Reduced Fac-simile of the Commission of Henry Ludington as Colonel.
From the “Provincial Congress for the Colony of New York,” June 1778.
The new regiment, as described in an enclosure in Mr. Benson’s letter, was to consist of all the militia in Phillipse Precinct, and in all of Fredericksburgh Precinct “except the Northern and Middle Short Lots”—at the northeast, as hitherto explained. The field officers nominated were as follows: Colonel, Moses Dusenbury; lieutenant-colonel, Henry Ludington; first major, Reuben Ferris; second major, Joshua Nelson; adjutant, Joshua Myrick; quartermaster, Solomon Hopkins. These nominations were promptly confirmed. A little later Henry Ludington was commissioned colonel of this regiment, to succeed Colonel Dusenbury. The exact date is not now ascertainable, but according to the mutilated remains of the commission, a facsimile of which is given in this volume, it was some time in June, 1776. The commission—his first as colonel—was issued by the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York, and was one of the last acts of that body, which in that month of June, 1776, went out of existence, and on July 9 following was succeeded by a new Provincial Congress, meeting at White Plains, which the next day, July 10, changed its name to the Convention of the Representatives of the State of New York. With this change of government new commissions were issued to officers, Henry Ludington receiving one as colonel, which is now in the possession of his grandson, Charles H. Ludington. His regiment, the seventh of the Dutchess County militia, was thereafter popularly known and indeed often officially designated as Colonel Ludington’s regiment. Unfortunately its earliest muster-rolls and record of organization have not been preserved, or cannot now be found, but it is known to have consisted of six companies. The minutes of the Council of Appointment do not mention it until May 28, 1778, when it is called Colonel Henry Ludington’s regiment. At this latter date Stephen Ludington was a second lieutenant in Captain Joel Mead’s (1st) company. We may here add that in various rosters of New York troops the following names of members of the Ludington family appear, in addition to Colonel Ludington:
Stephen Ludington, and also Stephen Ludenton (doubtless the same person), private, in Brinckerhoff’s company of Brinckerhoff’s regiment—the second regiment of Dutchess County, Rombout Precinct.
Elisha Luddington, private, of Livingston’s company of Malcolm’s regiment—the first regiment of New York levies in the United States Army. Also, Elisha Luddington, private, in Barnum’s company of Hopkins’s regiment—the sixth regiment of Dutchess County.
William Luddington, private, in Westfall’s company of Wessenfels’s regiment.
Comfort Ludington, private, in Hecock’s company of Field’s regiment—the third regiment of Dutchess County. Also, Comfort Ludington, private, in Mead’s company of Ludington’s regiment—the seventh regiment of Dutchess County. Also, Comfort Luddington, captain of a company of the second regiment of minute men of Dutchess County, commissioned on February 26, 1776.
Early in June, 1776, probably at about the time of Colonel Ludington’s appointment, and a month before the formal declaration of American independence, the Continental Congress called for 13,800 militia from the Colonies, to reënforce the army at New York, in addition to other levies for the army which was to invade Canada. New York’s share of this levy was 3,750, of whom 3,000 were for service at New York and 750 for the expedition to Canada. The latter were naturally selected from the northern counties, while the 3,000 for local service were taken from the counties along the Hudson and around the city of New York. Among the latter were 335 men from Dutchess County, a larger number than was contributed by any other county excepting New York and Albany. The Dutchess County contingent was ordered to be ready to march on June 21.