Captain Samuel Sackett

154. Capt. Samuel Sackett, 1749–1780, of Westchester County, N. Y., son of (32) Rev. Samuel and Hannah Hazard Sackett, died unmarried, after a lingering illness resulting from wounds received and disease contracted in the service of his country. Shortly after attaining his majority he accompanied a party of adventurous young men of Westchester County and Long Island, to the West Indies, and there engaged in business. A letter dated March 3, 1774, written by his cousin Amy, wife of Capt. Richard Lawrence, to his sister Hannah, wife of Stephen De Lancey, mentions having heard from him through a friend just arrived from Santicroix, who told of his being located there in good health and doing a lucrative business.
     But previous to the breaking out of the Revolution he returned to Westchester County. And the official army records of the period show that he was one of the first young men of that vicinity to openly espouse the cause of American liberty and to take up arms in its defence. On June 28, 1775, the New York Provisional Congress, of which his brother Nathaniel was a active member, issued a warrant constituting him a First Lieutenant of the New York Line. He was immediately thereafter assigned to duty with the 4th Regiment and accompanied the expedition ordered to Canada, where, serving under the brave and experienced soldier, General Richard Montgomery, he participated in the taking of the Fortress of St. John, in the capture of Fort Chamley and in the investment of Montreal, which resulted in its capitulation on Nov. 13, 1775: two days after which General Montgomery issued a special order promoting him to the rank of Captain for conspicuous gallantry in action, and honor, so far as shown by records, conferred on no other American officer during that campaign.
     At Quebec, where General Montgomery was killed, Capt. Sackett was so severely wounded that for several months he was obliged to remain in Canada, where he was devotedly nursed and tenderly cared for by the nuns of the Ursuline Convent. His subsequent return by way of the rough military roads through the intervening wilderness to Albany, in his weakened condition, was a painful and tedious journey, which still further undermined his constitution. He, however, anticipated a speedy recovery and insisted on remaining in the service. And on the reorganization of the New York Line in 1776, his irregular promotion by General Montgomery was duly recognized and he was commissioned accordingly with rank from date of the General's order and assigned to recruiting service. In a letter dated "Albany, 27 September, 1777," written to his sister, Mrs. De Lancey, who appears to be his special favorite, he says:
     Capt. Sackett never regained his health sufficiently to permit his again taking the field. Over two years after date of foregoing letter he writes to the same sister saying:
     Capt. Sackett had no need of exchanging his Continental horse for a better one. The above was probably his last letter. He lingered, growing daily weaker and weaker, until Apr. 15 following, when death ended his service and his sufferings.