Francis Blanchard,
Patriot Ancestor of Steven Barnes – Sons Of Liberty Chapter; NSSAR # 187375
Francis Blanchard, private from Roxbury, Massachusetts served from early May 1775 until his discharge in June 1783. He served at Bunker Hill in Captain Edward Payson’s company, Colonel William Heath’s (3rd) Regiment, of the Massachusetts line.
Col. Heath was made a Continental brigadier general on June 22, 1775, and command of the regiment passed to Lieutenant Colonel John Greaton. Greaton was promoted to the rank of Colonel on July 1, 1775, and the regiment became Greaton’s Regiment, which served during the Siege of Boston, and was designated the 24th Continental Regiment in the 1776 establishment.
From Nov. 1776 thru 1777 Francis Blanchard was in Captain Samuel Foster’s Company, Col. Greaton’s regiment and fought at the Battle of Saratoga. Captain Foster died in May 1778. Francis is found on the muster rolls for June, July and August 1778, in (late) Capt. Foster’s Co. commanded by Lt. James Tisdale, in White Plains, N.Y. and in 1779 was transferred to Major Robert Oliver’s Company. From May 25, 1780 to Oct 1780, while still in Major Oliver’s Co., Francis is listed as “Prsnr War”.
Details of Francis’ imprisonment are unknown, however he appears again in Captain John Fowle’s company of light infantry, which served at the Siege of Yorktown. Captain Fowle’s company composed a part of the detachment under the overall command of The Marquis de Lafayette, which stormed redoubt No. 10. After losing redoubts No.9 and No.10, Lord Cornwallis was compelled to surrender.
After serving continuously for 8yrs, 1 month, Francis Blanchard, Pvt. from Roxbury, was discharged on the 8th day of June, 1783 and was awarded The Badge of Merit, “By His Excellency George Washington”; given at Head – Quarters, dated and signed “G Washington”.
Francis Blanchard married Welcome Stevens in 1784 and their known children where Joseph S., Samuel and Eliza. He died on April 1st, 1827 at the age of 72. His obituary states that “During the recent (1824) visit of Lafayette to our country, the worthy General distinguished this poor old soldier as having been a true and faithful advocate of American Freedom.”