On the 20th of January (1777), the town voted that the 16 soldiers, enlisted last July for the Northern Department, be paid L30 be expended to purchase ammunition. On the 13th of March, the annual town meeting was held for the first time at the Congregational Meeting House. It was voted that L20 be laid out to clear the Parsonage lot, and that the Selectmen be empowered to contract with Jonathan Folsom in relation to making improvements on the School lot in the upper Parish. Dea. Stephen Dudley, Lieut. Jeremiah Cosgswell, Capt. Joseph Badger, Lieut. Noah Dow, and Capt. Nathaniel Wilson were chosen a Committee of Safety for Gilmanton.

On the 1st of April, the town met to make arrangements to raise 20 men, the proportion assigned to the town towards making out 3 Regiments in this State for the Continental Army. A Committee was chosen to join the Militia Officers in raising the men, and empowered to agree with them for any sum they should judge reasonable. This Committee consisted of Stephen Dudley, Edward Gilman, Capt. Summersbee Gilman, Capt. Joseph Badger, Antipas Gilman, Lieut. Ebenezer Eastman, John Sanborn, William Parsons, Jr., Lemuel Rand, and Ensign Samuel Fifield.

The following are the 20 men obtained by this Committee, viz.: Ezekiel Gilman, Thomas Currier, Moses Miles, Joses Moulton, John Taylor, John Dow, Benjamin Cotton, William Willey, Ambrose Thurston, Sergeant Currier, Nathaniel Dow, John Clough, David Mudgett, Thomas Bail, Thomas Piper, all of Gilmanton;and John Welsh, of Nottingham, Jonathan Fullerton of Raymond, Pearson Huntress of Conway, David Clifford, Jr., of Kingston, Jonathan Hazelton, Fryeburg, Me., hired by the town, in all 20 men for the Continental Army. These persons enlisted for 3 years, or during the War. The tax made this year for the above enlistment, was L545 0s. 11d.; and it was agreed that those persons who have heretofore gone into the service, shall be allowed so far that if it shall appear to the Committee that they have done their full proportion in this War, they shall have an order from the Selectmen upon the Constable for their tax, so as to be freed from paying the soldiers.

On the 23d of June, the town chose Dudley Young, Capt. Summersbee Gilman, Ensign John Dudley, Lieut. Samuel Ladd, Ensign Samuel Fifield, to regulate the prices of things in the town.

Four Regiments of minute men, as they were called from the fat that they were required to be ready at a minute's warning, had been enlisted out of the Militia of the State, and in July 1777, a company  of these were called from Gilmanton and vicinity into the service. This company, consisting of 35 men, under the command of Capt. Nathaniel Wilson, joined Col. Thomas Stickney's Regiment and Gen. John Stark's Brigade in the defense of the Western frontiers from the ravages of Burgoyne's Army. They fell in with the enemy, Aug. 15, at Bennington, and occupied the right wing in that well fought battle, which turned the fortunes of the British Commander, and led the way to the speedy surrender of his whole Army to the American Forces. This service did great honor to the military valor of the town.

The following is a copy of the Pay Roll of the Company.

Pay Roll of Capt. Nathaniel Wilson's Company, of Col. Thomas Stickney's Regiment in Gen. Stark's Brigade, from the 22d day of July, A.D. 1777, to the 22d day of September 1777, both days included.

History of Gilmanton

Written by: Daniel Lancaster

Published in 1845

NameRankWages & travelAdv'ce pay't.Wages Due

Nahaniel Wilson, Capt.26L, 8s., 0d.0L,00s.,0d.26L,8s.,0d.

Samuel Ladd,Lieut.      19L, 1s., 6d.0L,00s.,0d.       19L,1s.,6d.

Winthrop Smart,Ensign.14L, 8s., 0d0L,00s., 0d.14L,8s.,0d.

Sergeants.

Elisha Hutchinson,11L,19s.,3d.4L,10s.,0d.7L, 9s.,3d.

Peter Gilman,""""""

John Clark,     """"""

Ezekiel Flanders, """"""

Corporals.

Dudley Gilman,11L,11s., 1d., 1-24L,10s., 0d.  7L,1s.,1d.,1-2

Andrew Jacobs,""""""Benjamin Stevens,   """""" 

Daniel Dudley,  """"""

Privates.

Nathaniel Webster,11L,3s.,0d.4L, 10s.,6L, 13s.,

Jeremiah Richardson,   """"   ""

John Fox,  """"    ""

Solomon Kenniston,     """"    ""

Simon Clough,""""    ""

Nathaniel Kimball, """"    ""

Robert Tibbetts,      """"    ""

Jethro Bachelder,   """"    ""

Edward Gilman,      """"    ""

John Tucker,    """"    ""

Samuel Fifield,""""    ""

Elisha Swett,    """"    ""

Joseph Roberts,    """"     ""

Jacob Chmberlain, """"    ""

Joseph Flanders,    """"    ""

Jesse Lougee, """"    ""

Benjamin W. Dean, """"    ""

Joseph Nelson,""""    ""

Winthrop Durgin,      """"    ""

David Jacobs,   """"   ""

John Avery,""""    ""

Paul Tasker,      """"    ""

Benjamin Emerson,"  """   ""

Charles Randlett,    """"    ""

35 men.421L, 11s.,0d.144L,0s.,0d.277L,10s., 0d.

They were out 2 months and 1 day, from the 18th of July to the 22d of September, 1777; their distance of travel, 160 miles; their pay 3d. per mile. June 9, 1778, Lieut. S. Ladd gave Joseph Badger, Esq., an order on Col. Thomas Stickney for what was due when the service, under his command, which now exists, and is in the hands of G.W. Nesmith, Esq., Franklin.

Commissary's Certificate.

This may certify, that Capt. Wilson drew no provisions for himself or his subalterns, and but one pound and a quarter of beef, and one pound of bread or flour per man, per day, while at Charlestown, for his company.

[Signed]Elijah Grout, Comm'y.

Sept. 15, 1777.A true Copy

State of New Hampshire:

Rockingham, ss.Agreeable to orders, from Colonel

Stickney. A Return of the Soldiers that I have

enlisted to serve for the Parish of Loudon in the

Continental Army, from the 12th day of this

Instant three months, is as follows, Namely:

Timothy Batchelder, Dudley Swain, Moses Danford, Enoch Bagley, and Levi Shaw of Gilmanton, and Anthony Potter, of Concord. ~ A true Return.

Loudon, July 17, 1777.

Josiah Tilton, Captain.

Many of the officers besides Gen. Stark and some of the soldiers in this battle, formerly belonged to Rogers' Rangers. It is a fact worth of notice, that while these men made powerful allies for the British cause in the French War, they became terrible foes to the Crown in the war of the Revolution. Nearly every captain and probably all the higher officers, who from New Hampshire, engaged in the Revolutionary service, were from these companies of Rangers; and it was from the fact of their having been trained up in such a school, and having been inured to hardships and accustomed to the Indian mode of warfare, that they exhibited such coolness, bravery and valor, and gained such credit in the engagements at Bunker Hill, Bennington and elsewhere. The New Hampshire troops led on by the choice spirits of the Rangers, never faltered in the privations of the camp, or amidst the dangers of the battle-field. Nor would they lay down their arms till their Independence was achieved, and their country's freedom secured.