In November 2021 I wrote a blog entitled The
Military Service of Israel Alden. Five
years later I used the information I had already discovered and wanted to see
if I could learn more about Israel’s military service.
Isreal Alden is my maternal 6th great grandfather and the great great grandson of Mayflower passengers John and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden. He was born in 1748 in Tolland, Connecticut to Noah and Joanna (Vaughn) Alden. Israel was the second of nine children born to the couple. Israel moved his family to Tyringham, Berkshire County, Massachusetts in the late 1760s which is why he would have served in the Massachusetts Milita and not the Connecticut Militia. Israel was 27 in 1775 as the War began.
The following newly located information confirms the information previously found in a book/online about Massachusetts Soldiers in the Revolutionary War:
Israel served in a Massachusetts militia regiment
raised for the Saratoga Campaign of 1777. The regiment (often called Ashley’s
Berkshire County Militia) was mobilized to reinforce the Northern Army against
British General John Burgoyne. It marched north in September 1777 to join the
American forces gathering under General Horatio Gates in New York. His service
of roughly 30 days was a typical amount for the Saratoga militia service he was
involved with.
When I first researched Israel and his military
service, I never quite understand the dates of his enlistment/discharge. If I look at Israel’s dates of service and
further research his regiment and what was happening at the time the dates begin
to make a lot more sense:
Enlisted: 19 September 1777 - Israel served in
Colonel John Ashley’s Regiment which joined the army on or about 19 September
1777, the same day as the First Battle of Saratoga (Freeman’s Farm). While there is no record of specifically what
Israel’s duties were they probably included helping reinforce American numbers,
building fortifications and defensive works, guarding positions or supply
lines, and encircling Burgoyne and his troops.
Military reinforcements like this company were critical in convincing
the British they were surrounded. On
October 8th, Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga and by October 13th
he asked for terms of surrender.
Discharged: 16 October 1777 -British General Burgoyne officially “surrendered” 17 October 1777. As part of the “Convention of Saratoga” (formal agreement that ended the Battle of Saratoga). Burgoyne refused to accept an unconditional surrender, which he felt would dishonor his King and country. General Gates, eager to wrap up the campaign before British reinforcements could arrive from New York City, agreed to remarkably lenient terms which explicitly stated that the British were capitulating (cease to resist an opponent) under a "convention" rather than a formal, humiliating military surrender and that Burgoyne’s army was to be sent back to England and each soldier was required to pledge not to serve again in the war against the colonies.
The Saratoga Campaign is widely considered the turning
point of the American Revolution because Burgoyne’s surrender led directly to
French alliance with the United States.
So even a short militia enlistment like Israel’s contributed to a
decisive strategic victory. Israel was a
soldier that served in a very important battle of the Revolutionary War. I would classify Israel, like his
father Noah, as a "Patriot" of the American Revolution! Isreal would live another 34 years after the end of the Revolutionary War.
Note: 14 June 1777 the Continental Congress passed the First Flag Resolution just three months before the Battle of Saratoga. The Resolution stated that the flag of the United States would consist of thirteen alternating red and white stripes, and a blue field with thirteen alternating stars. There were no illustrations to accompany the description which led to a variety of flags being flown. The flag that flew over the Battle of Saratoga was believed to be the Trumbull Pattern Flag:
Enjoy the journey,
Debby
