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Timeline of Alexander Hamilton's Military Service During the American

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Timeline of Alexander Hamilton’s military service during the American Revolutionary War Based on document entries from Harold Syrett’s edition of The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, with dates of Revolutionary War battles added. Compiled by Mariana Oller October 14, 2012 1 1775 Spring – New York, NY. Alexander Hamilton joins the volunteer militia of Major Edward Fleming and attends daily drills in the churchyard of St. George’s Chapel August – New York, NY. Alexander Hamilton helps rescue artillery guns from British seizure by dragging them away from Ft. George under heavy fire from the British warship Asia 1776 February 23 – New York, NY. Col. Alexander McDougall recommends Alexander Hamilton for captain of a company of artillery to the Provincial Congress of the State of New York March 14 – New York, NY. Alexander Hamilton receives his appointment as Captain of the Provincial Company of Artillery of the State of New York August 27 – Battle of Brooklyn Heights, NY September 16 – Battle of Harlem Heights, NY September 29 – Harlem Heights, NY. Washington’s “Warrant Book No. 2” – payment to Alexander Hamilton for his company of artillery for August, 1776 October 28 – Battle of White Plains, NY December 19 – Bucks County, PA. Washington’s “Warrant Book No. 2” – payment to Alexander Hamilton for his company of artillery from Sept. 1 to Dec. 1 December 26 – Battle of Trenton, NJ (Alexander Hamilton artillery company takes active part in the attack) 1777 January 2 – Second Battle of Trenton, NJ—at Assunpink Creek (Alexander Hamilton artillery company takes active part in the attack) January 3 – Battle of Princeton, NJ (Alexander Hamilton leads an artillery attack on Nassau Hall) January 20-May 29 – Morristown, NJ 2 March 1 – Alexander Hamilton is appointed Aide-De-Camp to the Commander in Chief General Washington [Congress resolved on Feb. 21, 1780: “That all aids de camp now in service, who were appointed before the 27th of May, 1778, and are not admissible into any state line, receive commissions agreeably to the rank they are entitled to, under the resolution of June 5th, 1776; the commissions to bear the dates of their appointments.” (Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789, XVI, 182). Alexander Hamilton’s Commission as Lieutenant Colonel was issued by Congress in Philadelphia on October 25, 1780, and was forwarded to him by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison two days later. The appointment to his rank was valid as of 1 March 1777.] May 30-June 23 – Middlebrook, NJ o June 2 – Alexander Hamilton writes to John Jay on British brutality against Lieutenant William Martin June 25 – Quibbletown, NJ June 27-July 4 – Middlebrook, NJ July 4-7 – Morristown, NJ July 12-13 – Pompton Plains, NJ July 17-18 – Smiths Clove, NY July 21 – Galloways in the Clove, NY July 22 – Smiths Clove, NY July 24-25 – Ramapo, NJ July 25 – Pompton Plains, NJ July 26 – Mr. Lott’s (east of Morristown), NJ July 27 – Morristown, NJ July 28 – Flemington, NJ July 29-30 – Coryells Ferry, NJ August 1 – Chester, PA August 3 – Philadelphia, PA August 3 – City Tavern [Philadelphia], PA August 4 – Philadelphia, PA August 6-10 – Camp near Germantown, PA August 12-22 – Camp at Cross Roads, also known as Neshaminy Camp, later Hartsville, PA August 27-September 5 –Wilmington, DE September 11 – Battle of Brandywine, PA September 14 – Near Germantown, PA September 17 – Yellow Springs, PA September 18 – Warwick Furnace, PA. Alexander Hamilton dispatched on a mission in front of the enemy to destroy food stores in mills along the Schuylkill River (at Daverser’s or Daviser’s ferry), assisted by Captain Henry Lee with a small detachment of his horse. The group was attacked by the enemy and suffered casualties, but Alexander Hamilton and Henry Lee escaped unhurt. 3 September 19 – Reading Furnace, PA September 21 – Potts Grove, PA September 22-23 – Philadelphia, PA. Alexander Hamilton assigned on a mission to collect provisions for the army from Philadelphia September 28 – Pennypackers Mill, PA September 30-October 1 – Skippack, PA October 2-3 – Worcester Township, PA October 4 – Battle of Germantown. PA (Chew House) October 5-7 – Near Pennypackers Mill, PA October 7-8 – Pawlins Mills, PA October 10 – Towamencin, PA October 11 – Skippack Camp, PA October 12-15 – Towamencin, PA October 18 – Worcester, PA October 21-29 – Whitpain Township, PA October 30, 1777-January 20, 1778 – Alexander Hamilton travels to Albany, New Windsor, Fishkill, and Peekskill areas on a mission to meet with General Gates and arrange for the immediate transfer of troops from the Northern Department to New Jersey in order to reinforce the main part of the army under General Washington Alexander Hamilton itinerary while on mission to General Gates: October 30 – Philadelphia County, PA November 1 – New Windsor, NY November 2 – Fishkill, NY November 5-6 – Albany, NY November 9-12 – New Windsor, NY November 13 – Fishkill, NY November 15-December 22 – Peekskill, NY (Alexander Hamilton sick at Dennis Kennedy’s house) 1778 January 20-June 18 – Valley Forge, PA Before January 29 – Valley Forge, PA. Alexander Hamilton submits a report containing his observations and proposals regarding a new establishment and regulation of the army March 31-April 11 – Alexander Hamilton appointed commissioner in negotiations with the British for a general cartel for exchange of prisoners, Germantown (April 2) and 4 Newtown (April 10-11), PA (along with Colonel William Grayson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison, and Elias Boudinot) May 12 – Valley Forge, PA. Alexander Hamilton swears Oath of Allegiance to the United States June 19 – Dr. Shannon’s, near Valley Forge, PA June 21-22 – Coryells Ferry, NJ June 23-24 – Hopewell Township near the Baptist Meeting, NJ June 25 – Cranbury Town, NJ June 26-27 – Robins Tavern, 8 miles from Allen Town, NJ (Alexander Hamilton assigned with Lafayette) June 28 – Battle of Monmouth, NJ (Alexander Hamilton takes active part in the battle and his horse is wounded with a musket ball) June 30 – Englishtown, NJ July 3-7 – New Brunswick, NJ July 11-12 – Paramus, NJ July 13 – New Brunswick, NJ July 14 – Paramus, NJ July 15 – Haverstraw, NY July 16 – Haverstraw Bay, NJ July 19 – New Brunswick, NJ July 19-22 – Alexander Hamilton on a mission to Black Point, NJ, to meet with Count D’Estaing and show him a proposal for an attack on RI July 20 – Black Point, NJ July 22 – Piscataway, NJ July 23 – Newark, NJ July 26-September 15 – White Plains, NY September 19 – West Point, NY September 20-24 – Fredericksburg, NY September 24 – West Point, NY October 2-8 – Fishkill, NY October 9-November 27 –Fredericksburg, NY o October 16 – Poughkeepsie, NY (Publius Letter, I) o October 26 – Poughkeepsie, NY (Publius Letter, II) o November 16 – Poughkeepsie, NY (Publius Letter, III) o Nov. 25 – Examination of two British deserters November 29-30 – Fishkill, NY November 30 – Alexander Hamilton appointed commissioner in negotiations with the British for the exchange of prisoners (along with Robert Hanson Harrison) December 4 – Elizabethtown, NJ 5 December 12 – Amboy, NJ (negotiations for the exchange of prisoners) December 15-21 – Middlebrook, NJ December 24-31 – Philadelphia, PA December 24 – Philadelphia, PA (Alexander Hamilton’s account of Lee-Laurens duel) 1779 January 8-February 1 – Philadelphia, PA February 9-June 3 – Middlebrook, NJ o March 14 – Alexander Hamilton writes to John Jay regarding his and Col. Laurens’ ideas of raising 2-4 black battalions in South Carolina o May 22 – Alexander Hamilton writes to Laurens; opinion on Monroe June 4 – Pompton, NJ June 4 – Morristown, NJ June 5-6 – Ringwood, NJ June 8 – Smith’s Tavern, NJ June 9-14 – Smith’s Clove, NY o June 6-11 – Alexander Hamilton prepares ‘State of the Opposing Forces’ memorandum June 15 – West Point, NY June 18 – Fishkill, NY June 19 – West Point, NY June 21 – Smiths Clove, NY June 22-July 16 – New Windsor, NY (at Thomas Ellison’s house on the Hudson River) o July 4 – Lieutenant Colonel John Brooks writes to Alexander Hamilton regarding accusations against him from Francis Dana, member of Congress July 16 – West Point, NY July 17-18 – Stony Point, NY July 19 – West Point, NY July 20-21 – New Windsor, NY July 22-October 7 – West Point, NY o September 16 – Alexander Hamilton serves as secretary at a conference between Washington and Chevalier de la Luzerne October 7 – Alexander Hamilton and Brigadier General Du Portail appointed by Washington to meet with D’Estaing and explain Washington’s ideas for cooperation upon D’Estaing’s return with the French fleet from Savannah (D’Estaing, however, sailed south to the West Indies and did not met with them.) Itinerary on this mission: pass by Philadelphia October 13-18 – Lewes, DE October 19 – Little Egg Harbor, NJ October 21 – Lewes, DE October 22 – On the New Jersey Coast 6 October 26-November 11 – Great Egg Harbor Landing December 1-31 – Morristown, NJ 1780 January 2-March 8 – Morristown, NJ March 7 – Alexander Hamilton appointed commissioner along with Major General Arthur St. Clair and Lieutenant Colonel Edward Carrington for settling a general cartel with the British for the exchange of prisoners at Amboy, NJ, on March 9 March 9-21 – Amboy, NJ (negotiations for prisoner exchange) March 26-June 7 – Morristown, NJ June 8 – Near Springfield, NJ June 10 – Heights above Springfield, NJ June 10-21 – Springfield, NJ June 23 – Rockaway Bridge, NJ June 24-25 – Whippany, NJ June 26 – Pequannock, NJ June 27-30 – Ramapo, NJ July 2-9 – Preakness, NJ July 11-16 – Bergen County, NJ July 17-18 – Preakness, NJ
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