Capt. Scribner’s muster role.
Annexed to the muster roll was the following addendum:
These air men What is gon into the servis
- Leftenant John munrow
- St. Josiah grigrory
- Jacob birdsel
- Jacob ganung
- john Shaw
- Solomon hustice
- parce bolding
- John Vermilya
- Richard Barker
- Daniel grigrory
- Zebulon wright
- Isaac merick
- Eli hopkins
- James mcfarling
- Rhubin finch
- Timothy wood
- Jonathan Semans
- william Virmilya
- Thomas hagson
- Jonathan hopkins
- moses hazen
- Samuel bouton
- Isaac Lounsbury.
In the work of enlisting and organizing these militia levies the most efficient men were naturally those who had already had military experience and command as officers in some of the colonial wars. Henry Ludington was among these. He had had such experience in a noteworthy degree, and to it he added both physical and temperamental aptitude for military labors, and an ardent spirit of patriotism. Leaving the service in 1759 as a lieutenant, he had, as already related, resigned his commission in indignation at the Stamp Act. On February 13, 1773, however, he accepted a commission as captain in Colonel Beverly Robinson’s Dutchess County regiment, and this commission, which was signed by William Tryon, the last British governor of New York, he held until 1775, or possibly 1776, when he cast it aside and entered the “Rebel” or Patriotic service. The militia of Dutchess County was organized, under the law already cited, in the fall of 1775, and on October 17 Petrus Ten Broeck, the colonel of the First or Rhinebeck and Northwest regiment, was commissioned brigadier-general commanding. Of the Second regiment of Dutchess County, Jacobus Swartwout was colonel, and when in time the militia of the county was so increased as to form two brigades, he was, on March 3, 1780, appointed brigadier-general commanding one of them. Swartwout’s commission as colonel was also issued on October 17, 1775, and at the same time Malcolm Morrison was commissioned first major and Henry Ludington was commissioned second major of his regiment. Ludington seems also to have served as captain of the company raised in his home district, and to have been prompt and energetic in his service; for on February 20, 1776, we find Colonel Swartwout in a letter to the Provincial Congress reporting that he was in hourly expectation of Captain Ludington’s appearance at regimental headquarters, together with Captains Woodford from Pawling’s, Clearck from Beekman’s, and Durling from Rombout Precinct. The Congress the next day ordered that all the men thus reported should serve until May 1 of that year, unless sooner discharged.
Soon afterward came Ludington’s first promotion. On March 8, 1776, Malcolm Morrison, the first major of Swartwout’s regiment, addressed to the Provincial Congress of New York this letter:
Gentlemen: Whereas the gentlemen of the Provincial Congress has been pleased to appoint me First Major in Colo. Swartwout’s regiment, and as my situation and business is such, that it is not within my power to serve without doing injustice to myself and creditors, having a considerable interest in my hands to settle, and having a large family to take care of without any person to assist me in settling my affairs, and whereas Major Henry Ludington, appointed in the militia, is prevailed upon to accept the commission sent me, and if agreeable to you, do resign in his favor. He can be recommended by Colo. Swartwout or the Committee of Dutchess County, and I hope you will be prevailed upon to appoint him in my stead, he being a person that has served in the last war and well acquainted in the military service, and, Gentlemen, your compliance will greatly oblige,