{"id":109053,"date":"2026-06-19T09:43:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T13:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/?p=109053"},"modified":"2026-06-30T12:42:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:42:20","slug":"soldiers-of-the-american-revolutionary-war-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/soldiers-of-the-american-revolutionary-war-part-3.html","title":{"rendered":"Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War (part 3)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> America 250 Celebration \u2013 Melissa Davenport Berry writes more about the lives and service of Revolutionary War patriots. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: America\u2019s 250th Anniversary logo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Illustration credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Elijah Sanderson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today I continue with my series \u201cSoldiers of the American Revolutionary War,\u201d focusing on the deposition of cabinetmaker Elijah Sanderson (1751-1825), who served in Captain John Parker\u2019s militia of Minutemen<\/a> at the Battle of Lexington on 19 April 1775.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: \u201cThe Battle of Lexington,\u201d by William Barnes Wollen, 1910. Credit: National Army Museum; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In his deposition published in the Hancock Gazette<\/em>, Sanderson mentions he, along with Solomon Brown and Jonathan Loring, were held for questioning by nine British soldiers at Brook\u2019s Village<\/a>. The most pressing query was the location of John Hancock and Samuel Adams.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hancock Gazette (Belfast, Maine), 4 May 1825, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1775 a cluster of colonial homes from the Brooks family lined the Bay Road along the broad rise of land referred to as the Brooks Hill.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:
Photos: (top) Brooks Hill intersection looking east toward the Samuel Brooks House and (bottom) view from Brooks Village looking south toward Brooks Hill. Credit: National Park Service.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this detail from Sanderson\u2019s deposition, he describes the British capturing Paul Revere during his famous warning ride, and the escape of another rider, Samuel Prescott, who continued on to Concord.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hancock Gazette (Belfast, Maine), 4 May 1825, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sanderson declares:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we were under detention, they took two other prisoners, one Allen, a one handed pedlar, and Col. Paul Revere; also, they attempted to stop a man on horseback, who we immediately after understood was Dr. Prescott\u2019s son [Dr. Samuel Prescott, son of Dr. Abel Prescott and Abigail (Brigham) Prescott]. He was well mounted, and, after turning from the road into the field toward us, he put spurs to his horse and escaped. Several of the officers pursued him, but could not overtake him.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Below are two photos of the Paul Revere Capture Monument, which marks the location where, about 1:30 in the morning of 19 April 1775, Revere was apprehended by British officers. Fellow rider William Dawes escaped and returned to Lexington, while Dr. Samuel Prescott completed their mission by riding on to Concord to spread the alarm.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Paul Revere Capture Monument. Credit: Freedom Way; National Park Service.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The monument\u2019s inscription also notes the capture of Sanderson, Brown, and Loring.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Paul Revere Capture Monument\u2019s plaque. Credit: Freedom Way; National Park Service.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sanderson declares:<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter they had taken Revere they brought him within half a rod of me, and I heard him speak up with energy to them, \u2018Gentlemen, you\u2019ve missed your aim!\u2019 One said, rather [harshly], \u2018What of our aim?\u2019 Revere replied, \u2018I came out of Boston an hour after your troops had come out of Boston, and landed at Lechmere\u2019s Point, and if I had not known people had been sent out to give information to the country, and time enough to get fifty miles, I would have ventured one shot from you before I would have suffered you to have stopped me.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is another passage from Elijah\u2019s deposition, describing the British troops \u2013 after they had received reinforcements \u2013 taking revenge on the minutemen and militia\u2019s resistance at Lexington and Concord by burning several homes and other buildings.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Hancock Gazette (Belfast, Maine), 4 May 1825, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sanderson declares:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the afternoon I saw the reinforcement come up under Lord Percy. I then had no musket and retired to Estabrook\u2019s Hill, whence I saw the reinforcement meet the troops retreating from Concord. When they met they halted some time. After this, they set fire to Deacon Loring\u2019s barn; then to his house; then to widow Mulliken\u2019 s house; then to the shop of Nathaniel Mulliken, a watch and clock maker; and to the house and shop of Joshua Bond. All these were near the place where the reinforcements took refreshments. They hove fire into several other buildings. It was extinguished after their retreat.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a portrait of Lieutenant-General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, born Hugh Smithson (1742-1817) a British Army officer who participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: Hugh Percy, Second Duke of Northumberland, by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1788. Credit: High Museum of Art; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Below is a stereograph taken of Arlington High School in 1875 at the site of Lord Percy\u2019s cannon, used to protect retreating British troops, Battle of Lexington, 1775.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Arlington High School, 1875. Credit: Thomas R. Lewis; Digital Commonwealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lexington Revolutionary Monument<\/strong><\/p>\n

Erected on 4 July 1799, the Lexington Battle Monument is the oldest war memorial in the United States.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:
Photos: Lexington Battle Monument and inscription. Credit: Freedom\u2019s Way National Heritage Area, Concord, Massachusetts; National Park Service; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jonas Clarke, minister to Lexington from 1752 to 1805, composed the monument\u2019s inscription honoring the eight men who died on Lexington Green. The inscription reads:<\/p>\n

Sacred to Liberty & the Rights of mankind!!!
\nThe Freedom & Independence of America,
\nSealed & defended with the blood of her sons.
\nThis Monument is erected
\nBy the inhabitants of Lexington,
\nUnder the patronage & at the expence [sic] of
\nThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
\nTo the memory of their Fellow Citizens,
\nEnsign Robert Munroe, Mess. Jonas Parker,
\nSamuel Hadley, Jonathan Harrington Jun.
\nIsaac Muzzy, Caleb Harrington and John Brown
\nOf Lexington & Asahel Porter of Woburn,
\nWho fell on this field, the first Victims to the
\nSword of British Tyranny & Oppression,
\nOn the morning of the ever memorable
\nNineteenth of April, An. Dom. 1775.
\nThe Die was cast!!!
\nThe Blood of these Martyrs,
\nIn the cause of God & their Country,
\nWas the Cement of the Union of these States, then
\nColonies; & gave the spring to the spirit, firmness
\nAnd resolution of their Fellow Citizens.
\nThey rose as one man to revenge their brethren\u2019s
\nBlood and at the point of the sword to assert &
\nDefend their native Rights.
\nThey nobly dar\u2019d to be free!!
\nThe contest was long, bloody & affecting
\nRighteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal;
\nVictory crowned their arms; and
\nThe Peace, Liberty & Independence of the United
\nStates of America, was their glorious Reward.
\nBuilt in the year 1799.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a newsclip from the Boston Advertiser<\/em> about a \u201cCelebration at Lexington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Daily Advertiser (Boston, Massachusetts), 20 April 1835, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reports:<\/p>\n

Celebration at Lexington \u2013 The celebration in memory of those who fell in the battle of the 19th of April, 1775, will take place today at Lexington. An oration is to be delivered by Hon. Edward Everett.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The ceremony began at 3 A.M., the time when British troops fired on the Militia Company at Lexington. Eight guns were fired for eight men who \u201cfell as martyrs in the cause of Civil Liberty.\u201d<\/p>\n

At sunrise a salute of thirteen guns was fired in honor of the thirteen colonies.<\/p>\n

Following this, a procession led to the monument to deposit \u201cin a tomb prepared for the purpose the Sarcophagus containing the remains, with customary military honors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Create a free account<\/a> at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.<\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cThe Spirit of \u201976,\u201d by Archibald Willard. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

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