Many of the ancestors and their relatives in our Barrett lineage served in the American Revolution. As previously noted, Benjamin Barrett in our direct line participated in events of the war. There has been confusion on which Benjamin served and when, as we have 4 successive generations of Benjamins in our line. Recent documents have shed light on the actual story, which is a little different than Edward Harris Barrett's recounting of the facts.
Edward Barrett, recounts that his ancestors, Col. James Barrett and Benjamin Barrett both fought at the North Bridge. While it is true that Col. James led the battle at North Bridge, the statement that he is an ancestor is incorrect; Col. James was an uncle. Additionally, Edward claimed that his grandfather, Benjamin Barrett fought at the North Bridge. This is incorrect as well.
Benjamin Barrett (b. 1735), Edward's great-grandfather, served during the event that kicked-off the American Revolution. This event, the Battle of Concord and Lexington, officially set the colonist in rebellion against King George III. The direct news related to this event, called the Lexington Alarm, sent word to all the neighboring towns to come to the aid of Concord and Lexington. This alarm happened on April 19, 1775, the same day as the famous North Bridge encounter in Concord.
Benjamin, responded to the Lexington Alarm, but was not at the North Bridge. He was residing in the town of Ashby, with his son Benjamin (b. 1762). He was in the minuteman militia under Captain Samuel Stone, in Colonel Samuel Prescott's Regiment of Militia. They responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched through Concord and Lexington after the Battles had occurred. They did indeed march all the way to Boston to support the defense of the city. Benjamin served 15 1/2 days during this event. We have no record of him serving in any other events in the war.
His son, Edward's grandfather, Benjamin Barrett (b. 1762) was 13 at the time of the Lexington Alarm and would not have fought. While it is possible that he was a fifer or drummer at that age, nothing is noted in his pension files for this event. His first time of service documented was when he stood in his father's draft place, to serve 3 month during 1778 (still only 15 years old). He was under Capt. Isaac Wood, in During this time Additionally, in 1778 he enlisted again and served in New York. These facts are in his personal pension files.
Below are the entries from the publication Soldier & Sailors of Massachusetts during the American Revolution:
