Get Ready to Celebrate 250 Years of Independence

Over the course of the coming eight years, we will celebrate the events that gave us our Independence. The first official event leading to our independence were the actions at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts on April 19th 1775.

There were, however, earlier events that led up to this historic date.

December 16, 1773 - The Boston Tea Party that took place in Boston Harbor

October 21, 1774 - Taunton residents raised the Liberty and Union Flag, the first flown in defiance of the British

March 2, 1775 – 300 pounds of tea was burned in Providence, Rhode Island in a second Tea Party

April 9, 1775 - About 1,000 Patriots from surrounding towns marched to Freetown, Massachusetts. They confiscated weapons and gunpowder and took Tory prisoners.

The original Rehoboth Militia comprised five (5) companies. In 1775 they were divided, two (2) companies would now serve as Minutemen, “Able to march at a moment's notice”. The other three (3) companies were militia. Each company was composed of about 50 men.

In April 1775, Colonel Timothy Walker led the Militia/Minutemen Regiment of 210 men in responding to the Lexington Alarm. From April to July 1775, they were called the 3rd Provincial Army. In July they were redesignated the 22nd Regiment of the United Colonial. It was commanded by Colonel Timothy Walker and numbered over 500 Soldiers. This regiment was formed by volunteer Soldiers from the towns of Rehoboth, Attleborough, Dighton, Berkley, Taunton, Norton, Raynham, and Easton.

In the coming months, we plan to tell stories of the Officers and Soldiers that served from each of these towns. If anyone has stories or a relative that served in this Regiment we would like to hear from you.

The Rehoboth Militia/ 22nd Regiment will be very busy in the coming years. We encourage anyone who has any interest in history to join us. We will meet at Goff Hall/Blanding Library, 124 Bay State Road, Rehoboth on Tuesday, January 16th at 7:30 p.m.. Stop in for a visit and learn what we do to teach and share history and participate in historic events and reenactments.

Visit us at our website for more information: www.13thcontinentalregiment.org  or contact Cathy Potter at 508-252-3682

We represent the following units::
Rehoboth Minutemen
22nd Regiment of the United Colonies
13th Continental Regiment