By Susan Pombrio

Basile Nadeau was born in 1754 and was baptized on the first of April in Berthier, Quebec son of Jean-Baptiste Nadeau and Marie-Marthe Fournier. Growing up in southern Quebec he had a strong dislike for the British forces taking over his beloved homeland. As a member of the pro-rebel guard post he fought with the American Army as they invaded Quebec in July of 1775; he enlisted with the 1st Canadian Regiment near Montreal most likely in October at Chambly and retreated with Livingston to Fort Ticonderoga to regroup and was present at the Battles of St. John and Montreal in November of the same year. On December 31, 1775 he was among the brave men who fought at the Battle of Quebec and witnessed the Americans' horrible defeat and the death of General Montgomery. With the loss of their leader the men of the 1st Canadian Regiment fled the scene. As refugees in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language it must have been very hard for the men who left their families and all they owned behind.

The regiment was first assigned to garrison duty in and around Montreal, which was under General David Wooster's command. In March 1776, Wooster went to Quebec City to assume command of the army there; Hazen was temporarily placed in command of the forces at Montreal until Benedict Arnold arrived from Quebec in April. Arnold then assigned the regiment to guard duty at Fort Chambly, where it remained until the American retreat in June of 1776. By July the regiment was at Fort Ticonderoga with 10,000 men ready to take on the British; they then moved on to Albany and on November 16, 1776 we find Basile formerly signing up with the 2nd Canadian Regiment, commonly called "Congress' Own" under the command of Col. Moses Hazen, and Company Captain Philip Liebert of the New York Line, 6th Company. He was enrolled by Lieut. Alexander Ferriole and later would service under Capt. Lawrence Oliver. This regiment was recruited in Canada along the Richelieu River, and was composed mainly of French and Indians.

By October 28, 1776 he participated in the Battle of White Plains, in Westchester County New York. The regiment was at Princeton, New Jersey as early as May 19, 1777, where it was assigned on May 22 to the 2nd Maryland Brigade of the Main Army. In early August the regiment, brigaded as part of General John Sullivan's Division, was encamped at Hanover, New Jersey. Our seasoned ancestor fought again at the Battle of Staten Island on August 22 and a mere three weeks later on September 11th the regiment joined in at the Battle of Brandywine at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Then marching on to protect Philadelphia he engaged the British forces at the Battle of Germantown near Philadelphia.

As winter was approaching the troops were ordered to winter over near Wilmington, Delaware at what is referred to as Brandywine Park. Arriving at Valley Forge on December 19th the troops were given less then 48 hours to rest up before continuing on to Wilmington. The troops fared not much better then their fellow soldiers at Valley Forge. As spring approached the regiment was ordered to West Point in New York in an attempt to protect the city from falling under the control of the British. In November of 1778 the regiment would winter at the encampment in Redding, Connecticut. By December we find our ancestor listed as sick and absent.

As spring approached the regiment was given a secret mission to build a road from Peacham, Vermont to St. John's, Quebec. The construction began in April and continued into late September when orders were received that the regiment was to move onto Peekskill, New York where they were to take up strategic positions in what became known as Camp Peekskill. We have a record of the roster for November 4, 1779 where Basile received a $100 bonus for signing up for the entire war, the name Camp Peekskill appears on the roster. Soon however they would receive orders on November 25 to move onto New Jersey to spend the winter of 1779 at Jockey Hollow; therefore, keeping the troops close to New York. The road remained unfinished and has become known as Hazen's Road. Records will show that Washington never intended to complete the road but to draw the British forces away from the real action.

By the end of 1779, Arnold had begun secret negotiations with the British to surrender the American, fort at West Point, New York, in return for money and a command in the British army. Arnold's chief intermediary was British Major John André (1750-1780). Meanwhile receiving new orders during the summer of 1780 the troops were moved to Stony Point, New York to take up position at King's Ferry. André was captured in September of 1780, while crossing between British and American lines, disguised in civilian clothes. Papers found on André incriminated Arnold in the act of treason. Learning of André's capture, Arnold fled to British lines before the Patriots could arrest him. West Point remained in American hands, and Arnold only received a portion of his promised bounty.

Washington wanting to put a stop to those who were tempted to defect; the sentence was hanging. The 2nd Canadian Regiment was set up to be a Witness to the hanging. Though the records aren't clear it may also have been a warning to the 2nd Canadian Regiment whose men had served with Benedict Arnold during the Canadian Campaign and whose men had no real loyalty to the American cause. On October 2, 1780 the regiment was ordered to watch the hanging. A short while later in November 1780 the Regiment was moved to Fishkill, New York for their winter camp. Placing them in good position to defend New York.

In the spring orders came to move south; the company took up their position just outside Yorktown, and from September 28th to October 19, 1781 the 2nd Canadian Regiment among others held the British at bay during the siege at Yorktown, Virginia. Which would ultimately force the British Commander-in-Chief General Cornwallis to surrender to the Americans.

On the 15th of June 1782 in Providence, Rhode Island Basile had the time to be best man at the marriage of Pierre Blanchard and Martha Brock of Providence. Pierre and his bride would settle in Chazy, New York. On the 4th day of March 1837 Basile testified for Pierre's widow that he was present at the marriage and the marriage indeed took place before the end of the war. Pierre died in 1823.

There seems to be a discrepancy in where the regiment was discharged. One record said that the company was discharged in June in New Windsor, New York and another said that he was discharged in Boston, Massachusetts in June 1783. To help us to understand this the majority of the soldiers were discharged in Boston but many of those who were awaiting their pay refused to leave without it. Later in 1783 the entire unit was discharged at New Windsor. There is a notation on the records by General Hazen noting that he was discharged on June 1, 1783 but doesn't say where. This should also end any confusion on whether he was a deserter. The new government that formed didn't have the funds or the organization to properly pay the soldiers. Many were discharged without their final pay. A record can be found in the archives of the War Department which lists Basile as returning to service on July 27, 1785. For how long did this service last? I do not know. The War Department received a letter dated August 26, 1785 from Basile Nadeau to Gen. Moses Hazen requesting settlement for his final wages. Hazen adds an additional note on his behalf and forwards it to Secretary John Pierce in the War Department.

By 1786 Basile had returned to Canada and met his future wife Marie-Anne Coutant de La Franchise who was born in 1770, the daughter of Jean-Baptiste Coutant de La Franchise and Marie-Anne Lapierre. A simple contract of marriage was drawn up in the study of Antoine Robin, notary for the Richelieu region on the 8th of February and they would marry in Yamaska, Quebec on the 11th of February 1787 at St. Francois-du-lac. On November 12, 1790 he along with several other men met in Ste-Ours with Clémont Gosselin and Pierre Laporte, formerly of Hazen’s Regiment to receive 16 pounds in exchange for any claim to the refugee land grants in New York State. The rights were bought by Gosselin as agent for Benjamin Mooers (a fact that seems to have slipped his mind when he had to defend his right to a pension. It also appears to have conveniently slipped Benjamin Mooers mind when he tries to deny it and calls him a deserter). I believe that the selling of his rights constitutes an agreement that he was eligible to receive the land in the first place. The document also reads “…the subscribers hereof being entitled to certain lands granted to us (respectively) by the people of the State of new York as gratuity…” makes it very clear that he was not considered a deserter. It seems that he remained there until at least 1817 for we first find him in Champlain in 1818.

The 1820 US census does not indicate any females in the household so we can only conclude that his wife, Marie Anne Coutant dit La Franchise had died before this time. In March of 1818 Congress passed a resolution allowing for Pensions for the war veterans. On May 29, 1818 we find Basile living with his son Joseph-Francois (whom he states was only 15 at that time) in Champlain, New York. He applied for his pension but it was initially denied. Most likely he was still living in Canada at that time. He states in some of the letters that were supplied that he was in dire straits and living with his son. There is no mention of his wife. Perhaps she had died by this time. Indeed an inventory was done of his possessions showing his personal clothing, no property, 1 ax, 1 Jack knife, 1 fork and 1 spoon for the total of $1.16. It also mentions that he was a farmer. We find him in the 1820 US census listed as living with his son Francois in Champlain, New York. He is listed on the Pension Roll Census of 1820 as a private in the Pennsylvania line. According to the US Pensioners list out of Albany he received payments of $25.83 quarterly; the amount was received in $8 increments. The Roll also listed his death as July 11, 1841.

In 1831 the court of claims began to deal with the requests for the land grants that were promised and the $80 bonus for those who remained until the end of the war. An accusation of desertion was made and the claim that he was stricken from the roll. Letters of testimony were collected from Lieut. Alexander Ferriole and Col. Moses Hazen as evidence to the contrary. In November 1802 records of the rolls of 1781-1783 for the New York Line were destroyed by fire. Without definitive proof that he served until the end of the war the claim for the bonus of $80 was denied. Basile received his pension payments right up until his death in 1841

His son Francis filed a claim as his father's only known living heir with the Federal Court of Claims on August 3, 1855. In the case laid out before the court it stated that, "The petitioner claims and satisfactorily proves, that by his services as a Sargeant in Col. Moses Hazen's Regiment in the army of the Revolution, to the end of the war, (having then been discharged and honored with the badge of merit) he became entitled to the award of $80, offered by the resolve of Congress of May 15, 1778." As stated previously the claim is denied because of the lack of the muster and payrolls. It is pertinent to point out here that the Badge of Merit did not exist until August 7, 1782 which in itself is proof that he was there beyond the last date shown by the court. This is also the only record that refers to him as a Sargeant.

General Washington described the badge this way, "The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with a due reward. Before this favour can be conferred on any man, the particular fact, or facts, on which it is to be grounded must be set forth to the Commander in chief accompanied with certificates from the Commanding officers of the regiment and brigade to which the Candidate for reward belonged, or other incontestable proofs, and upon granting it, the name and regiment of the person with the action so certified are to be enrolled in the book of merit which will be kept at the orderly office. Men who have merited this last distinction to be suffered to pass all guards and sentinels which officers are permitted to do. The road to glory in a patriot army and a free country is thus open to all. This order is also to have retrospect to the earliest stages of the war, and to be considered as a permanent one.

I don't know where he is buried or if he died in Champlain, Canada or Mooers. I find the family had moved to Mooers, New York by 1850. It might be safe to say that he was probably buried near his wife wherever that may be.

Citations:

1820 US Census. Champlain, New York; Page 6

1830 US Census. Champlain, New York; Page 3

1840 US Census. Champlain, New York; Page 30

1841 Revolutionary War Pensioners Census. New York-Northern District. Page 6

Baptism Record. Berthier, Quebec. Sts. Gabriel and Kildare. April 1, 1754

Clinton County Deeds. 1788-1804, Book B. 1804:502-504

Demarce, Virginia Easley. "Lifelines," Northern-New York American-Canadian Genealogical Society. Vol. 4 Number 2, Whole 7, Fall 1987, 1987:67-69

Fernow, Berthold, Ed. "New York in the Revolution: Prepared Under the Direction of the Board of Regents." Weed, Parsons and Company. Albany, 1887:239

Index to Selected Final Payment Vouchers, 1818-1864; Page 1

Marriage Record. St. Francois-du-Lac, Quebec. Registry of Sorel. 11 February 1787

PRDH/ Legare, Jacques & Hubert Charbonneau. Repertoire des Actes de Bapteme, Mariage, et Sepulture, et des Recensements de Quebec Ancien XVIIe Siecle. Les Presses de Universite de Montreal.

Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890. Vol. 6, Section 1; page 132

"Report From the Secretary of War, In Relation to the Pension Establishment of the United States". Washington, DC. Duff Green, 1835:131

U.S. Pensioners, 1818-1872. New York; page 2

US, Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783. Continental Troops. Hazen's Regiment. Folders 194-207

US, the Pension Roll of 1835. Vol. II, New York. page 129

Basile Pierre Nadeau