Alexander Thompson

Captain Alexander Thompson (1759-1809) was born in New York City to James Thompson and Margaret Ramsay.

Alexander married Abigail Amelia DeHart, daughter of [Mattias DeHart, 1723|Mattias DeHart and Katherine Kingslandt] in 1784, and they had six children.

• Abigail Amelia Christiana DeHart (1760–1855) born 15 June, 1760 in Elizabeth, Union county, New Jersey, or Morristown [History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J.: The combined...] She died at West Point, Orange County, New York 18 April, 1855. []

In 1806 became the military storekeeper at West Point, where he aided in the construction of the military academy there. He died at Highland, West Point, New York on September 28, 1809. Both he and his wife are buried at the West Point Cemetery. [findagrave]

Children, all born New York?:

• John Ramsey Thompson, D.D. (1784–1816); married Eliza Baldwin,
  • Alexander Baldwin Thompson, m. Catherine Ann Conger. [DAR, rec;12619]
• William R. Thomson (1786–1857) born October 11, 1786
• Alexander Ramsey Thompson (1793–1837) born February 19, 1793 died at the Battle of Okeechobee, Florida, 1837.
• Amelia Christina Thompson (1795–1878)
• Margaret A. Thompson (1800–1871)
• Catherine Kingsland Thompson (1805–1875)

Centinel of Freedom Tuesday, 24 April, 1855, Newark, New Jersey

Died At West Point, on the 18th instant, Mrs. Amelia Thompson, widow of Captain Alexander Thompson, of the Revolutionary Army and mother of the late Colonel Thompson, United States Army. Mrs. Thompson was a native of New Jersey and sister of Colonel William DeHart, deceased of Morristown.

Biography

Alexander Thompson fought in the American Revolution, first in a militia company commanded by Silvanus Seely (1777), and later as a lieutenant in John Lamb's artillery (1779-1783). In 1786, Thompson became a captain in the New York Militia Regiment of Artillery, and in 1794, President George Washington commissioned him to the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers stationed at Governor's Island (1795). His next posts were at Fort Niagara (1798) in New York, and Fort Lernoult in Michigan Territory (1800). He returned to New York City in 1802, and in 1806 became the military storekeeper at West Point, where he aided in the construction of the military academy there. He died at West Point on September 28, 1809.

• https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clementsead/umich-wcl-M-4024tho?id=navbarbrowselink;view=text

Alexander Thompson Biographical material at the Fort Plank History website, "Fort Plank, Bastion of my Freedom, Colonial Canajoharie, New York"

Alexander Thompson, RWPA #W18128/BLWt #2191-200-Lieut. He married in the home of William DeHart in Morristown, New Jersey on March 4, 1784, Amelia DeHart, a sister of Colonel William DeHart and Jesse (DeHart) Baldwin. He died at West Point in Orange County, New York in September of 1809.

Career

He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Second Regiment of New York Artillery [Colonel John Lamb’s Regiment of Artilleryman] on May 31, 1779, & in 1793, was re-commissioned as a captain in the United States Army and was still in serving within the Army at the time of his death. He fought in the Battles of Springfield, Brandywine, and Yorktown, and took part in Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Willett’s failed Oswego Expedition of February, 1783. His widow states that both of his feet were frozen in Willet’s Expedition... and were near being amputated, but were finally saved there from by the kind attention of an Indian __.

In the spring of 1783, he carried news of the Cessation of Hostilities to Fort Oswego and presented the news to Major John Ross. A detailed account of his encounter with Major Ross and his travels to and from Fort Oswego are found within the Library of the Society of the Cincinnati in Washington, D.C. and which he states that he had been placed in charge of the artillery units at Fort Plank, Rensselaer, and others. Hereafter follows Thompson's statement on Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Wilett's failed Oswego Expedition

Fort Rensselaer on Mohawk River, January, [February] 24th 1783

My Dear Brother—The day after I wrote you by Mr. Lee, a wounded officer, I left Albany for my station on this river, which I assure you far exceeds my expectation. The idea I entertained of the country, was here & there at some very considerable distance, to find a little cleared land & a small log house; to be destitute of all society & entirely confined to the walls of the garrison, but to my satisfaction my expectations are exceeded. This fort is situated on a height about half a mile from the river, which affords a beautiful prospect of the country around & showes you at one view as far as the eye will carry, fine fields like those of Bottle Hill [now known as Madison, New Jersey] and likewise of the ruins of buildings and improvements you would little expect, to find in this supposed hidden country, which has been destroyed by the fury of the savages -- all the settlements from Caughnawaga twenty miles below this place, until yon get to old Fort Stanwix, fifty miles above are destroyed except a few houses which the inhabitants by their great exertions have secured with stockades, and cut loop holes through the walls to prevent their coming near to set fire -- Six & seven families are crouded in one of these houses, it would really cause a tender feeling from you to visit & see tine sufferings of these unhappy people, among the whole you will find but three or four men to help them through their difficulties—The savages made it an invariable rule to put every man to death they took which they lave exercised to a great amount. -- The widow and daughter to stop the cries of the Hungry infants have taken up the fatigues of the farm. You will see the poor creatures cutting of wood, thrashing of grain, and performing the other laborious kinds of work. The people of this country are of the High Dutch all together, which affords us but little society among them -- they seem so much attached to their own language that few of them will speak to you in any offer. The produce of this country has been very great, and I am induced to believe this country will soon flourish again if the savages remain quiet. On the morning of the 8th inst. just before the sable curtain was drawn, I left this post with a detachment of four hundred troops, in one hundred & twenty sleighs, on an expedition against Oswego a British Garrison about one hundred and eighty miles north west from this place, which we intended to surprise. We passed by Old Fort Stanwix and arrived at the Onieda Lake, the evening of the twelfth, and for fear of being discovered we crossed the same night on the ice, which is abort thirty miles over -- We left our sleighs at the lake and marched along the Onieda river for Oswego. After we got below Oswego falls we took the ice but were frequently obliged to take the land for fear of being discovered by the enemies Indians that were out on hunting parties -- We found but one track during the march, which was of one Indian who had killed a deer a little in front of us, he left the skin on the snow which was warm when we came to the spat -- When we got within nine miles of the enemy we halted & made our ladders to execute our business -- We carried them with us, & when within three mies of the garrison our guide took a circuit in the woods with an intention he said of advancing on the works the lake side, we were led on over hill and through swamps to a considerable distance from our object, until the day began to break which advanced so fast as to make it impossible to arrive at the works before broad day light—our guide confessed he was Lost -- & Here the glorious persuite was given over : the orders we had from the Commander in chief were positive, that if we did not attack before day to return -- Colonel Willet was under the necessity of ordering us to the right about. You may be assured we are sensibly mortified at the disappointment to be within three miles of the important object entirely undiscovered, and then to be led a most tedious way by an Indian -- On our return we immediately took the ice, because the marching was better.

I am fully persuaded the enemy were not apprized of our approach, when we got within two miles of Oswego Falls -- On our return, we discovered a party of Indians on the other shore -- three of them came immediately to us -- supposing we were their own troops going down the country to commit depredations -- When they found they were among other troops they appeared a good deal alarmed -- we told them we intended to surprise the Garrison, but losing our way -- were on our return -- that we did not want to hurt them -that they where at liberty -- which last expression altered their countenance much -- they left us with a seeming satisfaction, and I believe this treatment prevented their harassing our rear, which we momently expected -- The Garrison consisted of three hundred regular troops & two hundred Indians. The snow was very deep and we found much difficulty breaking the road -- We had two days a most severe storm, and the whole of the time exceeding cold weather -- we had three men perish before we could return to the lake—and we dare not make fire for fear of being discovered when advancing -- we had one hundred and thirty bit with the frost, some very dangerously—I am myself one of the unfortunate number, but by the frequent applications I have made, my feet are much better, and I flatter myself will soon be well—I have not heard from you since by Mr ____ think of me often -- I long to hear from you—I must conclude, with my love to each of the family your affectionate brother
Alexander Thompson

• The Historical Magazine, and notes and queries concerning the antiquities, History and Biography of America. Vol. III. New York: Charles B. Richardson, London, Turner & Co. 1859, p.?. Transcribed from a transcript by Fort Plank Historian Ken D. Johnson on December 8, 2009.
  The original manuscript is now located with the collections of the Washington Headquarters State Historical Site in Newburgh, New York. Multiple requests have been made to obtain a photocopy of the original manuscript have gone unanswered to date. The site's curator has assured this transcription of the authenticity of this letter and its presence within their vault.
  • We are indebted for this letter to Thomas J. Buckley, Esq., of Brooklyn, who married a granddaughter of Capt. Thompson.

Pension Application for Alexander Thompson W.18128 (Widow: Amelia)

They married March tenth 1784. Alexander died in the service of his country at West Point September 1801. [B.L.Wt.52191-200] Lieut. Issued May 19, 1790, no papers. Letter in folder dated August 25, 1925, written in response to an inquiry.
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim W.18128 it appears that Alexander Thompson was commissioned May 31, 1779 Second Lieutenant in Colonels Lamb and Stevens’ Second Battalion of Continental Artillery. He was in the battle of Springfield, at the Siege of Yorktown, and in February 1783 in Colonel Willett’s expedition against Oswego, when his feet were frozen. He was sent to the Northern Frontiers to Announce the cessation of Hostilities in April 1783.
At the close of the Revolution he was retained in the service and subsequently resigned, but was appointed Captain of Artillerists and Engineers in the United States Army. He died in the service at West Point, New York in September 1809. His age is not given.
Soldier married March 4, 1784, Amelia DeHart. They were married at the home of her brother Colonel William DeHart in Morristown, New Jersey. She was allowed pension on her application executed October 9, 1838 while a resident of West Point, Orange County, New York, aged seventy-seven years.
Their daughter Amelia C. Thompson was living in Orange County, New York in 1840, another child, M.A. Thompson was living in West Point, New York in 1843, and their daughter-in-law Mary W. Thompson was a resident of said West Point in 1838.

Sources

• Zimmermann, Linda, 1959-

Contributors: Ricca, Richard F. Forging a nation, New York : Eagle Press, 1996 ACQ: 36394-A; Mss Div; Transfer (Alexander Thompson Papers; M-4070); 10/18/2004 = cop. 1-3. Based in part on materials in the William L. Clements Library. Cop. 1-3: Black color illustrated, printed paperback. Note "From Revolution to Civil War : personal experiences of three generations of the Thompson family, from documents in the private collection of Richard F. Ricca"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-154) and index. Subjects (LCSH) Thompson family. Thompson, Alexander, -- 1759-1809. Thompson, Alexander Ramsay, -- 1793-1837. Thompson, Alexander R. -- (Alexander Ramsey), -- 1822-1895.

• https://search.lib.umich.edu/catalog/record/990049726340106381