James Arcules (Archelaus)

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Medfield, Massachusetts(?)

Date of Birth:

Circa 1754

The following is from the 2004 National Park Service study Patriots of Color researched and prepared by George Quintal:

James Arcules was born circa 1754.^I

He served at the Lexington Alarm from Medfield in the company of Capt. Ephraim Chenery, in Col. John Smith’s regiment. With thousands of others who appeared at Cambridge after the Alarm, he joined the eight month’s service in the company of Capt. Benjamin Bullard, in Col. Jonathan Brewer’s regiment.^II This company served in the Battle of Bunker Hill on the diagonal.

There is no record of 1776 service.

On 3 May 1777 he enlisted into the company of Capt. Samuel Fisher, in Col. Jonathan Titcomb’s regiment. This service was for two months, 10 days of which was in Rhode Island.^III We next find him in Capt. Sabin Mann’s company from which he was transferred to and enlisted into the Continental Army for three years on 8 September 1777, in the company of Capt. Moses Knapp and the regiment of Col. William Shepard.^IV This unit served at Saratoga^V and Rhode Island.^VI

He next served at the Hudson Highlands in the same regiment (Shepard’s 4^th) but in Capt. David Holbrook’s company, where he is listed on a descriptive roll^VII as follows:

age: 23
stature: 6 ft.
complexion: black
hair: black
residence: Medfield
enlisted Jan. 1, 1780

In May through September 1781 he served at West Point. From October 1781 through February 1782 he served at ‘York Hutts.’^VIII He was discharged in 1783.^IX

It is undoubtedly the same James ‘Archelus’ who is listed in the Dedham records of 23 February 1784:

the Selectmen issued a warrant … to warn out James Archelus, Hannah his wife, and their child, James Petine, they not being inhabitants…^X

He applied for bounty land on 10 August 1789, which land was assigned to Richard Platt.^XI He applied for a U.S. pension on 25 April 1818,^XII which was granted for $96.00 a year.^XIII An affidavit by one of his officers in 1818 confirms his 1777 service and further describes him as ‘a man of Colour.’^XIV He reapplied on 17 July 1820 in order to prove his need. An inventory of his estate included: ^XV

1 Scythe & Staff
1 Axe
1 Iron pot
1 [Iron] kettle
1 Tea Kettle
1 ____
1 pair shovel & tongs
1 old wooden Clock
1 Rake
1 old ___ feet table
3 old chairs
2 knives & forks
2 Bowls & spoons
2 little old chests
1 pair dogs
2 ___ & ____

Nowhere in his pension does he mention his 1775 service though it is nearly certain that he served.^XVI

He married Hannah _____.^XVII They had at least one son:^XVIII

• James Petine

Footnotes:

1. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on age in pension application.
2. Ibid 1:289.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid 1:288, 289.
5. Research notes of compiler.
6. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908) 1:288. Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
7. Ibid 1:289.
8. Ibid.
9. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Roll 72, Pension #S32568, Frame 516.
10. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Dedham (Revised and Expanded Edition by Robert Brand Hanson, Editor), 492.
11. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 28; listed as ‘Archelus.’
12. Ibid, Frame 516.
13. Ibid, Frame 514.
14. Ibid, Frame 525; affidavit of David Holbrook Jr.
15. Ibid, 521.
16. This is not unusual. A large percentage of Battle Road veterans did not bother to mention that service in their pensions, though through independent sources that service could be proven to be absolutely certain. A smaller but still significant number of Bunker Hill veterans did the same. The reason was probably that three years of 1777-1780 Continental service was a sure ticket to a pension – no other service need be mentioned.
17. See previous warning out footnote.
18. Ibid.

Learn more about Quintal's study.