Revolutionary War Period Roster This is a list of members of a Massachusetts militia written by Joseph Bradley Varnum (1750 - 1821), a soldier and later a state senator from Massachusetts. He was a farmer who became interested in military tactics when he was just seventeen, and in 1770 he was elected captain by one of the two militia companies from Dracut. He was present at the Battle of Lexington as a military instructor, and from 1776 to 1777 was captain of the Dracut Minutemen and served in the campaigns against Burgoyne in 1777, at Rhode Island in 1778, and later in suppressing Shays's Rebellion. He became a colonel in 1787 and eventually brigadier-general, then a major-general of the state militia in 1805. He had limited formal education, but was self taught, and he was elected Speaker of the House in Mass. for two terms. Serving as a U.S. Senator from 1811 to 1817, he was president pro tempore and acting Vice-President of the United States from December 1813 to April 1814. He was also an early opponent of slavery and the slave trade: in March 1805, as Massachusetts Congressman, he submitted a proposition to amend the United States Constitution and abolish the slave trade. The proposition was tabled until 1807, but under his leadership a Constitutional amendment moved through Congress and passed both houses in March 1807. President Thomas Jefferson signed it into law later that month. So for a person with limited education, he achieved a lot. He signed his name here “Joseph B. Varnum” and we checked and believe his signature is genuine, and we believe he wrote the document himself and signed the names of the other members of the militia on their behalf. Some of the members of the militia listed on the document are important in their own right. Captain John Buttrick (1731 - 1791) was one of the leaders of the Concord militia during the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775. Given the usual interpretation of the first stanza of Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous poem "Concord Hymn," Buttrick was the colonial officer who gave the fateful order to return fire on the British regulars at the North Bridge fight that day - he was the man who ordered "the shot heard around the world.” The command for the Americans to fire has historically been attributed to Buttrick, who according to tradition, leaped from the ground, partly turned to his men, shouted “Fire, fellow soldiers!”, then discharged his musket, and besides Lexington, this was the earliest time colonial forces ever attacked British forces during the Revolutionary War, and it came at the order of John Buttrick, marching at the head of the advancing line. (His name is misspelled “Butrick” here, and it is actually spelled “Buttrick”.) Levi Harrington (1760 - 1846) was the son of Daniel Harrington and a private in the Revolutionary War, but this list shows he became a lieutenant later on, and most of the records about him never show he made it up the ranks, so this is like an updated version of the history books. The document measures 5 1/2 x 7 7/8 in. wide, with folds across the middle, a tiny crease at one tip, and in very good condition. #80, #1594