Manuscript
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Deerfield Military Roster, 1775-1777

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Date: 1775 - 1777
About this artifact

The "minutemen" of the American Revolution were supposed to be ready to march where needed at a moment's notice. Serving for periods as short as two weeks or as long as several months, these citizen soldiers were not part of the Continental Army. This "Alarm List" for Deerfield, Massachusetts, recorded which of these militiamen responded to various calls by the state government. It recorded how long they served and how much they were paid, as well as which men chose to pay a fine rather than serve their allotted time. Names on this list include residents suspected of Loyalist leanings as well as those who supported the Revolution. Members of both groups would serve in the Massachusetts militia called up in 1786 to defend the government against their fellow citizens in what came to be called Shays' Rebellion.

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Courtesy Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, MA