Captured at First Springfield – June 1780

Compiled By Don Hagist:

Alert readers of the Sylvanus Seely diary many have noticed that it was
Seely's men who captured 19 men of the 22nd Regiment:

June 8th 1780. This morning about ½ after 12 [12:30 a.m.] the rear of the
enemy left the ground. About 8 o’clock received orders to follow them and
on ower [our] march receive[d] intelligence that the Enemy are going but
when we got to Town [Elizabeth] find a guard in the Woods back to Decon
Ogdens hous and at the forks of the Road. Aftar sum time here and being
Joing by Lord Stirlings [William Alexander] Troopes he Orders us to Advance
three colloms one on the Main Road (the Continental Troops) [under
Brigadier Edward hand of Pennsylvania] Col[one]l Cortland [Phillips
Cortland of Essex County, State Militia] on the Left Myself in the Centor.
We Advanced and the Troop under my Command behavd Exceading well altho at a
certain time one Platoon fell back a little but after being ordered to Com
up cam up and stood thare ground well. We took about 20 Prisoners and
Advance Through the Woods whare the enemy open upon us with a number of
Field Pieces and finding they ware towe heavy for us Hand Ordered a Retreat
which was performd in good Order. [This action took place between Elizabeth
Town and the British landing – site of Elizabeth Point on the coast]. I had
one Man Killed and Three wounded. After Retiring about a half a Mile we lay
on ower Armes untill Evening and then Returned to the North End of Town and
staid all night.

All of these men were members of Captain Edward Handfield's company, and
all had served in Rhode Island in 1778. They were sent to prison in
Philadelphia on 17 June 1780. In the little biographies below, bear in mind
that some of the dates of death may not be accurate; they're based on
whatever information the regiment could obtain about men in captivity.

James Brinton - a soldier originally from the 21st Regiment of Foot in

Burgoyne's army, who made his way to Rhode Island (somehow) in 1778 and
officially transferred into the 22nd Regiment on 25 December 1778. When the
war ended, he never returned from captivity, suggesting that he settled in
America.

William Brown - joined the regiment in early 1774. He died in captivity on

23 May 1781.

Mathew Goggin - recruited in 1775 or 1776, he arrived in New York in

October of 1776. He was discharged from service in February of 1784.

Richard Hallum - joined the regiment in early 1774. He served as a wagon

driver in addition to his duties as a soldier; he testified in a rather
colorful court martial in Rhode Island, about an incident where another
soldier of the regiment stole his watch. He died in captivity on 25 April
1781.

Cameron Lane - recruited in 1775 or 1776, he arrived in New York in October

of 1776. He died on 24 November 1783.

Thomas Marks - a laborer born in 1743 in Peswick, Gloucestershire, he

joined the regiment in December of 1766, and was discharged and received a
pension in May of 1784.

John Mathess - recruited in 1775 or 1776, he arrived in New York in October

of 1776. He was discharged in America in September of 1783; many of the men
discharged that month enlisted in other regiments which went to Canada, but
we have not determined whether or not he did so.

Peter McQueen - a laborer born in 1742 in Inverness, Scotland, he joined

the regiment in August of 1766; he deserted and was recaptured in Taunton,
England in 1768. He was discharged and received a pension in 1784, due to
"bad health, being long a prisoner."

Christian Nothnagel - born in Austria in 1757, he was a Lutheran and stood

almost 5 foot 9. He was among the 40 German recruits who joined the
regiment in October of 1776, and died in captivity on 24 April 1781.

Simeon Pflug - born in Worms, Germany in 1756, he was a Catholic and stood
just over 6 feet tall. Another German recruit, he also died in captivity
with the date of death given as 24 April 1781.

Serjeant George Reason - having joined the regiment in January of 1766, he

became a serjeant in 1775. He gave testimony in several courts martial in
Rhode Island and Long Island. He died on 25 December 1783.

John Reynolds - a tobacconist born in 1744 in Droheda, Scotland, he joined

the army in 1764 and was drafted from the 50th Regiment into the 22nd
Regiment in the summer of 1776. He was discharged and received a pension in
April of 1784.

David Rickett - a laborer born in 1743 in Killmore, county Angus, Scotland,

he joined the regiment in April of 1773. He was discharged in 1784, then
served four years in the 41st Regiment (Invalids), after which he received
a pension.

John Shaw - another man from Burgoyne's army, he had served in the 53rd
Regiment, made his way to Rhode Island in 1778, and officially joined the
22nd Reigment in December of that year. He was discharged in May of 1784.

Jeremiah Shine - recruited in 1775 or 1776, he arrived in New York in

October of 1776. He was discharged in February of 1784.

Jeremiah Sullivan - recruited in 1775 or 1776, he arrived in New York in

October of 1776. He died in captivity, wiht the date given as 24 April 1781.

Serjeant Richard Williams - having joined the regiment in November of 1769,

he became a corporal in 1776 and a serjeant in 1779. He died in captivity
on 13 January 1781.

William Wilson - a laborer born in 1748 in Carney, Huntley, county

Aberdeen, Scotland, he joined the regiment in December of 1770. He served
as a corporal from December of 1775 through August of 1779. He was wounded
in the leg at Springfield, but nonetheless survived his captivity,
continued to serve in the regiment until June of 1789, received a pension,
and served another three months in an invalid company in 1795.

Gottlieb Ziedler - born in 1754 in Saxony, he was a Lutheran who stood just
over 5 foot 9. Another German recruit, he was discharged from the regiment
in February of 1784.