Pay to Captain Lemuel Clap's Company Signed by Over 45 Soldiers! September 1781 Clap Assembled in Dorchester as Part of the Lexington Alarm

This receipt gives the names and signatures of members of Captain Lemuel Clap's company for their service at Dorchester Heights. The forty-five men on the list include ten Claps, including Captain Lemuel Clap and his son Lemuel Clap Jr. (1763-1783). It also includes nine members of the Bird family and four Withingtons. Two Capens were likely relatives of Clap's first wife Susanna Capen Clapp, who had died in 1767.

[REVOLUTIONARY WAR.] Manuscript Document Signed, Receipt for Captain Lemuel Clap's Company, September 29, 1781, Dorchester, Massachusetts. 1 p., 8" x 12.75". Expected folds; integral half leaf with file note; one small hole; very good.

Complete Transcript
Dorchester Sept 29th 1781
Recd of Capt Lemuel Clap the Wholl of Ower State Wages in New Emision for Services done at Dorchester Heights
Lemuel Clap Captain
Aaron Bird LieutJames Humphrey
Nathaniel Clap LieutThomas Bird
John FosterLemuel Bird
Ruben TorreyJohn Clap
Enoch gloverDaniel Fairn
Ezra ClapJosep Bird Jun
John Wiswell Junr
Lemuel Clap, Junr EsqrIsaac Bird
John HawsWilliam Humphrey
Ephraim ManAaron Bird Drum
Wiliam manChris Capen
John BlackmanNathaniel Topliff
Edward BirdFrancis D. Luce
John WiswellLemuel Collyer
Joseph WithingtonEdward Clap
Joseph Withington junrSamuel Davenport
Thomas WithingtonAbner Clap
David Clap junrJonathan Bird Junr
Jonathan Clap junrReceived for John Atherton / Ebenezer Kilton
George BakertonDavid Clap
Joseph BirdEbenr Withington
John Capen
William Bode
Ebenezer Maxfield

Historical Background
Lemuel Clap commanded several companies of Massachusetts militia from Dorchester that performed local service during the Siege of Boston (1775-1776), and each successive year to 1781, usually for three to six months. They served primarily around Boston at Dorchester Heights, Noddle's Island (now part of East Boston), and other places nearby.

On May 23, 1776, before the Declaration of Independence was completed, Dorchester's Town Meeting voted "that if the Continental Congress should think it best to declare an Independency with Great Britain, we will support them with our lives and fortunes." The town greeted the news of the Declaration of Independence in July 1776 with toasts and "huzzahs," the entire document transcribed "in full on the Town Records." Not all of the town's residents, who numbered 1,550 (1,515 whites and 35 African Americans in 291 families), embraced the Patriot cause, but there were few Loyalists. According to the town records, which noted that a committee was formed in 17777 to provide evidence of "the inimical dispositions of any inhabitant or inhabitants of this town, towards this or any of the United States." Although there may have been "one or more tories in the town," "the inhabitants were very much united as a body, and had a love of and determination for liberty."

When it came to signing the muster rolls of the Continental Army, Dorchester's men and youths more than did their part. "During the time that the Revolution was going on," notes the History of Dorchester, "the town was continually having meetings to induce men to enlist in the army. They were called upon to go to New York, to Canada, to Rhode Island, Long Island, Peek's Kill, West Point, on secret expeditions." The calls for recruits were constant, and Dorchester "put forth all its energies, and the people sacrificed their comfort and estates." A recruitment bounty in 1777 of £20 proved an incentive for many men from Dorchester. Those who accepted the cash had to serve three years, Dorchester's Town Meeting even having "to borrow money to meet these demands." The enlistment bounties drained the town's treasury, and for "many of the most worthy and industrious of the inhabitants it was difficult to obtain the necessaries of life." By January 1777, nearly a third of Dorchester men above the age of 16 had joined Continental regiments. At first, many local soldiers were stationed close to home at various forts around Boston. "Being inhabitants of Dorchester," a soldier wrote, "we went to our own dwelling places and did business at home, except when on duty. We were allowed good provisions, and the duty was generally easy."

One Dorchester soldier on this list, 18-year-old David Clap Jr., learned firsthand that even such a seemingly mundane task as guarding British prisoners could erupt in bloodshed. "A prisoner," Clap wrote, "one of the British grenadiers, was seen at night by one of our sentinels to be getting pickets that were placed around the fort, and as his orders were to serve them, he ordered the prisoner to desist. After speaking several times without effect, the sentry told him if he persisted in doing so, he would fire. The only answer given was a profane daring of the sentry to fire. He fired, and killed the prisoner on the spot. Some of the other prisoners were so enraged at this, that they threatened to kill the sentry...the officers thought it best not to put him on the main guard again."

Lemuel Clap (1735-1819) was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and became a tanner. In 1760, he married Susanna Capen (1741-1767), with whom he had three children. After her death, he married Rebecca Dexter (1739-1823) in November 1768, and they had eleven children. On April 19, 1775, he was a lieutenant of a company assembled in Dorchester as part of the Lexington alarm. During the Revolutionary War, he commanded several companies that enlisted for short-term service and served at Dorchester Heights, Noddle's Island, and other places nearby. Clap invited George Washington's troops to encamp on his estate during the siege of Boston.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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