John Glover (November 5, 1732 – January 30, 1797) was an American fisherman, merchant, politician, and military leader from

Marblehead, Massachusetts Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, along the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsu ...

, who served as a brigadier general in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. He is most famous in American history for his role in helping found what would become the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

, along with his regiment rowing Washington across the Delaware, the

Battle of Long Island The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, was an action of the American Revolutionary War fought on August 27, 1776, at and near the western edge of Long Island in present-day Brooklyn ...

, and leading one of the first integrated regiments in the American Revolution.

Early life

Glover was born in

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one ...

, the son of a house carpenter. When John was four years old, his father died. Shortly thereafter, his mother and three brothers moved to the neighboring town of Marblehead.Billias p.17 As a young man, Glover became a

cordwainer A cordwainer () is a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather. The cordwainer's trade can be contrasted with the cobbler's trade, according to a tradition in Britain that restricted cobblers to repairing shoes. This usage distinction is ...

and rum trader and eventually a ship owner and international merchant.Billias p.18 He married Hannah Gale in October 1754.Billias p.21 Following the

Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre, known in Great Britain as the Incident on King Street, was a confrontation, on March 5, 1770, during the American Revolution in Boston in what was then the colonial-era Province of Massachusetts Bay. In the confrontati ...

in 1770,

Committees of Correspondence The committees of correspondence were a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independence during the American Revolution. The brainchild of Sa ...

were formed. Marblehead elected Glover along with future revolutionists

Elbridge Gerry Elbridge Gerry ( ; July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from 1813 until his death i ...

and

Azor Orne Azor Orne (July 22, 1731 – June 6, 1796), sometimes spelled Azore, was a colonial American merchant, politician and patriot. In the years preceding the American Revolution, Orne built a controversial hospital to quarantine and help smallp ...

to committee posts.Billias p.33 After the

First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates of twelve of the Thirteen Colonies held from September 5 to October 26, 1774, at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia at the beginning of the American Revolution. The meeting was organized b ...

passed the non-importation agreements sanctioning trade with the British, Glover was elected to enforce the embargo as a member of the committee of inspection. In 1773, there was a deadly

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 (W ...

outbreak in the town of Marblehead. John Glover along with

and

petitioned the town of Marblehead for a hospital to be built on Cat Island. After the town voted against it out of suspicions, they took it upon themselves to privately build the hospital on the island after receiving permission from Salem. Known as the Essex Hospital, it was successful in treating majority of the patients. However, many of Marblehead's citizens were still uneasy about it, forcing it to close, with a few locals eventually burning it down.

Military career

Glover was active in the militia for many years before the Revolution, with his earliest service dating back to 1759.Billias p.60 In 1775 he was elected lieutenant colonel of the 21st Massachusetts Regiment from Marblehead, and became commander of the unit after the death of Colonel

Jeremiah Lee The Jeremiah Lee Mansion is a historic house located in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is operated as a house museum by the local historical society. Built in 1768, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 as one of the finest Late ...

in April 1775.

American Navy

Glover marched his regiment to join the

siege of Boston The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. In the siege, Patriot (American Revolution), American patriot militia led by newly-installed Continental Army commander George Wash ...

in June 1775. At Boston, General

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

chartered Glover's schooner '' Hannah'' to raid British supply vessels, the first of many

privateer A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...

s or warship authorized by Washington. For this reason the ''Hannah'' has been occasionally called the first vessel of the

Continental Navy The Continental Navy was the navy of the United Colonies and United States from 1775 to 1785. It was founded on October 13, 1775 by the Continental Congress to fight against British forces and their allies as part of the American Revolutionary ...

or its later successor the

Leader of one of the first integrated American Regiments

The Marblehead militia or "Glover's Regiment" became the 14th Continental Regiment. John Glover was able to raise a regiment of 500 men composed of both his militia and Marblehead mariners, and termed by Washington as soldiers “bred to the sea.” This regiment became known as the "amphibious regiment" for their vital nautical skills. It was composed almost entirely of seamen, mariners and fishermen. Many of these men of were Native Americans, Jewish, African-Americans, and Spanish forming the first integrated units in the new

American military The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...

. The regiment's muster rolls listed one-third of the men as dark complexioned. A Pennsylvania general was shocked by the “number of negroes” treated as equals in Glover's Regiment. Most of the regiment lived in Marblehead, and came together before the war, fishing in the Grand Banks. At sea, everyone worked toward a common goal, and an individual's background did not matter, a philosophy carried over to the regiment.

Battle of Long Island

After Washington lost the

(aka

Battle of Brooklyn The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, was an action of the American Revolutionary War fought on August 27, 1776, at and near the western edge of Long Island in present-day Brooklyn ...

) in August 1776, Glover's Marbleheaders evacuated the army across the

East River The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...

Manhattan Island Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York. Located almost entire ...

in a surprise nighttime operation, saving them from being entrapped in their fortified trenches on

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south ...

. In subsequent actions of the

New York campaign New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

the regiment fought well against the British at

Kip's Bay Kips Bay, or Kip's Bay, is a neighborhood on the east side of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by 34th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 23rd Street to the south, and Third Avenue to the west. Kips B ...

when the Redcoats invaded, landing on Manhattan and Pell's Point.

Battle of Pell's Point

On October 18, 1776 General Howe landed 4,000 men at Pell's Point (Present-day Pelham Bay Park in The Bronx, NY) to cut off Washington's escape from New York City. Col. John Glover and the 750 men of his regiment were there to stop this from happening. Without a superior officer to direct his actions, Glover took command and positioned his men behind stone walls on both sides of the road. Glover's Marbleheaders inflicted heavy casualties on the British and Hessian soldiers, firing from behind concealed positions. As the British advanced Glover's regiment would fall back, leapfrogging past the next group who would, in turn, begin firing. The result was an unrelenting field of fire from which the British had little protection leaving them little choice but to retreat and regroup. Under Glover's leadership the regiment was able to delay the British advance long enough for Washington to complete his evacuation of NYC.

Battle of Trenton

The last action of the regiment was its most famous: ferrying Washington's army on confiscated river coal ore boats from upstream across the Delaware River at night for a surprise attack on Hessian forces at the

Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. After General George Washington's George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, crossing of the ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

on the morning of December 26, 1776.

Saratoga campaign

After Trenton, Glover went home to tend to his sick wife and look to business affairs. He turned down a promotion to brigadier general in February 1777, but rejoined the war and accepted the promotion after a personal appeal from General Washington. As commander of a brigade made up of four Massachusetts regiments, he served in the successful

Saratoga campaign The Saratoga campaign in 1777 was an attempt by the British to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley during the American Revolutionary War. It ended in the surrender of a British army, which historian Edmund M ...

with General Schuyler along the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

in the summer and fall of 1777. He would later join the attack on the British encampment with General Gates, leading to the surrender and capture of 5,791 enemy troops under the command of General

John Burgoyne General (United Kingdom), General John "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne (24 February 1722 – 4 August 1792) was a British Army officer, playwright and politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1761 to 1792. He first saw acti ...

. General Glover was assigned to escort the prisoners back to

Cambridge, MA Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 U.S. census was 118, ...

, where his regiment was greeted all the way back with victorious cheers by spectators along the road.

West Point and Battle of Rhode Island

In the winter of 1778, his brigade joined Washington's encampment at

Valley Forge Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army, under the command of George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. The Valley Forge encampment lasted six months, from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. It was the t ...

. In June of that year, Washington assigned him the command of Fort Arnold, at

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

, where he surpervised the construction of the forts and redoubts in the area. In the following years he would take part in

Battle of Rhode Island The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and Militia forces under the command of Major General John Sullivan had been besieging the British forces in Newport, Rhode Is ...

, where he was able to muster two entire companies in Boston and Salem, with the majority of the volunteers from Marblehead to help reinforce the effort to take back Rhode Island. For the remainder of the war, he was stationed back along the Hudson River at

, guarding against British moves up the river from New York City.

Retirement from military service

After Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown in October 1781, it would take two years for a peace treaty to be signed, so the army was not yet disbanded. During this time, General Glover was ordered to Massachusetts to take charge and muster recruits. In July 1782, General John Glover retired from the army, due to his failing health and was placed on the half-pay established by a resolution of Congress.

Later life

Hannah, Glover's first wife, died in 1778. He married again, in 1781, to widow Frances (Hitchborn) Fosdick, a relative of

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...

. John Glover moved to the Glover Farm in 1782, on the current day border of Marblehead and Swampscott. He had purchased it the year before in 1781 from the state, that had confiscated the property from a British loyalist. In 1784, the

Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

visited Glover, who fought with him in the American Revolution during which they "had shared the hardships and victories of the battlefield as well as the friendship of Gen. George Washington."

Political career

Glover served in local offices including six terms as a town selectman, delegate to the state convention that ratified the

U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. Originally including seven articles, the Constituti ...

(1788), and two-term member of the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...

(1788-1789). During his 1789 tour of the United States, President George Washington made a detour to see Glover and thank the residents of Marblehead for their service during the war.

Death

Glover died on January 30, 1797, after contracting

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...

. He was buried in a brick tomb in Marblehead's Old Burial Hill.Billias p.200 His death is now commemorated annually b
Glover's Regiment
with a memorial lantern procession to his tomb and a three-volley gun salute.

Historic residences

Glover and his family lived in house he built in 1762, now known as the John Glover House, a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

. The General Glover Farmhouse, originally built in what was then Salem, and now in Swampscott, was also built in the 1700s, and it is where Glover lived beginning in 1782 after retiring from the military. The house stands today but was threatened by demolition in 2024, resulting in a preservation effort Save the Glover to prevent the loss of Glover's final home.

Memorials and legacy

* On November 20, 1783, he was awarded the charter for the town of

Glover, Vermont Glover is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 1,114. It contains two unincorporated villages, Glover and West Glover. The town is named for Brigadier General John Glover, w ...

, as its prime proprietor, in honor of his service. * Fort Glover in Marblehead, originally built for the Revolutionary War as the Huit's Head Battery, was named for him when rebuilt in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

. * The frigate was named for him, and sponsored by Mrs. William S. Pederson, Sr., and Mrs. Claude V. Signer, his great-great-great-granddaughters. *

Glover's Rock Pelham Bay Park is a public park, municipal park located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough (New York City), borough of the Bronx. It is, at , the largest public park in New York City. The park is more than three times the si ...

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

is a memorial to his leadership in the

Battle of Pell's Point A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

. * Glover School in Marblehead was named after him in 1916. * There is a statue of Glover on Commonwealth Avenue in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. * The General John Glover House is located in Marblehead, MA * General Glover House & Farm in Swampscott, MA
Glover's Rock
in

Pelham Bay Park Pelham Bay Park is a municipal park located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough of the Bronx. It is, at , the largest public park in New York City. The park is more than three times the size of Manhattan's Central Park. The p ...

, is named for him. *Commemorated at St. Paul's Church National Historic Site, NY File:Glover-statue.jpg, Statue of Glover on

Commonwealth Avenue, Boston Commonwealth Avenue (colloquially referred to as Comm Ave) is a major street in the cities of Boston and Newton, Massachusetts. It begins at the western edge of the Boston Public Garden, and continues west through the neighborhoods of the B ...

by Martin Milmore (1875) File:Statue Commonwealth Ave Boston Inscription.jpg, Inscription from the Statue of Glover on

. File:USS Glover (FF-1098) underway at sea on 1 June 1982 (6349647).jpg, The frigate , named in honor of General John Glover

Glover's Regiment

In honor of General Glover's legacy, founded for the bicentennial, and continued to this day
Glover's Marblehead Regiment
a dedicated group of re-enactors take part in special events throughout the year commemorating the achievements of Glover and his regiment.

Paintings & Portraits

The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton December 26 1776

* Brigadier General Glover, sketch portrait, by

John Trumbull John Trumbull (June 6, 1756 – November 10, 1843) was an American painter and military officer best known for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran. He has been called the "Painter of the Revolut ...

, 1794,

Yale University Art Gallery The Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG) is an art museum in New Haven, Connecticut. It houses a major encyclopedic collection of art in several interconnected buildings on the campus of Yale University. Although it embraces all cultures and period ...

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...

* ''

Surrender of General Burgoyne The ''Surrender of General Burgoyne'' is an oil painting by the American artist John Trumbull. The painting was completed in 1821 and hangs in the United States Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. The painting depicts the surrender of Kingdom of ...

'', oil painting, by

, 1821,

United States Capitol Rotunda The United States Capitol building features a central rotunda below the Capitol dome. Built between 1818 and 1824, the rotunda has been described as the Capitol's "symbolic and physical heart". The rotunda is connected by corridors leading so ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

* '' The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776,'' oil painting, by

, 1828,

* ''General John Glover,'' oil on canvas, by Henry Sutton, 1964, Abbot Hall
Marblehead, MA
* ''General John Glover'', oil painting, by Anthony Ayres Iarrobino, 1965, originally commissioned for USS Glover, given to town when ship was decommissioned, at Abbot Hall, Marblehead, MA

Books & Literature

* ''A Memoir of General John Glover, of Marblehead'' by William P. Upham (1863) * ''History and Traditions of Marblehead'' by Samuel Roads (1880) * ''Gen. John Glover and his Marblehead regiment in the Revolutionary War : A paper read before the Marblehead Historical Society,'' by Nathan P. Sanborn (1903) * ''Glover's Marblehead Regiment'', Frank Augustine Gardner, (1908) * ''General John Glover and His Marblehead Mariners,'' by George Bilias (1960) * ''Washington's Savior: General John Glover and the American Revolution: General John Glover and the American Revolution,'' by Richard A. Brayall (2013) * ''George Washington's surprise attack : a new look at the battle that decided the fate of America,'' Thomas Tucker, (2013) * ''The Indispensables: The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware,'' by Patrick K. O'Donnell (2021) * ''Saving Washington's Army: The Brilliant Last Stand of General John Glover at the Battle of Pell's Point, New York, October 18, 1776'', by Phillip Thomas Tucker (2022) * W''ashington's Hero: General John Glover'', by Frank Westcott (2024)

Popular culture

In the 2000 television movie ''The Crossing'', the part of Glover is a pivotal character, and played by

Sebastian Roché Sebastian Roché (born 4 August 1964) is a French-American actor. He is known for his roles as Kurt Mendel in '' Odyssey 5'', Jerry Jacks in ''General Hospital'', Thomas Jerome Newton in '' Fringe'', Balthazar in ''Supernatural'', Mikael in bo ...

., ''The Crossing'', opening credits, retrieved January 3, 2018

Notes

References

* * Fowler, William M. "Glover, John". ''

American National Biography Online The ''American National Biography'' (ANB) is a 24-volume biographical encyclopedia set that contains about 17,400 entries and 20 million words, first published in 1999 by Oxford University Press under the auspices of the American Council of Lea ...

'', February 2000.
General John Glover and His Marblehead Mariners by George Bilias. 1903

Glover's Regiment. 1908
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glover, John 1732 births 1797 deaths American privateers Merchants from colonial Massachusetts 18th-century American merchants Continental Army generals Continental Army officers from Massachusetts Continental Navy personnel Deaths from hepatitis Glover, Vermont Infectious disease deaths in Massachusetts People from Marblehead, Massachusetts American fishermen