William
Coffee - My
5th-G-Grandfather – by David Arthur
There were two William Coffees in Virginia during the time of the American Revolution. There was one in Nelson VA, son of Edmond, they usually used the spelling Coffey.
This William is listed by DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), but only listed as having "patriotic service" not Veteran Service. This indicates that DAR is not attributing William Coffee records of service at the National Archives to this William Coffey, son of Edmond.
My Fifth Great-Grandfather, William Coffee, son of Peter, of Prince Edward and Buckingham Counties VA is the other William Coffee. Oral family history is that he served in the American Revolution as a rifleman under the command of Daniel Morgan. This is consistent with records at the National Archives.
There are several mentioned birthdates for William Coffee, son of Peter, Seems the most accepted is 1740. However; Tithables list on June 1755 would indicate that he was at least 16 (def. of Tithable) at that time. Meaning he was born before June of 1739. He is listed with his father and brother, indicating he is still in his father's household at that time. (A List of Tithables Between Bush and Buffalo Rivers Taken by Thomas Scott, June 1755)
William Coffee (1740-1799), son of Peter Coffee, Sr., served in the War of the Revolution. His enlistment in the Continental Army was from February 6, 1777 until he was mustered out in Bedford Co. Virginia in 1780 (National Archives Records, Doc. C19).
Also, it has been reported by earlier historical researchers that William Coffee joined Capt. David Campbell's militia company from Rockingham - Augusta County. The militia unit records are notoriously incomplete. In December 1780, Capt. David Campbell raised a company of militia from Augusta - Rockingham County Virginia and along with another company of Virginia Militia, Capt. Campbell's militia company was reassigned and took up a line of march towards Cowpens with Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan's Congressional Forces.
The American forces then proceeded to meet British Col. Banastre Tarleton at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. The Virginia militia companies were assigned as skirmishers with instructions to withdraw to the rear after firing three volleys at the approach of Tarleton’s cavalry. When the British cavalry and infantry were drawn into the salient, the Virginia State troops and the militia troops halted and returned fire and the Continental troops commenced firing from the sides, and Col. Tarleton barely escaped capture. After the Battle of Cowpens, the two Virginia militia companies from Rockingham - Augusta County were assigned to guard loyalist prisoners on the road back to Virginia. The two companies were discharged at Salisbury in Botetourt County Virginia.
William Coffee, son of Peter and Susannah (Matthews) enlisted in Capt. Samuel Jordan Cabell’s 7th Rifle Co. from Amhearst County Virginia , Lt. Col. James Hendricks 6th Virginia Regiment of Foot, Congressional Forces, Continental Line. William Coffee and the 6th Regiment of Foot underwent 12 weeks of recruit training near Williamsburg, Virginia. The musket companies of the 6th Regiment of Foot were raised from the Tidewater counties near Williamsburg and the rifle companies from the western frontier, east of the Appalachian Mountains. William Coffee’s enlistment was from February 13, 1776 to September 14, 1778. Victorious Battle Record of the 6th Virginia Regiment of Foot: December 26, 1776 - Battle of Trenton, New Jersey. January 3, 1777 - Battle of Princeton, New Jersey. July 6, 1777 - The 7th and 3rd Rifle Companies of the 6th Regiment of Foot were combined and subsequently detached to Daniel Morgan’s Rifle Regiment of Sharpshooters and helped defeat British General Burgoyne at the battle of Saratoga, New York, from Jerry Coffee, Plano, Texas
In the first battle of Saratoga, generally referred to as the Battle of Freeman's Farm, the British lost two men for every one American casualty. At the second battle of Saratoga, otherwise known as Bemis Heights, British losses were four to one, thanks to the Virginia riflemen in Dan Morgan's battalion. At the second battle of Saratoga, the rebel's victory was overwhelming. After protracted negotiations, British General Burgoyne officially surrendered on October 17, 1777 and returned to England in disgrace and was never given another command. Britain's loss at Saratoga proved disastrous, in that it signaled to the European powers that the rebels were capable of defeating the English on their own. More than any other single event, the Battle of Saratoga would prove decisive in determining the eventual outcome of the war.
William Coffee was a Virginia skirmisher or sharpshooter in Capt. Samuel Jordan Cabell's 7th Company, 6th Virginia Regiment of Foot, Col. Daniel Morgan, commanding. Probably, William took his limit at the second engagement of Saratoga at Bemis Heights. Skirmishers were the forward line of troops that withdrew as the enemy advanced, shooting from cover and using trees to steady their personal, rifled Pennsylvania muskets. The rifled muskets were extremely accurate up to at least 300 yards, compared to the smooth bore Brown Bess muskets the British used, the skirmishers had a far superior rifle.
The Virginia sharpshooters used a light weight silk patch (wadding) to gain an additional 40 yards and accuracy with their rifled muskets. There were no lugs for attachment of bayonets on the Pennsylvania rifled muskets and that also enhanced their accuracy.
Sergeant, 6th Virginia Regiment
Continental Line
1776
Depiction of Uniform
Not a depiction of
William Coffee
One of the first regiments raised by Virginia in February and March, 1777, within a month an order had been given for the men to appear as uniform as possible in the matter of clothing. It was recommended that the 6th were to provide themselves with hunting shirts, short and fringed for officers; short and plain for men. Sergeants were to have the cuffs of their garments fashioned with white. Hats were to be a small round hat with a narrow brim turned up on the left side. The hunting shirt is believed to have been made from gray cloth trimmed with a red collar; gaiter trousers in a variety of colors, or made from buckskin were worn.
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