Timothy Bedel
Encyclopedia
Timothy Bedel was a soldier and local leader prominent in the early history of New Hampshire
and Vermont
.
Bedel was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts
. During the French and Indian War
he served as a lieutenant in the New Hampshire Provincial Regiment
at Fort at Number 4
, Crown Point
, Fortress Louisbourg, the capture of Quebec
and later at the capture of Havana, Cuba. Bedel served in the New Hampshire colonial and state assembly during and after the war and was elected to the break away assembly to create New Connecticut which became known as the Vermont Republic
.
Bedel and his wife Elizabeth had a son named Moody Bedel, born on May 12, 1764, who became a brigadier general during the War of 1812
. Moody Bedel's son John Bedel was a brigadier general of volunteers during the American Civil War
.
. Coos was known as ( Abenaki name for a place variously spelled cowasuk, cohos, or Koes ), a military command located in Haverhill, New Hampshire
and Newbury, Vermont
where natives gathered to transport people and goods into Canada.
Bedel's Regiment
recruited a unit which quickly grew into a regiment of eight companies. He became a colonel
in the New Hampshire militia
to protect the northern frontier of New Hampshire in an area of disputed land Grants between Fort Number 4 and Crown Point. A contemporary soldier of the French and Indian War with whom he served, William Stark
, an older brother of John Stark
, also wanted this command, and when turned down William Stark joined the British Army
.
Bedel's ranger regiment joined the Continental Army
during the Invasion of Canada
. Bedel saw action at the Siege of Fort St. Jean. When his unit arrived he was the senior regimental commander. His command was criticized by General Richard Montgomery
for overspending and wasting of provisions particularly rum.
He missed the Battle of The Cedars
while he was ill at the hospital at Lachine, Quebec
. At The Cedars, most of Bedel's Regiment
was captured by the British and their Native American
allies. Eight days later his men were exchanged for British soldiers captured at the St. Jean. Both Bedel and his second in command, Major Isaac Butterfield, were court-martialed for the disaster at The Cedars. Bedel was found not guilty and Butterfield was found guilty of cowardice. Bedel's Regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1777, when enlistments expired. He subsequently recruited a series of ranger regiments for New Hampshire. Part of his command became part of the Green Mountain Boys
at the Battle of Quebec.
Bedel served as a 1st Lieutenant in a militia regiment at the Battle of Bennington
under general John Stark
, became a staff officer for generals Philip Schuyler
and Horatio Gates
at Saratoga concerning Indian affairs, and was restored to regimental command. On December 11, 1779, General George Washington
ordered Colonel Bedel to raise another regiment at Coos to help Colonel Moses Hazen
and general Jacob Bayley in the construction of a possible invasion route to Canada Bayley Hazen Military Road
and to conduct an investigation of misconduct and fraud against the Continental Army Quartermaster
at Coos, New Hampshire.
granted to Abenakis who had sided with the United States
during the war.
Some early histories state that Bedel became a general in the New Hampshire, Vermont, or New York militia, but historian Albert Batchellor could find no evidence of this and believed it to be an error because Bedel was always addressed by his contemporaries as "Colonel". Bedel died in Haverhill, New Hampshire
.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
Bedel was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Though it officially became a city in 1996, its formal name remains "The Town of Amesbury." In 1890, 9798 people lived in Amesbury; in 1900, 9473; in 1910, 9894; in 1920, 10,036; and in 1940, 10,862. The population was 16,283 at...
. During the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
he served as a lieutenant in the New Hampshire Provincial Regiment
New Hampshire Provincial Regiment
The New Hampshire Provincial Regiment was a composite regiment made up of units of the New Hampshire Militia during the French and Indian War for service with the British Army in North America. It was first formed in 1754 with the start of hostilities with France.-1755:In 1755 Col...
at Fort at Number 4
Fort at Number 4
The Fort at Number 4 was the northernmost British settlement along the Connecticut River in New Hampshire until after the French and Indian War. Now known as Charlestown, it was more than from the nearest other British settlement at Fort Dummer. Construction began in 1740 by brothers Stephen,...
, Crown Point
Fort Crown Point
Crown Point, was a British fort built by the combined efforts of both British and Provincial troops in North America in 1759 at narrows on Lake Champlain on the border between modern New York State and Vermont...
, Fortress Louisbourg, the capture of Quebec
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
and later at the capture of Havana, Cuba. Bedel served in the New Hampshire colonial and state assembly during and after the war and was elected to the break away assembly to create New Connecticut which became known as the Vermont Republic
Vermont Republic
The term Vermont Republic has been used by later historians for the government of what became modern Vermont from 1777 to 1791. In July 1777 delegates from 28 towns met and declared independence from jurisdictions and land claims of British colonies in New Hampshire and New York. They also...
.
Bedel and his wife Elizabeth had a son named Moody Bedel, born on May 12, 1764, who became a brigadier general during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Moody Bedel's son John Bedel was a brigadier general of volunteers during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
American Revolution
On May 26, 1775, Timothy Bedel, a member of the New Hampshire provincial assembly, was appointed to command a company of rangers to be raised at Coos, New HampshireCoos, New Hampshire
Coos, New Hampshire refers to the frontier area of northern New Hampshire. During the American Revolution a military command was located at Haverhill, New Hampshire to protect the New Hampshire Grants and to support military efforts in the invasion of Canada....
. Coos was known as ( Abenaki name for a place variously spelled cowasuk, cohos, or Koes ), a military command located in Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,697 at the 2010 census. Haverhill includes the villages of Woodsville, Pike, and North Haverhill, the historic town center at Haverhill Corner, and the district of Mountain Lakes...
and Newbury, Vermont
Newbury (town), Vermont
Newbury is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,955 at the 2000 census. Newbury includes the villages of Newbury, Center Newbury, West Newbury, South Newbury, Boltonville, Peach Four Corners, and Wells River.-History:...
where natives gathered to transport people and goods into Canada.
Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment was first raised as a single company of rangers in Coos, New Hampshire on May 26, 1775 under the command of Timothy Bedel for the protection of northern New Hampshire during the early days of the American Revolutionary War...
recruited a unit which quickly grew into a regiment of eight companies. He became a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the New Hampshire militia
New Hampshire Militia
The New Hampshire Militia was first organized in March 1680, by New Hampshire Colonial President John Cutt. The King of England authorized the Provincial President to give commissions to persons who shall be best qualified for regulating and discipline of the militia. President Cutt placed Major...
to protect the northern frontier of New Hampshire in an area of disputed land Grants between Fort Number 4 and Crown Point. A contemporary soldier of the French and Indian War with whom he served, William Stark
William Stark
William Stark was the older brother of Gen. John Stark, the hero of the Battle of Bennington. William Stark was born on April 1, 1724 at Londonderry, New Hampshire...
, an older brother of John Stark
John Stark
John Stark was a New Hampshire native who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.-Early life:John Stark was born in Londonderry, New...
, also wanted this command, and when turned down William Stark joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
Bedel's ranger regiment joined the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the Invasion of Canada
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
. Bedel saw action at the Siege of Fort St. Jean. When his unit arrived he was the senior regimental commander. His command was criticized by General Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
for overspending and wasting of provisions particularly rum.
He missed the Battle of The Cedars
Battle of the Cedars
The Battle of The Cedars was a series of military confrontations early in the American Revolutionary War during the Continental Army's invasion of Quebec that had begun in September 1775. The skirmishes, which involved limited combat, occurred in May 1776 at and around The Cedars, west of...
while he was ill at the hospital at Lachine, Quebec
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
. At The Cedars, most of Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment
Bedel's Regiment was first raised as a single company of rangers in Coos, New Hampshire on May 26, 1775 under the command of Timothy Bedel for the protection of northern New Hampshire during the early days of the American Revolutionary War...
was captured by the British and their Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
allies. Eight days later his men were exchanged for British soldiers captured at the St. Jean. Both Bedel and his second in command, Major Isaac Butterfield, were court-martialed for the disaster at The Cedars. Bedel was found not guilty and Butterfield was found guilty of cowardice. Bedel's Regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1777, when enlistments expired. He subsequently recruited a series of ranger regiments for New Hampshire. Part of his command became part of the Green Mountain Boys
Green Mountain Boys
The Green Mountain Boys were a militia organization first established in the 1760s in the territory between the British provinces of New York and New Hampshire, known as the New Hampshire Grants...
at the Battle of Quebec.
Bedel served as a 1st Lieutenant in a militia regiment at the Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
under general John Stark
John Stark
John Stark was a New Hampshire native who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.-Early life:John Stark was born in Londonderry, New...
, became a staff officer for generals Philip Schuyler
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...
and Horatio Gates
Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
at Saratoga concerning Indian affairs, and was restored to regimental command. On December 11, 1779, General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
ordered Colonel Bedel to raise another regiment at Coos to help Colonel Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen
Moses Hazen was a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he saw action in the French and Indian War with Rogers' Rangers. His service included particularly brutal raids during the Expulsion of the Acadians and...
and general Jacob Bayley in the construction of a possible invasion route to Canada Bayley Hazen Military Road
Bayley Hazen Military Road
The Bayley–Hazen Military Road was a military road that was originally planned to run from Newbury, Vermont to St. John's, Quebec, not far from Montreal. , running from Newbury to Hazens Notch near the Canadian border, were constructed between 1776 and 1779 during the American Revolutionary War...
and to conduct an investigation of misconduct and fraud against the Continental Army Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
at Coos, New Hampshire.
Later years
After the war, Bedel worked unsuccessfully to have lands in northern New Hampshire and VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
granted to Abenakis who had sided with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the war.
Some early histories state that Bedel became a general in the New Hampshire, Vermont, or New York militia, but historian Albert Batchellor could find no evidence of this and believed it to be an error because Bedel was always addressed by his contemporaries as "Colonel". Bedel died in Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill, New Hampshire
Haverhill is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,697 at the 2010 census. Haverhill includes the villages of Woodsville, Pike, and North Haverhill, the historic town center at Haverhill Corner, and the district of Mountain Lakes...
.