Stephen Moylan (1737 – April 11, 1811) was an

Irish-American , image = Irish ancestry in the USA 2018; Where Irish eyes are Smiling.png , image_caption = Irish Americans, % of population by state , caption = Notable Irish Americans , population = 36,115,472 (10.9%) alone ...

patriot leader during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. He had several positions in the Continental Army including Muster-Master General, Secretary and Aide to General

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

, 2nd Quartermaster General, Commander of The Fourth Continental Light Dragoons and Commander of the Cavalry of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

. In January 1776, he wrote a letter using the term "United States of America", the earliest known use of that phrase.

Early life

Stephen Moylan was born to a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

family in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

in 1737. His father, John Moylan, a well-to-do merchant of Shandon. Stephen's older brother

Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) Places *Rural ...

became Bishop of Cork. D'Alton, Edward. "Francis Moylan." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 17 March 2020 His family sent him to be educated in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. Moylan then worked in

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...

for three years in the family shipping firm. He settled in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

in 1768 to organize his own firm. He was one of the organizers of the

Friendly Sons of St. Patrick The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, officially The Society of The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick for the Relief of Emigrants from Ireland, is an American charitable and social organization for Irish-Americans founded in 1771. Organizational history ...

, an Irish-American fraternal organization, and served as its first president.

Revolution

Moylan joined the American

in 1775 and upon the recommendation of

John Dickinson John Dickinson (November 13 Julian_calendar">/nowiki>Julian_calendar_November_2.html" ;"title="Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar">/nowiki>Julian calendar November 2">Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar" ...

, was appointed Muster-Master General on August 11, 1775. His brother John, acted during the war as United States Clothier General. Stephen Moylan's experience in the shipping industry afforded the United States a well qualified ship outfitter, who would help fit out the first ships of the

Continental Navy The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War and was founded October 13, 1775. The fleet cumulatively became relatively substantial through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron John Ad ...

. On March 5, 1776, he became secretary to General

with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was appointed Quartermaster General in the American

on June 5, 1776, succeeding

Thomas Mifflin Thomas Mifflin (January 10, 1744January 20, 1800) was an American merchant, soldier, and politician from Pennsylvania, who is regarded as a Founding Father of the United States for his roles during and after the American Revolution. Mifflin wa ...

."Colonel Stephen Moylan", US Army Quartermaster Corps
/ref> He resigned from this office on September 28, 1776. However, he continued to serve as a volunteer of General Washington's staff through December 1776. He then raised a troop of light dragoons, the

4th Continental Light Dragoons The 4th Continental Light Dragoons, also known as Moylan's Horse, was raised on January 5, 1777, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for service with the Continental Army under Colonel Stephen Moylan. The regiment was known for taking the field in c ...

, also known as Moylan's Horse, on January 3, 1777, at

. The regiment would be noted for taking the field in captured British Red Coats. However, they would see action in green coats at the

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, Sir William Howe on September& ...

on September 11, 1777, and the

Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American Con ...

on October 4, 1777, and end the year by protecting the Cantonment at

Valley Forge Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphia to escape the ...

.Keiley, Jarvis. "Stephen Moylan." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 19 March 2020 Col. Moylan succeeded

General Pulaski Kazimierz Michał Władysław Wiktor Pułaski of the Ślepowron coat of arms (; ''Casimir Pulaski'' ; March 4 or March 6, 1745 Makarewicz, 1998 October 11, 1779) was a Polish nobleman, soldier, and military commander who has been called, to ...

as Commander of the Cavalry in March 1778. Moylan's Horse would see action at the

Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, co ...

on June 28, 1778. In the campaign of 1779 Col. Moylan and the 4th Dragoons would be stationed at

Pound Ridge, New York Pound Ridge is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,104 at the 2010 census. The town is located toward the eastern end of the county, bordered to the north and east by the town of Lewisboro, by Stamford, C ...

, and see action when the British raided

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

, on July 11, 1779. Col. Moylan and the 4th Dragoons took part in the Battle of Springfield, New Jersey, on June 23, 1780, and

General Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...

's expedition at Bull's Ferry, New Jersey, on July 20, 1780. Col. Moylan commanded his Dragoons at the

Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virg ...

in October 1781, after which he was to take the cavalry to the Southern Campaign. However, his failing health caused him to leave the field and return to Philadelphia, where he constantly appealed to the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

to man, equip and maintain the Continental Dragoon Regiments. He was rewarded for his service by being breveted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...

on November 3, 1783.

Later life and family

Moylan was married to Miss Mary Ricketts Van Horne on September 12, 1778, and had two daughters, Elizabeth Catherine, and Maria. His two sons died as children. Stephen Moylan died in Philadelphia, April 11, 1811, and is buried there in St. Mary's Churchyard.

References

External links

Biography
at Virtualology.com

at Quartermaster-Generals

at IV Dragoon * {{DEFAULTSORT:Moylan, Stephen 1737 births 1811 deaths People from County Cork 18th-century Irish people 19th-century Irish people Continental Army officers from Ireland Continental Army officers from Pennsylvania Continental Army staff officers Quartermasters General of the United States Army People of colonial Pennsylvania Burials in Pennsylvania Kingdom of Ireland emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies Aides-de-camp of George Washington

Early life

Revolution

Later life and family

See also

References

External links