Walking in the Steps of Our Forefather - Isaac Anglin 1760- 1795

My father is a Revolutionary War buff.  He can tell you things off the top of his head about the military leaders, places battles were fought, military strategies, the difference between militia and Continental soldiers, just to name a few...  My dad recently explained the differences in military units to me.  "A Brigade is larger then a Regiment which is larger then a Battalion which is larger then a Company (infantry), or Battery (artillery), or Troop (cavalry)." When my dad served for 8 years in the National Guard, he was in a battery.

When I was a kid, we visited many historic sites - Fort Ticonderoga in NY, Jockey Hollow and Morristown in NJ, Williamburg in VA.  When we visited Williamsburg, I felt such a deep connection to this place and I wanted to live there.  As my genealogy research progressed, I found I have a 7th great grandmother, Mourning Stone, who was born (1725) and raised in Williamsburg, VA during Colonial times.   Those visits to historic landmarks have left a deep impression and they have given me an opportunity to develop a fuller appreciation for those who lived before us.

Can you imagine living in the time and place of a Revolutionary War soldier?  Travel was difficult and for the average soldier, walking was how they got from place to place, from state to state.  My dad did some research on our great grandfather, Isaac Anglin, as we were trying to track his military service.  Bruce Anglin shares, "I researched & found that during the Revolutionary War, Virginia had regiments 1 through 15, an independent rifle company, some independent companies and a regiment of Guards. No regiments numbered higher then 15. I found this under Virginia regiments in the Continental Army American.  From your document, he may have been in the 3 battalion of the 8th Regiment and discharged at Charleston.  The document is not the easiest to read."

"In checking the history of the 8th Regiment, it is very interesting.  They were made up of men from the northwestern counties (what would now be W. Virginia) and were known as the German Regiment.  In 1778, it was part of the 3rd Brigade, and in 1779, it was merged with the 4th regiment and ceased to exist.   The 4th, 8th & 12th regiments were sent to assignments together. They were at Sullivan Island (SC), Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth.  By the time they were at the battle of Charleston, they were absorbed into the 4th Regiment.  The officer signing Isaac's discharge paper is William Woodford, Brigadier General, Virginia Brigade.  Isaac was fortunate to get discharged on April 29th 1780 because most of the 4th regiment was captured at the Battle of Charleston on May 12, 1780."

Indeed it was fortunate for Isaac to be discharged before the Battle of Charleston as this battle was the biggest loss of troops suffered to the Revolutionary Army in the war.

I do not recall exactly what year it was but it was a hot day in late June that my son, Craig, & I went to a reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth here in New Jersey. I remember how the ice cream we bought melted quicker than we could eat it. We were imagining what the soldiers must have experienced at that time of year with temperatures reported to have been above 100 degrees and with the soldiers wearing woolen uniforms.   I recall it being said that more soldiers died from heat stroke than from wounds inflicted in battle.

What Craig & I did not know at that time was that our 5th great grandfather walked in this very place long before we did...

Payroll  - Isaac is reported to be sick

Isaac Anglin Discharge

Isaac is said to have been a scout in the Revolutionary War.
He was deeded 100 acres of land in Greenbriar Country, (West) Virginia for his bravery.

Click to Return to Home Page