The Untold Story of Our Revolutionary War Ancestors

A Story of Sacrifice, Strategy, and Survival

Major Richard Hewitt (1736–1825)

Major Richard Hewitt (1736–1825)

Family: Hewitt Side
Service: Connecticut Militia & Continental Army
Key Battles: Siege of Boston, Battle of Long Island, Saratoga Campaign, British Coastal Raids
Final Rank: Major
Post-War: Settled in Saratoga, NY
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Lieutenant Walter Hewitt (1737–1805)

Lieutenant Walter Hewitt (1737–1805)

Family: Hewitt Side
Service: New York Militia
Key Battles: Hudson Valley Defense, Battle of Saratoga
Final Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Post-War: Settled in Stillwater, NY
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Private Samuel Randall (1748–1837)

Private Samuel Randall (1748–1837)

Family: Hewitt Side
Service: New York Militia
Key Battles: Hudson Valley Defense, Battle of Saratoga
Final Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Post-War: Settled in Stillwater, NY
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Private Asa Cummings (1764–1795)

Private Asa Cummings (1764–1795)

Family: Dunn Side
Service: Massachusetts Militia
Key Battles: Northern Frontier Defense, Massachusetts and Maine Defenses
Final Rank: Private
Post-War: Settled in Manchester, ME
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Lieutenant Samuel Cummings Jr. (1734–1811)

Lieutenant Samuel Cummings Jr. (1734–1811)

Family: Dunn Side
Service: Massachusetts Militia
Key Battles: Siege of Boston, Battle of Bunker Hill
Final Rank: Private
Post-War: Settled in Manchester, ME
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Elihu Stevens Jr. (1758–1822)

Elihu Stevens Jr. (1758–1822)

Family: Dunn Side
Service: Continental Army
Key Battles: Valley Forge, Battle of Saratoga, Siege of Yorktown
Final Rank: Private
Post-War: Settled in Claremont, NH
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Service Locations & Battles

Historical Documents & Archives

Timeline

(1754–1763)
French and Indian War
August 1757 – November 1758

Walter Hewitt served as a Private in Col. Hinman’s Company, Connecticut Militia.

(1754–1763)
French and Indian War
April 1759

Walter Hewitt was promoted to Sergeant in Capt. Whitney's Company, Connecticut Militia.

(1763–1775)
Prelude to Revolution
Throughout the 1760s

Samuel Cummings Jr. and Elihu Stevens Sr. participated in local militias as tensions with Britain escalated.

(1775–1776)
The Start of the Revolutionary War
April 19–24, 1775

Samuel Cummings Jr. enlisted in Capt. Russell's Company, Col. Bullard's 5th (Middlesex County) Regiment, Massachusetts Militia, immediately after the Battles of Lexington & Concord.

June 17, 1775
The Start of the Revolutionary War
June 17, 1775

Samuel Cummings Jr. took part in the Battle of Bunker Hill, providing logistical support and fortification assistance

June 17, 1775
The Start of the Revolutionary War
April 1775 – March 1776

Samuel Cummings Jr. and his regiment participated in the Siege of Boston, which resulted in the British evacuation of the city.

June 17, 1775
The Start of the Revolutionary War
August 27, 1776

Richard Hewitt played a crucial role in assisting General Washington’s strategic retreat during the Battle of Long Island.

(1777)
New York and Saratoga Campaigns
April 1777

Walter Hewitt defended key supply routes in the Hudson Valley Campaigns.

(1777)
New York and Saratoga Campaigns
August 22, 1777

Richard Hewitt was involved in the Battle of Setauket, a skirmish on Long Island.

(1777)
New York and Saratoga Campaigns
September 19, 1777

Richard Hewitt and Asa Cummings fought in the Battle of Freeman’s Farm, the first engagement of the Saratoga campaign

(1777)
New York and Saratoga Campaigns
October 7, 1777

Hewitt and Cummings also fought in the Battle of Bemis Heights, leading to British General Burgoyne’s surrender.

(1778–1780)
Defending the Colonies
June 28, 1778

Samuel Randall participated in the Battle of Monmouth, a key confrontation that demonstrated the Continental Army’s improved battlefield discipline.

(1778–1780)
Defending the Colonies
Winter 1777–1778

Elihu Stevens Jr. endured the harsh winter conditions at Valley Forge, where the Continental Army transformed into a disciplined fighting force.

(1778–1780)
Defending the Colonies
1779

Richard Hewitt led defensive efforts in British coastal raids on Connecticut towns, including the Burning of Fairfield (July 7, 1779) and Burning of Norwalk (July 11, 1779).

(1781–1783)
Southern and Final Campaigns
January–March 1781

Elihu Stevens Jr. assisted Patriot efforts in the Southern Theater, particularly in supply and reinforcement operations in Virginia

(1781–1783)
Southern and Final Campaigns
September 28 – October 19, 1781

Elihu Stevens Jr. participated in the Siege of Yorktown, which resulted in General Cornwallis’s surrender and effectively ended large-scale combat operations.

(1781–1783)
Southern and Final Campaigns
September 3, 1783

The war officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

Post-War Life & Death of Each Ancestor
Richard Hewitt

Died September 3, 1825, Saratoga County, NY.

Post-War Life & Death of Each Ancestor
Walter Hewitt

Died 1805, Stillwater, NY.

Post-War Life & Death of Each Ancestor
Asa Cummings

Died 1795, Manchester, ME.

Post-War Life & Death of Each Ancestor
Samuel Cummings Jr.

Died 1811, Manchester, ME.

Post-War Life & Death of Each Ancestor
Elihu Stevens Jr

Died 1822, Claremont, NH.

(June 17, 1775)
Battle of Bunker Hill
  • A significant early battle demonstrating the colonists' ability to stand against the British, despite ultimately losing the ground.​battlefields.org
  • Wikipedia Link
(April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776)
Siege of Boston

A prolonged blockade by American forces that eventually led to the British evacuation of Boston.​

Wikipedia Link

(August 27, 1776)
Battle of Long Island

The largest battle of the war, resulting in a British victory and the subsequent American strategic retreat.​en.wikipedia.org+1sargmc.org+1

Wikipedia Link

(1777)
Hudson Valley Campaigns
  • A series of maneuvers and battles aimed at gaining control of the Hudson River Valley, crucial for dividing the colonies.​battlefields.org
  • Wikipedia Link
(August 22, 1777)
Battle of Setauket
  • A raid by Patriot forces on a Loyalist stronghold in Long Island, resulting in a British victory.​
  • Wikipedia Link
  •  
(October 7, 1777)
Battle of Bemis Heights
  • The second and decisive battle of Saratoga, leading to the surrender of British General Burgoyne.​
  • Wikipedia Link
(June 28, 1778)
Battle of Monmouth
  • A significant battle showcasing the improved discipline of the Continental Army, ending in a tactical draw.​
  • Wikipedia Link
(Winter 1777–1778)
Encampment at Valley Forge
  • A crucial period where the Continental Army endured harsh conditions but emerged as a more effective fighting force.
  • Wikipedia Link
  •  
(July 7, 1779)
Burning of Fairfield
  • A British raid resulting in the destruction of the Connecticut town of Fairfield.
  • Wikipedia Link
(July 11, 1779)
Burning of Norwalk
  • A subsequent British attack leading to the burning of Norwalk, Connecticut.
  • Wikipedia Link
  •  
(September 28 – October 19, 1781)
Siege of Yorktown
  • The culminating siege that led to the British surrender and the end of major combat operations.
  • Wikipedia Link
  •  
(September 3, 1783)
Treaty of Paris
  • The agreement that officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.
  • Wikipedia Link

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Historical Sites

Newspaper Archive

Start of the Revolutionary War: Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775)
  • Description: The opening engagements of the Revolutionary War, where colonial militias confronted British troops attempting to seize military supplies.​researchingtheamericanrevolution.com

Newspaper Article: The Massachusetts Spy, May 3, 1775teachushistory.org

  • Description: A significant early battle demonstrating the colonists’ resolve, despite being a tactical British victory.​battlefields.org

Newspaper Article: The Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Weekly News-Letter, June 22, 1775en.wikipedia.org🖼️ Officers of the 13th Maine Infantry, circa 1862
🔗 View on Maine Memory Network

🖼️ Group Photograph of Men from the 13th Maine Infantry
🔗 View on Digital Maine
🔗 View on Maine State Archives

  • Description: A prolonged siege where American forces surrounded British troops in Boston, leading to the British evacuation.​

Newspaper Article: The Pennsylvania Evening Post, March 23, 1776

  • Description: The first major battle after the Declaration of Independence, resulting in a British victory and American retreat.​

Newspaper Article: The New-York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, September 2, 1776

  • Description: A series of maneuvers and battles for control of the strategic Hudson River Valley.​

Newspaper Article: The Connecticut Courant, October 13, 1777

  • Description: A skirmish in Long Island where American forces attempted to dislodge a Loyalist garrison.​

Newspaper Article: The New-York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, September 8, 1777

  • Description: The first engagement of the Saratoga campaign, pivotal in turning the tide in favor of the Americans.​

Newspaper Article: The Pennsylvania Packet, October 2, 1777

  • Description: The second battle of Saratoga, leading to the surrender of British General Burgoyne.​

Newspaper Article: The Connecticut Journal, October 22, 1777

  • Description: A significant battle in New Jersey showcasing the improved training and resilience of the Continental Army.​

Newspaper Article: The Pennsylvania Gazette, July 8, 1778

  • Description: A harsh winter encampment where the Continental Army underwent crucial training and reorganization.​

Letter: George Washington’s Letter to the Continental Congress, December 23, 1777

  • Description: A British raid resulting in the destruction of Fairfield, Connecticut.​

Newspaper Article: The Connecticut Gazette, July 14, 1779

  • Description: A British attack leading to significant destruction in Norwalk, Connecticut.​

Newspaper Article: The Connecticut Courant, July 20, 1779

  • Description: The decisive siege that led to the British surrender, effectively ending major combat operations.​

Newspaper Article: The Virginia Gazette, October 26, 1781

  • Description: The formal agreement recognizing American independence and ending the war.​

Newspaper Article: The Pennsylvania Packet, November 15, 1783

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