Soldier to know Friday —Major Elisha Sheldon, in 1776, he had the only mounted men then with the army and General Washington tasked him to make more of it. His regiment 2nd Continental Light Dragoons would lose their colors July 2, 1779.![]()
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In a letter to George Washington to John Hancock, 11 December 1776:![]()
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Major Sheldon who commands the Volunteer Horse from Connecticut, waits upon Congress, to establish some Mode of Pay. I can only say that the Service of himself and his Troop has been such as merits the warmest Thanks of the public and deserves a handsome Compensation for their Trouble. Whatever is settled now, will serve for a precedent in future. From the Experience I have had this Campaign of the Utility of Horse, I am convinced there is no carrying on the War without them, and I would therefore recommend the Establishment of one or more Corps, (in proportion to the Number of Foot) in Addition to those already raised in Virginia.![]()
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If Major Sheldon would undertake the Command of a Regiment of Horse on the Continental Establishment, I beleive he could very soon raise them, and I can recommend him as a Man of Activity and Spirit from what I have seen of him. I have the Honor to be with great Respect Sir yr most obt Servt![]()
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Go: Washington (1)![]()
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The next day Congress forwarded the following resolves to Washington:![]()
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Resolved, That Elisha Sheldon be appointed lieutenant colonel commandant of a regiment of cavalry on the continental establishment, with the rank and pay of a colonel of foot; and that General Washington be authorized to appoint the other officers to said regiment; and that the colonel, with his officers, proceed, without delay, to raise and discipline the said regiment; and that they repair to and join the army under General Washington's command, by companies, as soon as each company shall be compleat:![]()
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That the General be empowered to advance to Colonel Sheldon such sums of money as may be necessary for the service. (2)![]()
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Orders to Lieutenant Colonel Elisha Sheldon, ![]()
[Bucks County, Pa., 16 December 1776]![]()
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Sir![]()
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The Congress having thought fit to appoint you Lieutt Colo. Commandant of a Regiment of Horse to be raised and to empower me to appoint the officers under you, reposing especial trust & confidence in you & knowing how much your honor & reputation depends upon the proper choice, I am willing you should have the Nomination of all the Officers (reserving to myself a negative of any One and all such as I shall think unfit for that service, and doubt not you will be particularly carefull in fixing upon none but Gentlemen of true spirits and of good Characters—observing at the same time that Gentlemen of Fortune and reputable Families generally make the most usefull Officers.![]()
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You are immediately to repair to the State of Connecticut and as soon as possible nominate your Officers, and send them out on the recruiting service; they are to be particularly attentive to take none into the Corps, but young light active men.![]()
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The Privates are to receive Twenty Dollars bounty, and a Suit of Cloaths on entering the Service and pay as ⅌ Schedule annexed. They are to be raised to serve during the war unless sooner discharged by Congress.![]()
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Each Non commissioned Officer and private is to be furnished with a good Horse, Saddle, Bridle & other Accoutrements belonging to the Horse service at the expence of the Continent—and I will recommend to Congress that the Commanding Officer be also furnished at the public expence with the same, but cannot absolutely engage it as I beleive it is not customary.![]()
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In procuring the Horses, you are to have no Stallions, Mares, White or Grey Horses, but likely serviceable Trotters of sufficient size, It is expected you will purchase them at the most reasonable rate & not upon an average to exceed One hundred Dollars ⅌ Head, carefully describing and keeping an exact account of the Cost of each Horse.![]()
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Saddles, Bridles, Carbines, Broadswords, Pistols and every other accoutrement necessary (agreable to a Pattern herewith given you, you will procure as cheap as possible.![]()
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Your Regiment is to consist of One Major, an Adjutant, Surgeon & Mate and Six Troop[s], to each Troop, One Captain, One Lieutenant, One Cornet (commissioned Officers) One Qr Master, Two Serjeants, Two Corporals, One Trumpeter, One Farrier & thirty four privates.![]()
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In order to enable you to defray the Expence of raising and equipping this Regiment, you are herewith furnished with a Warrant upon the Paymaster for the sum of 14,000 Dollars and a Letter to Governor Trumbull to advance you such further Sums as may be necessary on Continental account. In case of the latter failing you are to advise me of it, & if no public money is to be had in that Department from a Paymaster to be appointed, send a carefull Officer for such Sum or Sums as may be wanted.![]()
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As fast as you can raise and equip a Troop they are to be sent to the Army under my immediate command, agreable to the Resolution of Congress directing the raising of said Regiment. Given at Head Quarters &c.![]()
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In January Congress did more funding:![]()
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Resolved, That the treasurer of the United States be directed to give order for the payment of 33,333 1/3 dollars to the State of Connecticut, out of the continental loan office in that State, in payment of that sum advanced by Governor Trumbull to Colonel Sheldon, at the request of General Washington, for raising and equipping a regiment of light horse; the said State to be accountable; and that the president acquaint General Washington with this resolution. (3)![]()
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Of the four regiments of Light Dragoons raised for the Continental army in '77, the second, commanded by Col. Elisha Sheldon, was raised in and credited to Connecticut, although some of the officers and men belonged to other States. Its field of service during the war was generally the east side of the Hudson along the Westchester front. Occasionally its companies served at different points. In the spring of '77 Maj. Tallmadge joined Washington in N. J. with two Troops and fought at Germantown, Oct. 4. At the same time Capt. Seymour, with his Troop, was serving under Gates against Burgoyne. The other Troops were under Putnam's command at Peekskill. In the summer of '78 the Regt, was on the Hudson, and in the fall formed part of Gen. Chas. Scott's Light Corps on the lines in Westchester. The main body with infantry supports guarded the same ground to the close of the war. It wintered generally in Conn.; in '80-'81, however, it was sent to Western Mass. where hay and forage were plenty. Maj. Tallmadge was frequently detached on special service by Washington, and distinguished himself in expeditions. Regt. disbanded June, '83. (4)![]()
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As the first of July [1779] perfected the lodgment of British troops at the entrance to the Highlands; so it witnessed renewed activity of their northern army, by detachments. On the second, at eleven o'clock at night, Lieutenant-colonel Banastre Tarleton, from his camp on the river Bronx, made report of his operations during the previous twenty-four hours. With seventy of the Seventeenth light dragoons, a part of the Legion infantry and cavalry, (Tarleton's) Queen’s Rangers, Hessians, and some mounted Yagers, two hundred men, he passed North Castle Meeting House, and through Bedford to Pound-Ridge, to surprise Colonel Sheldon, who commanded a force of about ninety cavalry at that point. The British troops pursued the partially surprised Americans nearly to Salem; burned the Presbyterian Meeting House and some dwellings, captured Sheldon's colors which had been accidentally left in their quarters,—some baggage of the officers, and a few arms; but inflicted and received small loss. Lieutenant colonel Tarleton says, “I proposed to the militia terms; that if they would not fire from buildings, I would not burn. They persisted in firing, till the torch stopped their progress." The retreat was followed up by the militia, availing themselves of fences and other obstructions which shortened the expedition and made it unprofitable. (5)![]()
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(1) founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-07-02-0232![]()
(2) Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1776![]()
(3) Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1777![]()
(4) Record of service of Connecticut men in the I. War of the Revolution, by Connecticut. Adjutant-General's Office, Henry Phelps Johnston, 1889. ![]()
(5) Battles of the American Revolution, by Henry B. Carrington, United States Army, 1904.![]()
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Image: Colonel Elisha Sheldon Marker,cropped, photographed by Kevin Craft, hmdb.org.![]()
COLONEL ELISHA SHELDON![]()
1741 - 1805 ![]()
In 1776, at the request of General Washington, Elisha Sheldon was commissioned by Congress to raise a regiment of cavalry. Named the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, the unit served with distinction throughout the Revolutionary War. In 1791, Colonel Sheldon, his sons Major Samuel, Elisha, Jr., and George, and their families came, with other families, from Connecticut as first settlers of this town. The town was originally chartered as Hungerford but the name was changed to Sheldon in 1792. The first meeting to organize the town was held in Georgia, Vermont. The large hipped roof house Colonel Sheldon built in 1795 stands on a nearby hill.![]()
Erected by the People of Sheldon, July 6, 1996.![]()
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©2022 Clifford Olsen/250YearsofLiberty![]()
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