Captain Samuel Peck had a busy year in 1775. On May 1, 1775, he was commissioned as a captain in Colonel David Wooster’s 1st Connecticut Regiment. His regiment spent the summer on Long Island and in Harlem, then marched to Canada, stopping at Fort Ticonderoga along the way. After the siege and fall of Fort St. Jean, they traveled north to Montreal, then to the outskirts of Quebec City, where they participated in the siege of the city.
After Peck’s enlistment expired that December, he did not return to regular service until June 1776. He likely spent the spring of 1776 at home in Milford, CT with his wife Mehitable and their seven children, including a new son, Dan, born while Peck was in Canada. This was precious time for Peck to recover from the rigors of a military campaign, prepare for another one, handle business at home, and spend quality time with his family. However, even months after the end of his service with the 1st Connecticut, Peck wasn’t free from military responsibilities.
On April 30, 1776—250 years ago today—Peck was in Hartford on business, about 50 miles away from home. On that day, the Connecticut Committee of the Pay Table signed a pay order ordering colony treasurer John Lawrence to pay Peck 2 pounds, 19 shillings, and 6 pence “for Arms lost by Soldiers of his Company in the Coleny’s Service by Inevitable Casualty”. Peck signed the back of the order, affirming that he had received the money. It is not known what “inevitable casualty” led to the loss of these arms, although the company’s journey of hundreds of miles, punctuated by sieges and skirmishes, offers many possibilities.
Peck was responsible for his company’s accounts. It fell to him to ensure that all government money was properly accounted for and that soldiers received what they were due. While the work was time-consuming and the settling of accounts could drag on for months, Peck and men like him helped keep the army running smoothly and professionally.
Learn about the pay order (object ID MS.7748, property of Robert Nittolo) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/31663