Military patent for William Maxwell, June 12th, 1775, an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He led troops in Canada, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and is most famous as the first commanding officer of the Continental Army's light infantry corps, known as "Maxwell's Brigade" - a mobile, light infantry unit designed for scouting missions and for skirmishing with enemy forces. He joined the military during the French and Indian War, fighting at Fort Ticonderoga on July 8th, 1758. Maxwell would serve as an Ensign in Colonel John Johnston's New Jersey Regiment and then as a Lieutenant under Colonel Peter Schulyer.

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New York State Archives. New York (State). Secretary of State. Military patents. A0447-79.

New York State Archives