Samuel Ashbow Jr.

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

North Parish of Norwich, Connecticut, now called Montville(?)

Date of Birth:

Circa 1746

Place of Death:

Breed's Hill, Charlestown, Massachusetts

Date of Death:

June 17, 1775

Place of Burial:

Likely Charlestown, Massachusetts

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

Samuel Ashbow Jr. was born circa 1746^I and early resided in the North Parish of Norwich (CT), now called Montville.^II He was one of four sons of the Rev. Samuel Ashbow, at least three of whom died during the Revolutionary War.^III He was the first Native American to be killed in the Revolutionary War.

He enlisted on 10 May 1775 in the company of Capt. John Durkee, in Col. Israel Putnam’s regiment.^IV This company marched from Norwich CT to Cambridge shortly after the Lexington Alarm and was engaged in the Battle of Bunker Hill, stationed at the rail fence. Samuel Ashbow was killed in the battle.

With other Americans who were killed, he is probably buried on or near the grounds of the Bunker Hill monument.^V

The name of his wife is unknown. They had at least one child:^IV

• Joshua
  • b. ca. 1773

Footnotes:

1. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on average age of marriage of 26 (per study of compiler); based on estimated marriage date of 1772.
2. Baker, Henry A. History of Montville, Connecticut, formerly the North Parish of New London from 1640 to 1896. (1896), 94.
3. Love, W. DeLoss, Ph.D. Samson Occum and the Christian Indians of New England (1899), 204 states that four sons died in the army. Baker, Henry A. History of Montville, Connecticut, formerly the North Parish of New London from 1640 to 1896. (1896), 61 says three sons died. Samuel's brother Robert was killed in the 1776 retreat from New York.
4. Adjutant General’s Office [CT]. Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution (1889). 1 vol, 54.
5. Ibid, 58.
6. Baker, Henry A. History of Montville, Connecticut, formerly the North Parish of New London from 1640 to 1896. (1896), 61.

Learn more about Quintal's study.

See also John Ashbow.