The Revolutionary War officially ended in 1783, long before the invention of photography. But, some lived long enough to be photographed.
In 1864, Reverend E. B. Hillard and two photographers traveled to take pictures of six remaining Revolutionary War Veterans. All six of these gentlemen were over a hundred years old, which is astonishing!
Pictures of those six men are below.
William Hutchings enlisted at the tender age of 15. During the Siege of Castine, he was taken prisoner by the British. But, they thought he was too young to justify holding him, so they set him free.
Today, 16 year olds are getting their driver’s licenses, but that is the age that Samuel Downing enlisted.
Lemuel Cook was present for the British surrender at Yorktown. General Washington personally signed Cook’s Honorable Discharge.
Daniel Waldo was taken prisoner at the Battle of Horse Neck. After the war, he returned to his farm.
Alexander Milliner enlisted as a drummer boy. He was in General George Washington’s Life Guard unit. The man who would later become our first president would request songs for Milliner to play.
Adam Link was a homeless orphan when he enlisted in 1777. He was 16 years old and soon found himself in Valley Forge.
These pictures are an important part of our nation’s history. These men stepped up at a very young age to help gain independence from Britain. It’s rather remarkable that these photos exist.
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