Sylvanus (Silvanus) Ames (1742-1778) His Service with the Rhode Island Regiment
Source:"Death Seem'd to Stare"(The Rhode Island and New Hampshire Regiments at Valley Forge) by Joseph Lee BoylePublished 2005. page 105.
The book contains lists of those who served at Valley Forge from these two states.
One did not have to live in those states to serve in these regiments.
It would appear that Sylvanus Ames of Massachusetts sought to cast his lot with the Indians and black citizens of Rhode Island who formed the Rhode Island regiment. He probably could have served as an officer in the Massachusetts Regiment with his other friends and relatives.
According to his listing in the book, he served as a Corporal in the First Rhode Island Regiment from December 1777 to April 1778.He died on May 16, 1778.Since there is a separation between his service of a month and the date of death, perhaps this is when he was hospitalized.
At some time during that period the First Rhode Island Regiment was joined with the Second Rhode Island Regiment.
Sylvanus was first with the Potter Company and then with the Cole Company. Those would have been the names of the Captains of the Regiment.
It says his "term of enlistment" was for the "duration of the War."I'm guessing that was his commitment to the effort and not a designation of the length of time served.
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Re: Sylvanus (Silvanus) Ames (1742-1778) His Service with the Rhode Island Regiment
Stafford-Ames Morse 2/25/14