Photography was invented in the 1820s and 1830s, and the Revolutionary War ended decades before, in 1783. This meant that most Revolutionary War veterans didn’t live long enough to have their photographs taken. That being said, there were a few war veterans who did live long enough to be immortalized in portraits.
In 1864, a full 81 years after the war ended, Reverend E. B. Hillard and two photographers went to New England to interview and photograph the six men known to have survived. All of the veterans were over 100 years old. These amazing photographs were made into a book called The Last Men of the Revolution. This is a fascinating look into history that we’re lucky to have.
WILLIAM HUTCHINGS
Enlisted at age 15 for the coastal defense of his home state, New York.
Writes Hillard in The Last Men of
the Revolution, ‘The only fighting which he saw was the siege of
Castine, where he was taken prisoner; but the British, declaring it a
shame to hold as prisoner one so young, promptly released him.’
REV. DANIEL WALDO
Drafted in 1778 for a month of service in New London.
After that, he enlisted for an additional eight months, and in March 1779 was taken prisoner by the British at Horseneck.
After his released, returned to his farm again.
After that, he enlisted for an additional eight months, and in March 1779 was taken prisoner by the British at Horseneck.
After his released, returned to his farm again.
ALEXANDER MILLINER
Enlisted as a drummer boy who served in Gen. Washington’s Life Guard unit.
He was a favorite of Washington’s, often playing at his personal request.Was at the British surrender at Yorktown: ‘The British soldiers looked down-hearted. When the order came to “ground arms,” one of them exclaimed, with an oath, “You are not going to have my gun!” and threw it violently on the ground, and smashed it.’
LEMUEL COOK
Witnessed the British surrender at Yorktown, the event that guaranteed American independence.
Of the event, he said, ‘Washington ordered that there should be no laughing at the British; said it was bad enough to surrender without being insulted.
‘The army came out with guns clubbed on their backs. They were paraded on a great smooth lot, and there they stacked their arms.’
Of the event, he said, ‘Washington ordered that there should be no laughing at the British; said it was bad enough to surrender without being insulted.
‘The army came out with guns clubbed on their backs. They were paraded on a great smooth lot, and there they stacked their arms.’
SAMUEL DOWNING
Enlisted at age 16, and served as a private from New Hampshire.
At the time his picture was made, he as 102 and living in the town of Edinburgh, Saratoga Country, New York.
He died on February 18, 1867.
At the time his picture was made, he as 102 and living in the town of Edinburgh, Saratoga Country, New York.
He died on February 18, 1867.
JONATHAN SMITH
Fought in the Battle of Long Island on August 29, 1778.
His unit was the first brigade that went out on Long Island, and was discharged in December after a violent snow storm.
After the war he became a Baptist minister. He was married three times and had eleven children.
On October 20, 1854, he had a daguerreotype taken to give to a granddaughter. He died on January 3, 1855.
His unit was the first brigade that went out on Long Island, and was discharged in December after a violent snow storm.
After the war he became a Baptist minister. He was married three times and had eleven children.
On October 20, 1854, he had a daguerreotype taken to give to a granddaughter. He died on January 3, 1855.
PETER MACKINTOSH
He was a 16-year-old apprentice blacksmith in Boston working on the night of December 16, 1773 when a group of young men rushed into the shop, grabbed ashes from the hearth and rubbed them on their faces.They were among those running to Griffin’s Wharf to throw tea into the harbor as part of the Boston Tea Party that started the Revolution.
Mackintosh later served in the Continental Artillery as an artificer, a craftsman attached to the army who shoed horses and repaired cannons.
JAMES HEAD
Joined the Continental Navy at age 13 and served as a midshipman aboard the frigate Queen of France.
Taken as a prisoner of war, Head was released at Providence, Rhode Island and walked home.
His brother wrote that when he arrived, Head was deaf in one ear and had hearing loss in the other from the cannons’ concussion.
Settling in a remote section of Massachusetts that later became Maine, he was elected a delegate to the Massachusetts convention in Boston that was called to ratify the Constitution.
When he died he was the richest man in Warren, Maine and stone deaf because of his war injuries.
Taken as a prisoner of war, Head was released at Providence, Rhode Island and walked home.
His brother wrote that when he arrived, Head was deaf in one ear and had hearing loss in the other from the cannons’ concussion.
Settling in a remote section of Massachusetts that later became Maine, he was elected a delegate to the Massachusetts convention in Boston that was called to ratify the Constitution.
When he died he was the richest man in Warren, Maine and stone deaf because of his war injuries.
DR. ENEAS MUNSON
As a teenager, he helped care for the wounded in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, after the British invaded.
Commissioned as a surgeon’s mate when he was 16 years old, shortly before he graduated from Yale. He extracted bullets from soldiers during battle.
In 1781 he was part of Gen. Washington’s great sweep to Yorktown, Virginia, which led to Gen. Cornwallis’ surrender and American victory of the Revolution.
During the fighting at Yorktown he was an eyewitness to actions of Gen. Washington, Gen. Knox, and Col. Alexander Hamilton.
Gave up medicine after the war and became a wealthy businessman, but his family spoke of how he loved recalling the exciting days of the war, when he was a teenage officer.
Commissioned as a surgeon’s mate when he was 16 years old, shortly before he graduated from Yale. He extracted bullets from soldiers during battle.
In 1781 he was part of Gen. Washington’s great sweep to Yorktown, Virginia, which led to Gen. Cornwallis’ surrender and American victory of the Revolution.
During the fighting at Yorktown he was an eyewitness to actions of Gen. Washington, Gen. Knox, and Col. Alexander Hamilton.
Gave up medicine after the war and became a wealthy businessman, but his family spoke of how he loved recalling the exciting days of the war, when he was a teenage officer.
DANIEL SPENCER
A member of the elite Sheldon’s Dragoons.
He sat up all night fanning his commanding officer, Captain George Hurlbut, who had been shot in a fight during which the British captured a supply ship.
Spencer’s account of the death of the officer differed markedly from that of Gen. Washington’s; Spencer said the wounds of the officer had nearly healed when he caught a disease from a prostitute and this illness killed him, whereas Washington said he died of his wounds.
Spencer’s pension was revoked soon after it was granted and for years he and his family lived in severe poverty. Eventually his pension was restored.
He was the guest of honor during New York City’s celebration of July 4, 1853.
He sat up all night fanning his commanding officer, Captain George Hurlbut, who had been shot in a fight during which the British captured a supply ship.
Spencer’s account of the death of the officer differed markedly from that of Gen. Washington’s; Spencer said the wounds of the officer had nearly healed when he caught a disease from a prostitute and this illness killed him, whereas Washington said he died of his wounds.
Spencer’s pension was revoked soon after it was granted and for years he and his family lived in severe poverty. Eventually his pension was restored.
He was the guest of honor during New York City’s celebration of July 4, 1853.
REV. LEVI HAYES
A fifer in a Connecticut regiment that raced toward West Point to protect it from an impending attack.
He also participated in a skirmish with enemy ‘Cow Boys’ at the border of a lawless region called the Neutral Ground (most of Westchester County, New York, and the southwestern corner of Connecticut).
In the early years of the nineteenth century, he helped organize a religiously-oriented land company that headed into the wilderness of what was then the West.
They settled Granville, Ohio, where he was the township treasurer and a deacon of his church.
His daguerreotype shows him holding a large book, most likely a Bible.
He also participated in a skirmish with enemy ‘Cow Boys’ at the border of a lawless region called the Neutral Ground (most of Westchester County, New York, and the southwestern corner of Connecticut).
In the early years of the nineteenth century, he helped organize a religiously-oriented land company that headed into the wilderness of what was then the West.
They settled Granville, Ohio, where he was the township treasurer and a deacon of his church.
His daguerreotype shows him holding a large book, most likely a Bible.
GEORGE FISHLEY
A soldier in the Continental army. When the British army evacuated
Philadelphia and raced toward New York City, his unit participated in
the Battle of Monmouth.
He was part the genocidal attack on Indians who had sided with the British, a march led by General John Sullivan through ‘Indian country,’ parts of New York and Pennsylvania.
Fishley was a famous character after the war in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he lived and was known as ‘the last of our cocked hats.’
He was part the genocidal attack on Indians who had sided with the British, a march led by General John Sullivan through ‘Indian country,’ parts of New York and Pennsylvania.
Fishley was a famous character after the war in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he lived and was known as ‘the last of our cocked hats.’
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