Bunkerhillsociety

The Massachusetts Magazine VOL. III NO . 3 JULY , 1910 COLONEL JAMES FRYE'S REGIMENT by F. A. Gardner , M.D. https://archive.org/details/massachusettsmagv3sale/page/162/mode/1up?view=theater

https://archive.org/details/massachusettsmagv3sale/page/246/mode/1up?view=theater

187 THE MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE

This regiment, "enlisted by Col. Johnson regimented under Col. Frye," was composed almost exclusively of Essex County men. On account of the valuable service it rendered at Bunker Hill, it was one of the best-known regiments of the colony in the first year of the war.

One of the officers, Captain Benjamin Farnum, kept a diary which has been of much value to historians of the Revolution. A noteworthy entry regarding the Lexington alarm reads:

"April 19, 1775, This day, the Mittel men of Colonel Frye's regiment were Alarmed with the Nuse of the Troops marching from Boston to Concord at which Nuse they marched very quick from Andover, and marched within 5 miles of Concord, then meeting with the Nuse of their retreat for Boston again with which Nuse we turned our corse in order to catch them. We retreated that Day to Notme (Menetomy) but we could not come up with them. The nit coming on, we stopped; and the next day we marched to Cambridge."

The muster roll of the Field & Staff Officers in the regiment of Minute Men who marched on April 19 for the defense of the liberties of America, under Colonel Frye, includes:

James Frye, Colonel, Andover; James Brickett, Lt. Colonel, Haverhill; David Hardy, Adjutant, Bradford; Benjm Foster, Qr. Master, Boxford

The companies in the regiment during the Lexington Alarm were led by the following officers:

188 THE MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE

Captains
Benjamin Ames; Thomas Poor; Jonathan Evans; William Perley; Nathaniel Gage; James Sawyer; John Davis

1st Lieutenants
David Chandler; Benjamin Farnum; John Merrill; John Robinson; Thomas Stickney; Timothy Johnson; Nathaniel Herrick

2nd Lieutenants
Isaac Abbot; Samuel Johnson; Reuben Evans; Benjamin Perley; Eliphalet Hardy; Nathaniel Eaton; Eliphalet Bodwell

One contemporaneous reference states that the regiment was "Enlisted by Col. Johnson, regimented under Col. Frye."

When the regiments were reorganized shortly after the Lexington Alarm this became one of the regiment[s] in the provincial army. May 4th, 1775, 450 men under Colonel Frye were ordered "on fatigue," probably to labor on the works at Cambridge.
May 7th, 1775, the regiment was at Cambridge with the following line officers:

Captains
Thomas Poor; Benjamin Ames; John Davis; William Perley; Nathaniel Gage; James Sawyer; Jonathan Evans; Capt. Ballard

1st Lieutenants
Benjamin Farnum; David Chandler; Nathaniel Herrick; John Robinson;

2nd Lieut’s. Ensigns
Isaac Abbot; Samuel Johnson; Cyrus Marble; (Thos.) Stickney; Eliphalet Hardy; Nathaniel Eaton; Timothy Johnson; Nathaniel Eaton