Battle of Monmouth Reenactment 2020

This event has been cancelled for 2020. Stay safe and hope for next year.

www.state.nj.us

Registration is now up for the battle of Monmouth. Fill it out and send it, with your insurance, as indicated on the form at this link. Then tell us here how many soldiers of what sort your unit will be bringing so we can plan accordingly.
https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/docs/2020%20Reenactor%20Registration_bal.pdf

state.nj.us

If I Recollect Right: Rev War Pension Narratives

Read the notes. This man of color was left for dead but survived the Battle of Monmouth.

An African American man in the 4th CT is shot in the neck at Monmouth, survives, and serves to the end of the war.

Benajah Abro

May 1, 1818

“The said Benajah Abro in the spring season of 1776 he thinks the first part of March [1] at Torrington Connecticut enlisted in the company of Capt. Aaron Austin and the regiment under the command of Colo Charles Burrell in the Connecticut Line to serve for the term of one year and join the Northern Army in Canada and about the first day of April he mustered at Canaan in the said State of Connecticut and then marched to Canada within about 40 miles of Quebeck to a place called the Three Rivers and from there retreated before the Enemy to Crown Point and at Tija [Ticonderoga] and Mount Independence until (sp) discharged which was in the month of November on account of his having been sick – and in the month of March 1778 [2] he again enlisted at New Hartford in the said State of Connecticut for during the Revolutionary War and joined the company commanded by Captain Andrew Fitch of Lebanon Connecticut in the regiment commanded by Colo John Durquee of Norwich Connecticut. He joined the company and regiment with the recruiting officer at Valey (sp) Forge in Pennsylvania and at Monmouth Battell (sp) which he was in he was wounded and taken to the Hospittell [3 ] (sp) and after that joined the army at the White Plains and had winter quarters he thinks at Redding in Connecticut and he continued and served in the Army to the close of the war, Captain Jonathan Buell was his Captain part of the time her was transferred into the regiment commanded by Colo. Zebulon Butler in the Connecticut Line when he was in Captain Buell’s Company from which company and regiment he was discharged at West Point in June, 1783. And his discharge he let go to the person who purchased his bounty lands. If he should obtain a pension on account of being wounded as aforesaid which he has petitioned for he will relinquish if he should have a pension granted on this application [4 ]. He further declares that he is in reduced circumstances and in need of assistance from his country for support [5] .”

[1] According to a surviving initial muster roll from Captain Austin’s company, he enlisted in the 3rd Company of Burrell’s Battalion on March 10, 1776. He and another man named Benjamin Abro were the only two men on the list who had “Negro” after their names. He may have been from Torrington CT originally. He was mentioned in a vote in Wi******er CT in 1781 as a serving Continental soldier; in 1785 was a taxpayer in that town and 1788 the town recorded that his tax was given up as uncollectable. He subsequently moved to Canaan and was there by 1797.

[2] later testimony states “on of about the 16th day of March, 1778”

[3 ] three of his former commanders wrote letters testifying to his service that shed light on his wounding at Monmouth when he applied for his disabled veteran’s pension in 1797 and again in 1817. Here are the two that provide the greatest detail:

“ [Captain Andrew Fitch] State of Connecticut, Lebanon, June 23, 1797 – To whom it may concern – This may certify that Benajah Abro a Negro man the Bearer of this was a soldier inlisted in my Company in the fourth Connecticut regiment of the Continental Line for during the War the Regiment commanded by Colo. John Durkee and that the said Abro received a Wound in the Neck by a Musket Ball, from the Enemy in the Action at Monmouth on the 28th day of June AD 1778 and was left in the Field for dead , that he was after taken up & carried to the Hospital & recovered of his Wound, that he joined his Company and Regiment and was able to do his duty tolerably well, tho’ always complained of his Neck being stiff, that I saw him this day and know him to be the same Person as above identified.”

“I Lemuel Clift of the Town of South East in the County of Putnam in the State of New York testify to say that I was a Captain in the fourth Regiment of the Connecticut Infantry during the Revolution War between the United States of American & Great Britain & that in the year AD 1778 at the Battle of Monmouth Benajah Abro was a black soldier in the Company under my command & that during the action while the American troops were retreating the said Abro was wounded in the Neck by a musket ball from the enemy & I then supposed the wound to be mortal & he was left on the grond. We afterwards occupied the same ground on which Abro was shot & found him alive & he was sent to the Hospital & recovered & I the said Lemuel Clift further testify that I have this day seen the said Abro at my house & I know him to be the same person who was wounded as is above specified. That he is said to reside in the Town of Canaan in the County of Litchfield and State of Connecticut. Witness my hand at South East this 2nd day of October AD 1817.”

[ 4] He is referring to an application made in 1797 but never acted upon under An Act Concerning Invalid Pensioners. He subsequently received a pension of $4 a month in 1818, increased to 8$/month. At his request his pension payment was directed to Wm. M Burrell, esq, in care of the Postmaster in South Canaan, CT.

[5 ] testified in 1820 that he had no wife, or family , or relations to whom he could turn for support.”

Really looking forward to an excellent event with sharp, focused engagements and opportunities to interpret the full breadth of experiences of the soldiers, followers and local citizens whose lives converged on this ground.

Battle of Monmouth Reenactment 2020's cover photo

Battle of Monmouth Reenactment 2020