Military Service

Documentation of William Locke's military service is good. However, there is some confusion when looking for William Locke in the Continental Army listings. Sometimes he seems to be listed as William Lock (without the "e" in Locke), plus there are other William Locke's from other States.

Many have suggested William Locke's presence at Valley Forge. While I have no strong evidence for or against his presence during the encampment, his name hasn't (so far) shown up on the Muster Roll Project listing at http://valleyforgemusterroll.org [The Muster Roll Project - The Valley Forge Muster Roll is dedicated to the memory of those who were at winter quarters from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The Continental Army used monthly muster rolls to track the army’s strength. Each roll contains names, ranks, dates of enlistment, and other notes on soldiers’ assignments, activities, or conditions.] However, there is good evidence he was part of the regiment with Col. Thomas Hartley - and Col Hartley's regiment was encamped at Valley Forge.

Based upon records, we can likely confirm the following:

Enlisted February 2, 1777 in the Colonial Army.

Served five years as a private (based upon this, he would have left the Army in 1782).

Member of Capt. Wm. Nicholson's Company, Col. Thos. Hartley's Regiment, Penn'a Troops of the Line - Hubley was also involved with the Regiment.

[Of note: Captain Nicholson's name is variously spelled. The William Locke and His Family Booklet (1924) spells it Nickolson. Year book of the Pennsylvania Society, Sons of the American Revolution (1903) spells it Nicholson. DAR Genealogical Research System spells it Nicholson. ]

Participated in battles of Brunswick, Brandywine, Germantown and Paoli.

Aided Lt Huston when he was wounded.

He was Pensioned.

He may have been involved in an "Indian campaign"

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p319 - MILITARY RECORD - Revolutionary Soldiers. -- ...William Locke,who settled northwest of Harlansburg, as before mentioned, came from Ireland during

the war and was in the service several years.

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The DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS) is a free resource provided by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to aid general genealogical research and to assist with the DAR membership process. The GRS is a collection of databases that provide access to the many materials amassed by the DAR since its founding in 1890.

http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/

LOCKE, WILLIAM Ancestor #: A071003

Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: PRIVATE

Birth: 2-2-1756 BELFAST IRELAND

Death: 11-29-1823 HARLANSBURG MERCER CO PENNSYLVANIA

Pension Number: *S40100

Service Source: *S40100

Service Description:

1) CAPT NICHOLSON; COL HARTLEY,HUBLEY; CONT

2) LINE; AIDED LT HUSTON WHEN HE WAS WOUNDED

Spouse: 1) MARGARET MCCOY

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Pennsylvania Archives Fifth Series Volume III 1906 Continental Line. Fifth Pennsylvania. Jan. 1, 1777 - Jan. 1, 1783 (a)

http://archive.org/details/5thpennsylvaniaarch03harruoft

Information on Hartley

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Regiments at Valley Forge

http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/regiments.html

1st Pennsylvania Col. Thomas Hartley (acting)

2d Pennsylvania Col. Thomas Hartley (acting)

7th Pennsylvania Col. Thomas Hartley (acting)

10th Pennsylvania Col. Thomas Hartley (acting)

Hartley's "Additional" Continental Regiment Col. Thomas Hartley (acting)

Brigade Commanders - Col. Thomas Hartley: Acting Commander, 1st Pennsylvania Brigade

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The Pennsylvania Line

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Line

Pennsylvania Line

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Pennsylvania Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with similar contingents from the other twelve states, formed the Continental Line. The concept was particularly important in relation to the promotion of commissioned officers. Officers of the Continental Army below the rank of brigadier general were ordinarily ineligible for promotion except in the line of their own state.

Not all Continental infantry regiments raised in a state were part of a state quota, however. On December 27, 1776, the Continental Congress gave Washington temporary control over certain military decisions that the Congress ordinarily regarded as its own prerogative. These "dictatorial powers" included the authority to raise sixteen additional Continental infantry regiments at large.

Early in 1777, Washington offered command of one of these additional regiments to Thomas Hartley of Pennsylvania, who accepted. Hartley had formerly been lieutenant colonel of the 6th Pennsylvania Battalion. Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment was allotted to the Pennsylvania Line on March 27, 1778. On January 13, 1779, it absorbed Patton's Regiment and was designated the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment. The latter was called the "New Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiment" as the original 11th Pennsylvania Regiment had been consolidated with the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment on July 1, 1778.

Washington also offered command to John Patton of Pennsylvania, who accepted leadership of Patton's Additional Continental Regiment. In 1776, Patton had commanded a battalion of the Pennsylvania State Rifle Regiment.

Half of Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment was drawn from New York and half from Pennsylvania.

Still other Continental infantry regiments and smaller units, also unrelated to a state quota, were raised as needed for special or temporary service. Nelson's and Doyle's Independent Rifle Companies were examples of such "extra" units.

Pennsylvania Line, 1776[edit]

· 1st Pennsylvania Battalion

· 2d Pennsylvania Battalion

· 3d Pennsylvania Battalion

· 4th Pennsylvania Battalion

· 5th Pennsylvania Battalion

· 6th Pennsylvania Battalion

Pennsylvania Line, 1777[edit]

· 1st Pennsylvania Regiment

· 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment

· 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment

· 4th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 5th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 6th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 7th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 8th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 9th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 10th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 11th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 12th Pennsylvania Regiment

· 13th Pennsylvania Regiment

External links[edit]

· Pennsylvania Archives

· Wright, Robert K. Jr. The Continental Army. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History, 1983. Available online.

· Bibliography of the Continental Army in Pennsylvania compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hartley

Thomas Hartley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the American soldier and politician. For the American botanist, see Thomas Gordon Hartley.

Thomas Hartley (September 7, 1748 – December 21, 1800) was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician from York, Pennsylvania. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and practiced law in York. He served as a member of the 1775 provincial convention at Philadelphia, and commanded a 1778 Indian expedition.

During the American Revolutionary War Hartley was second in command of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment in the Continental Army. Beginning in January 1777, he raised and commanded Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment and commanded it as colonel during the major battles of the Philadelphia Campaign, including Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown. In 1778 the unit guarded the Pennsylvania frontier and mounted a foray against hostile Indians. The regiment merged with other units in January 1779 to become the "new" 11th Pennsylvania Regiment and went with the Sullivan Expedition that summer.

He later represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. House from 1789 until 1800. He is buried in St. John’s Churchyard in York.^[1]

References[edit]

1. ^ Biographic sketch at U.S. Congress website

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http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000299

HARTLEY, Thomas, (1748 - 1800)

HARTLEY, Thomas, a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in Reading, Pa., September 7, 1748; completed preparatory studies; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in York, Pa., in 1789; member of the provincial convention at Philadelphia in 1775; served in the Revolutionary War as lieutenant colonel of Irvine’s regiment and as colonel of the Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment in 1776; commanded an expedition against the Indians in 1778; member of the State house of representatives in 1778; member of the council of censors in 1783; member of the State convention which adopted the Constitution of the United States in 1787; elected as a Pro-Administration candidate to the First, Second, and Third Congresses and reelected as a Federalist to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Congresses, and served from March 4, 1789, until his death in York, Pa., December 21, 1800; interment in St. John’s Churchyard.

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http://books.google.com/books?id=aHMFAAAAQAAJ&q=locke#v=onepage&q=hartley&f=false

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Based upon the website at - http://pasocietyofthecincinnati.org/Names/ThomasHartley.html and http://pasocietyofthecincinnati.org/Battles/ValleyForgeEncampment.html

Col Hartley's Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment was present at Valley Forge and the battles of Brandywine, Paoli, Germantown which would match up with William Locke's participation in the battles of Brunswick, Brandywine, Germantown and Paoli - per some sources.

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In regards to aiding Lt Huston when he was wounded, Lt Huston is listed as part of Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment at this website.

http://pasocietyofthecincinnati.org/Units/HartleysAdditionalContinentalRegiment.html

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http://valleyforgemusterroll.org/regiments/hartley.asp

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/11th_Pennsylvania_Regiment#New_Eleventh

New Eleventh[edit]

On 13 January 1779 a new 11th Pennsylvania Regiment was formed by consolidating a number of existing units. The bulk of the troops came from Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment and Patton's Additional Continental Regiment. Also, the companies of Captains John Doyle, John Steele, and James Calderwood were transferred from Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment. The new regiment was organized with nine companies. It was first assigned to the Middle Department. On 9 April 1779 the "New Eleventh" transferred to Edward Hand's Brigade in the main army. The regiment went on the Sullivan Expedition against the Iroquois in the summer of 1779. On 1 August 1780, the unit became part of the 2nd Pennsylvania Brigade, still in the main army. The new 11th was absorbed by the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment on 17 January 1781.[35]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Pennsylvania_Regiment

The 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, first known as the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion, was raised on December 9, 1775, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action during the Battle of Valcour Island, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Springfield. The regiment was furloughed, on June 11, 1783, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and disbanded on November 15, 1783.

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Participated in the following Battles

Brunswick

Brandywine

Germantown

Paoli

Brunswick

It's unclear what the Battle of Brunswick might have been.

There were battles called "Ten Crucial Days" around the New Brunswick, NJ area, but this took place at the end of December 1776 and the 1st week of January 1777 - before William Locke's apparent enlistment February 2, 1777.

Perhaps this refers to the Battle of Short Hills in June 1777?

Others may be able to shed light on the specific battle Brunswick is referring to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Jersey_in_the_American_Revolution

Brandywine

The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and forced them to withdraw toward the rebel capital of Philadelphia. The engagement occurred near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania during Howe's campaign to take Philadelphia, part of the American Revolutionary War.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Brandywine

Germantown

The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington. The British victory in this battle ensured that Philadelphia, the capital of the self-proclaimed United States of America, would remain in British hands throughout the winter of 1777–1778. Now part of the city of Philadelphia, Germantown was an outlying community in 1777.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Germantown

Paoli

The Battle of Paoli (also known as the Battle of Paoli Tavern or the Paoli Massacre) was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 20, 1777, in the area surrounding present-day Malvern, Pennsylvania. Following the American retreats at the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of the Clouds, George Washington left a force under the command of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne behind in order to monitor and harass the British as they prepared to move on the revolutionary capital of Philadelphia. On the evening of September 20, British forces under the command of Major General Charles Grey led a surprise attack on Wayne's encampment near the Paoli Tavern. Although there were relatively few American casualties, claims were made that the British took no prisoners and granted no quarter, and the engagement became known (from an American perspective) as the "Paoli Massacre."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Paoli

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