In order to recognize the 250th anniversary of the events leading up to, and of the American Revolution, the Yarmouth and Dennis Revolutionary War Recognition Committee is researching events and filling gaps in our knowledge with emphasis on primary sources and the correcting of myths, embellishments and unsupported generalities passed down over the years. We hope readers will be inspired to share with us family lore, diaries, letters, stories or documents about the Revolution in “old” Yarmouth. Contact one of our committee members - we’d love to hear from you.
A List of Yarmouth Veterans
Consult this list to see if the person you are researching is on our list of Yarmouth Revolutionary War Veterans. If you have information about a veteran not on our list, please submit the information through this form, and we will be back in touch with you shortly.
Old Yarmouth Veterans of the Revolutionary War
An annotated database of Revolutionary War veterans from Old Yarmouth derived from research by members of the Dennis-Yarmouth Revolutionary War Recognition Committee. Click here to view this extensive document.
African American Veterans of the Revolutionary War
Yarmouth’s Revolutionary War researcher, Jack Duggan, has written about Black soldiers from the Cape and Islands serving in the military. The essay features a section on a Black Continental Army soldier from Yarmouth who died at Valley Forge in March 1778. We are honored to share it with you here.
This map of Cape Cod was made by the British in 1777. Click on the image to open it up for a larger view.
Joshua Gray in the American Revolution
Joshua Gray was born in North Yarmouth, Maine and moved to Yarmouth Port as a young boy. On April 19, 1775, Joshua would answer the call to arms and marched to Marshfield to defend the seacoast. Read about him here.
Eben Sears: Sailor, Soldier, Tavern Keeper
Ebenezer Sears was born in Harwich to Willard and Susanna Sears on October 11, 1755. As a boy he went to sea and his training would serve him well later as he served his country on both land and sea. Read more here.
Revolutionary War Soldier
Henry Hall: A man for all seasons
Henry’s adventuresome spirit must have come to him early in life. Soldiering, seafaring, whaling, business enterprises and agricultural pursuits all still lay ahead when he ventured from Yarmouth as a young teenager and found himself at the Battle of Bennington, one of the key encounters of the War for Independence. Read about his adventures here.
The Wreck of the HMS Somerset on Cape Cod
One of the more under-researched events of the Revolutionary War on Cape Cod was the wreck of the HMS Somerset off Provincetown in a storm in 1778 and the marching of 480 prisoners to Boston. Learn more here.
The tea ship no one remembers
There was a tea ship that wrecked before it arrived. The brigantine William is almost unknown in comparison to others and ran aground two miles SE of Race Point on Cape Cod during a storm on December 10 and 11, 1774. Read about it here.
Lot Hall : Privateer, Prisoner & Patriot
One Cape Cod hero is Lot Hall from Yarmouth, who had an adventurous life spanning numerous years as a privateer, prisoner of war, patriot, and later as a judge and politician in Vermont. Read about his life here. (This article was originally published in the Spring 2023 issue of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society Journal. Reprinted with permission of the author.)
Old Yarmouth’s Soldiers of the Revolution
Yarmouth (and Dennis) locals were present at notable battles and countless skirmishes during the War. As old men they likely carried memories of their lives as militiamen, Continental Army soldiers, and their service at sea in the Navy and as privateers. To find out how researchers used pension records to learn about these men, read more here.
Small Pox on Cape Cod
During the American Revolution, smallpox was spread by the movement of soldiers, as well as by people who were displaced. Learn more here.
Are you researching your Revolutionary War ancestor? The 17-volume Soldiers & Sailors military records series is a great place to start searching for Massachusetts veterans of the Revolutionary War. It can be found in selected local libraries as well as online at Archive.org