| Notes |
- Stephen Hatfield fought in the Rev. War and enlisted on January 7, 1777, in Capt. Abraham Lyons Company in the Fourth New Jersey Regiment and saw action in the battles of Germantown and Short Hills. He was transferred to Capt. Bateman Lloyd's Company Third Regiment, on Feb. 1, 1779. And on March 20, 1780 he was chosen for the Commander in Chief's Guard. He was wounded in the battles he fought in New Jersey, but returned to take part in the surrender at Yorktown. He is buried in the Green Mount Cemetery in Waynesburg, PA and is the only Revolutionary War soldier buried there.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S GUARD, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
This corps, called also "The Life Guard," and "Washington's Body Guard," was a distinct organization of picked men. It consisted of one hundred and eighty men, and its first officer was Caleb Gibbs, of Rhode Island, Captain-Commandant. William Colfax, of New Jersey, was a lieutenant at the organization, and was the successor of Gibbs--ranking as captain. The soldiers were all selected from the ranks of the army, their good character and soldierly bearing being a prerequisite to their receiving this honor. Every State was represented in the "Guard." Its motto was "Conquer or Die."
The following general order issued by General Washington, gives the authority for the reorganization, composition, and continuance of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard:
"GENERAL ORDER No. 11.
"HEADQUARTERS,|
"VALLEY FORGE, March 17th, '78.|
"One hundred chosen men are to be annexed to the Guard of the Commander-in-Chief for the purpose of forming a corps to be instructed in the maneuvers necessary to be introduced into the army and to serve as a model for the execution of them. As the General's Guard is composed of Virginians, the hundred draughts will be taken from the troops of the other States."
"Description of the men: Height from five feet eight inches to five feet ten inches. Age from twenty to thirty years, robust constitution, well-limbed, formed for activity, and men of established characters for sobriety and fidelity. They must be Americans born."
The following soldiers were attached to this corps at different times during the war:
William Colfax - Lieutenant and Captain. John Fenton - Drummer.
Samuel Bailey - Private. Robert Blair Private.
Benjamin Bonnel - Private. Lewis Campbell - Private.
Benjamin Eaton - Private. George Farmer - Private.
Stephen Hetfield - Private.* (also known as Stephen Hatfield!)
Levi Johnson - Private. Labau Landon - Private.
Jasper Longley - Private. William Martin - Private.
Jonathan Moore - Private. Joseph Shipman - Private.
Enos Wells - Private. Samuel Wortman - Private.
Stephen Hatfield (Hetfield) was part of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard from March 20, 1780 until he was furloughed in 1783.
One source tells that men were added to the Guard in 1780 after five men of the guard had attempted to murder Washington.
|
West Nebraska Family Research & History Center
1759 - 1824 (65 years)
[1] 
