Sgt. Levi Moss, Jr.

MORSE, LEVI Ancestor #: A081484
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank(s): SERGEANT
Birth: 11-16-1746 WALLINGFORD NEW HAVEN CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 3-6-1825 LITCHFIELD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Pension Number: *W17166
Service Source: *W17166
Service Description: 1) CAPTS ABRAHAM BRADLEY, BRYANT STODDARD; COLS GAY, ADAMS

   Sergeant Levi Moss ( Morse ) served in the Revolutionary War. He enlisted in June 1776 and fought in the Battle of Long Island ( Flatbush )

The Battle of Long Island is also referred to as the Battle of Brooklyn Heights and took place on Tuesday, August 27, 1776 at Long Island, New York. The very day of the evacuation of British forces following the Siege of Boston on March 17, 1776, George Washington ordered 5 regiments of the Colonial Army to New York. The American troops were positioned on the outskirts of New York City on a series of hills in Brooklyn, he was intent on defending New York falling to the British, but knew he would not be able to withstand a siege. The new British commander-in-chief was General William Howe who had led in the field at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The British first sailed to Halifax and did not begin the campaign in New York until the end of August. The British force consisted of 400 warships, each ship was equipped with 16 cannon and carried 1000 troops ready to storm the beaches after landing. General William Howe landed his soldiers, bolstered by German Hessian mercenaries, on Long Island smashing the militia's camps with cannonball fire. He was able to divide the Continental Army in two and captured one part of it. This strategic success brought the British to the foot of Brooklyn Heights. On the top of Brooklyn Heights was a fort. Howe delayed attacking the fort which enabled Washington time to retreat and were safely ferried the rest of the American army across to New York. When the British eventually marched to the attack, there was no one left in the fort on Brooklyn Heights. The British Army then stormed through the small city of New York, setting it ablaze.

    The main groups of the Continental Army retreated from New York City but a small band of American Sharpshooters hid 30 ft off of the main trail looking for the British as they marched after the American militia. The colonial snipers broke the rules of war and aimed not at the soldiers but fired on the officers on horseback. These tactics were highly successful as without the commands from their offices the British troops were thrown into confusion. The British troops retreated to the safety of New York City but had achieved victory in the Battle of Long Island, New York. The next major conflict between the two armies would be the Battle of White Plains.

Source
https://www.landofthebrave.info/battle-of-long-island.htm

He was in Captain Abraham Bradley's Company. Colonel Fisher Gay's Connecticut Regiment. In April of 1777 he answered the Danbury Alarm where he served as Sergeant. British troops under the command of General William Tryon attack the town of Danbury, Connecticut, and begin destroying everything in sight. Facing little, if any, opposition from Patriot forces, the British went on a rampage, setting fire to homes, farmhouse, storehouses and more than 1,500 tents.

The British destruction continued for nearly a week before word of it reached Continental Army leaders, including General Benedict Arnold, who was stationed in nearby New Haven. Along with General David Wooster and General Gold Silliman, Arnold led a contingent of more than 500 American troops in a surprise attack on the British forces as they began withdrawing from Danbury.

Although they prevented the complete destruction of Danbury, the outnumbered American troops were unable to stop the British retreat. The British continued marching through Ridgefield and Compo Hill, Connecticut, en route to their ships anchored at Long Island Sound.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-attack-danbury-c...

In the Summer of 1779, He again answered the Alarm, this time at New Haven, Ct. He was there for three days.

BATTLE OF NEW HAVEN July 4, 1779 was a Sunday. New Haven had not celebrated our country’s third year of existence that day because of the Sabbath, but The Second Company, Connecticut Governor’s Foot Guard was readying their red and blue uniforms, and brushing their tall bearskin hats in preparation for a Monday celebration and parade. A few miles down the west coast of New Haven harbor was Thomas Painter, standing coast watch on this quiet night. He was the first to see the Flagship Camille sailing up the coast under the command of Commodore Sir George Collier, accompanied by a sloop, a brig, and a galley. Painter sounded the alarm cannon, and sent a drummer into the West Haven night to sound the call to arms. By five a.m. the first division, comprised of the 54th Regiment, a Regiment of Fusiliers, the Guards, a detachment of Jägers, and four field cannon disembarked in West Haven, and were met by a resistance force of only twenty-five young Colonials. The British commander, Brigadier General Garth, annoyed by the Colonials’ resistance, turned the other way as his troops sacked and burned houses along the way to the West Haven Green. New Haven’s militia and local townsfolk hid in the underbrush along the British route, and took shots at the invaders from their concealed positions.

Meanwhile, on the East Haven side of the harbor, General Tryon, with the 23rd Royal Regiment, Landgrave’s Hessian Regiment, and “The King’s Americans”, a Tory regiment had landed at Lighthouse Point near Black Rock Fort at approximately the same time. The plan had been for both forces to march hastily toward New Haven and meet on the Green by noon. Lieutenant Pierpont was commanding the Fort, manned with only 19 local militia. They fired at the British and Hessians on the beach until the fort ran out of ammunition; then they spiked their cannon and dislodged them. Tryon sent out two patrols, one to capture the militia at Black Rock Fort and the other to disperse the forces gathering at Beacon Hill, closer to New Haven. An angry and vengeful Tryon was called to New Haven to confer with Garth. As he and his troops marched to the city, they burned buildings, killed patriot citizens, and became drunk on plentiful local rum. Local residents infiltrated the ranks of the inebriated British troops as the afternoon progressed. By nightfall, the British troops, drunk, and demoralized by the constant sniper fire and ungentlemanly harassment of the militia, welcomed the opportunity to return to their ships, but not before taking about 40 prisoners and setting fire to the barracks at Black Rock Fort.

http://connecticutsar.org/battle-of-new-haven/

After the Revolution, He was Lieutenant of the militia. He died in Litchfield, March 6th 1825. His wife Martha ( Sherman ) Moss ,was allowed military pension Oct 10 1836 .

____________________________________________________________________

Birth: Nov. 16, 1746 Wallingford New Haven County Connecticut, USA Death: Apr. 6, 1825 Litchfield County Connecticut, USA

Family links:

Parents:

 Levi Moss (1722 - 1802)

 Martha Fenn Moss (1725 - 1818)

Spouse:

 Martha Sherman Moss (1750 - 1843)

Children:

 Levi Morse (1775 - 1841)*

 Stephen Morse (1782 - 1868)*

 Martha Morse Churchill (1785 - 1865)*

 Olive Moss Boyce (1789 - 1845)*

Siblings:

 Philo Thadda Moss (____ - 1769)*

 Amos Morse (1744 - 1819)*

 Levi Moss (1746 - 1825)

 Elizabeth Moss Hackley (1749 - 1825)*

 John Moss (1750 - 1820)*

 Eunice Moss Hall (1750 - 1789)*

 Mary Moss Andrews (1755 - 1847)*

 Martha Moss Bartholomew (1755 - 1784)*

 Benajah Morse (1763 - 1841)*

 Thankful Moss Hall (1766 - 1826)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Northfield Cemetery Northfield Litchfield County Connecticut, USA

Created by: Vicki Moss-Hall Record added: Jan 19, 2015 Find A Grave Memorial# 141540078

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=141540078