Military Records of Barre Vermont

From the account of Charles A. Smith in The Barre Enterprise, the following, whose graves were covered with flowers Decoration Day, last month, were:

Soldiers Of The Revolution

Soldiers in the War of 1812

Barre Company for Plattsburgh

By Stillman Wood

The Military Company of Volunteers that left Barre for Burlington for the battle of Plattsburgh consisted of 117 men. This number took almost the entire set of young men whose ages were suitable for military duty, with a few old revolutionary soldiers who felt they would like to have a hand in one more battle with the red coats. The farmer left his farm, the mechanic his shop, and the merchant his store to join in the common defense, and beat back an invading foe. When the news came that the British were about to cross the river and enter Plattsburgh, the excitement was intense; to arms, was the universal response. Men gathered immediately from all parts of the town, and formed a company:

Military Roll of Barre Company of Volunteers in the War of 1812

Mexican War

Privates

The company went mostly on foot, and arrived at Burlington on Saturday. The battle of Plattsburg was fought on Sunday, but for lack of transportation, few, if any, of the company had a hand in it, and on the same day there being a naval battle on the lake, in which the British foe were beaten, and retreated to Canada, there being no further necessity for defense, no foe to fight, most of our men came back without crossing the lake. Some, however, went over, and some enlisted in the regular army.

This company of stalwart young men, after returning to their respective homes and occupations, in after life filled many places of honor and trust in town, and many of them acquired military titles by being elected to office in the respective companies to which they severally belonged in the State militia. In those days to gain the title of captain was considered worthy of a laudable ambition, and gave a man notoriety not otherwise easily attained. But that company of strong young men, so far as we can learn, have now all, except one, passed over the silent river to the land of peace beyond. Our neighbor Jonathan Bancroft, who was then 16 years old, went as teamster and carried baggage for the company. He is now 84, and is probably the only man now living who went to Burlington at that time. About one-half of these men have descendants or relatives "now living in town, and of the rest, their families have become extinct, or removed to parts far distant from Barre.

Barre Vermont | Vermont AHGP

Source: The History of Washington County, Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Collated and published by, Abby Maria Hemenway, Montpelier, Vermont, 1882.