This is a transcription of the general information from A List of The Revolutionary Soldiers of Dublin, N.H. by Samuel Carroll Derby, Columbus, Ohio: Press of Spahr & Glen, 1901.
DUBLIN SOLDIERS IN THE REVOLUTION
It is now forty-five years since the History of Dublin appeared. Its list of Dublin men who served in the Revolutionary War is probably trustworthy as far as it goes. So much may be presumed from the character of the committee who published that work, Levi W. Leonard, D. D., Jonathan K. Smith, Lawson Belknap, Thomas Fisk and Henry C. Piper. They had personal acquaintance with many of the survivors of the struggle for independence, were men of marked sobriety of judgment, and not at all prone to admit unfounded claims. Still, it is now possible to revise and increase their roll of Revolutionary soldiers from Dublin, though none who took part in that war survive to-day, and its very traditions are growing dim.
Several important sources of information upon this question have become available since 1855. Most important of these are the Reports of the Adjutant General of New Hampshire for the years 1866 and 1868, and more recent, the New Hampshire Provincial and State Papers, of which twenty-nine volumes have now appeared.
Volumes XIV-XVII inclusive, of the State Papers bear the sub-title “Revolutionary Rolls,” and contain copies of all the muster rolls and other lists of Revolutionary soldiers which could be found. Unfortunately much is missing; for example, towards the end of 1775 nearly 2000 New Hampshire militia were sent to take part in the siege of Boston. Of these thirty-one companies the names of the commissioned officers only have been found. Other important documents are also missing, so that a complete list of Continental soldiers from New Hampshire can hardly be hoped for. The register which is given here is based upon a careful examination of the Revolutionary Rolls of New Hampshire. While it would be presumptuous to claim that it is absolutely correct or complete, many names appear in it which—so far as I am aware—have not previously been published. Further examination of the various sources of information may add a few names or facts to those which follow.
It must not be forgotten that some who served from Dublin and are credited to it, served from other towns, also, at a later date; while still others entered the army from neighboring towns, or from an adjoining state, before removing to Dublin and entering the army from that town. The tax lists and census reports show that there was an active movement and growth of population in Dublin and neighboring towns before, during and immediately after the revolutionary period.
The fourth Provincial Congress of New Hampshire, held at Exeter, May 17, 1775, divided the state into seventeen districts, each of which was organized as a regiment under the command of a colonel whose duty it was to see that the quota of soldiers required from his command was duly furnished. These colonels were selected from the most prominent citizens of the several districts and in many cases took the field for shorter or longer periods. The able-bodied male inhabitants between the ages of sixteen and fifty years formed the town’s “Training Band.” Each member of that force, which was intended for active service, was required to provide himself with the following accoutrements: “a good fire arm, good ram rod, a worm, priming wire and brush, and a bayonet fitted to his gun, a scabbard and belt therefor, and a cutting sword or tomahawk or hatchet, a pouch containing a cartridge box that will hold fifteen rounds of cartridges at least, a hundred buck shot, a jack knife and tow for wadding, six flints, one pound of powder, forty leaden bullets fitted to his gun, a knapsack and blanket, a canteen or wooden bottle sufficient to hold one quart.” The “Training Bards” were required to muster eight times a year. The completeness and efficiency of this military organization were such that New Hampshire was more than once enabled to render notably prompt and effective aid in the emergencies of the struggle for independence.
The following table gives the name and residence of the several commanding officers and the number of male persons of military age (16 to 50), belonging to each district. This organization apparently remained unchanged for several years, except in the case of a few colonels: