Statewide

The major part of Lists and Returns of Connecticut Men in the Revolution, as its title might indicate, is composed of officially written lists and returns of soldiers who were serving in the Continental regiments of the “Connecticut Line.” There are also some rolls of companies in service which had not previously been printed, particularly in 1782 and 1783. Comparatively few new names of soldiers or additional records of service are printed in this volume. Its chief value will be found to consist in the addition in the case of a great majority of the soldiers, of the name of the town from which the soldier came. This will supply much sought for information, and in many cases will doubtless serve to identify the soldier.

This book introduces a supplement to the 1889 volume “Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution,” edited by Prof. Henry P. Johnston, which includes new rolls and additional information not found in the original volume. The arrangement of the material closely follows the original volume, and some companies credited to the Militia may prove to have served as State Troops. The supplement is essentially a list of soldiers who served, along with an account of their service and records to aid in identifying them. The index lists all names spelled exactly as they appear in the text, with a few exceptions for abbreviations and misspellings. The supplement omits irrelevant information such as the cost of equipment and the total amount disbursed by a captain for the wages and expenses of the men in his company. The manuscript of each roll’s location is given, allowing interested readers to find additional information by referring to the originals.

This book discusses a historical collection that documents Connecticut’s involvement in the Revolutionary War. The compiler of this collection faced a challenging task of sifting through poorly preserved records and files to compile an accurate history of the state’s contribution. Despite the difficulty, the compiler believes that the collection will provide readers with new and interesting facts about their ancestors’ deeds during the war. The collection includes a general history of Connecticut’s involvement, as well as an epitome of all the acts of the General Assembly and the Governor and his Council of Safety or Council of War until May 1778. The compiler has faithfully followed the language and orthography of the original records. Additionally, the article notes that Connecticut’s contributions to the war have not been fully recognized in historical accounts, and the compiler seeks to highlight the state’s importance in the revolutionary struggle. Finally, the manuscript is indexed starting at page 629 and mentions prominent men who participated in the war.