| Notes |
Lady Anne Reynell, with their young children, followed her husband dur
ing the Northern Campaign of 1777 during the American War of Independe
ce. Her husband, Lieutenant Thomas Reynell, was killed in the Battl
e of Freeman's Farm on 19 September 1777. By the start of the Campaig
the Reynell family numbered four children: Richard Littleton Reynel
l (born 30 April 1772), a girl of unknown name and birth date, Samue
l Reynell (born 31 October 1775), and Thomas Reynell (born 9 April 177
7). Richard had for years been enumerated alternately as a private sol
dier or drummer (always listed as on "furlough") in the company his fa
ther belonged to. Such practice was not rare in the British army at th
at time, but little Richard was of course not actually serving in eith
er of those capacities (during the Northern Campaign of 1777, it appea
s that he remained in Ireland, perhaps in school). Sadly very littl
e is known of the second eldest child, a girl, who died young. Afte
the death of her husband and during the famed period of the pre-surr
ender siege of Saratoga in mid-October 1777, in which the German Baron
ess Frederika von Riedesel and her daughters took refuge in the cella
of a home now known as the Marshall House, the wounded major, his wi
fe, lady Anne Reynell, and her boys "made a room for themselves in on
e corner [of the cellar] by partitioning it off with curtains." The b
aroness later remembered the "horrible smell in the cellar, [and] th
e weeping of the children," adding that the "women and children, afra
id to go outside, had polluted the entire cellar." The baroness mad
e sure to have the cellar emptied by its inhabitants, so that it coul
d be "swept thoroughly and fumigated with vinegar" because otherwise t
hey "would all become sick." The siege ended soon after, and the victo
ious American rebels captured Burgoyne's entire army, along with lad
y Anne and her little family, on 17 October 1777. During the period o
f her and her family's captivity, lady Anne remained in Cambridge wit
h the major of the regiment, Henry Harnage, his wife Honour Harnage, a
d Captain Erle Hawker. Not knowing what to do in her situation, she w
as initially included in an overall attempt on the part of the Harnage
s and Hawker for a collective parole or exchange. As part of the plea
, a letter from Major Harnage to rebel General Horatio Gates dated Cam
bridge 9 November 1778 expressed that the "Widow of Lieut Reynell, wh
o was killd, with her two Children were included in the Request. I mus
t observe that this unfortunate Lady hath two more Children in Ireland
? ." Congress was uncommonly quick to decide upon the proposal. In r
eaction to an earlier application made by Harnage, the Monday, 9 Novem
ber 1778 minutes of the Continental Congress record the following: Th
e committee to whom was referred the letter, from Major General Heath
, of October 29th, and the papers therein enclosed, brought in their r
eport; Whereupon, Resolved, That the resolve of Congress of October 2
1st, relative to partial parole exchanges, be transmitted to Major Gen
eral Heath for his government: that at the same time he be informed, t
hat Congress have no objection to his giving passes for Mrs. Reynold
s [Reynell], her children and female servants, to go to Europe, Rhod
e Island or New York; or to his allowing Major Harnage and Captain Haw
ker to continue on parole in the State of Massachusetts bay, with thei
families, upon their engaging to supply themselves. Although free
, lady Reynell and her family remained with the Harnages and Hawker fo
some time afterward; it was only by the middle of May 1779 that th
e broken family finally set off for home. Rebel Major General Willia
m Heath had a passport prepared for her (William Heath Papers): By th
e Hon William Heath Esquire Major General in the army of the United St
ates of America Permission is hereby given to Mrs Ann Reynell and he
Two Children [blank] and [blank] and her nurse [blank] under the Con
vention of Saratoga to proceed to Newport on Rhode Island by the way o
f Providence after having obtained the approbation of the Hon Major Ge
eral Gates for that purpose Given at Head Quarters in Boston the 18t
h Day May 1779 By the Genls Command Heath made sure to keep Gates inf
ormed of the situation, and a snag over the disposition of her soldie
manservant (William Heath Papers): Head Quarters Boston May 19th 17
79 Sir Mrs Reynall has requested leave to go to Newport with her Chi
ldren agreable to a resolution of Congress passed some time the last N
ovr which I did myself the honor to give to you soon after your arriva
l at Boston, I have accordingly given her the necessary passports to p
oceed to Providence, she has also Solicited leave for her man servan
t Robert Mc Wharter who is a soldier to go with her this I do not thin
k to be in my Power to grant but have consented to his attending her B
aggage to Providence, and have taken a Parole from Major Harnage for h
is immediate return to Cambridge unless you should think proper to le
t him go into Newport which your wisdom will determine. I have the ho
or to be with great respect your obedient Servt W Heath The overly-p
olific Henry Harnage also wrote to Gates about Robert McWharter i
a letter to Gates dated Cambridge, 18 May 1779 (Horatio Gates Papers
): I have signed a Parole to General Heath that Mrs Reynell's Servan
t Robert Mc Wharter will immediately return to Cambridge unless he get
s your permission to proceed to New Port! May I therefore beg a line f
om you respecting him? He was one of the Invalids that was to have g
one in the Vessels with Lieut [Archibald] Fife [9th Regiment] and wa
s only kept behind to Convenience Mrs Reynell! In his memoirs, rebe
l Elkanah Watson recorded what must have been a memorable meeting wit
h Anne Reynell (Men and Times of the Revolution; or, Memoirs of Elkana
h Watson, including his Journals and Travels in Europe and America, fr
om the Year 1777 to 1842.... Winslow Watson, ed. D Appleton & Co., Ne
w York: 1861): On our return to Greenwich [Rhode Island], we spent pa
t of the day with other victims of this destructive civil war, the be
autiful young widow and two children of Lieutenant Reynell. She was a
Irish Lady, in the bloom of youth, prostrated with grief and melanch
oly. Her husband, an officer in Burgoyne's army, was killed in the bat
tle at Bemis Heights; while she, in company with Lady Harriet Acklan
d and other ladies, was protected in a cellar. The event has been path
etically described by the classic pen of Burgoyne. Nothing is known o
f what happened to lady Anne afterwards, although some of her boys bec
ame men of standing. Richard Littleton himself joined the 62nd Regimen
t as an ensign with a commission dated 23 May 1783. Given his young ag
e (11-years-old), this late-war measure may have been done to afford h
im an income. Posted as an ensign in one of the regiment's additiona
l companies, Reynell, along with the other additional company officers
, was soon after placed on half-pay due to post-war downsizing. Late
in life, he settled in America, dying in Baltimore, Maryland, in 182
9. He and his youngest brother Thomas both came to inherit the Baronet
cy of the Reynell family (missed by their father due to his 1777 death
), which terminated upon Thomas's death in 1848.
|
Search | Advanced Search | Search Families | Search Site
-
d. 19 Sep 1777, Saratoga, New York, USA