Caesar Wallace

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Africa

Date of Birth:

Circa 1738

Place of Death:

New Hampshire

Place of Burial:

Strafford County, New Hampshire(?)

Cemetery Name:

Piper Cemetery(?)

The following is from the 2004 National Park Service study Patriots of Color researched and prepared by George Quintal:

Caesar Wallace was born in Africa circa 1738.¹ Nothing is known of Caesar’s life for nearly its first two decades.

On 23 April 1818 he applied for a U.S. petition, which was granted at the rate of $96.00 per year. In his pension application, he is described as being a ‘man of colour.’² Caesar stated that he was ‘at the battle … at Bunker Hill’³ but no record has been found in either the Massachusetts or New Hampshire records to verify his 1775 service. By his statement, his service at the battle is considered as proven.

In 1777 he enlisted from Newbury, Massachusetts, for three years or the duration of the war, into the 2^nd New Hampshire regiment commanded by Col. George Reid. His company was commanded by Capt. Caleb Robinson. This unit saw extensive service including the battles of Hubbardton, Vermont and Saratoga, New York. Caesar mentions neither of these but does mention his involvement in the battles of:

Monmouth, New Jersey -- 28 June 1778
Fort Herkimer, New York
Newtown, New York -- 29 August 1779 (Sullivan’s Expedition against the Iroquois)
Horseneck, Connecticut

Caesar served until 7 June 1783 when he was discharged at the New Windsor encampment of the Continental Army near the Hudson River just south of Newburgh, New York.

The 1790 census of Gilmanton (NH) lists him as head of household of four free people of color.⁴

At the time of his pension application, he was a resident of Meredith, Strafford County, New Hampshire.⁵ Local tradition places his residence on what is now Upper New Hampton Road on the farm surrounding the Piper Cemetery.⁶ His date of death is unknown. Local tradition gives his burial place (and that of his family) as Piper Cemetery but no gravestones for them exist.⁷

Caesar married Katy _____, who was aged 75 and ‘healthy’ in 1820. Caesar and Katy had one known child:

• Lucy: born circa 1793 and still alive in 1820 and living in Caesar’s household⁸

Footnotes:

1. Recollection of age in pension (United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Roll 2479, Pension #S43250). Wallace stated that he was 80 in his 1818 application, indicating a year of birth of 1738. However, in his 1820 application he stated his age as 90. The 1738 date seems more probable and is confirmed by Sons of the American Revolution. SAR Revolutionary War Graves Register CD (2000), (#131484).
2. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 96.
3. Ibid, Frame 101.
4. United States Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 29 (1790-1850). Index, 1790, New Hampshire, Gilmanton, 91.
5. All preceding service and residence records from United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls.
6. Cemetery List, Town Hall, Meredith, NH; Sons of the American Revolution. SAR Revolutionary War Graves Register CD (2000) agrees (#131484) but also conflicts (#131483), the latter stating that he was buried at the Page Cemetery in Gilmanton, NH.
7. Cemetery visited June 2000.
8. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 100

Learn more about Quintal's study.