Samuel Downing, The Last Soldier of the Revolutionary War.

Description

Samuel Downing, The Last Soldier of the Revolutionary War.  Samuel as born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, November 30, 1761, and died February 18, 1867, in his 106th year, at home in Northville, New York. He served in a New Hampshire regiment, enlisting at the age of 16.

This three page typed document, including two real photo Post Cards (taken from known cdvs), one of Downing, and the other (who I can’t positively identify may be Daniel Waldo, came in a lot of papers from the estate of Brigadier General Edward F. Jones, who’s last residence was Binghamton, New York. Jones was the colonel of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry, the first regiment to answer President Lincoln’s call for 75,000 Volunteers to defend the Capital, and the first regiment bloodied in the Civil War at Baltimore, on their way to Washington. Jones would later remove to Binghamton, New York, establish himself in business there, as well as being the city’s Police Commissioner, Regent of the University of the State of NY, President of the State Board of Equalization, etc.  He was the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1886 to 1891. It is perhaps through association with these duties, he received this typed sketch and images for Samuel Downing.

The sketch that Downing, “entered into service with great spirit and enthusiasm….he served as faithfully and fought as bravely as those who did.  Much of his time was spent in the Valley of the Mohawk, guarding trains and fighting Indians and Tories…..he was also with the army of the Hudson, and took part in the memorable siege of Yorktown. ….it was his chief delight to discourse about Washington, whom he had seen often, and the joy of the people when peace was declared and the nation’s liberties achieved.”

“Three of his grandsons served through the last war in the Union Army, and one of the daughters is or was recently, a teacher of freedmen at Norfolk, Va……  He gave his first vote for Washington, and his last for Lincoln, and always sure to say that he did not vote for Buchanan.”   Much more.

Another history of him on line states He served at Newburgh, NY with the army in his third year, and no doubt witness the turmoil of the beginnings of a mutiny, which Washington calmly put down in a speech to his officers (before Washington began this speech, he said, “Gentleman, you must pardon me, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in service to my country.” Many of the officer’s weeped, and effectively ending this very serious issue among the officers. But, back to Downing, once he returned to New York, he was a road worker in New York state around Edinburg area

The sketch is in fine condition. It does not state who authored this work, or provided the images on RPPCs, but was found among Jones papers, simply put in an envelope noted, “Account of Life of Samuel Downing Last Soldier of Revolution,” and most likely done in the early years of the nineteen hundreds.