dragoons, for the term of three years; which full term your petitioner completed in said service and was honorably discharged. He also stated he had received no pay from the State of New Hampshire (New Hampshire Provincial & State Papers, 12:464).

[Compiler's note: Much of the petition of Samuel Houston is confirmed in a work entitled The Commander-in-Chief's Guard and in his National Archives Pension record]

The Guard was organized on 12 March 1776 in accordance with a general order issued by General George Washington. 'Headquarters, Cambridge, 11 March 1776. The General is desirous of selecting a particular number of men as a guard for himself and baggage. Each of the established regiments will furnish him with four men. His excellency depends upon the colonels for good men, such as they can recommend for their sobriety, honesty and good behavior. He wishes them to be from five feet eight inches to five feet ten inches, handsomely and well made, and, as there is nothing in his eyes more desirable than cleanliness in a soldier, he desires that particular attention may be made in the choice of such men as are clean and spruce. The General does not desire any man to be sent to him that is not perfectly willing or desirous of being of this Guard - they should be drilled men' (Carlos E. Godfrey. The Commander-in-Chief's Guard [Washington, DC : Stevenson-Smith Co., 1904], pp. 19-20).

On 14 December 1776, General Washington gave discharges to some men upon the condition that they re-enlist for three years in the troop of cavalry then being raised by Lieutenant George Lewis (ibid, p. 37).

Lieutenant Lewis raised a troop of fifty men and was commissioned captain in the Third Regiment, Continental Dragoons. His rank was to date from 1 January 1777 (ibid, p. 39).

Assigning cavalry to the Guard was an innovation, and the cavalry members were doubtless carried on their regimental muster lists (ibid, p. 39).

The uniform of the Cavalry Guard consisted of a round black felt hat with a strip of red cloth. The white cloth coat was collared, faced, cuffed and lined with light blue with silver buttons on the cuffs and breast. The waistbelt was white with a silver buckle. The breeches of yellow leather. The men wore black riding boots reaching their knees (ibid, p. 40).

Samuel Huston: Enlisted 1 January 1777 for three years, private, Captain George Lewis's Troop, 3rd Regiment, Continental Dragoons, commanded by Colonel George Baylor; assigned to the Cavalry of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, commanded by Captain George Lewis, 1 May 1977; on rolls to 1 Aug 1777, without further remarks (ibid, p. 192).

In the Pension files of Samuel Houston, there is a copy of a letter written 27 February 1923 by some official identified as Commissioner, Revolutionary War Section. The letter was written to U.S. Senator Harry S. New who apparently had made an inquiry. Highlights from the letter: In June 1775 Samuel Houston enlisted and served as a Private until 1 March 1776 in Captain George Reid's Company, Colonel John Stark's Regiment, New Hampshire Troops. (Nat'l Archives Microfilm M-804, Roll 1338, frames 120-121).

On 1 March 1776 he enlisted and served in Captain Gibbs' Company in General George Washington's Life Guard until January 1777. he again enlisted and served from January 1777 to 13 December 1779 as a Corporal in Captain George Lewis' Company, Colonels Baylor and William Washington's Third Regiment of Light Dragoons (ibid).

(Nat'l Archives Microfilm M-804, Roll 1338, Revolutionary War Pension & Bounty-Land Application Files) Samuel Houston received a Revolutionary War Pension in 1819 at the rate of $8 per month, but was later removed due to excess property in his possession. He reapplied in 1832 and was granted $10 per month. His widow as allowed $10 per month pension in 1838.

(Charlene Knox Farris. Searsport's Sam Houston [Belfast, Maine : Plowshares Press, 1987]) Samuel Houston lived in that part of Belfast that later became Searsport. This booklet summarizes quite well Samuel Houston's role in the Revolutionary War, his duty in The Commander-in-Chief's guard, his ancestry and his life after the war; also enumerated are some interesting mementos held by his descendants.

Charlene Knox Farris is involved with an effort to give Samuel Houston greater recognition. Hopefully, a permanent exhibit with his memorabilia will be open to the public some day at the Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport.



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