James Reed (born c. 1722–1807) was a military officer in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

and the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

, rising to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the latter conflict.

Biography

Reed was born in Lunenburg or

Woburn, Massachusetts Woburn ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,876 at the 2020 census. Woburn is located north of Boston. Woburn uses Massachusetts' mayor-council form of government, in which an elected mayor is ...

. In 1742, James married Abigail Hinds, whose father was Hopestill Hinds. Abigail was born 4 March 1723 in

Brookfield, Massachusetts Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Brookfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660. The population was 3,439 at the 2020 census. History Brookfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officiall ...

, but is said to have been living in New Salem, Massachusetts. During the

, Reed served as an officer in Colonel Brown's Massachusetts Regiment, becoming a lieutenant colonel. He was at

Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain, in northern New York, in the United States. It was constructed by Canadian-born French milit ...

in both 1758 and when it fell in 1759. He was the original proprietor of Monadnock township no. 4, now

Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire Fitzwilliam is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,351 at the 2020 census. Fitzwilliam is home to Rhododendron State Park, a grove of native rhododendrons that bloom in mid-July. History First granted ...

. With news of the

Battle of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, ...

, James Reed gathered the local

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

and marched to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. James Reed was appointed

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

of the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment and fought together with

John Stark Major-General John Stark (August 28, 1728 – May 8, 1822) was an American military officer who served during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. He became known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Batt ...

's 1st New Hampshire Regiment at the Battle of Bunker Hill. On April 26, 1776, the three New Hampshire regiments of the Continental Army were sent under General John Sullivan to help in the Invasion of Quebec. James Reed only made it as far as Fort Saint-Jean in

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, where he contracted

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

. Apparently having recovered, he fell ill again during the retreat from Canada, shortly after arriving at Crown Point on

Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; french: Lac Champlain) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the US states of New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. The New York portion of t ...

, with a malignant fever, which caused him to lose his vision forcing him to retire from military service at the end of 1776. James Reed was promoted to

in the Continental Army, but never served at that rank because of his failing health. Reed was admitted as an original member of The Society of the Cincinnati in the state of New Hampshire in 1784. Reed lived to the age of 83 and died in 1807 in

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private e ...

, where he was buried. He is featured on a

New Hampshire historical marker The U.S. state of New Hampshire has, since 1958, placed historical markers at locations that are deemed significant to New Hampshire history. The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources (DHR) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are j ...

( number 99) along New Hampshire Route 119 at the town square of Fitzwilliam.

References

*Beebe, Lewis, 1935 ''Journal of a Physician on the Expedition Against Canada in 1776'' The Pennsylvania Magazine Vol LIX, Number Four. *Carroll, Samuel 1901 ''A List of The Revolutionary Soldiers of Dublin, N.H.'' Derby Press of Spahr & Glenn, Columbus, Ohio *Garfield, James F.D. 1899 (read) 1908 (published) ''General James Reed'' Proceedings of the Fitchburg Historical Society and Papers Relating to the History of the Town read by some members. Vol IV pp. 113–124.
State Builders: An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Record of the State of New Hampshire. State Builders Publishing, Manchester, NH 1903

Cheshire Historical Society, History Packet No. 9, Multi Era 2 - 3: 1724 to 1807

External links

*
The Society of the Cincinnati

The American Revolution Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, James 1724 births 1807 deaths People of colonial New Hampshire Continental Army generals Continental Army officers from New Hampshire People of New Hampshire in the French and Indian War People of New Hampshire in the American Revolution People from Lunenburg, Massachusetts People from Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire Military personnel from Massachusetts