- 6th Massachusetts Regiment
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=6th Massachusetts Regiment
caption=
country=
allegiance=Continental Congress
type=Infantry
branch=Continental Army
dates=1775-1783
specialization=
command_structure=Massachusetts Line
size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=Battle of Bunker Hill New York Campaign Battle of Trenton Battle of Princeton Battle of Saratoga
notable_commanders=John Nixon,
Thomas Nixon,Benjamin Tupper
anniversaries=Campaign
name=Boston campaign , 1775–1776
battles=Boston siege – Bunker Hill – Dorchester HeightsCampaign
name=New York and New Jersey, 1776–1777
battles=Long Island – Kip's Bay – Harlem Heights – Pell's Point – White Plains – Fort Washington – 1st Trenton – 2nd Trenton – Princeton – Forage War – Bound BrookCampaign
name=Saratoga campaign , 1777
battles=Ticonderoga – Hubbardton – Fort Ann – Oriskany – Bennington – 1st Saratoga (Freeman's Farm) – 2nd Saratoga (Bemis Heights)The 6th Massachusetts Regiment also known as the 4th Continental Regiment was raised onApril 23 ,1775 under Colonel John Nixon outside ofBoston, Massachusetts . The regiment would see action at theBattle of Bunker Hill ,New York Campaign ,Battle of Trenton ,Battle of Princeton and theBattle of Saratoga . The regiment was furloughedJune 12 ,1783 atWest Point, New York and disbanded onNovember 3 ,1783 .Bunker Hill
During the battle of Bunker Hill the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, under the command of Colonel John Nixon, was positioned in the redoubt on
Breeds Hill near Captain Jonathan Brewer and CaptainWilliam Prescott regiments. DuringGeneral William Howe 's first attack onBreed's Hill , Nixon was wounded and was withdrawn from the battle. The remaining members of the regiment withdrew when the redoubt was overtaken by Howe's second attack. [Thomas J. Fleming, "The Story of Bunker Hill" (New York: Collier Books, 1960), 243-286.]Additional Battles
The 6th Massachusetts fought in the
Battle of Harlem Heights and theBattle of Trenton under GeneralNathanael Greene [Henry B. Carrington, "Battles of the American Revolution, 1775-1781" (New York: Promontory Press, 1877 [reprint 1974] ), 221.] . The regiment reinforced GeneralPhilip Schuyler atStillwater, New York in July 1777. [Carrington, "Battles of the Revolution", 319.] The 6th Massachusetts composed part of the main body of GeneralHoratio Gates at theBattles of Saratoga . [Carrington p.336]Commanding Officers
John Nixon - Commanded the 6th Massachusetts as a Captain and Colonel from April 1775 until August 1776 when he was promoted to Brigidier General.Thomas Nixon- Brother of John Nixon. Took command of the 6th Massachusetts August 1776 as a Colonel. Retired January 1781.
Benjamin Tupper - Commanding officer January 1783 until the unite was disbanded in November 1783.Other Officers
Thomas Barnes- Served as Captain from January 1777 to March 1779 when he was promoted to Major with the 12th Massachusetts.
Richard Buckmaster- Served as Lieutenant, 2d Lieutenant and Captain from December 1775 until his death in November 1779.
William Buckmaster- Served as Lieutenant-Colonel from December 1776 until his death on November 1776.
Japhet Daniels- Served as Captain from January 1777 to June 1783.
Samuel Frost- Served as Sergeant-Major, Ensign, 1st Lieutenant, Captain Lieutenant and Captain from January 1776 to June 1783.
Peter Harwood- Served as Captain and Major from November 1776 until he resigned October 1780.
Benjamin Heywood- Served as Lieutenant, Captain from December 1775 until June 1783.
Abel Holden- Served as Lieutenant and Captain from December 1775 until he resigned May 1781.
John Holden- Served as Captain Lieutenant and Captain from January 1777 until he resigned April 1780.
Calvin Smith- Served as Lieutenant-Colonel from November 1776 to March 1779 and Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant from January 1781 to June 1783.
John Spur- Served as Captain and Major from January 1777 until he retired January 1781.
Joseph Thompson- Served as Captain and Major from January 1776 until he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the 10th Massachusetts in December 1777.
William Toogood- Served as 1st Liutenant and Captain from January 1776 until he resigned April 1779.
Notes and Citations
References and Further Reading
Fleming, Thomas J. "The Story of Bunker Hill". New York: Collier Books, 1960.
Carrington, Henry B. "Battles of the American Revolution, 1775-1781". New York: Promontory Press, 1877 (reprint 1974).
Heitman, Francis B. "Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution". Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1914 (reprint 1982).
"Collections of The New York Historical Society: Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783". Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1914.
External links
RevWar'75 [http://www.revwar75.com]
Continental Line [http://www.continentalline.org/articles/article.php?date=9901&article=990102]
Massachusetts Revolutionary War Soldiers [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ma/state/revwar/index.html]
ee also
*
6th Massachusetts Regiment (Spanish American War) , Unit in the Spanish American War 1898.Peter Salem
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