Henry Burbeck (June 10, 1754 – October 2, 1848) was a senior

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

who served as the Commandant of the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers from 1798 to 1802.

Early life

Henry Burbeck was born in Boston on June 10, 1754, the son of William Burbeck and his wife Jerusha Glover of Boston. His father was an ordnance storekeeper at

Castle William Fort Independence is a granite bastion fort that provided harbor defenses for Boston, Massachusetts. Located on Castle Island, Fort Independence is one of the oldest continuously fortified sites of English origin in the United States.Wilson, 3 ...

, in

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeastern United States. History ...

. When the British took over the castle in 1770 he stayed on, but left the service in 1774. With the help of Dr.

Joseph Warren Joseph Warren (June 11, 1741 – June 17, 1775), a Founding Father of the United States, was an American physician who was one of the most important figures in the Patriot movement in Boston during the early days of the American Revolution, ...

he received an appointment as superintendent of the provincial artillery laboratory, joining the Patriot cause. Burbeck's education consisted of a public writing school in the North End of Boston under John Tileston (1735–1826). He would later credit his father with the remainder of his education.Drake, Francis S., ''Memorials of the Society of Cincinnati of Massachusetts'', Boston, 1873, Page 246. Prior to his military service, Henry worked at the copper-smith's forge with

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, Sons of Liberty member, and Patriot and Founding Father. He is best known for his midnight ride to a ...

. He married his first wife, Abigail Webb, on April 12, 1775, in Boston.

Revolutionary War service

At the outbreak of the

Battle of Lexington The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, ...

, Burbeck's father escaped to Cambridge and reported to the Committee on Public Safety and its leader, General

, to join the patriot cause which resulted in a price being placed on his head by the British.''New London Day'', "Miss Burbeck Dead Daughter of Soldier at Bunker Hill," July 14, 1897, Page 6, Col. 1. Burbeck joined his father in Cambridge where they made ammunition used at the

Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peripherally involved in ...

and also participated in the battle. Henry served as a lieutenant in the

and his commission was signed by General

on May 19, 1775. Following the Battle of Bunker Hill, Burbeck married Abigail Webb on August 12, 1775, in Boston. He was assigned as a lieutenant of artillery to the Massachusetts line commanded by Colonel Richard Gridley, the Continental Army's first

Chief Engineer A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "ChEng" or "Chief", is the most senior engine officer of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that department..Chief engineer ...

and artillery commander, in 1775.

Washington's campaigns

In 1777, he briefly joined the army at Saratoga until he was assigned to Pennsylvania to join Gen.

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 ...

's army. He fought in the battles of

Brandywine Brandywine may refer to: Food and drink *Brandy, a spirit produced by distilling wine *Brandywine tomato, a variety of heirloom tomato Geographic locations Canada * Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia * Brandywine Mountain, British ...

and

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * G ...

. He remained in the Artillery Corps under General

Henry Knox Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806), a Founding Father of the United States, was a senior general of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, serving as chief of artillery in most of Washington's campaigns. Following th ...

and, in 1777, assumed command of a company of the 3rd Continental Artillery Regiment commanded by Colonel John Crane. He marched with General Washington and the Continental Army from

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 ...

to New Jersey in 1778. Following the march, he fought in 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 ...

. His unit was sent North and he remained in

White Plains, New York (Always Faithful) , image_seal = WhitePlainsSeal.png , seal_link = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...

, to defend the Hudson Highlands from 1779 to 1783. He marched into

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

when the

British army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

evacuated it at the close of the Revolutionary War. Burbeck became an original member of the

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

upon its founding in 1783. He served as president of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati from 1846 until his death in 1848. Burbeck knew General George Washington personally from his service and it was from Burbeck's associations with foreign officers serving in the American Revolution that he recognized the need to educate and train the army in artillery and engineering. Burbeck recommended the establishment of

West Point Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

Career in the Early Republic

Burbeck was honorably discharged from the Continental Army in January 1784. In October 1786 he was re-commissioned as captain of a company of artillery, one of four in a battalion commanded by Major

John Doughty John Doughty (July 25, 1754September 16, 1826) was an American military officer who briefly served as the senior officer of the United States Army in 1784. Holding the rank of major at the time, he bears the distinction of being the lowest ranke ...

, and commanded the post at

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

, New York, from 1787 to 1789. In 1787, he was ordered by General Knox to Springfield, Massachusetts, to protect the arsenal there is the aftermath of

Shays' Rebellion Shays Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts and Worcester in response to a debt crisis among the citizenry and in opposition to the state government's increased efforts to collect taxes both on individuals and their trades. T ...

. His wife Abigail died in June 1790 in Bath, Maine.

Creek Treaty attempt

Burbeck was promoted to Major Commandant of the Artillery Battalion on March 16, 1792. He commanded the Army's Battalion of Artillery and served as General Anthony Wayne's Chief of Artillery in the

Northwest Indian War The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...

in 1792–1794. He was ordered, on August 29, 1789, to Georgia to serve as a guard to Major General

Benjamin Lincoln Benjamin Lincoln (January 24, 1733 ( O.S. January 13, 1733) – May 9, 1810) was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Lincoln was involved in three major surrenders ...

and Colonel Humphries during the unsuccessful treaty negotiation with the

Creek people The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands

Fort Recovery

Burbeck established Fort Recovery in Ohio in 1794 which was named after the lost cannons that were recovered at the site of in the aftermath of St. Clair's defeat by the Indians in 1791. Burbeck buried 200 skulls and numerous bones from

Arthur St. Clair Arthur St. Clair ( – August 31, 1818) was a Scottish-American soldier and politician. Born in Thurso, Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office. During ...

's defeat and interred them. Two brass cannons from the 1791 action, recovered by Burbeck in the Wabash, were discharged in honor of the deceased.

Fort Mackinac

Burbeck oversaw the transfer of power from

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American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

control of

Fort Mackinac Fort Mackinac ( ) is a former British and American military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century in the city of Mackinac Island, Michigan, on Mackinac Island. The British built the fort during the American Re ...

in 1796, 13 years after the

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...

was signed. He served at the fort through 1799. From 1798 to 1802, Burbeck was the senior regimental commander of artillerists and engineers. He also commanded the Eastern Department of the Army in 1800 and in that year endorsed the creation of a corps of engineers separate from the artillerists. He was Chief of the new Regiment of Artillerists from 1802 to 1815, first as a colonel and then during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

as a brevet brigadier general. During the Jefferson administration (1801–1809), Burbeck successfully developed and tested domestically produced cast-iron artillery pieces.

Court Martial of Gen. James Wilkinson

In 1808, he served on the Court of Inquiry, ordered by President Madison, held at Morin's Tavern in Philadelphia, investigating General

James Wilkinson James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier, politician, and double agent who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, bu ...

for receiving a pension from the Spanish government while serving in the United States military. Previously, Wilkinson had been a member of the

Conway Cabal The Conway Cabal was a group of senior Continental Army officers in late 1777 and early 1778 who aimed to have George Washington replaced as commander-in-chief of the Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was named after Brigadier Gene ...

against Washington and resigned from the army. He received the governorship of Louisiana by Thomas Jefferson in 1805. Wilkinson's close relationship with the Spanish government led to a confrontation with

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...

which ultimately resulted in accusations that Wilkinson was tied to the Spanish government. Other members of the Court of Inquiry included Colonel

Thomas Humphrey Cushing Thomas Humphrey Cushing (December 20, 1755 – October 19, 1822) was an officer in the Continental Army, and later the United States Army. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, he attained the rank of brigadier general. ...

of the Infantry and Colonel Jonathan Williams of the Engineers. In September 1811, during the court martial, Wilkinson took exception to the presence of Burbeck and two other members of the court and they were all replaced. Wilkinson was found not guilty on December 25, 1811.

War of 1812 service

At the beginning of the War of 1812, Burbeck was summoned to New London, Connecticut, to relieve Jirah Isham of the command of the state militia. At the same time he was placed in command of Military District No. 2 comprising the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. While stationed in New London, he received orders to march to Boston to take command there during the blockade by a British squadron commanded by Commodore Sir Thomas Hardy. The winter march resulted in the suffering of many of the men under his command who were frostbitten from exposure to the winter elements. During the march, Burbeck refused any favors offered to him that were not also given to his men.''New London Day'', Famous General of the Revolution Early Recollections of Brig. Gen. Henry Burbeck of New London, February 25, 1907, Page 7, Col. 1-2. After returning to New London, in July 1813, he received a letter from Gen. Armstrong which enclosed a copy of a letter written by the Governor of Virginia stating that information from British deserters indicated that British transports, under Admiral

George Cockburn Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet, (22 April 1772 – 19 August 1853) was a British Royal Navy officer. As a captain he was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars an ...

, sailed from Chesapeake Bay to New London, Connecticut. Burbeck responded by organizing the state militia to respond while Hardy's fleet lay off New London harbor. Burbeck continued in command of New London to the end of the war. General Burbeck retired from the Army in June 1815, when the Army was reduced following the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war. At the time of Burbeck's retirement, he had served a total of 37 years in the Continental Army and the United States Army. He was one of the relatively few officers who had served in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812.

Later life

Burbeck married Lucy Elizabeth Rudd Caldwell on December 13, 1813, in New London, Connecticut.''City of New London Vital Records,'' Vol. 3, Page 243. She was the daughter of Corp. Daniel Rudd Jr. and Abigail Allen. She was first married to Capt. Henry Caldwell of the Marines who died March 12, 1812, at Charlestown, Massachusetts. Caldwell was on board the USS ''President'' during the

Little Belt affair The ''Little Belt'' affair was a naval battle on the night of 16 May 1811. It involved the United States frigate and the British sixth-rate , a sloop-of-war, which had originally been the Danish ship ''Lillebælt'', before being captured by t ...

, an event that is regarded as one of the causes of the War of 1812, and he testified during the Court of Inquiry on the Little Belt Affair which convened in New York in September 1811. Lucy was a descendant of ''

Mayflower ''Mayflower'' was an English ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After a grueling 10 weeks at sea, ''Mayflower'', with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, ...

'' passenger and

Plymouth Colony Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth) was, from 1620 to 1691, the first permanent English colony in New England and the second permanent English colony in North America, after the Jamestown Colony. It was first settled by the passengers on the ...

Governor

William Bradford (1590-1657) William Bradford ( 19 March 15909 May 1657) was an English Puritan separatist originally from the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England. He moved to Leiden in Holland in order to escape persecution from King James I of England, and then ...

and Jonathan Rudd who was married, in a legendary ceremony, at Bride Brook in what is now East Lyme, Connecticut in December 1646. Burbeck was the same exact age as Lucy's father Daniel Rudd Jr., both being born on June 10, 1754. At the time of his marriage to Lucy, Burbeck was 29 years her senior. General Burbeck purchased a home at 114 Main St., in New London, Connecticut, in 1815. The house was built in 1735 and was one of the few houses in New London that remained after the city was burned by the British in 1781. Gen. Burbeck and his wife lived in the house until he died in 1848. In 1846, being one of the very few surviving officers who had served in the Revolution, Burbeck was elected president of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati and served in that position until his death two years later.

Children

Burbeck and his second wife had six children, all born in New London: Susan Henrietta (b. September 23, 1815), Charlotte Augusta (b. March 8, 1818 in New London, Conn., d. July 13, 1897 in New London, Conn.), Henry William (b. May 31, 1819 in New London, Conn., d. February 19, 1840 at sea), Mary Elizabeth (b. March 7, 1821 in New London, Conn., d. July 13, 1897), William Henry (b. October 8, 1823 in New London, Conn., d. February 28, 1905 in New London, Conn.) and John Cathcart (b. February 9, 1825 in New London, Conn., d. April 28, 1904 in New London, Conn.). Burbeck hoped that his son Henry would follow in his military footsteps, but Henry died when he tried to test his strength by lifting a keg of silver dollars which fell on his foot and severed his toe while at sea on a revenue cutter. By the time the cutter reached New York and a physician was summoned, it was too late and he died. Thereafter, Gen. Burbeck was so overcome by grief that he would not have his son's name spoken in his house. In his later years, he enjoyed the company of Capt. Bulkeley who also retired to New London. They maintained a close relationship despite the fact that Burbeck was a Whig and Bulkeley was a Democrat.

Death

Burbeck died at his home on Main Street on October 2, 1848, in

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decade ...

, just months after his friend Capt. Bulkeley died. The Massachusetts

Society of Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

, of which Burbeck was a member, erected a monument to him in Cedar Grove Cemetery (Sec. 4, Lot 1),

. The inscription on the monument states:

The Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati Dedicate This Monument to the Memory of Their Late Honored President. He Was An Officer of the Army From the Commencement of the Revolutionary War Until The Close of His Life By a Patriotic and Faithful Discharge of the High and Responsible Duties of a Gallant Soldier And An Exemplary Citizen He Has Been Justly And Eminently Distinguished As He Was Rightfully and Universally Respected.

His wife Lucy died February 22, 1880, in New London and at the time of her death was one of the last in the nation to receive a Revolutionary War pension which was $130 a quarter in 1875. Burbeck's daughter Charlotte was made an honorary member of the Lucretia Shaw chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. His archive of military papers were sold at auction by Heritage for $107,550.00 on September 13, 2011. In 2014 the bulk of his papers were then acquired by the William L. Clements Library of the University of Michigan.

Induction Into the Connecticut Hall of Fame

Gen. Henry Burbeck was nominated into the Connecticut Hall of Fame on February 24, 2016. It was Wyatt Kopp, a cousin of Lucy Rudd Burbeck, who nominated him back in 2013. He was finally accepted into the Hall of Fame in 2016. The Connecticut Hall of Fame is located at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Connecticut which is directly linked to the state capital building. The ceremony for his induction into the Connecticut Hall of Fame was held on March 7, 2016, at the Legislative Office Building.

Dates of rank

Continental Army

*First Lieutenant, Gridley's Artillery Regiment - 19 May 1775 *First Lieutenant, Knox's Artillery Regiment - 17 November 1775 *Captain Lieutenant, 3rd Continental Artillery Regiment - 1 January 1777 *Captain, 3rd Continental Artillery Regiment - 12 September 1777 *Captain, Corps of Artillery - 17 June 1783 *Brevet Major, Continental Army - 30 September 1783 *Discharged - 3 November 1783

United States Army

*Captain, 3rd Company of Artillery - 20 October 1786 *Major, Battalion of Artillery - 4 November 1791 *Major, Corps of Artillerists and Engineers - 9 May 1794 *Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Artillerists and Engineers - 7 May 1798 *Colonel, Regiment of Artillerists - 1 April 1802 *Brevet Brigadier General - 10 July 1812 *Retired - 15 June 1815

References

* ''This article contains

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text from''

External links

The Henry Burbeck Papers at the University of MichiganCommanders of the Corps of EngineersFort Recovery, Ohio

The Society of the Cincinnati

The American Revolution Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burbeck, Henry 1754 births 1848 deaths Continental Army officers from Massachusetts United States Army generals Burials at Cedar Grove Cemetery (New London, Connecticut)