Benjaman Parker DeLancey's Brigade Esther Clark Wright, the New Brunswick Loyalists historian, claimed that Benjamin Parker had belonged to the 2nd Battalion of DeLancey's Brigade. Since no records in New Brunswick could be found to substantiate the claim, we are left wondering if ECW drew the conclusion that the Benjamin Parker mustered in DeLancey's in 1783 was the same who settled on Campobello. Another possiblility is that she was able to uncover a record that connected Campobello Benjamin and the one in DeLancey's. In February 1783 a muster roll recorded the men in Captain Elijah Miles's Company of DeLancey's 2nd Brigade. Miles had been with DeLancey's since at least 1777, initially in the 3rd Battalion, and later, after a reorganniztion, in the 2nd. DeLancey's was raised with the purpose of protecting Long Island, but eventually companies were sent as part of the Southern Campaign. Miles's company was among those that remained on Long Island. They were stationed at Setauket, Herricks, Flushing and Lloyd's Neck, and were at Lloyd's Neck when Benjamin's name appeared on the muster roll. The muster rolls for Captain Miles's company survive for 1777 through October 1780, leaving us a complete record of his men for that period. Benjamin's name does not appear on any of those rolls. There is a gap in the record from late 1780 until February 1783, so we can't say with certainty just what time he enlisted. We do note the survival of a pay list in the Carleton Papers from December 1782 which indicates that Benjamin was on the rolls from October that year. Another pay list for August 1783 lists 4 men (first names not given) of DeLancey's 2nd Brigade who deserted by the time of that record: Parker, Bardsley, Hurd, and Wheeler. We find all these names in Capt Miles's company, thus we can conclude that the Parker is Benjamin, whose exact date of desertion was May 18th. So we can assume that one Benjamin Parker belonged to DeLancey's from no later than October 1782 until 15 May 1783. Another roll exists for muster from 24 August - 24 October 1783, from which Benjamin's name is absent. In August 1783, Benjamin submitted a petition praying for relief "In the time of Difficulty." The petition did not mention any military service, but did recall his assistance in guiding escaped prisoners from Burgoyne's and Cornwaliss's armies through "Rebel Country." General Clinton's Army was withrdawing from Philadelphia in early summer 1778, to join the rest of the British forces in New York City. Cornwallis was among them. The clash between Washington's army and the British known as the Battle of Monmouth occured on June 28th, the events centered around the Monmouth County Courthouse near Freehold. Benjamin was thought to be from the Upper Freehold area, and would have certainly witnessed the battle, and had ample opportunity to assist the escape of any British soldiers. Burgoyne's army was captured by the Rebels in Saratoga in October 1777, and were referred to as the Convention Army, after the convention to determine the terms of surrender. The Convention Army was first brought to Cambridge, Massachusetts, but was eventually transferred to Virginia. They passed through western New Jersey and Pennsylvania in late 1778. Escapees from these ranks would have likely headed north and east toward the New York City area where the British forces has consolidated. If Benjamin Parker was in the Upper Freehold area at this time, as we expect, he would have once again been able to assist any soldiers escaping through that country. It is difficult to conclude that the Benjamin who served under DeLancey is the same who settled on Campobello. If he was the same, we would have expected a few things. Firstly, his petition in 1783 would have mentioned his service. Also, once he reached Nova Scotia, he would have likely been granted land there, among the other ment from DeLancey's 2nd, which he was not. These things can be explained once you consider the desertion. What of Esther Clark Wright's claim that Benjamin belonged to DeLancey's 2nd? Examining the last muster roll Benjamin Parker is listed in, we find the names of 39 men beside Benjamin. ECW names 21 of those men, suggesting they spent at least some time in New Brunswick after the War. In each entry, ECW indicates that each man belonged to DeLancey's 2nd. Fourteen petitions before 1800 could be found for those 21 men; only 7 mentioned that they served under DeLancey (or one of his officers). So ECW named 15 men (including Benjamin) of Capt Miles's company who belonged to DeLancey's 2nd for whom such record cannot be found in New Brunswick. So was she simply matching New Brunswick settlers to the one available muster roll that Benjamin Parker was found on? Possibly. I could find no early trace of those on the muster roll that ECW did not mention. Although a leap of faith on the part of ECW, it is not an unreasonable conclusion that Benjamin Parker who settled on Campobello was the private in Capt Miles's company. We know that he lived in New York during the war. We also find others in the company in Charlotte County: Andrew Blackman, Peter Butler, William Eldridge, and possibly John Carns were at Beaver Harbour. * * * Benjamin Parker Records from DeLancey's Brigade Title: British Military and Naval Records (RG 8, C Series) - INDEX ONLY https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/british-military-naval-records-index/Pages/british-military-naval-records-index.aspx Parit, Nicholas - Pensioners, Chelsea 54 C-11843 https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/british-military-naval-records-index/Pages/item.aspx?PageID=721181 [123/6354] Benjamin Parker Private, 2nd Battalion De Lancey's Brigade 24-2-1783 C.1879 page 51 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/397529?availability=Family%20History%20Library Vol. 1876 - vol. 1881, p. 93 Loyalist muster rolls: De Lancey's Brigades, 1st & 2nd, 1777-1783; 3rd, 1777-1781 (NAC film no. C-4220) Family History Library United States & Canada Film 1631545 8341985 https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008341985?cat=397529 [476/783] Volume 1879 Page 51 Muster Roll Captain Elijah Miles's Company in the 2d Battalion of Brigadier General DeLancey's Brigade Commanded by Colonel Gabriel G Ludlow Flushing 24th February 1783 24 [Private] Benjamin Parker [452/ p 32 25 August - 24 October 1783] [No Elijah Miles in the Index for 1782 or 1783 besides these.] [124/] Benjamin Parker [Benjamin Peck. Not indexed correctly. See below] Private, 2nd Battalion New Jersey Volunteers 2-3-1783 Prisoner C.1855 page 70 Vol. 1853, p. 35 - vol. 1856, p. 25 Loyalist muster rolls: New Jersey Volunteers, 1777-1783 (NAC film no. C-3874) Family History Library United States & Canada Film 1631540 8126642 https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/008126642?cat=397529 [628/746 May not be precise] Muster Roll of Lieut Colonel Isaac Allen's Company 2d Battalion New Jersey Volunteers [Newton 2d March 178[3]] Prisoners: Benjn Peck? [Sic] [636/ 24 June 1783 Benjamin Peck] From the Carleton Papers https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-british-soldiers-1722-1784/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=41274& Item: Benjamin PARKER (41274) Given Names(s): Benjamin Surname: PARKER Regiment: Delancey's Brigade (2nd Battalion) Gender: Male Type of Document: Pay List Date (yyyy/mm/dd) : 1782-12-24 Additional Information: PERIOD 1782/10/05 TO 1782/10/24 Document Page Number: 6494 (2) Fonds: British Headquarters Papers (Carleton Papers or American Manuscripts) Microfilm: M-359 Reference: MG23 B1 Item Number: 41274 * * * Deserters from Benjamin's Company in DeLancey's Brigade Parker Bardsley Hurd Wheeler https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-british-soldiers-1722-1784/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=41275& Item: PARKER (41275) Surname: PARKER Regiment: Delancey's Brigade (2nd Battalion) Gender: Male Type of Document: Pay List Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 1783-08-24 Additional Information: DESERTED; 18/05/1783 Document Page Number: 8816 (2) Fonds: British Headquarters Papers (Carleton Papers or American Manuscripts) Microfilm: M-364 Reference: MG23 B1 Item Number: 41275 Samuel or Nehemiah? https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-british-soldiers-1722-1784/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=49045& Item: BARDSLEY (49045) Surname: BARDSLEY Regiment: Delancey's Brigade (2nd Battalion) Gender: Male Type of Document: Pay List Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 1783-08-24 Additional Information: DESERTED 1783/05/30 Document Page Number: 8816 (2) Fonds: British Headquarters Papers (Carleton Papers or American Manuscripts) Microfilm: M-364 Reference: MG23 B1 Item Number: 49045 https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-british-soldiers-1722-1784/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=28471& Item: HURD (28471) Surname: HURD Regiment: Delancey's Brigade (2nd Battalion) Gender: Male Type of Document: Pay List Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 1783-08-24 Additional Information: ACCOUNT OF PAY; DESERTED 1783/05/06 Document Page Number: 8816 (2) Fonds: British Headquarters Papers (Carleton Papers or American Manuscripts) Microfilm: M-364 Reference: MG23 B1 Item Number: 28471 * * *