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Subject: [PIATT] John Piatt, Revolutionary Fifer
Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 15:50:09 +0000

Bouncing around the web turned up this 1832 statement concerning John Piatt,
Revolutionary War fifer, and son of Major Daniel Piatt of the 1st New Jersey.
Apparently this John was a fifer from 1776 until after his father's death in camp
in Morristown on (by memory) 16 Apil 1780. The account of Fifer John's
experiences in the military seem to be excerpted and it might pay to examine the
original document. (If I have misidentified either John or Daniel, please post a
correction.) The webpage with the following quotation can be seen at:

http://www.revwar75.com/library/rees/musician2.htm

<<John Piatt, fife, 1st New Jersey - 66 years old in 1832 (10 years in 1776)"...
he enlisted as a Fifer at the age of ten years in the Company of Daniel Piatt
(who was his Father) in the first New Jersey Regiment... in the latter part of
the year 1775... [and] was marched to Brunswick upper landing - thence to
Elizabethtown and joined the Regiment, under Lord Stirling... Marched thence to
New York and lay in Barracks till the following spring opened then was ordered to
March to Long Island and from thence to Canada (the Rigement at this time was
commanded by Colo. Win's) and proceeded towards Quebeck as far as the three
rivers, there had an engagement with the British, and retreated to Ticonderoga
and lay there till late in the fall, or begining of Winter, and then returned to
the state of New Jersey - directly after my Father Capt. Danl Piatt recruited his
Company again and was soon promoted to the rank of Major in the New Jersey line -
The officers was in Pensylvania recruiting a new Company at the time Genl
Washington attacked the Hessians at Trenton - the deponent attending the
rendezvous as a Musician. The Company wasmarched to the Delaware to aid Genl.
Washington in the battle - was prevented crossing the river till next day after
the Capture of the Hessians - from thence was marched on to [Princeton?] - saw
the dead and wounded in the collidge - The company quartered one Winter at
Elizabethtown, part of the 1st. regt. - The deponent thinks the regt. was
commanded by Colo. Matth Ogden - after that the regiment was marched to the
Westward under Genl. Sullivan - The deponent was kiked by the horse of Colo
Brearly and disenabled to continue his march with the regiment - The troops
returned in the fall of 1779 - and went into Winter quarters at Mendham near
Morristown placed under the immediate comd. of Genl. Washington - here the
deponent joined his compy and continued with them through the Winter - The
regiment was Marched to Camptown in the summer of 1780 at the time Genl
Kniphausen marched the British army to Springfield on his way (as was supposed)
to attack Genl Washington at Morristown - was then marched to Springfield was
engaged in the battle - Young Ogden was killed a considerable number more killed
& wounded The deponent was in the house of Parson Coldwell saw his Wife a Corps,
shot by the British - at Springfield - Was taken a prisoner at pluckemin by the
British and released afterwards being a Youth...">>

Fifer John Piatt is mentioned twice in the general notes about musicians at:

http://www.revwar75.com/library/rees/musician1.htm

The front page of this site is at:

http://www.revwar75.com/

and looks as if it might be worthwhile spending time examining in detail.

--
Laverne Ingram Piatt
Ontario, OH
lapiatt@.att.net

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