Whitcomb, Hiram, Capt. Stanley's Co., died Feb. 28, 1836, age 78, (Rev. War)

Revolutionary War Private, Hiram Whitcomb of Cornwall, Connecticut, was honored as Post 44’s Veteran of the Month. This ceremony is the 297th consecutive “Veteran of the Month Honoring and his Honor Flag will fly at the All Wars memorial until Saturday Feb 1st 2014.
Hiram Whitcomb was born on 28 February 1758 in Colchester, in the Colony of Connecticut, the first child of Job Whitcomb and Anna Skinner. He was one of five children raised in a farm setting learning the value of hard work. He left the farm at a young age and set out on his own.
“I lived in Southington, Connecticut for some time before on the 1st day of February 1776. I enlisted into the Connecticut State Troops to serve as a soldier in the Army of the Revolution for two months”. Is a quote taken from his 1832 Testimony given under oath in Litchfield Probate Court in order to obtain a pension. This first enlistment included a march to Boston where he participated in the siege of Boston. He helped build fortifications at Dorchester Heights and upon those embankment’s he stood guard and watched the British evacuate Boston. Upon the completion of his enlistment he walked back to Southington.
His second enlistment on the 1st of June 1776 was in time to be dispatched by march and ship from New Haven to New York where he participated in the battle of Long Island, Followed by the evacuation to New York and further retreat to New Jersey. On 4 December 1776 he was dismissed and returned to Connecticut where he joined a local Militia Company which in 1777 was called to duty and force marched to aid in the defense of Danbury, only to arrive after the British had been dispersed.
In 1778 he agreed to serve the remainder of another man’s enlistment, a practice then allowed, and so marched as a teamster to Bethlehem Pennsylvania to replace him. He wintered with the teams of cattle belonging to the Army until spring when they marched to Valley Forge picked up the army’s baggage and followed the spring offensive into New Jersey.
Upon the expiration of this enlistment he reenlisted and during that spring they exchanged the oxen for horses picked up supplies for the southern front and drove their teams with wagons to Charleston. He was dismissed and returned to Southington, Connecticut. After the war he lived in Southington, Connecticut, Luzerne, Pennsylvania and then moved to the Puffingham section of Cornwall, Connecticut, where he resided for about 40 years.
On 12 October 1780 in Farmington Connecticut, a section now known as Southington He married Sarah Dutton and they had six children: Nancy, Simon, Solomon, Leonard Sarah and Lucinda.
Hiram farmed and ran a community distillery where he produced Apple Jack, vinegars and various liquors. The Hartford Courant in Nov 1813, advertised for investors in a new distillery invention of his design.
Hiram passed away on the 28th of February 1836 and is buried in the Calhoun Cemetery, Cornwall, Connecticut not far from his farm. Beside him lie his wife and other members of his family. Next to his original family stone marker stands a larger monument placed there by the State Of Connecticut in recognition of his Revolutionary War Service.
Post 44 of the American Legion is proud to have this opportunity to honor a man from history, who became a citizen soldier in order to create this country, and fought to give us the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy today.